The 2021 NHL season is sure to be an exciting one, as teams and fans alike are eager to get back on the ice after the shortened 2019-2020 season. As teams gear up for their first regular-season games since March of 2020, many fan bases have high expectations for their favorite franchises as they look to add another Stanley Cup victory.
One of the most intriguing storylines heading into the 2021 season is which team will reign supreme in the highly competitive Eastern Conference. The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning enter this season as co-favorites to take home the crown based on their impressive core of players combined with a number of savvy offseason acquisitions. Both teams boast talented goal scorers such as Alexander Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos, along with strong defensive presences like John Carlson and Victor Hedman. Yet it remains to be seen if either team can overcome some recent playoff setbacks en route to hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup at year end. Alongside these two heavyweights are other contenders in Philadelphia, Boston & Pittsburgh that could present legitimate challenges for success during this upcoming campaign.
In addition to stiff competition within each conference, there is also a good chance that matchup between Western & Eastern Conference champions will result in a thrilling final series come June 2021. As long standing powers like Colorado Avalanche & Vegas Golden Knights make strong pushes towards championship glory while newer entrants such as Nashville Predators aim higher than ever before; all eyes will be on whichever franchise can stay hot throughout both four rounds of playoffs and rise above all else come early summertime.
While predicting any playoff outcome or cup winner before seeing how teams perform over 82 regular-season contests can prove difficult; my heart says that we should expect a captivating matchup between two established powerhouses: The Washington Capitals & Colorado Avalanche playing seven games in pursuit of ultimate hockey bragging rights in mid–June — with Alexander Ovechkin finally claiming his well deserved first NHL title by leading his Caps past Nathan MacKinnon’s powerful Avs squad (4-3). No matter who ends up taking home hardware by summer’s end — game seven should definitely not be missed!