TSN Hockey Season Preview: Oilers remain favourites to reach Stanley Cup Final
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The National Hockey League season is set to get into full swing on Wednesday after the campaign opened with a pair of games between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres in Prague.
Ahead of Wednesday’s action, the TSN panel of experts projected where each Canadian team would finish in the 2024-25 season and predicted who would emerge this season as Stanley Cup Champions.
TSN Hockey Season Preview
Toronto Maple Leafs: TSN Consensus Finish - 2nd in Atlantic
The Leafs finished third in the Atlantic Division last season with a 46-25-10 record, but were unable to move past the first round, losing to the Boston Bruins in seven games.
The Leafs added veteran defencemen Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson as well as former Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty, hoping veteran leadership will help the team get over the postseason hump.
The voice in the dressing room will also be different as the club hired former St. Louis Blue coach Craig Berube to replace Sheldon Keefe, while Auston Matthews has also taken over as captain from John Tavares.
The Panel predicts the Leafs will once again be one of the best teams in the East and finish second in the Atlantic.
“Can Craig Berube put something in place where they can go out and have success in the regular season and that will translate to the playoffs?” said Jeff O’Neill. “They’re still going to be offensive, they’re still going to want to score goals, but system-wise can they do something different?”
“There has to be a buy-in and a willingness amongst all of them right from the beginning of the season. It is a process. You don’t just wake up in the playoffs. It has to start right now. It’s that accountability that’s going to be massive for the Toronto Maple Leafs,” said Cheryl Pounder.
Ottawa Senators: TSN Consensus Finish - 5th in Atlantic
The Senators finished seventh in the Atlantic last season with a 37-41-4 record and missed the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. It was a disappointing result for Ottawa, who had playoff aspirations entering the campaign.
The Sens added former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, giving them a stabilizing presence after poor goaltending plagued the team last season.
“I think it can be [a playoff roster],” said Pounder. “With Linus Ullmark back there, especially. You look at their goaltending last year, in 21 games the first or second shot went in. When you look at that and their strength down the middle, I think Shane Pinto will be a game changer if he stays healthy.”
“The question is not if they’re a playoff roster. It’s whether they’re a playoff team. The roster looks good and it has for years, but the results on the ice haven’t looked particularly good,” said Mike Johnson. “I look at the guys on the top two lines, Tkachuk, Stutzle, Batherson, Norris. They’re the ones that need to grow if they want to make the playoffs.”
The panel predicts the Senators will move up to fifth in the Atlantic, but miss the playoffs for the eighth straight year.
Montreal Canadiens: TSN Consensus Finish - 7th in Atlantic.
The Canadiens enter the third year of their rebuild, looking to make a leap after finishing 2023-24 last in the division with a 30-36-16 record.
General manager Kent Hughes took a swing and added former 40-goal scorer Patrik Laine via trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, the sniper is slated to miss two to three months due to a knee injury he sustained in the preseason.
“There’s a lot of challenges for Montreal. They’re growing, they’re rebuilding. It’s got to be growth across the board. I think they’re trying to find more players that will be on the team when they’re really good. Is Hutson going to be one of those guys? Laine? Dach, if he’s healthy? That’s what this year will be about,” said Mike Johnson.
“I think they’re 18 months [away]. I think we look at Jan 2026 that’s the time when you go okay now they can make a push. I think they’re growing in so many different areas. When you’re bottom-eight in the league, I don’t see you moving into the playoffs,” said TSN Director of Scouting, Craig Button.
The panel predicts the Habs will finish seventh in the Atlantic and miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season. If Montreal fails to qualify for the postseason, it will be the first time in franchise history they will miss in four consecutive seasons.
Edmonton Oilers: TSN Consensus Finish - 1st in Pacific
The Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, losing in seven games to the Florida Panthers. The team will have high aspirations once again as they look to return and change their fortunes in the final.
The team chose not to match offer sheets on Philp Broberg and Max Holloway, but acquired Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, and Ty Emberson to fill the void.
The panel predicts that the Oilers will once again be one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
“They might not be the best version of themselves to start the year. They might be recovering from the summer, figuring out the defence, and working in the new players but eventually, they’ll get there,” said Johnson.
“I am in on the Edmonton Oilers on faith that they are going to address the blueline. The blue line is not Stanley Cup calibre,” said Button. “If they are able to use the cap space that they’ve made by not matching the contracts of Broberg and Holloway, with the idea that they’re going forward, I think that’s where my faith is with them.”
Vancouver Canucks: TSN Consensus Finish - 2nd in Pacific
The Canucks finished first in the Pacific last season with a record of 50-23-9 and made a run to the Western Conference semifinal last season, going up 3-2 on the Oilers before losing in seven games.
The big question for the Oilers will be the health of goaltender Thatcher Demko, who was placed on the injured non-roster list on Monday. There is no timetable for his return.
TSN’s Jeff O’Neill says one of the biggest keys for the Canucks will be star forward Elias Pettersson.
“The first thing for them is to prove that last year was no fluke. The one guy is Pettersson. He should be happy and ready to go,” said O’Neill. “He wasn’t at his best at a critical time for the Canucks. If I was him, my goal would be to be in the Hart Trophy conversation, I believe in his ability that much.”
The panel believes the Canucks will once again be one of the top teams in the West and finish second in the Pacific behind the Oilers.
Winnipeg Jets: TSN Consensus Finish - 3rd in Central
The Jets had a spectacular regular season in 2023-24, finishing second in the Central with a 52-24-6 record.
The panel believes Winnipeg will once again ice a competitive team and make the playoffs with a third-place finish in the Central Division.
“I think when you have Connor Hellebuyck in the net, and Josh Morrissey, who’s proved himself to be a No. 1 defenceman. When I watch how the Jets play, I have faith that they can have a successful regular season,” said Button.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger believes young forward Cole Perfetti will be a key piece for the Jets this season.
“They need their young guys to perform. Cole Perfetti is coming off the bridge contract. He’s got to have a good year,” said Dreger.
Calgary Flames: TSN Consensus Finish - 6th in Pacific
Like the Canadiens, the Flames will be entering a rebuild after finishing last season with a 38-39-5 record and missing the playoffs for the second straight season.
Johnson believes the club will focus this season on developing their young players for future seasons.
“Now it’s about trying to integrate some younger players You have prospects coming in a few years, that’s where their focus is,” said Johnson.
O’Neill added that the development of goaltender Dustin Wolf should be at the forefront of Calgary’s goals this season.
“They need to figure out what Wolf is going to be. Manage his ice time and say ‘Can you be that guy for us,’” said O’Neill.
Stanley Cup Final Predictions
The panel also gave their thoughts on which teams would reach the final four and who would emerge victorious Stanley Cup Final.
Four of the five experts predict that the Oilers will break through and bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993.
Dreger: Rangers over Maple Leafs, Oilers over Stars
Stanley Cup Champion: Oilers over Rangers
O’Neill: Panthers over Rangers, Avalanche over Golden Knights
Stanley Cup Champion: Panthers over Avalanche
Johnson: Rangers over Maple Leafs, Oilers over Stars
Stanley Cup Champion: Oilers over Rangers
Pounder: Panthers over Devils, Oilers over Avalanche
Stanley Cup Champions: Oilers over Panthers
Duthie: Rangers over Panthers, Oilers over Stars
Stanley Cup Champion: Oilers over Rangers