NHL 2024-25 daring predictions: Breakout gamers, trades, provide sheets and 40-goal scorers

Will the NHL’s latest membership end as one of many highest-scoring groups within the league? Will Pierre-Luc Dubois lastly discover a long-term house with the Washington Capitals? Are gamers like Juraj Slafkovský going to make a major bounce of their manufacturing?

These have been among the many responses The Athletic obtained this week when it requested its NHL workers for his or her daring predictions for the 2024-25 season.

Right here’s one prediction for every group because the early common season continues.

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Trevor Zegras won’t be traded this season: You need daring? How about operating counter to the prevailing principle the Geese are destined to maneuver their mercurial 23-year-old ahead? Within the Faux NHL (i.e., hockey social media), hasn’t he been traded about 1,000 instances? However it didn’t make sense for Anaheim to deal Zegras after an injury-plagued 2023-24 season when his commerce worth took a success. He’d do effectively to make this season certainly one of vengeance, and the Geese must a minimum of attempt placing him in the perfect place to flourish. Now the “this season” qualifier is in there since he nonetheless has subsequent 12 months left on his contract and a few type of commerce may get labored on subsequent summer season. Common supervisor Pat Verbeek may go the Jamie Drysdale route with a giant player-for-player swap, however the Geese want extra gifted offensive gamers, not fewer. Bonus daring prediction: Cutter Gauthier will win the Calder Trophy. You’ll keep in mind this when it’s flawed however simply do the identical if it occurs to be proper. — Eric Stephens

Jeremy Swayman will wrestle early: Swayman missed all of coaching camp. He’s coming into his first season with out Linus Ullmark as his associate. He has to cope with the stress of being the fourth-highest-paid lively goalie within the league. Thursday’s four-goal begin received’t be the final hiccup. — Fluto Shinzawa

Owen Energy will double his earlier high-goal whole: Energy hasn’t scored greater than six objectives in a season throughout his quick NHL profession, however he appears poised for an uptick in that division. His shot is noticeably stronger this season as he added power over the summer season. The Sabres have additionally emphasised creating extra site visitors in entrance of the web. Because of this, Energy had two objectives within the preseason and already has one within the common season. A aim whole of a minimum of 12 isn’t out of the query. — Matthew Fairburn

OP nets the primary Sabres aim of the season ⚔️#LetsGoBuffalo | #NHLGlobalSeries pic.twitter.com/cfmt0x7Zws

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 4, 2024

Jonathan Huberdeau will crack the 80-point plateau: Huberdeau has 107 factors mixed over his final two seasons in Calgary. So, why the optimism round him? Partially as a result of it can’t get any decrease than his near-pointless month of December final season. Huberdeau performed effectively after that, even when his season ended with fewer factors than his debut Flames marketing campaign. One other half is as a result of the Flames are banking on his establishing chemistry with Anthony Mantha. They’ve performed collectively most of, if not all, preseason and have proven flashes that they are often a super duo alongside Martin Pospisil. Huberdeau also needs to get his traditional PP1 minutes to begin the 12 months. Lastly, the stress to reach Calgary is far decrease in contrast along with his first two seasons. — Julian McKenzie

Seth Jarvis will get a shot at heart: The Hurricanes have their No. 1 heart in Sebastian Aho, however discovering a participant to fit behind him has been tough. Final 12 months’s Evgeny Kuznetsov acquisition flopped, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been unable to carry on to the job regardless of a number of probabilities. Jarvis has already proved to be probably the greatest defensive wingers in hockey, and one thing this season — ineffectiveness from Kotkaniemi and Jack Drury or an harm — will persuade coach Rod Brind’Amour, a minimum of within the quick time period, to offer Jarvis a shot within the center. — Cory Lavalette

The Blackhawks will end 25 factors higher than final season: The Blackhawks may find yourself being close to the underside of the league once more, however they need to accomplish that with a a lot greater level whole than their 52 final season. — Scott Powers

Cale Makar could have 100 factors: Just one defenseman has reached the century mark within the final 30 years: Erik Karlsson two years in the past for San Jose. Makar completed with 90 factors in 77 video games final 12 months, and I count on an excellent greater 2024-25. He completed prime 10 within the league (and led all defensemen) with 39 factors on the ability play a season in the past, and Colorado’s energy play may very well be much more potent this season. Makar ought to play upward of 26 minutes per sport, most of which shall be shared with the Avs’ high-powered prime line with Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. This may very well be Makar’s greatest season but. — Jesse Granger

Yegor Chinakhov will bloom as a aim scorer: Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson have carried out this preseason as in the event that they’re able to be breakout gamers in 2024-25, however there’s one other teenager who tends to exist beneath the highlight. Chinakhov, who had 16 objectives in 53 video games final season, goes to get a a lot greater position than the 15:10 per sport he performed. With Boone Jenner out long-term with an upper-body harm, Chinakhov has moved as much as the highest line with heart Sean Monahan and proper winger Kirill Marchenko. Chinakhov, if he stays wholesome, may simply rating 25 objectives or extra. — Aaron Portzline

The Stars will win the Stanley Cup: Actually, I’m not even positive this qualifies as “daring.” The Stars have develop into a mannequin NHL franchise, with common supervisor Jim Nill constructing a group that’s deep, proficient, and options an ideal mixing of youth and veteran savvy. Shedding Chris Tanev to Toronto harm, however the Stars shall be consumers once more on the commerce deadline, and if there are any holes to plug, they’ll be plugged. A lot of this prediction hinges on Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson returning to type after surprisingly unusual 2023-24 campaigns (by their lofty requirements). The guess right here is that they each do, and the Cup stays within the Solar Belt for the third straight 12 months, and the fifth time within the final six years. — Mark Lazerus

Dylan Larkin will rating 40 objectives: The Crimson Wings haven’t had a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa in 2008-09. However Larkin got here nearer than you may understand to altering that final season: He completed with 33 objectives in 68 video games, which over an 82-game season totals out to a 39.7-goal tempo. He’s discovered a complete new degree as a scorer over the previous three seasons, and Detroit has lastly surrounded him with the type of expertise wanted to threaten 40. The query now’s simply well being, as he hasn’t performed a full 82 video games since 2017-18. He hit 80 simply two seasons in the past, although, and if he can try this once more, I believe it’ll be sufficient to make this prediction come true. — Max Bultman

Stuart Skinner will end prime 5 in Vezina voting: Skinner was stable within the playoffs save for the Vancouver sequence and enters the season as an undisputed No. 1 goalie for the primary time in his profession. He ought to be primed for a breakout marketing campaign. With a Stanley Cup-contending group in entrance of him, there’s no motive to assume that shouldn’t occur. However this received’t be a case of Skinner merely using his teammates’ coattails. The defensive group has some main query marks. The PK, so excellent within the postseason, has undergone vital turnover. Skinner will deserve his roses for a superb season. A probable spot on Group Canada within the 4 Nations Face-Off tourney will solely enhance the highlight on him and provides NHL GMs — the voters on this award — extra motive to forged ballots in his favor. — Daniel Nugent-Bowman

Adam Boqvist will escape: Florida didn’t make many offseason adjustments because it already has a championship core in place. Don’t mess with what works. We’re nonetheless going to foretell the Panthers work their magic on 24-year-old Boqvist, their newest defensive reclamation mission. He confirmed some power-play chops and transition skill in his time with the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets, and the Panthers have actually proven an organizational knack for placing their defensemen in place to succeed. — Sean Gentille

Quinton Byfield will develop into the Kings’ greatest participant: Let’s see, the Kings may very well be a group in peril of lacking the playoffs, however they’ve obtained sufficient to a minimum of nab a wild-card spot within the West so I’m not going to supply any receipts for that. However Byfield is giving off the vibe that he needs to be a star after a confidence-building 20-goal, 55-point breakout 2023-24 season. He had a hat trick within the preseason and was clicking with Kevin Fiala, who fed off the massive heart’s velocity. Byfield was successful faceoffs in a decisive method. He appears extra assured along with his shot and has the dimensions and bettering arms to do harm on the internet. The Kings want an inheritor obvious to Anze Kopitar as their 1C. Byfield will take these massive steps towards turning into The Man. “He’s way more mature than he was a couple of years in the past, bodily,” Kings GM Rob Blake stated. “We noticed his skill to play some there final 12 months, and we count on him to proceed to develop there.” — Eric Stephens

QUINTON BYFIELD.

TOUR DU CHAPEAU 🎩🎩🎩

4-1 LAK pic.twitter.com/pCeGBWtqWp

— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 4, 2024

Matt Boldy will rating 40 objectives and 40 assists: Common supervisor Invoice Guerin has predicted 50 objectives and 50 assists in some unspecified time in the future in Boldy’s future. We’ll be a hair extra conservative for this season, whereas nonetheless being daring sufficient to ascertain a brand new profession excessive (beforehand 69 factors). When John Hynes talks about Boldy, he salivates, and for good motive. Boldy scored 28 objectives and 61 factors in 63 video games (a 36-goal, 79-point 82-game tempo) beneath Hynes final season. Then, Hynes coached Boldy on the World Championship, and america proper wing led the match in scoring with 14 factors in eight video games. Boldy didn’t play any exhibition video games as a result of a lower-body harm, however the 23-year-old opened 2024-25 with 3 factors in his first sport. — Michael Russo

Boldy coming in sizzling 🥵 pic.twitter.com/TIHbV0JAL7

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 11, 2024

Juraj Slafkovský will hit 70 factors: With the best way Slafkovský completed final season and coming into this season firmly established on the Canadiens’ prime line and prime power-play unit, the situations are ripe for Slafkovský to make a 20-point bounce in his manufacturing from final season. The vastly improved playmaking we noticed from him over the second half of final season would be the driving pressure behind the greater than 40 % bounce in manufacturing. — Arpon Basu

Juuse Saros will win the Vezina Trophy: Saros begins the season with a lower-body harm, however it received’t be lengthy earlier than the Preds are counting on him, closely, after he signed an eight-year cope with a $7.74 million AAV within the offseason. Gamers don’t all the time attain their highest degree proper after signing massive offers, however Saros now has readability — the group selected him over prime prospect Yaroslav Askarov — and that figures to assist him. So ought to getting help from skaters of their second season in Andrew Brunette’s system. It’s time for Saros to win one. — Joe Rexrode

The Devils will end with the East’s greatest file: I’m excessive on the Devils after their offseason additions. Jacob Markström is a monster improve in internet, and Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon are massive boosts to a defensive corps that missed Ryan Graves and Damon Severson final 12 months. That, paired with progress in younger gamers, ought to make New Jersey formidable, a minimum of within the common season. — Peter Baugh

Noah Dobson will rating 70 factors once more — and get a giant extension: Dobson moved into a distinct tier of NHL defenseman final season, not solely producing at an elite degree but in addition taking part in main minutes whereas Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield have been out with accidents. A wholesome protection will permit Dobson to keep away from being overworked whereas nonetheless letting him impress. So he’ll be a part of Denis Potvin as the one Isles defenseman with a number of 70-point seasons and he’ll safe the bag, too: an eight-year extension round Ilya Sorokin’s $8.25 million per 12 months. — Arthur Staple

Igor Shesterkin will win the Vezina Trophy: We’ve seen Shesterkin deal with stress effectively. He has a profession .928 save proportion within the playoffs and was by far the Rangers’ greatest participant final postseason. Properly, along with his contract set to run out subsequent summer season, he’s going to be going through stress this season. Shesterkin already has the cachet to count on to be the highest-paid goalie within the league. A monster season harking back to his 2021-22 one will additional enhance that perception, and the Rangers must resolve how a lot they’re keen to pay to maintain him. — Peter Baugh

Travis Inexperienced will win the Jack Adams Award: If the Senators make the playoffs this season, the coach will get a variety of credit score for his group’s upward swing. The younger nucleus of expertise is already in place they usually’ve added a goaltender. The Senators simply want a coach who can convey them to that subsequent degree. Inexperienced has coached a group to the playoffs earlier than, albeit as soon as. If he ends Ottawa’s playoff drought, he ought to be thought-about a front-runner for coach of the 12 months. — Julian McKenzie

The Flyers could have a top-15 energy play: What, that doesn’t sound daring sufficient? Properly, think about the Flyers have had the league’s worst energy play for every of the final three seasons. Final season, at simply 12.2 %, they have been almost 3 full proportion factors behind the Thirty first-ranked Blue Jackets. However with Matvei Michkov now right here and coming off of a stellar preseason, and what appears to be a wholesome Jamie Drysdale shifting effectively and quarterbacking the highest unit, the potential is there for the Flyers to drastically enhance with a person benefit. — Kevin Kurz

Tic-Tac-Aim. @tfoerster8 nets our first tally of the season with a PPG. Credit score @FarabeeJoel and @BobbyBrink19 with the helpers. #PHIvsVAN | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/m1vnc3IfKk

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 12, 2024

Marcus Pettersson will develop into a trade-deadline commodity: In his prime and a gradual top-four defender, Pettersson is an impending UFA. He’s the kind of defenseman GMs are inclined to hold from testing the market. However Kyle Dubas appears to know his Penguins are nearer to the lottery than the Cup, and his choice to not signal Pettersson earlier than the season suggests Pettersson will develop into this season’s Jake Guentzel in Pittsburgh. — Rob Rossi

A marker for Marcus 🚨 pic.twitter.com/SuDgelEwct

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 11, 2024

San Jose Sharks

William Eklund will lead the group in scoring: Positive, there was the temptation to name Macklin Celebrini the Calder Trophy winner on this house. However is that actually a daring decide on condition that he goes into this season as a number one Calder contender in a powerful rookie class? The 18-year-old will little doubt have some spectacular moments, and we shouldn’t low cost the affect his potential operating mate Will Smith may have as a fellow rookie. Eklund, who turns 22 on Saturday, is a barely unconventional decide. The left wing quietly emerged within the second half of final season with 27 factors in his ultimate 35 video games. He’s going to begin out on the highest line with Celebrini and Tyler Toffoli whereas figuring of their energy play. It may very well be a balanced group atop San Jose’s level checklist, however to comply with our Sean McIndoe’s lead of oddly particular predictions, we’ll say Eklund could have 26 objectives and 40 assists for 66 factors. — Eric Stephens

Matty Beniers will rating 30 objectives: Beniers went by means of a tough sophomore stoop in his second NHL marketing campaign, however he stays a gifted, assertive younger heart with a swashbuckling fashion and game-breaking bona fides, which he proved in his rookie 12 months. Beniers goes to return to type after which some in his third marketing campaign, scoring 30 objectives and re-establishing himself as one of many NHL’s most promising younger pivots. — Thomas Drance

Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway’s success will result in extra provide sheets: Broberg has been bodily and Holloway quick to date. It’s early, so why is that necessary? As a result of Broberg and Holloway are precisely what the membership wanted, and the best way common supervisor Doug Armstrong acquired them from the Oilers was by way of offer-sheet contracts. Within the uncommon occasion when provide sheets are executed, many wonder if they may result in extra, and in actuality, the reply has been no. However with the brand new ceilings and anticipated success for Broberg and Holloway in St. Louis, there may very well be an uptick. — Jeremy Rutherford

Andrei Vasilevskiy shall be a Vezina Trophy finalist: Vasilevskiy will present that his lackluster 2023-24 season was as a result of again surgical procedure. With a wholesome offseason to coach and time to get again on observe, he’ll decide up the place he left off in 2022-23 along with his traditional game-breaking play. Vasilevskiy confirmed he will be the distinction regardless of defensive struggles in entrance of him in 2022-23. With the return of Ryan McDonagh and the addition of Jake Guentzel, he ought to have extra two-way help, which is able to assist him get again to his former heights. — Shayna Goldman

Mitch Marner will rating 40 objectives: It is a type of an extended shot given Marner’s major ability and intuition is passing and he occurs to play with the highest aim scorer within the NHL in the present day, Auston Matthews. But, Marner scores greater than he will get credit score for. Within the final three seasons, he scored just one aim fewer (91) than John Tavares and did so in 18 fewer video games. Marner scored at a 30-goal tempo final season, hit 30 on the nostril the 12 months earlier than that, and buried 35 objectives in solely 72 video games through the 2021-22 season, a 40-goal tempo. Attending to 40 would require Marner to search for his personal shot greater than he typically does and possibly garner some capturing luck alongside the best way, greater than his present profession better of 16.5 %. In some unspecified time in the future, perhaps even this season, I count on him to get there or come shut on the very least. — Jonas Siegel

They may end as one of many NHL’s highest-scoring groups: It’s a given Utah goes to be an thrilling hockey membership to look at, what with the vitality within the new market, bizarre constructing and all its younger stars. However its assortment of expertise is such that it may shortly rise to the ranks of essentially the most harmful offensive groups, too. Clayton Keller may rating 40, as may Dylan Guenther. It’s not out of the query as many as eight Hockey Clubbers hit the 20 mark, which ought to push them into the highest 10 leaguewide. — James Mirtle

Elias Pettersson will bounce again and lead the group in scoring: Pettersson struggled enormously down the stretch and into the playoffs final season, and Canucks followers are starting to lose endurance with their famous person heart. Within the membership’s first sport of the marketing campaign, after Pettersson misplaced the deal with on a deke by the offensive blue line, the Rogers Enviornment crowd reacted with one thing of a Bronx cheer. Granted the membership had frittered away two separate 3-goal leads, so frustration was operating excessive, however it nonetheless encapsulates the stress Pettersson is beneath. Regardless of all of that noise, Pettersson stays a star performer. A pivot with 40-goal, 100-point upside. With Vancouver emphasizing attacking off the frenzy this season, and proficient wingers like Daniel Sprong and Jake DeBrusk on his line, we predict Pettersson will bounce again and outscore all different Canucks skaters through the 2024-25 common season. — Thomas Drance

Pavel Dorofeyev will end second on the group in objectives: Dorofeyev confirmed he may rating as a rookie with 13 objectives in 47 video games final 12 months for the Golden Knights. He has a misleading launch on his wrist photographs and a knack for locating pucks in entrance of the web. Now, projected to play alongside pass-first forwards reminiscent of Mark Stone, William Karlsson and/or Tomas Hertl, Dorofeyev is in an excellent place to provide at an excellent greater fee in 2024-25. — Jesse Granger

Washington Capitals

The Pierre-Luc Dubois deal will repay: It’s laborious to think about predicting something bolder than Dubois lastly discovering a long-term house, so we’ll go together with that. He’ll give the Caps what he was supposed to offer the Kings — productive two-way play from a high-end second-line heart. Does that imply they’ll get their $8.5 million price? Let’s not get grasping. Nonetheless, 70 factors would go a great distance towards rehabbing his fame and placing the Caps again within the playoff dialog. — Sean Gentille

Nikolaj Ehlers will play out the season after which stroll as a UFA: As a part of an extended dialog about his future, Ehlers stated: “We discuss. Chevy, my agent. There’s communication.” Ehlers understands all of us need solutions about his future however conveyed that, at his core, he himself is uncertain what comes subsequent — a contract extension, a commerce, or a summer season 2025 departure to free company. The thought of ongoing conversations may create a way of optimism: Winnipeg has actually proven itself to be able to signing big-ticket gamers late within the sport. It might even be wise for Winnipeg to buy Ehlers on the deadline if it could possibly’t signal him, as a substitute of dropping him for nothing subsequent summer season. My wild October stab at it says the Jets hold Ehlers for the playoffs, tackle their protection a distinct means if want be, after which Ehlers picks a group that offers him greater than the sixth-most minutes per sport amongst forwards. — Murat Ates

(Illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic. Pictures: Jamie Sabau, Jason Mowry / Getty Photographs; Vincent Ethier / Icon Sportswire)