2025-2026 Way Too Early Predictions

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

A team from Florida makes the finals.

The league will announce a surprise expansion team in Jacksonville who will make the finals

 

[BKarchitect]

To me, with Landeskog seemingly healthy and Nuke (hopefully) rehabilitated, theyre actually out of jail completely. Now they dont have $12m+ holding them hostage in players that may/may not come back.

Sure, don’t get me wrong, it’s better to have those guys healthy and in the line-up than lingering in the background. But…I guess we will see how it goes. Could be touch and go a bit. I still can’t believe Landeskog is not only back but playing such a large role after only a few games. There was/is real concern that a healthish but heavily reduced bottom six version of him would be a sort of sad $7 million cap constraint - but he looked the part of a guy who could still definitely be worth that in his playoff cameos.

 

[atlanticobserver]

FLA- Playoffs
Tampa- Playoffs
Toronto-Playoffs
Sabres-Playoffs Tage wins the goal scoring title and 100+ points with Sabres finally having a decent power play.
Habs-Miss
Ottawa-Miss
Detroit-Miss
Boston-Miss

Interesting. I have thought the Sabres have had enough good players to make a decent push at the playoffs for a while now, but without some sort of substantial change in the lineup or behind the bench, I don't see it as currently constructed. What moves do you think they make to get them over the hump?

 

[atlanticobserver]

In what world are the Avs in cap jail? They have basically a full roster signed, and some players that'll be very easy to move if they want to make changes

I think it's that, as currently constructed, they basically have no extras and a relatively iffy third pair. Any injury to an impact player would be pretty catastrophic.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Panthers will win 3 in a row. I still don’t see which team can beat them in the playoffs. They have to keep Bennett and Marchand though. Im pretty sure they will keep Bennett, Marchand is bit of a question mark but im sure they’ll do everything they can to keep them both

I think it's possible, but I don't think they can retain both Marchand and Bennett, and losing Ekblad is basically a given. They have 19 million to re-sign Marchand, Bennett, Nosek, Samoskevich, Sturm, Ekblad, Schmidt, Vanecek, and Megna. They will definitely thin out a bit on the bottom end one way or the other. They'd basically have close to nothing left if even they convince both Marchand and Bennett to take discounts. Tampa isn't really taking a step back, wasn't that far off, and wasn't close to 100% this year. I still think Florida is the team to beat, but if they only have 1/3 of Ekblad, Marchand, and Bennett, that really hurts. Plus, they have to re-sign Bob next summer and that only gets more complicated if they keep two of those three big guys.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Another hot take. Edmonton could do basically nothing besides bring this years team back, flawed as it is, and have a 50/50 shot at continuing their Buffalo Bills streak of making the Cup finals and losing.

I just don’t have confidence in any of the West teams right now.

- The Jets simply cannot be trusted. At all.
- The Avs are in cap hell and outside of one run are sneaky big game chokers.
- The Stars are about to join the Avs and Oilers in cap jail as they lose depth and had a messy end to the season.
- Vegas will probably do something crazy this off-season so I guess TBD.
- Don’t think any of the other rebuild/retool teams pose a serious threat yet.

So…yeah…who do folks have faith in more than the Oilers in the West?

Honestly, if LA adds Marner, Ehlers, Marchand, Bennett, or some other big-name forward, I think they'd be really hard to beat.

 

[atlanticobserver]

I don't think Edmonton gets back to the SCF again. I could see them getting out of the Pacific into the WCF, but can they keep getting past Dallas and/or Colorado? Here's a crazy one. Florida loses to one of TB or Toronto, and Carolina as a result finally gets out of the East.

I forgot to mention them in OP, but I think the Kings can really take a step forward. They have a really strong group and aren't far off.

 

[the_fan]

I think it's possible, but I don't think they can retain both Marchand and Bennett, and losing Ekblad is basically a given. They have 19 million to re-sign Marchand, Bennett, Nosek, Samoskevich, Sturm, Ekblad, Schmidt, Vanecek, and Megna. They will definitely thin out a bit on the bottom end one way or the other. They'd basically have close to nothing left if even they convince both Marchand and Bennett to take discounts. Tampa isn't really taking a step back, wasn't that far off, and wasn't close to 100% this year. I still think Florida is the team to beat, but if they only have 1/3 of Ekblad, Marchand, and Bennett, that really hurts. Plus, they have to re-sign Bob next summer and that only gets more complicated if they keep two of those three big guys.

They have to keep Bennett. Marchand was good for them and important, but he can still be replaced. They’ll find another 3rd line winger to play a role. Ekblad won’t even be that big of a loss for them

 

[TotalHomer]

Florida going to 3 peat

 

[atlanticobserver]

They have to keep Bennett. Marchand was good for them and important, but he can still be replaced. They’ll find another 3rd line winger to play a role. Ekblad won’t even be that big of a loss for them

I agree that they will be able to replace Marchand and Ekblad to a degree, but what they will have almost certainly will not be as great in the playoffs going forward. That's a ton of physicality, scoring, checking, and intangibles to replace. Ekblads and Marchands just don't grow on trees. If teams could easily get that kind of production either via trade or on the open market, Florida wouldn't have romped through the playoffs like they did. Not saying that they aren't going to be great, they will almost certainly be a top contender next year, but the possible replacements are just not likely going to pack the same punch as a top 3 defenseman with Cup pedigree and the Smythe runner-up.

 

[TageGod]

Interesting. I have thought the Sabres have had enough good players to make a decent push at the playoffs for a while now, but without some sort of substantial change in the lineup or behind the bench, I don't see it as currently constructed. What moves do you think they make to get them over the hump?

Biased hopium.

Realistically, the team needs some significant construction shakeups. Most of our best players are either too young/inconsistent, or too flawed. Tage is bad defensively, we have a bunch of players that excel at scoring and not much else. Too many D that suck at D lol. Youngest team in the NHL.

My actual thoughts were moving Peterka and Byram, two offensively gifted players, for more reliable defensively sound players. Outside of that, working on the abysmal Power play and PK. A statistical average year from our #1 goalie couldn't hurt. Add one more acquisition somewhere with future assets and we could be in business. Josh Norris being healthy > Cozens could already be a huge upgrade.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Biased hopium.

Realistically, the team needs some significant construction shakeups. Most of our best players are either too young/inconsistent, or too flawed. Tage is bad defensively, we have a bunch of players that excel at scoring and not much else. Too many D that suck at D lol. Youngest team in the NHL.

My actual thoughts were moving Peterka and Byram, two offensively gifted players, for more reliable defensively sound players. Outside of that, working on the abysmal Power play and PK. A statistical average year from our #1 goalie couldn't hurt. Add one more acquisition somewhere with future assets and we could be in business. Josh Norris being healthy > Cozens could already be a huge upgrade.

Heard TB was in on Peterka to some extent, their only real movable salary piece is Cirelli, who seems to meet a lot of Buff's needs. Wonder if there's a fit.

 

[TageGod]

Heard TB was in on Peterka to some extent, their only real movable salary piece is Cirelli, who seems to meet a lot of Buff's needs. Wonder if there's a fit.

Much like Peterka for Rossi, the fit and value are more or less there. The question is the team receiving Peterka filling the center hole afterwards.

 

[atlanticobserver]

Much like Peterka for Rossi, the fit and value are more or less there. The question is the team receiving Peterka filling the center hole afterwards.

It would boil down to how comfortable TB would be with either Guentzel moving back to center to play 2C or Nick Paul moving up to play 2C.

Either way, think that'd look solid for them:

Hagel-Point-Kucherov
Peterka-Guentzel-Goncalves
Gourde-Paul-Bjorkstrand
Girgensons-Geekie-Chaffee

Or

Guentzel-Point-Kucherov
Hagel-Paul-Goncalves
Peterka-Gourde (natural center but has played a good bit of wing)-Bjorkstrand
Girgensons-Geekie-Chaffee

Could also flip Goncalves and Bjorkstrand as RW2/RW3 but really doesn't matter much. Could be a pretty strong lineup.

 

[TageGod]

It would boil down to how comfortable TB would be with either Guentzel moving back to center to play 2C or Nick Paul moving up to play 2C.

Either way, think that'd look solid for them:

Hagel-Point-Kucherov
Peterka-Guentzel-Goncalves
Gourde-Paul-Bjorkstrand
Girgensons-Geekie-Chaffee

Or

Guentzel-Point-Kucherov
Hagel-Paul-Goncalves
Peterka-Gourde (natural center but has played a good bit of wing)-Bjorkstrand
Girgensons-Geekie-Chaffee

Could also flip Goncalves and Bjorkstrand as RW2/RW3 but really doesn't matter much. Could be a pretty strong lineup.

My personal #1 acquisition is a top 6 true two-way C. Now I think Sabres need a 1C of that caliber but it isn't realistic. Getting a 2C of that is what I want. I would sign up for this trade. Think I would rather get Rossi in the vacuum here but I like Cirelli.

Sabres losing offense overall to protect the crease is more valuable. Fixing the PP can alleviate Peterka's goal loss.

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

Too early. Need to wait for the draft and free agency at the very least.

This is the "Way too early..." thread, the "Early..." thread will be created after free agency and then "Too Early..." thread right after the draft.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Too early. Need to wait for the draft and free agency at the very least.

Make a hot take or hit the road pal

 

[leafsafc]

Toronto gets better without Marner

 

[Summer Rose]

Utah will make the playoffs.

We will promptly do absolutely nothing with our playoff berth and get stomped in the first round, and because it'll be a wild card berth, we'll cross over into the Pacific bracket and it'll be the Knights who stomp us.

@hangman005 will make an OnlyFans video about it to annoy me.

 

[Zalos]

Make a hot take or hit the road pal

NO! I REFUSE!

... Ivan Demidov gets 90 points.

 

[tfwnogf]

Mcdavid demands a trade to Toronto
Leafs win the cup going 16-2
Darnell Nurse becomes Captain of the Oilers
Matt Rempe suspended 40 games
Jonathan Toews returns to Chicago, Patty Kane follows suit
Bedard breaks out with 40 goal season
Hellebyuck wins Vezina, 5 goals a game in the playoffs

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Leafs do another Kessel-esque tank for first overall. Trade Marner for future picks and prospects, trade Tavares for future picks and prospects, trade Stolarz for FP&Ps, trade Tanev for FP&Ps. Cull through the rest of the veterans with the goal of just dropping far enough to finish last... then bounce back with future free agent signings supporting Mathews, Nylander and the 2026 #1 draftee.

 

[matt trick]

None of the wildcard teams return to the playoffs: Anaheim, Utah, NYR, and Columbus replace them.

Finland wins gold

Penguins end season at 12, win lotto moving up to 2nd just missing on McKenna.

Neither Edmonton or Florida return to the SCF, Colorado over Marner-led Carolina

Florida signs Ekblad, Bennett, and Marchand

 

[D1az]

I'm filled with hot takes:
1. McDavid doesn't play for the Oilers.
2. Draisaitl wins the scoring race with the most points and goals despite McDavid not being on the team.
3. Toronto makes it to the conference finals.
4. Marchand stays in Florida.
5. Hellebuyck wins the Vezina, then falls flat in the playoffs again.
6. Vegas has Stone on LTIR again until the playoffs.
7. Ovechkin doesn't score more than 30 goals.
8. Minnesota makes it out of the first round.

 

[alko]

Montreal wins Stanley Cup
Kaprizov wins Hart Trophy
Moritz Seider wins Norris Trophy