The Colorado Avalanche is poised to win the Stanley Cup in 2026, a bold prediction that defies expectations.A month ago, when asked about my choice for the Cup, I leaned towards the Avalanche, anticipating a move against the current, in a scenario where the Edmonton Oilers, consecutive finalists, the Dallas Stars, with three losses in conference finals, and the Vegas Golden Knights, reinforced with Mitch Marner, were the favorites.My surprise was considerable when I realized that the Avalanche was, in reality, the most supported team in the predictions of the Alofoke Deportes hockey family. A scenario that undoubtedly represents the nightmare of any forecaster seeking to differentiate themselves.As usual, I shared my choice with a team member during the media event for players in Las Vegas:
Me: I wanted to let you know that I am picking your team to win the Stanley Cup.
Cale Makar, Avalanche star
Me: I also wanted to inform you that I am not good at making Stanley Cup predictions.
Cale Makar
My prediction is that the Avalanche will outperform the Carolina Hurricanes, who are looking to break their ceiling in the Eastern Conference under the direction of Rod Brind’Amour.Here’s a breakdown of my predictions by division for the 2025-26 NHL season.Good luck to all 32 teams! I hope everyone enjoys the season.
Atlantic Division
Tampa Bay Lightning
Ottawa Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins
The constant power reshuffle in the Atlantic is evidenced by the fact that the Lightning haven’t led the division since the 2018-19 season, despite having figures like Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Victor Hedman, along with other talents like Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel.The Lightning are poised to dominate the division this season. The Kucherov line with Point and Guentzel averaged more than four goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play. The Cirelli-Hagel duo produced a 61% expected goals percentage last season. Tampa Bay will add new achievements.The Senators, who returned to the playoffs last spring, will continue their ascent if the forward group performs as expected. Brady Tkachuk needs to score around 30 goals again, and Tim Stützle’s return to the 90-point threshold is critical.Mitch Marner’s departure represents a loss of points for the Maple Leafs, but the arrival of Matthew Knies could balance the situation. The Leafs have William Nylander and Auston Matthews, who are expected to perform outstandingly.¿Cómo impactará la salida de Mitch Marner en los totales de goles de los Maple Leafs esta temporada?The question for the Panthers is how they will survive without Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov. Last season, Sam Reinhart was crucial, and coach Paul Maurice could opt to line up Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett, while Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell will play with Reinhart.As for the Sabres, the expectations of the hockey analyst community are high, with many predicting more than 90 points for them. However, the team still has many questions to answer.The Canadiens might take a step back before moving forward. Their defense needs urgent improvements, despite the offensive talent brought by Noah Dobson and Ivan Demidov.The Red Wings, with the arrival of John Gibson, have young prospects like Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, and Lucas Raymond, but they might not have the talent needed to reach the playoffs.The Bruins, with Jeremy Swayman in goal and a defense led by Charlie McAvoy, could get some wins, although their overall depth could be a problem.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes
New Jersey Devils
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers
Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Islanders
Pittsburgh Penguins
Philadelphia Flyers
Unlike the Atlantic, the Metro presents four teams with strong playoff possibilities and another four that could be a source of points.The Hurricanes are favored to make the playoffs. Coach Rod Brind’Amour has led the Hurricanes to a points percentage of .604 or higher in six of his seven seasons.The Devils seem to be focused on seeing how they perform with a healthy Jack Hughes. With a talented defense and the goal covered by Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, the Devils could surprise.El rendimiento de los New Jersey Devils dependerá en gran medida de Jack Hughes.The Capitals, with Alex Ovechkin in the last year of his contract, will seek to repeat their successful previous season. Coach Spencer Carbery hopes the team will focus on the game, without the pressure of Ovechkin’s record pursuit.
