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2021-22 NHL season picks: Stanley Cup, division winners and awards

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The 2021-22 NHL season is set to begin on Tuesday night with a doubleheader on ESPN and ESPN+, but we're looking beyond just those two matchups.

Will the Lightning pull off the three-peat? How well will the Kraken do in their first season? And who will take home all of the individual hardware?

We've gathered our cross-platform ESPN hockey family together to predict the winners of each division, along with the Stanley Cup champion and players who will win all of the major awards.

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Best bets for the 2021-22 season

Jump ahead:
Atlantic | Metropolitan
Central | Pacific | Cup
Hart | Ross | Richard
Norris | Vezina | Calder

Atlantic Division

Sean Allen: Panthers
Brian Boucher: Panthers
John Buccigross: Panthers
Ryan Callahan: Panthers
Sachin Chandan: Maple Leafs
Linda Cohn: Panthers
Leah Hextall: Lightning
Emily Kaplan: Lightning
Tim Kavanagh: Panthers
Don La Greca: Panthers
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Lightning
Steve Levy: Lightning
Vince Masi: Panthers
Victoria Matiash: Panthers
Sean McDonough: Lightning
Mark Messier: Maple Leafs
AJ Mleczko: Lightning
Arda Öcal: Maple Leafs
John Tortorella: Bruins
Kevin Weekes: Panthers
Bob Wischusen: Lightning
Greg Wyshynski: Maple Leafs

Totals: Panthers (10), Lightning (7), Maple Leafs (4), Bruins (1)


Metropolitan Division

Sean Allen: Hurricanes
Brian Boucher: Islanders
John Buccigross: Islanders
Ryan Callahan: Hurricanes
Sachin Chandan: Capitals

Linda Cohn: Islanders
Leah Hextall: Islanders
Emily Kaplan: Islanders
Tim Kavanagh: Islanders
Don La Greca: Islanders
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Islanders
Vince Masi: Hurricanes
Victoria Matiash: Hurricanes
Sean McDonough: Islanders
Mark Messier: Rangers
AJ Mleczko: Islanders
Arda Öcal: Islanders
John Tortorella: Hurricanes
Kevin Weekes: Hurricanes
Bob Wischusen: Islanders
Greg Wyshynski: Islanders

Totals: Islanders (13), Hurricanes (7), Capitals (1), Rangers (1) 


Central Division

Sean Allen: Jets
Brian Boucher: Avalanche
John Buccigross: Avalanche
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Avalanche
Linda Cohn: Avalanche
Leah Hextall: Avalanche
Emily Kaplan: Avalanche
Tim Kavanagh: Blues
Don La Greca: Avalanche
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Avalanche
Steve Levy: Avalanche
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Avalanche
Mark Messier: Avalanche
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Arda Öcal: Avalanche
John Tortorella: Avalanche
Kevin Weekes: Avalanche
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Avalanche

Totals: Avalanche (20), Jets (1), Blues (1)


Pacific Division

Sean Allen: Canucks
Brian Boucher: Golden Knights
John Buccigross: Oilers
Ryan Callahan: Golden Knights
Sachin Chandan: Kraken

Linda Cohn: Golden Knights
Leah Hextall: Golden Knights
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Golden Knights
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Golden Knights
Steve Levy: Golden Knights
Vince Masi: Oilers
Victoria Matiash: Golden Knights
Sean McDonough: Golden Knights
Mark Messier: Golden Knights
AJ Mleczko: Golden Knights
Arda Öcal: Golden Knights
John Tortorella: Flames
Kevin Weekes: Golden Knights
Bob Wischusen: Golden Knights
Greg Wyshynski: Golden Knights

Totals: Golden Knights (17), Oilers (2), Canucks (1), Kraken (1), Flames (1)


Stanley Cup champs

Sean Allen: Maple Leafs
Brian Boucher: Avalanche
John Buccigross: Panthers
Ryan Callahan: Avalanche
Sachin Chandan: Golden Knights
Linda Cohn: Avalanche
Leah Hextall: Lightning
Emily Kaplan: Golden Knights
Tim Kavanagh: Golden Knights
Don La Greca: Islanders
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Hurricanes
Steve Levy: Islanders
Vince Masi: Avalanche
Victoria Matiash: Avalanche
Sean McDonough: Lightning
Mark Messier: Lightning
AJ Mleczko: Avalanche
Arda Öcal: Islanders
John Tortorella: Hurricanes
Kevin Weekes: Lightning
Bob Wischusen: Avalanche
Greg Wyshynski: Islanders

Totals: Avalanche (7), Islanders (4), Lightning (4), Golden Knights (3), Hurricanes (2), Panthers (1), Maple Leafs (1)


Hart Trophy (MVP)

Sean Allen: Auston Matthews
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Aleksander Barkov
Ryan Callahan: Patrick Kane
Sachin Chandan: Nathan MacKinnon

Linda Cohn: Nathan MacKinnon
Leah Hextall: Nathan MacKinnon
Emily Kaplan: Nathan MacKinnon
Tim Kavanagh: Nathan MacKinnon
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Nathan MacKinnon
Steve Levy: Nathan MacKinnon
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Nathan MacKinnon
Arda Öcal: Nathan MacKinnon
John Tortorella: Artemi Panarin
Kevin Weekes: Nathan MacKinnon
Bob Wischusen: Auston Matthews
Greg Wyshynski: Sidney Crosby

Totals: Nathan MacKinnon (11), Connor McDavid (5), Auston Matthews (2), Aleksander Barkov (1), Patrick Kane (1), Artemi Panarin (1), Sidney Crosby (1)


Art Ross Trophy (leading point scorer)

Sean Allen: Connor McDavid
Brian Boucher: Connor McDavid
John Buccigross: Connor McDavid
Ryan Callahan: Connor McDavid
Sachin Chandan: Connor McDavid
Linda Cohn: Connor McDavid
Leah Hextall: Connor McDavid
Emily Kaplan: Connor McDavid
Tim Kavanagh: Connor McDavid
Don La Greca: Nathan MacKinnon
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Leon Draisaitl
Steve Levy: Connor McDavid
Vince Masi: Connor McDavid
Victoria Matiash: Connor McDavid
Sean McDonough: Connor McDavid
Mark Messier: Connor McDavid
AJ Mleczko: Patrick Kane
Arda Öcal: Connor McDavid
John Tortorella: Artemi Panarin
Kevin Weekes: Connor McDavid
Bob Wischusen: Leon Draisaitl
Greg Wyshynski: Connor McDavid

Totals: Connor McDavid (17), Leon Draisaitl (2), Nathan MacKinnon (1), Patrick Kane (1), Artemi Panarin (1)


Rocket Richard Trophy (leading goal scorer)

Sean Allen: Leon Draisaitl
Brian Boucher: Auston Matthews
John Buccigross: Auston Matthews
Ryan Callahan: Auston Matthews
Sachin Chandan: David Pastrnak

Linda Cohn: Auston Matthews
Leah Hextall: Alex Ovechkin
Emily Kaplan: Auston Matthews
Tim Kavanagh: Nikita Kucherov
Don La Greca: Leon Draisaitl
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Leon Draisaitl
Steve Levy: David Pastrnak
Vince Masi: Leon Draisaitl
Victoria Matiash: Alex DeBrincat
Sean McDonough: Auston Matthews
Mark Messier: Auston Matthews
AJ Mleczko: Auston Matthews
Arda Öcal: Auston Matthews
John Tortorella: Nikita Kucherov
Kevin Weekes: Auston Matthews
Bob Wischusen: Auston Matthews
Greg Wyshynski: Auston Matthews

Totals: Auston Matthews (12), Leon Draisaitl (4), David Pastrnak (2), Nikita Kucherov (2), Alex Ovechkin (1), Alex DeBrincat (1)


Norris Trophy (best defenseman)

Sean Allen: Charlie McAvoy
Brian Boucher: Cale Makar
John Buccigross: Charlie McAvoy
Ryan Callahan: Cale Makar
Sachin Chandan: John Carlson
Linda Cohn: Cale Makar
Leah Hextall: Cale Makar
Emily Kaplan: Cale Makar
Tim Kavanagh: Miro Heiskanen
Don La Greca: Charlie McAvoy
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Victor Hedman
Steve Levy: Cale Makar
Vince Masi: Aaron Ekblad
Victoria Matiash: Aaron Ekblad
Sean McDonough: Cale Makar
Mark Messier: Cale Makar
AJ Mleczko: Cale Makar
Arda Öcal: Cale Makar
John Tortorella: Seth Jones
Kevin Weekes: Cale Makar
Bob Wischusen: Victor Hedman
Greg Wyshynski: Charlie McAvoy

Totals: Cale Makar (11), Charlie McAvoy (4), Victor Hedman (2), Aaron Ekblad (2), John Carlson (1), Miro Heiskanen (1), Seth Jones (1)


Vezina Trophy (best goaltender)

Note: NHL GMs vote for this award.

Sean Allen: Connor Hellebuyck
Brian Boucher: Andrei Vasilevskiy
John Buccigross: Juuse Saros
Ryan Callahan: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Sachin Chandan: Juuse Saros

Linda Cohn: Philipp Grubauer
Leah Hextall: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Emily Kaplan: Connor Hellebuyck
Tim Kavanagh: Connor Hellebuyck
Don La Greca: Igor Shesterkin
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Steve Levy: Marc-Andre Fleury
Vince Masi: Juuse Saros
Victoria Matiash: Philipp Grubauer
Sean McDonough: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Mark Messier: Andrei Vasilevskiy
AJ Mleczko: Connor Hellebuyck
Arda Öcal: Andrei Vasilevskiy
John Tortorella: Spencer Knight
Kevin Weekes: Andrei Vasilevskiy
Bob Wischusen: Semyon Varlamov
Greg Wyshynski: Connor Hellebuyck

Totals: Andrei Vasilevskiy (8), Connor Hellebuyck (5), Juuse Saros (3), Philipp Grubauer (2), Igor Shesterkin (1), Marc-Andre Fleury (1), Spencer Knight (1), Semyon Varlamov (1)


Calder Trophy (best rookie)

Sean Allen: Spencer Knight
Brian Boucher: Spencer Knight
John Buccigross: Cole Caufield
Ryan Callahan: Cole Caufield
Sachin Chandan: Spencer Knight
Linda Cohn: Spencer Knight
Leah Hextall: Trevor Zegras
Emily Kaplan: Spencer Knight
Tim Kavanagh: Cole Caufield
Don La Greca: Cole Caufield
Peter Lawrence-Riddell: Spencer Knight
Steve Levy: Cole Caufield
Vince Masi: Spencer Knight
Victoria Matiash: Jamie Drysdale
Sean McDonough: Jeremy Swayman
Mark Messier: Trevor Zegras
AJ Mleczko: Cole Caufield
Arda Öcal: Cole Caufield
John Tortorella: Spencer Knight
Kevin Weekes: Cole Caufield
Bob Wischusen: Cole Caufield
Greg Wyshynski: Cole Caufield

Totals: Cole Caufield (10), Spencer Knight (8), Trevor Zegras (2), Jamie Drysdale (1), Jeremy Swayman (1)

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