2026-27 NHL Predictions: Who Wins It All As the Earliest Season in 18 Years Kicks Off

The 2026-27 NHL season drops the puck on Tuesday, September 29 with an opening-night tripleheader on ESPN — the league's earliest start date in 18 years. With the regular season expanding to 84 games for the first time since 1993-94, every team has already burned through an eight-day, 65-game preseason slate, and the bold predictions are flying.

Can Carolina Repeat?

The Carolina Hurricanes enter as defending Stanley Cup champions after knocking off the Vegas Golden Knights in six games last June, and they've been tabbed the preseason No. 1 team by Bleacher Report's staff rankings. Repeating won't be easy in a league that hasn't seen back-to-back champions in years, but Carolina's structure and depth give them a real shot.

Florida's Three-Peat Bid

Right behind them sits Florida, who brought in Brady Tkachuk to pair with brother Matthew Matthews on a roster already loaded from two of the last four championship runs. Analysts note no one in the league can match Florida's top three forward lines and top two defense pairings — the only real question is whether their goaltending can hold up, or whether GM Bill Zito finds a creative upgrade before the deadline.

Bold Calls Worth Watching

• Can Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl drag Edmonton back into the title hunt after last year's disappointment?

• Does Gavin McKenna's arrival finally push the Toronto Maple Leafs back into serious playoff conversation?

• How far can Macklin Celebrini and a young San Jose core realistically go this year?

• Is Connor Hellebuyck really spending another year on the outside looking in, as one bold prediction suggested?

ESPN's own bold-predictions tracker hit a .438 success rate last season — good enough that their staff is running it back with 32 new predictions, one for every team, heading into 2026-27. Daily Faceoff has published full previews for all 32 clubs, covering lineup projections, key additions, rookies to watch, and award picks.

One thing is certain: with a shortened preseason and an earlier start than we've seen in nearly two decades, teams have less runway to figure things out before it counts. Buckle up — puck drop is Tuesday, September 29.