It's the best time of year. Hope springs eternal in the NHL with the 2019-20 season set to begin on Oct. 2.

Officially, the slate has been wiped clean and all 31 teams are now set to travel, on what they hope, is a road painted in silver with the Stanley Cup at the end. But that road is a long, twisting, curving one with never-ending potholes. It is one that eventually splits where only one can take the road less traveled — one that less than 100 teams have taken — one that ends in a championship.

This road will also carry the best and brightest in the league with a select few standing above the rest.

Who will go the distance down these paths is still be determined, but our Sporting News hockey experts attempted to look into the future and see who will make all the difference.

NHL predictions for 2019-20

Jackie Spiegel

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Toronto Maple Leafs 1. New Jersey Devils 1. Boston Bruins 2. Tampa Bay Lightning 2. Washington Capitals 2. New York Rangers 3. Florida Panthers 3. Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche* 1. Calgary Flames 1. Winnipeg Jets 2. Dallas Stars 2. San Jose Sharks 2. Vancouver Canucks 3. St. Louis Blues 3. Vegas Golden Knights

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Toronto Maple Leafs Western Conference champ Dallas Stars Stanley Cup champ Toronto Maple Leafs Conn Smythe winner John Tavares

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Ben Bishop Art Ross Trophy Auston Matthews Rocket Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin Norris Trophy Morgan Rielly Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Brandon Schlager

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Florida Panthers 2. Boston Bruins 2. Carolina Hurricanes 2. Philadelphia Flyers 3. Toronto Maple Leafs 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche 1. Vegas Golden Knights 1. Winnipeg Jets 2. Nashville Predators 2. Calgary Flames 2. Dallas Stars 3. St. Louis Blues 3. San Jose Sharks

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Steven Stamkos

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Nathan MacKinnon Vezina Trophy Frederik Andersen Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy David Pastrnak Norris Trophy Erik Karlsson Calder Trophy Jack Hughes

Sammi Silber

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning 1. New York Rangers 1. Florida Panthers 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Washington Capitals 2. Ottawa Senators 3. Boston Bruins 3. New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Winnipeg Jets 1. San Jose Sharks* 1. Arizona Coyotes 2. Dallas Stars 2. Calgary Flames 2. Vancouver Canucks 3. Nashville Predators 3. Vegas Golden Knights

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Washington Capitals Western Conference champ San Jose Sharks Stanley Cup champ Washington Capitals Conn Smythe winner Braden Holtby

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Sergei Bobrovsky Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin Norris Trophy Erik Karlsson Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Sean Farrell

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Florida Panthers 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 2. Montreal Canadiens 3. Boston Bruins 3. Carolina Hurricanes

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche 1. Calgary Flames 1. St. Louis Blues 2. Dallas Stars 2. Vegas Golden Knights 2. Arizona Coyotes 3. Nashville Predators 3. San Jose Sharks

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Nikita Kucherov

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Andrei Vasilevskiy Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Connor McDavid Norris Trophy Victor Hedman Calder Trophy Jack Hughes

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Steve Kournianos

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Carolina Hurricanes 1. Boston Bruins 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Washington Capitals 2. New York Islanders 3. Montreal Canadiens 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Nashville Predators 1. Calgary Flames 1. St. Louis Blues 2. Winnipeg Jets 2. Vegas Golden Knights 2. Chicago Blackhawks 3. Colorado Avalanche 3. San Jose Sharks

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Toronto Maple Leafs Western Conference champ Winnipeg Jets Stanley Cup champ Winnipeg Jets Conn Smythe winner Mark Scheifele

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Frederik Andersen Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Nikita Kucherov Norris Trophy Morgan Rielly Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Dave McCarthy

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Boston Bruins 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. New York Rangers 2. New Jersey Devils 3. Florida Panthers 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche 1. Calgary Flames 1. Dallas Stars 2. St. Louis Blues 2. San Jose Sharks 2. Chicago Blackhawks 3. Nashville Predators 3. Vegas Golden Knights

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Steven Stamkos

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Nathan MacKinnon Vezina Trophy Andrei Vasilevskiy Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Auston Matthews Norris Trophy Morgan Rielly Calder Trophy Jack Hughes

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Mike Murphy

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Florida Panthers 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 2. Montreal Canadiens 3. Boston Bruins 3. Columbus Blue Jackets

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Dallas Stars 1. Calgary Flames 1. Colorado Avalanche 2. St. Louis Blues 2. San Jose Sharks 2. Winnipeg Jets 3. Nashville Predators 3. Vegas Golden Knights

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Dallas Stars Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Andrei Vasilevskiy

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Ben Bishop Art Ross Trophy Nikita Kucherov Rocket Richard Trophy Leon Draisaitl Norris Trophy Brent Burns Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Murray Pam

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Florida Panthers 2. Boston Bruins 2. Carolina Hurricanes 2. New York Islanders 3. Toronto Maple Leafs 3. Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Nashville Predators 1. Calgary Flames 1. Colorado Avalanche 2. St. Louis Blues 2. Vegas Golden Knights 2. Winnipeg Jets 3. Dallas Stars 3. San Jose Sharks

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Brayden Point

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Connor McDavid Vezina Trophy Andrei Vasilevskiy Art Ross Trophy Nikita Kucherov Rocket Richard Trophy Auston Matthews Norris Trophy Erik Karlsson Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Ryan Pike

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning 1. Washington Capitals 1. Carolina Hurricanes 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 2. Florida Panthers 3. Boston Bruins 3. New York Islanders

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche 1. Vegas Golden Knights 1. Nashville Predators 2. St. Louis Blues 2. San Jose Sharks 2. Dallas Stars 3. Winnipeg Jets 3. Calgary Flames

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Colorado Avalanche Stanley Cup champ Colorado Avalanche Conn Smythe winner Nathan MacKinnon

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Nathan MacKinnon Vezina Trophy Andrei Vasilevskiy Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin Norris Trophy Victor Hedman Calder Trophy Adam Fox

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Lyle Richardson

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning 1. Washington Capitals 1. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Boston Bruins 2. Carolina Hurricanes 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 3. Florida Panthers 3. New Jersey Devils

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Colorado Avalanche 1. Calgary Flames 1. St. Louis Blues 2. Nashville Predators 2. Vegas Golden Knights 2. Winnipeg Jets 3. Dallas Stars 3. San Jose Sharks

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Nashville Predators Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Victor Hedman

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Nathan MacKinnon Vezina Trophy Andrei Vasilevskiy Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin Norris Trophy Victor Hedman Calder Trophy Cale Makar

Jace Mallory

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Montreal Canadiens 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 2. Florida Panthers 3. Boston Bruins 3. New York Rangers

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Dallas Stars 1. Vegas Golden Knights 1. Nashville Predators 2. St. Louis Blues 2. Calgary Flames 2. Arizona Coyotes 3. Colorado Avalanche 3. San Jose Sharks

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Dallas Stars Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner Nikita Kucherov

Awards

Award Winner Hart Trophy Johnny Gaudreau Vezina Trophy Ben Bishop Art Ross Trophy Connor McDavid Rocket Richard Trophy Alex Ovechkin Norris Trophy Miro Heiskanen Calder Trophy Kaapo Kakko

Tommy McArdle

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division Metropolitan Division Wild cards 1. Tampa Bay Lightning* 1. Washington Capitals 1. Pittsburgh Penguins 2. Toronto Maple Leafs 2. Carolina Hurricanes 2. Florida Panthers 3. Boston Bruins 3. New York Islanders

Western Conference

Central Division Pacific Division Wild cards 1. Nashville Predators 1. Calgary Flames 1. Dallas Stars 2. Colorado Avalanche 2. San Jose Sharks 2. Arizona Coyotes 3. St. Louis Blues 3. Vegas Golden Knights

*Presidents' Trophy winner

Playoffs

Series Winner Eastern Conference champ Tampa Bay Lightning Western Conference champ Calgary Flames Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning Conn Smythe winner

Awards