It’s October, and that means dusting off the sticks and sharpening the skates for hockey season. Resident Black & White hockey experts Tiger Björnlund and Justin Baker weigh in with their predictions for the 2016-2017 NHL season:

Storylines to watch: (Tiger Björnlund)

The New Jersey Devils

Coming off a disappointing season that saw them finish seventh in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils have overhauled their lineup. New acquisition Taylor Hall will likely be a first line player for the team, and young forwards Adam Henrique and Kyle Palmieri will continue to develop. With arguably the best goalie in the league, this team is poised to break out and secure a playoff spot.

Andre Burakovsky (LW, Washington Capitals)

The young Swede is entering his third year in the NHL and is ready to break out. He and his top-notch wrist shot will benefit from second line minutes with center Nicklas Backstrom, one of the most talented passers and playmakers in the league, and he should reach the 20 goal mark this year, if not more.

PK Subban (D, Nashville Predators) vs. Shea Weber (D, Montreal Canadiens)

These two were traded for each other in a blockbuster deal this offseason, making it especially fascinating to compare their performance. Younger Subban brings more aggressiveness to his game, while veteran Weber, a perennial winner of the NHL’s hardest shot competition, will bring leadership and defensive stability to the Canadiens, both qualities they lacked.

Projected Playoff Standings:

East:

Metro
Washington Capitals
Pittsburgh Penguins
New York Islanders

Atlantic
Tampa Bay Lightning
Montreal Canadiens
Florida Panthers

Wildcards
New Jersey Devils
Detroit Red Wings

Central
Dallas Stars
Chicago Blackhawks
St. Louis Blues

Pacific
San Jose Sharks
Los Angeles Kings
Anaheim Ducks

Wildcards
Minnesota Wild
Nashville Predators

Stanley Cup

Tampa Bay v. St. Louis

Why St. Louis will win (Tiger Björnlund)

The Blues are coming off a 107-point season that saw them lose in six games in the Western Conference Finals after getting through two of the toughest teams in the league—the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars. With a young, talented team, there’s no reason why they can’t go further this year.

Star right winger Vladimir Tarasenko will be better than ever after putting up 74 points in 2015-16. Tarasenko will be aided by hopefully healthy Paul Stastny and Jaden Schwartz, both of whom are accomplished offensive players who missed large chunks of last season due to injuries. 20-year-old forward Robby Fabbri, who broke out with 15 points in 20 games in the 2016 playoffs, will continue to develop and could put up 50 points this year.

The defense will be bolstered by the retention of dynamic defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and the leadership of veterans Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo, the latter of whom was named the captain this offseason.

Lastly, the acquisition of former #1 overall draft pick Nail Yakupov from the Edmonton Oilers last week will add even more raw talent to an already skilled team. If head coach Ken Hitchcock can get Yakupov’s numbers up, perhaps by playing him with fellow Russian Tarasenko, he could also be a major contributor to the team.

St. Louis’s boundless offensive talent combined with their skill and leadership on defense should be enough to see them past Tampa in what would be an excellent Stanley Cup Final matchup.

Why Tampa will win (Justin Baker)

Tampa Bay re-signed Steven Stamkos (whose 2015-16 season was hampered in part by injury) in the offseason, meaning that they’re coming into the 2016-17 season with a deep, talented offense and a star netminder in 2015-16’s Vezina trophy winner Ben Bishop.

The Lightning had a strong 97 point season and made a deep playoff run last year. Absent the red-hot 2015-16 Penguins, the Lightning could’ve easily reached the Stanley Cup finals last season, and in recent years they have consistently remained a consistent playoff contender.

The bottom line is that Tampa star forwards Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos are poised to lead what is possibly the most explosive offense in the East. On the defensive end, Tampa will benefit from the physical presence of the 6’ 6” Victor Hedman, and the continued dominance of 6’ 7” goalie Ben Bishop, who had a .926 regular season save percentage and had an impressive six shutouts in the 2015-16 campaign.

Worth noting is the resurgence of center Tyler Johnson, who was limited in the 2015-16 season due to persistent wrist injury. With Johnson finally feeling 100% and Stamkos at the helm of the offense, Tampa Bay will prove too much of a threat for St. Louis to handle.

Awards: (Tiger Björnlund and Justin Baker)

Conn Smythe (Playoff MVP): G Ben Bishop if Tampa Bay Wins, G Jake Allen if St. Louis wins

Playoff hockey is always a low-scoring affair, and it will be the goalies that shine in this series. The winning goalie will likely capture this trophy.

Hart (Regular Season MVP): Vladimir Tarasenko (RW, St. Louis Blues)

Tarasenko will help carry the Blues to a deep playoff run, and is well-positioned to star on a talent-heavy St. Louis offense. Expect the crafty Russian to top the already impressive numbers of his 2015-16 campaign due to the offseason addition of Nail Yakupov.

Tarasenko, who reached the 40 goal mark last season, will be a key player for the Blues in what should be their strongest season in recent years.

Rocket Richard (Top Goalscorer): Alexander Ovechkin (LW, Washington Capitals)

The Washington Capitals star will continue his reign atop NHL goalscorers and likely put up 50+ goals again this year. Worth noting is that Ovechkin needs only five more power play goals to reach 200 of them, which would make him only the 18th player in NHL history to do so.

Norris (Top Defenseman): Erik Karlsson (D, Ottawa Senators)

The dynamic, speedy Swede should win his third Norris this year. Expect him to spend the season near the top of the league’s assist rankings, despite his defensive roles. Karlsson is one of the best skaters in the league and his defensive responsibility is constantly improving, adding to his already spectacular offensive talent.

Vezina (Top Goalie): Corey Schneider (G, New Jersey Devils)

The American will continue his rise to the top of the league’s goaltending ladder. If the Devils make the playoffs, it will be in large part because of his stellar play, which will be enough for him to earn the Vezina.

Calder (Rookie of the Year): Auston Matthews (C, Toronto Maple Leafs)

Matthews, the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, will pick up from where he left off in the World Cup of Hockey by already, at the age of 18, establishing himself as a bona fide star in the game. Expect him to spur the struggling Maple Leafs to a better finish this year and put up respectable numbers along the way, especially as he receives top minutes on a team devoid of offensive firepower.