EA Sports predicts NHL standings and 2027 Stanley Cup winner
Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers have won the Stanley Cup… in the virtual world, at least.
With the 2026-27 NHL season officially getting underway on Tuesday, EA Sports has revealed its Stanley Cup champion pick through its annual season simulation.
This year’s champion is the Oilers, who are predicted to knock off the LA Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche en route to the Stanley Cup Final, before defeating the Buffalo Sabres in seven games to win it all.
It would be the Oilers’ third Stanley Cup Final showing in four seasons, and their first championship since 1990.
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This might be a bad omen for the Oilers, as EA Sports has had a bad track record when it comes to predicting the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
TheyĀ picked the New York Rangers to win it all back in 2025 and had the Vegas Golden Knights to go all the way last season. While Vegas got close to fulfilling that prediction, they eventually came up short against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Final this past spring.Ā
Elsewhere around the league, the video game company had the Colorado Avalanche repeating as the NHL’s top regular-season team, capturing the Presidents’ Trophy for a second straight season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs return to the playoffs with a third-place finish in the Atlantic Division in the simulation. However, they once again bow out in the first round of the playoffs against the Florida Panthers.
The Montreal Canadiens sneak into the postseason with a wildcard berth, but can’t replicate last year’s success, suffering an opening-round exit at the hands of the defending championĀ Hurricanes.
All of the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets, and Ottawa Senators miss the playoffs in EA’s latest prediction.
From an individual player perspective, the Oilers are dominating all the major categories, with McDavid winning the Art Ross Trophy with 148 points and taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. The Oilers captain is also predicted to take home the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award for good measure.
Leon Draisaitl is being pegged for 57 goals, which edges out McDavid (53) and David Pastrnak for the Rocket Richard Trophy.
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Auston Matthews is predicted to return to form this season, netting 52 goals and 103 points with a revamped Leafs squad. Gavin McKenna will live up to the hype, according to EA, winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year.
Will EA finally get things right, or will Oilers fans be correct to worry about this being a potential curse? Only time will tell.