• Multiple Contributors

With less than a month remaining in the 2024-25 NHL season, several key questions remain unanswered:

  • Which teams will clinch a berth in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs?

  • Which team faces the most pressure as the regular season concludes?

  • Who will be awarded the Hart Trophy as the league`s most valuable player?

  • And which two teams will compete for the Stanley Cup?

ESPN`s hockey experts share their perspectives on these crucial questions.

Which team currently outside of the playoffs will make it?

Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: I`m picking the St. Louis Blues. Their defensive game has been a concern for a while, which led to hiring Jim Montgomery, and it`s paid off. Since Montgomery joined in late November, the Blues rank just outside the top 10 in the NHL for fewest goals allowed, goals allowed per game, and shots allowed per game. They`ve shown consistent defensive improvement recently, winning seven of their last 10 games.

Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Keep an eye on the Utah Hockey Club. They`ve been strong with a 9-4-2 record since February 4th and haven`t had back-to-back regulation losses since January 26th. Except for Connor Ingram`s indefinite absence as he entered the NHL player assistance program, Utah is among the healthiest teams in the league.

Clayton Keller is consistently scoring. Dylan Guenther and Barrett Hayton are a productive second-line duo. Utah`s third line, featuring Jack McBain, Lawson Crouse, and Josh Doan, is proving difficult to play against. Sean Durzi`s return has significantly strengthened their defense. If Karel Vejmelka can maintain a high level of goaltending, Utah has a good chance to grab the second wild-card spot in the West.

Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: I`m going with the Columbus Blue Jackets. They briefly held the second wild-card spot in the East before a recent loss to the New York Rangers caused them to swap positions.

The Eastern Conference is highly competitive, and playoff spots will be contested until the very end. Columbus has the 10th-easiest remaining schedule in the league, and the fourth-easiest in the East, according to Stathletes. They have a strong 20-8-4 home record and will play nine of their remaining games at home. A playoff appearance would be a great conclusion to an emotionally charged season.

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: My pick is the Montreal Canadiens. This team has a lot of spirit and a strong belief in themselves. This is evident in their recent strong play at a crucial time. Cole Caufield and Patrik Laine have been leading the offensive charge, and Montreal`s depth has been impressive.

GM Kent Hughes opted not to make trades at the deadline, clearly showing faith in the Canadiens` playoff potential without further additions. Montreal boasts a potent power play, with Laine as a key contributor, and their goaltending has improved. If they can manage a demanding schedule down the stretch, including two more games against the Florida Panthers, they could secure a playoff spot.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: I predicted the Utah Hockey Club for the playoffs before the season, and I`m sticking with that prediction. We`re finally seeing the team they were expected to be. Utah is 6-3-2 since defenseman Sean Durzi returned from injury. His and John Marino`s absences were significant earlier in the season. Their returns have stabilized Utah`s defense, leading to better even-strength play, allowing just 1.50 goals per game in their last 10 games, second only to Winnipeg and Carolina.

Utah`s offense is also top 10 at 5-on-5 during this period. However, to make the playoffs, they need more production from young star Logan Cooley, whose goal on March 16th ended a six-game scoring drought. Utah will rely on Karel Vejmelka and hope he continues his strong season, and that rookie Jaxson Stauber can provide solid starts while Ingram is in the player assistance program.

Which team is under the most pressure in the final month?

Clark: It`s the Vancouver Canucks. Their second-round appearance last season raised questions about whether it was a one-off success or the start of sustained competitiveness.

Making the playoffs again would solidify their status as a consistent postseason team, something they haven`t been for over a decade. Missing the playoffs, however, would intensify doubts about their future direction.

Matiash: The Edmonton Oilers need to get organized quickly before the playoffs begin, or they risk a short postseason run, likely against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. This would be disappointing for Edmonton fans and stars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

While Draisaitl and McDavid have combined for 46 points since January 30th, the rest of the Oilers` forwards have only 48 points total. The supporting cast needs to contribute more effectively, and soon. Additionally, the Oilers have allowed the fifth-most goals against per game (3.41) during this stretch, partly due to Stuart Skinner`s inconsistent play. With a 7-9-1 record since late January, Kris Knoblauch`s team must address these issues urgently.

Öcal: If the Rangers miss the playoffs after reaching the conference finals in two of the past three years, significant changes in Manhattan could be expected in the offseason. It`s been a turbulent season for the Rangers already, marked by various controversies and unexpected events that have fans questioning the team`s progress.

Shilton: The Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling recently and need to prove it`s just a temporary slump. They were performing well before the 4 Nations Face-Off break but have since faltered against strong teams, losing to Vegas, Colorado, Florida, and Ottawa.

Toronto`s offense has slowed down, their power play is struggling, and their previously strong goaltending seems to be declining. Every team experiences rough patches, but this poor timing is concerning for the Leafs. They need to start winning consistently before the playoffs if this is just a temporary issue.

Wyshynski: The Detroit Red Wings. Teams change coaches for various reasons. For example, the Blues replaced Drew Bannister because of Jim Montgomery`s availability. The Red Wings, however, fired Derek Lalonde and hired Todd McLellan specifically to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, ending their long playoff drought and validating GM Steve Yzerman`s rebuilding plan, known as `The Yzerplan.`

But under McLellan, they`ve remained inconsistent. After a brief turnaround, they had a disastrous stretch, winning only twice in 10 games around the 4 Nations tournament. There`s still a chance Cam Talbot and Petr Mrazek could carry their struggling offense to the playoffs, but it`s more likely they`ll miss again, leading to more questions than answers in the offseason.

Name your Stanley Cup Finalists with one month left.

Clark: Dallas Stars vs. Carolina Hurricanes. A Hurricanes-Stars Stanley Cup Final with Mikko Rantanen would be a compelling storyline with high drama.

Matiash: Winnipeg Jets vs. Florida Panthers. I`m choosing the team with the league`s best defense and third-best offense, led by an elite goalie, against a Florida team that looks even stronger than last year`s finalists after acquiring Brad Marchand and Seth Jones. Why complicate things?

Öcal: Colorado Avalanche vs. Tampa Bay Lightning. A rematch of the 2022 Final is possible. Both teams improved significantly at the trade deadline. Tampa Bay added Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand, strengthening their top nine forwards. They also have Andrei Vasilevskiy in net. Colorado acquired Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle, Erik Johnson, Ryan Lindgren, and Jimmy Vesey, addressing key needs and looking like serious contenders.

Shilton: Dallas Stars vs. Washington Capitals. Before the season, Washington reaching the Stanley Cup Final seemed improbable. However, they`re having a special season, and these are rare. Washington should be able to carry their regular-season success into a deep playoff run.

As for Dallas, it`s their time. They`ve been close to the Final for too long. With Mikko Rantanen and the return of Miro Heiskanen, Dallas should be strong in all areas and ready to contend for the Cup.

Wyshynski: Dallas Stars vs. Florida Panthers. The Stars were my preseason pick for the Stanley Cup. Assuming their injured players, especially Heiskanen, are healthy, I still expect them to break through after recent conference finals appearances. Jake Oettinger, Roope Hintz, and Wyatt Johnston are strong performers, and Rantanen adds a motivated presence. Originally, I had the New Jersey Devils, but without Jack Hughes, it`s unlikely. So, I`ll go with the Panthers making their third straight Stanley Cup Final. Their core is built for playoff success. They have Sergei Bobrovsky. GM Bill Zito has improved their depth. And adding Brad Marchand to a team with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett is a significant advantage. Expect a physical series.

Who`s your pick for Hart Trophy right now?

Clark: Connor Hellebuyck. It`s been a decade since a goalie, Carey Price, won the Hart. Price was essential to his team`s success, leading the NHL in wins, GAA, save percentage, and goals-saved above expected. He was also among the league leaders in minutes and saves.

Hellebuyck currently leads the league in wins, GAA, save percentage, GSAA, and shutouts, and is competing with Andrei Vasilevskiy for the most minutes played. While forwards like Leon Draisaitl, Nikita Kucherov, and Nathan MacKinnon are having great seasons, Hellebuyck`s performance is on par with what`s expected of a Hart-caliber goalie.

Matiash: Leon Draisaitl. I was leaning towards Nikita Kucherov for a while, but I`m now shifting to Draisaitl, who is projected to be the only 50-goal scorer in 2024-25.

According to Evolving Hockey, Draisaitl leads the league in goals above replacement (24.6), wins above replacement (4.0), and standings points above replacement (7.6). This strongly indicates his value to his team.

Öcal: Definitely Leon Draisaitl. He and MacKinnon will likely be close in points through the end of the season, but Draisaitl is dominating the Rocket Richard race with 49 goals, 13 ahead of second-place William Nylander. Draisaitl also leads the league in even-strength goals (34). Plus, he`s achieving this on a team with Connor McDavid.

I`m predicting Leon to win his second Hart Trophy in five years. He`s been so outstanding this season.

Shilton: Nathan MacKinnon. Yes, I`m predicting back-to-back Hart Trophy wins. The last player to do this was Alex Ovechkin in 2009. It`s rare.

MacKinnon has undeniably carried Colorado this season. Remember when the Avalanche were being written off? MacKinnon never slowed down. Even with Rantanen`s injury, MacKinnon seemed even more determined to keep Colorado competitive. If Hellebuyck wins, it would be well-deserved, but for me, it`s MacKinnon, for consistently being the Avalanche`s most valuable player every game.

Wyshynski: Connor Hellebuyck. Let`s keep it simple. As of Monday, Hellebuyck had 39 of the Jets` 47 wins. He leads the league in save percentage, and his GAA is under 2.00 — while GAA is a team stat, it`s clear who`s responsible when backup Eric Comrie`s GAA is significantly higher.

There are other worthy candidates: Draisaitl has a strong case, and Zach Werenski deserves recognition for his impact on Columbus. (And Quinn Hughes would be a strong contender if not for his injury.) But the Jets have been one of the NHL`s best teams this season, and Hellebuyck is clearly the foundation of their success.