Avalanche Journal: Some certain-to-be-correct 2024-25 NHL predictions

The 2024-25 NHL season began this past weekend with a couple of games in Prague, but league play begins in earnest in the coming days.

It should be a fascinating season. International hockey is coming back. The Edmonton Oilers looked like clear Stanley Cup favorites in early July, but an ultra-rare double-dose of offer sheets from the St. Louis Blues stripped away some of their depth.

Connor McDavid isn’t the reigning MVP. Cale Makar isn’t the reigning Norris Trophy winner. It feels pretty open at the top of the league. So considering the uncertainty, what better time to make some predictions that surely won’t look silly in April?

NOTE: Odds are from FanDuel. Dark horse is the most intriguing choice outside the five players with the best odds. 

Hart Trophy

Favorite: Connor McDavid, Oilers (+150)
Dark horse: Tage Thompson, Sabres (+7000)
Winner: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs (+850)

McDavid could use the Game 7 loss as motivation to terrorize the league, but he could be reaching the “leave some in the tank for the playoffs” stage. Matthews is already a great defensive player, but the new coach/new narrative in Toronto could help him edge out McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.

Rocket Richard Trophy

Favorite: Matthews (-115)
Dark horse: Mikko Rantanen, Avalanche (+3000)
Winner: David Pastrnak, Bruins (+550)

Rantanen, playing for a contract with MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin teeing him up, is an interesting flyer for the league’s top goal scorer. Pastrnak has hit 60 goals before and has a new No. 1 center in Elias Lindholm to feed him the puck.

Art Ross Trophy

Favorite: McDavid (-160)
Dark horse: Jack Hughes, Devils (+3000)
Winner: McDavid

Don’t overthink this one. McDavid has led the league in points three of the last four years.

Calder Trophy

Favorite: Matvei Michkov, Flyers (+250)
Dark horse: Yaroslav Askarov, Sharks (+4000)
Winner: Macklin Celebrini, Sharks (+450)

Trusting the John Tortorella-Michkov pairing feels … unwise. Like, the biggest topic of the day on Nov. 17 is Michkov playing seven minutes in a 4-1 loss kind of unwise. Celebrini’s all-around game versus Michkov’s points could be an interesting debate.

Vezina Trophy

Favorite: Connor Hellebuyck, Jets and Igor Shesterkin, Rangers (+550)
Dark horse: Jake Oettinger, Stars (+1500)
Winner: Juuse Saros, Predators

Linus Ullmark winning would be pretty funny, but the Predators being an improved team could help Saros have a chance to win for the first time.

Norris Trophy

Favorite: Cale Makar, Avalanche (+230)
Dark horse: Charlie McAvoy, Bruins (+4000)
Winner: Makar

The numbers are going to be there, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Makar shoots it a touch more with some of the key players missing and a push for 30 goals ends up netting him a second Norris.

Jack Adams Award

Favorite: Sheldon Keefe, Devils (+700)
Dark horse: Jared Bednar, Avalanche (+2500)
Winner: Lindy Ruff, Sabres (+2000)

Bednar navigating the early-season absences and still finishing with a great record could make for a strong case. Ruff could also be a sentimental one if he shows up and finally helps Buffalo back to the playoffs.

Selke Trophy

Favorite: Aleksander Barkov, Panthers (+175)
Dark horse: Joel Eriksson Ek, Wild (+2800)
Winner: Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs (+750)

Barkov could just roll again. It’s the one award where the voters seem to have fewer “fatigue” issues, and he could certainly be deserving, pending a Stanley Cup hangover. But this could be the year for Matthews to break through as his defensive acumen has gone mainstream.

NHL 4 Nations Face-Off

The pick: Canada defeats Team USA

The Americans go back-to-back at the world junior championships in January, then sweep through the preliminary round of the 4 Nations tournament, including a win against the Canadians in Montreal. With the entire country in a state of panic, Canada squeezes past Finland in overtime of the semifinal and then exacts revenge against the United States in Boston.