Stanley Cup, division winners and awards

The 2021-22 NHL season is set to begin on Tuesday night with a doubleheader on ESPN and ESPN+, but we’re looking beyond just those two matchups.

Will the Lightning pull off the three-peat? How well will the Kraken do in their first season? And who will take home all of the individual hardware?

We’ve gathered our cross-platform ESPN hockey family together to predict the winners of each division, along with the Stanley Cup champion and players who will win all of the major awards.

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Jump ahead:
Atlantic | Metropolitan
Central | Pacific | Cup
Hart | Ross | Richard
Norris | Vezina | Calder

Atlantic Division

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Lightning captain Steven Stamkos talks with John Buccigross about Tampa Bay’s chances at a three-peat, his love of fantasy football and his cheat meal.

Sean Allen: Panthers
Brian Boucher: Panthers
John Buccigross: Panthers
Ryan Callahan: Panthers
Sachin Chandan: Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Panthers
Leah Hextall: Lightning
Emily Kaplan: Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Panthers
Don La Greca: Panthers
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning
Steve Levy: Lightning
Vince Masi: Panthers
Victoria Matiash: Panthers
Sean McDonough: Lightning
Mark Messier: Maple Leafs
AJ Mleczko: Lightning
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
John Tortorella: Bruins
Kevin Weekes: Panthers
Bob Wischusen: Lightning
Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs

Totals: Panthers (10), Lightning (7), Maple Leafs (4), Bruins (1)

Metropolitan Division

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Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin talks with Kevin Weekes about being the greatest goal scorer of his generation and his role as a father.

Sean Allen: Hurricanes
Brian Boucher: Islanders
John Buccigross: Islanders
Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes
Sachin Chandan: Capitals

Linda Cohn: Islanders
Leah Hextall: Islanders
Emily Kaplan: Islanders
Tim Kavanagh: Islanders
Don La Greca: Islanders
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Islanders
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes
Sean McDonough: Islanders
Mark Messier: Rangers
AJ Mleczko: Islanders
Arda Öcal: Islanders
John Tortorella: Hurricanes
Kevin Weekes: Hurricanes
Bob Wischusen: Islanders
Greg Wyshynski: Islanders

Totals: Islanders (13), Hurricanes (7), Capitals (1), Rangers (1)

Central Division

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Chris Berman breaks down his top current nicknames in the NHL.

Sean Allen: Jets
Brian Boucher: Avalanche
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche
Linda Cohn: Avalanche
Leah Hextall: Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: Blues
Don La Greca: Avalanche
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche
Steve Levy: Avalanche
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Avalanche
Mark Messier: Avalanche
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Arda Öcal: Avalanche
John Tortorella: Avalanche
Kevin Weekes: Avalanche
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche

Totals: Avalanche (20), Jets (1), Blues (1)

Pacific Division

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Expectations are high as the Seattle Kraken begin their inaugural season.

Sean Allen: Canucks
Brian Boucher: Golden Knights
John Buccigross: Oilers
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Kraken

Linda Cohn: Golden Knights
Leah Hextall: Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Golden Knights
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights
Steve Levy: Golden Knights
Vince Masi: Oilers
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights
Mark Messier: Golden Knights
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights
John Tortorella: Flames
Kevin Weekes: Golden Knights
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights

Totals: Golden Knights (17), Oilers (2), Canucks (1), Kraken (1), Flames (1)

Stanley Cup champs

play

Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier looks back at the moments that defined the NHL.

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
Brian Boucher: Avalanche
John Buccigross: Panthers
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights
Linda Cohn: Avalanche
Leah Hextall: Lightning
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Islanders
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Islanders
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Lightning
Mark Messier: Lightning
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Arda Öcal: Islanders
John Tortorella: Hurricanes
Kevin Weekes: Lightning
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Islanders

Totals: Avalanche (7), Islanders (4), Lightning (4), Golden Knights (3), Hurricanes (2), Panthers (1), Maple Leafs (1)

Hart Trophy (MVP)

Sean Allen: Auston Matthews
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Aleksander Barkov
Ryan Callahan: Patrick Kane
Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon

Linda Cohn: Nathan MacKinnon
Leah Hextall: Nathan MacKinnon
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon
Tim Kavanagh: Nathan MacKinnon
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nathan MacKinnon
Steve Levy: Nathan MacKinnon
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Nathan MacKinnon
Arda Öcal: Nathan MacKinnon
John Tortorella: Artemi Panarin
Kevin Weekes: Nathan MacKinnon
Bob Wischusen: Auston Matthews
Greg Wyshynski: Sidney Crosby

Totals: Nathan MacKinnon (11), Connor McDavid (5), Auston Matthews (2), Aleksander Barkov (1), Patrick Kane (1), Artemi Panarin (1), Sidney Crosby (1)

Art Ross Trophy (leading point scorer)

Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Sachin Chandan: Connor McDavid
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid
Leah Hextall: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid
Tim Kavanagh: Connor McDavid
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Leon Draisaitl
Steve Levy: Connor McDavid
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Patrick Kane
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
John Tortorella: Artemi Panarin
Kevin Weekes: Connor McDavid
Bob Wischusen: Leon Draisaitl
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Totals: Connor McDavid (17), Leon Draisaitl (2), Nathan MacKinnon (1), Patrick Kane (1), Artemi Panarin (1)

Rocket Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer)

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Chris Berman picks the greatest NHL nicknames of all time.

Sean Allen: Leon Draisaitl
Brian Boucher: Auston Matthews
John Buccigross: Auston Matthews
Ryan Callahan: Auston Matthews
Sachin Chandan: David Pastrnak

Linda Cohn: Auston Matthews
Leah Hextall: Alex Ovechkin
Emily Kaplan: Auston Matthews
Tim Kavanagh: Nikita Kucherov
Don La Greca: Leon Draisaitl
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Leon Draisaitl
Steve Levy: David Pastrnak
Vince Masi: Leon Draisaitl
Victoria Matiash: Alex DeBrincat
Sean McDonough: Auston Matthews
Mark Messier: Auston Matthews
AJ Mleczko: Auston Matthews
Arda Öcal: Auston Matthews
John Tortorella: Nikita Kucherov
Kevin Weekes: Auston Matthews
Bob Wischusen: Auston Matthews
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews

Totals: Auston Matthews (12), Leon Draisaitl (4), David Pastrnak (2), Nikita Kucherov (2), Alex Ovechkin (1), Alex DeBrincat (1)

Norris Trophy (best defenseman)

Sean Allen: Charlie McAvoy
Brian Boucher: Cale Makar
John Buccigross: Charlie McAvoy
Ryan Callahan: Cale Makar
Sachin Chandan: John Carlson
Linda Cohn: Cale Makar
Leah Hextall: Cale Makar
Emily Kaplan: Cale Makar
Tim Kavanagh: Miro Heiskanen
Don La Greca: Charlie McAvoy
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Victor Hedman
Steve Levy: Cale Makar
Vince Masi: Aaron Ekblad
Victoria Matiash: Aaron Ekblad
Sean McDonough: Cale Makar
Mark Messier: Cale Makar
AJ Mleczko: Cale Makar
Arda Öcal: Cale Makar
John Tortorella: Seth Jones
Kevin Weekes: Cale Makar
Bob Wischusen: Victor Hedman
Greg Wyshynski: Charlie McAvoy

Totals: Cale Makar (11), Charlie McAvoy (4), Victor Hedman (2), Aaron Ekblad (2), John Carlson (1), Miro Heiskanen (1), Seth Jones (1)

Vezina Trophy (best goaltender)

Note: NHL GMs vote for this award.

Sean Allen: Connor Hellebuyck
Brian Boucher: Andrei Vasilevskiy
John Buccigross: Juuse Saros
Ryan Callahan: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Sachin Chandan: Juuse Saros

Linda Cohn: Philipp Grubauer
Leah Hextall: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Emily Kaplan: Connor Hellebuyck
Tim Kavanagh: Connor Hellebuyck
Don La Greca: Igor Shesterkin
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Steve Levy: Marc-Andre Fleury
Vince Masi: Juuse Saros
Victoria Matiash: Philipp Grubauer
Sean McDonough: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Mark Messier: Andrei Vasilevskiy
AJ Mleczko: Connor Hellebuyck
Arda Öcal: Andrei Vasilevskiy
John Tortorella: Spencer Knight
Kevin Weekes: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Bob Wischusen: Semyon Varlamov
Greg Wyshynski: Connor Hellebuyck

Totals: Andrei Vasilevskiy (8), Connor Hellebuyck (5), Juuse Saros (3), Philipp Grubauer (2), Igor Shesterkin (1), Marc-Andre Fleury (1), Spencer Knight (1), Semyon Varlamov (1)

Calder Trophy (best rookie)

Sean Allen: Spencer Knight
Brian Boucher: Spencer Knight
John Buccigross: Cole Caufield
Ryan Callahan: Cole Caufield
Sachin Chandan: Spencer Knight
Linda Cohn: Spencer Knight
Leah Hextall: Trevor Zegras
Emily Kaplan: Spencer Knight
Tim Kavanagh: Cole Caufield
Don La Greca: Cole Caufield
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Spencer Knight
Steve Levy: Cole Caufield
Vince Masi: Spencer Knight
Victoria Matiash: Jamie Drysdale
Sean McDonough: Jeremy Swayman
Mark Messier: Trevor Zegras
AJ Mleczko: Cole Caufield
Arda Öcal: Cole Caufield
John Tortorella: Spencer Knight
Kevin Weekes: Cole Caufield
Bob Wischusen: Cole Caufield
Greg Wyshynski: Cole Caufield

Totals: Cole Caufield (10), Spencer Knight (8), Trevor Zegras (2), Jamie Drysdale (1), Jeremy Swayman (1)