48% of NHL writers and broadcasters pick the Edmonton Oilers to win the 2025 Stanley Cup

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Nearly half of NHL writers and broadcasters (70 of 147 for 48%) are picking the Edmonton Oilers to win the 2025 Stanley Cup, with the Dallas Stars the next best choice.

Here are the predictions I found, with the Oilers count and the total number of predictions in each media outlet: ESPN 12/24; Bleacher Report 5/7; NY Post 1/3; Sportsnet 16/20; Dobber hockey 9/19; TSN 6/7; CBS Sports 1/2; The Sporting News 1/1, The Hockey News 17/56; the Daily Faceoff, 4/7; and USA Today 0/2.

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As for individual comments from authors and broadcasters, here are some highlights:

Lyle Richardson, Bleacher Report
The Stars have deep forward lines with a good mix of experienced leaders like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Matt Duchene, players like Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz starting their playing careers, and emerging talent like Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven. Goalkeeper Jake Oettinger is only 25, but already has four seasons of NHL experience and is considered one of the best in the league. The defense could use more depth on the right side, but still has a solid top three in Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley. Expect Stars GM Jim Nill to address this deficiency on the right side of his blue line before the March 7 trade deadline. The right additions could lead the Stars to a Stanley Cup title.

Mary Clarke of USA Today
I get it, the Oilers are the popular choice to bounce back and McDavid winning his first Stanley Cup is a great story, but this is Dallas' year. Book it.

Frank Seravalli, The Daily Faceoff
The Edmonton Oilers will end Canada's Stanley Cup drought at age 32. They will repeat what the Florida Panthers did by becoming the second straight team to lose in the Cup Final the year before and make up for that loss the following year. It's a question of when and not if – McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will not be turned away.

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Bryan Murphy of The Sporting News
Dallas has knocked on the door so many times over the last few seasons. The team is too deep and plays so structurally sound. If Jake Oettinger can find himself in the postseason, it's a scary team to think about in the playoffs.

Sarah Civilian, Bleacher Report
It will be the Oilers. They know what is necessary so that in the end you are only a few moves or bounces away from the actual implementation.

Chris Bengel of CBS Sports
This time the Oilers will get the job done. Edmonton arguably has a deeper roster than it did a year ago after adding veteran forwards like Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to its top six. For the first time in several years, the Oilers also have a strong goaltender in the crease in Stuart Skinner, who posted a 2.45 goals against average in Edmonton's run to the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Final.

Darren Dreger, TSN
There's just something about fate, McDavid and Oilers. The Oilers win.

My opinion

1. In a 32-team league with a strict salary cap, getting back to the Stanley Cup Final is extremely difficult. This is especially true for an older team that has to fight through an endless season and playoffs. But I also believe that the Oilers will win the Stanley Cup. I think they have the best chance. But that odds are still about one in three, while the other top teams each have about a 10 percent chance.

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2. So much can go wrong on the road to the Stanley Cup, even if you have the best team. Injuries, in particular, can bring down your team in the playoffs. For example, how much more likely would it have been that the Oilers would have won the Cup if Leon Draisaitl and Evander Kane had been healthier in June? I think it was a deciding factor in Edmonton's loss to Florida.

But that's hockey.

3. There's also the chaos of NHL goaltending. Stuart Skinner was great at times in the NHL playoffs. At other times it was rancid. How will he do this year? And how are the opposing goalkeepers doing? Will any of them be upside down repeatedly against the Oilers? Or will it be Skinner who makes the extraordinary saves?

Who knows? No one.

4. Ultimately, though, I think TSN's Dreger said it best. There's just something about fate, McDavid, the Oilers.

The Oilers will do it.

Make that 71 of 148 by picking Edmonton.

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