As we kick off a new year, hockey fans have lots to look forward to in 2026. From the NHL’s return to Olympic hockey to the Stanley Cup playoffs, there will be plenty of on-ice excitement in the coming months.
With so much on the horizon, there’s bound to be a few surprises along the way. Now that we’re into the new year, we’ve put together some bold hockey predictions for 2026. These predictions may seem like long shots, but hockey has a habit of delivering the unexpected.
The Buffalo Sabres Make the Playoffs
It’s been 14 years since Sabres fans saw their team in the Stanley Cup playoffs, making it the longest postseason drought in NHL history. Yet things feel different this season, with Buffalo right in the thick of this year’s playoff chase.
The Sabres have gotten solid production out of Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch, while Rasmus Dahlin continues to develop into one of the league’s top defencemen. They’re also getting some reliable play from their goaltending duo of Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
With Buffalo right in the thick of this year’s playoff race, don’t be surprised if the Sabres make their long-awaited return to playoff hockey in 2026.
Sweden Wins Men’s Hockey Gold at Winter Olympics
The NHL’s best players will soon be heading to Milan for the 2026 games, with the men’s ice hockey tournament beginning on February 11. Most of the attention leading up to the Olympics has been on Team Canada and Team USA, but don’t sleep on Team Sweden.
It wouldn’t be the first time the Swedes have dominated the international hockey world, having last won Olympic gold in 2006. This team is loaded up front with talented NHL players like William Nylander, Leo Carlsson and Lucas Raymond. Their backend is equally strong, with guys like Rasmus Andersson, Erik Karlsson and Rasmus Dahlin. They also boast an elite trio of goaltenders in Filip Gustavsson, Jacob Markstrom and Linus Ullmark.
With Sweden currently +550 to win the gold medal, this team offers tremendous value for hockey bettors heading into the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Colorado Delivers Best Regular Season in NHL History
The Avalanche have been an absolute powerhouse through the first half of the regular season. Sitting comfortably atop the NHL standings with an incredible 31-3-7 record, this team is well on its way to earning its fourth Presidents’ Trophy in franchise history.
Beyond that, the Avs have a chance to break a significant NHL record this season. Their torrid pace over the first half of the schedule has given them a real chance at setting the all-time mark for points in a season. The current record belongs to the Boston Bruins, who finished the 2022-23 campaign with 135 points.
If Colorado continues to steamroll the rest of the league in the second half of the season, you can expect a new NHL benchmark for regular-season excellence.
Matt Boldy Reaches 50-Goal Plateau
Matt Boldy may not be a household name just yet, but that could change by the time this NHL season is over. A first-round pick by the Wild in 2019, Boldy has been a consistent goal scorer for Minnesota since entering the league. While he’s never scored more than 31 goals in a season, we could see him reach the 50-goal plateau in 2026.
The 24-year-old left winger has been on a tear so far this season, racking up 25 goals over his first 40 games. Playing on the Wild’s second line alongside Marcus Johansson and Joel Eriksson Ek, Boldy is more than capable of producing another 25+ goals over the back half of the schedule.
With Minnesota looking like one of the NHL’s best teams this season, Boldy will have plenty of opportunities to put the puck in the net and become the newest member of the 50-goal club.
Macklin Celebrini wins the Hart Trophy
He’s only in his second NHL season, but we’re already running out of ways to describe the brilliant play of San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini. The first overall pick from the 2024 NHL Draft was impressive in his rookie season, but what he’s doing this year is on a whole other level.
Still a teenager at 19 years old, Celebrini is dominating on the ice in ways that shouldn’t be possible for someone his age. He currently sits third in the NHL scoring race with 63 points (22 goals, 41 assists) in 41 games played. Perhaps more importantly, he’s managed to put the Sharks on his back. The Sharks are above .500 and currently hold the final wild card spot in the Western Conference.
If Celebrini continues racking up the points and can push San Jose into their first playoff appearance since 2019, we could see him join Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky as the only teenagers in NHL history to win the Hart Trophy.
The Stanley Cup Returns to Canada
Arguably our boldest take of all, 2026 will be the year a Canadian team wins the Stanley Cup once again. We’ve seen a number of Canadian teams reach the Stanley Cup Final over the past three decades, but no club has been able to close the deal since the Montreal Canadiens accomplished the feat in 1993.
The Oilers (+1000) are the most likely candidate, currently sitting first in the Pacific Division and looking for redemption after reaching the final in each of the past two seasons. The Canadiens (+6600) also look like legitimate contenders following a strong opening half of the season.
Regardless of which team manages to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada, you can be sure that Canadians from coast to coast will be ready to celebrate the nation’s return to the pinnacle of hockey.