On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Another day, another fun exercise exploring the wild responses I might get from posing an NHL-related question to A.I., I decided to try it. Today, I asked ChatGPT: “Can you Predict the 2025 Stanley Cup Final?”
The answer that ChatGPT gave wasn’t the wildest response we have gotten since we started this series. The answer actually made sense and could be a very real possibility. Remember, this is based on an A.I. response, so it’s not true or even speculation—just a guess from a machine. It’s also important to note that ChatGPT is not exactly up to speed on the NHL standings or the rumors floating around.
2025 Stanley Cup Final Prediction
Colorado Avalanche vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Two very good teams with major goaltending issues this season got selected by Chat GPT. One has to wonder if they considered that.
Over the past few years, both the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have been among the NHL’s elite teams. As such, it makes a lot of sense on paper to pick these two franchises. However, the likelihood of this prediction coming true in real life may be low.
As of this writing, Carolina sits third in the Metropolitan Division, and Colorado sits third in the Central. Both teams were once powerhouses in their own conferences, but now they’re good, but not necessarily in the upper echelon of teams that would be considered a near lock to make the Stanley Cup Final.
For Colorado, several teams are standing in their way: the Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, and even the Minnesota Wild.
As for the Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, and New Jersey Devils could make life tough on Carolina’s chances of making it to the Finals.
Western Conference: Colorado Avalanche?
The Avalanche have most of the tools to make another run to the Stanley Cup Final. Led by Nathan MacKinnon, one of the NHL’s most electrifying players, and Cale Makar, arguably the best defenseman in the league, they’ve also got Mikko Rantanen playing in a contract year. The team definitely has the star power to carry them deep into the playoffs.
Their depth is also another major strength, as players like Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin can step up in big moments. On the back end, Makar and Devon Toews are one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL and can change the course of the game on any shift.
It’s the fact they are still missing Gabriel Landeskog and questions about their goaltending that make the Avs a question mark. Their newly acquired goaltending duo of MacKenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood adds stability in the net, but is it enough?
Eastern Conference: Carolina Hurricanes?
Like the Avalanche, the Hurricanes have most of the pieces needed to make a serious run to the Stanley Cup Final. There is one exception: they need better goaltending.
With a deep, balanced roster but a vastly different defensive core from seasons past, there have been questions in the past about whether they’re built for playoff hockey. If they don’t have a solid starter in net, they won’t go far.
Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin lead the way on the back end, providing shutdown ability and offensive production. That said, the team lost Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei in free agency this summer. It’s unlikely Chat GPT took that into consideration.
Up front, Sebastian Aho is the team’s heartbeat, while Andrei Svechnikov adds game-breaking skill. Players like Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi give the lineup depth and additional scoring. Last season, the team improved their playoff scoring, actually ranking second in goals-for-per-game. That’s a huge hurdle it appears they’ve jumped.
Unfortunately, their goaltending is a bit of an Achilles heel. The team continues to deal with Frederik Andersen’s injuries that keep him on the shelf for months at a time. They will need to look to add another goalie before the deadline to shore up their crease.
The X-factor for the Hurricanes has and continues to be head coach Rod Brind’Amour. There is something about him that makes you feel like his teams are never out of it.
Of These Two Teams, Who Wins?
ChatGPT also predicted who will win their predicted 2025 Stanley Cup Final matchup. They have the Avalanche winning the Cup in seven games over the Hurricanes. It’s possible, but it’s definitely a stretch.
Do you think they got it right?
More must-reads:
- Flyers first-round pick expected to commit to Michigan State
- Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski continues to set radar gun on fire at unprecedented rate
- The 'NBA all-time 50-point game leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Knicks Predicted to Part Ways With Karl-Anthony Towns in Blockbuster Three-Team Trade
The New York Knicks are looking to make more moves to upgrade their depth as they figure to be one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Of course, the Knicks made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000 last season and with the amount of injuries to top players in the East, the Conference is wide open entering next season. Because of this, the Knicks have emerged as one of the favorites to win the East thanks to their core led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite this, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently created a three-team mock trade that would see the Knicks move on from Towns. In the trade, the Knicks would add Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III and a 2028 first-round pick via the Portland Trail Blazers while they would send Towns and Pacome Dadiet to Portland. The Trail Blazers would also send Duop Reath to the Atlanta Hawks in this proposed mock trade. While the Knicks are looking at ways to improve their depth, moving on from Towns would be a tough decision for them to make despite his struggles, especially on the defensive side, during the playoffs last season. It would also be a tough decision to swap Towns for Williams III due to his injury history, especially with Mitchell Robinson’s injury history as well and the Knicks’ lack of true center depth. While that may be the case, adding a veteran point guard in Holiday to the second unit could be a good addition to the Knicks’ bench and Williams III would also give them more size. Despite this, it is highly unlikely that the Knicks will move on from Towns this summer and likely into next season as they see their core being able to help them compete for a championship next season.
Celtics Expected to Make Another Trade After New Comments From Executive
The Boston Celtics' priorities were already apparent before making the trades they did. Because they wanted to get under the NBA's second tax apron, the Celtics were willing to downgrade some of their players to get under it. That's why the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday for Anfernee Simons and Kristaps Porzingis for Georges Niang. It is a talent downgrade, but it helped Boston achieve their goals of getting under the second apron, even if those players aren't as good as Holiday or Porzingis. However, those trades only helped Boston get closer to being under the NBA's second tax apron, but it didn't get them under completely. Boston signed a few more players this offseason, including Luka Garza, Josh Minott, and Hugo Gonzalez. While these players are on inexpensive contracts, combined, they are enough to keep the Celtics above the NBA's second tax apron. That's why Boston isn't done making moves. Spotrac's Keith Smith revealed in an interview with a Boston Celtics executive that more trades will follow because they are still above the NBA's second tax apron. “Still figuring it all out. As you’ve noted, we’re still above the second apron. We won’t finish there," the Celtics exec told Smith. As far as how the Celtics will do that is anyone's guess. They may trade Anfernee Simons for someone who makes less than him. They may trade Niang's contract to a team that can absorb it via trade exception. They may even trade Sam Hauser or Payton Pritchard to do it. Regardless, more moves are coming for the Celtics.
Phillies’ 1.83 ERA starter drawing trade interest ahead of deadline
The Philadelphia Phillies have one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Not only do they have a great front five, but there goes, potentially, eight pitchers deep with MLB talent. Unsurprisingly, with such a surplus of talent, the Phillies are drawing trade interest in their starters. Ranger Suarez, whose contract expires at the end of the year, would be a typical trade deadline candidate. But he's going nowhere. Instead, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the Phillies are drawing trade interest in Phillies right-handed prospect Mick Abel. The 23-year-old starter could be a trade chip if the Phillies find a suitable trade target. "... Same goes for Mick Abel," Gelb writes, "who is drawing trade interest." The Phillies right-hander has impressed in his brief Major League stint, even if he now sits at a 5.04 ERA in six starts. His ceiling, which he displayed in his MLB debut, is enough to captivate teams around baseball. In the minors, Abel has been dominant this season. He has a 1.83 ERA in 12 starts in Triple-A, a significant improvement over his 6.46 ERA in 2024. Abel's progress this season has been incredible, and has teams interested in trading for him. If the Phillies find a trade partner for an outfielder or a dominant reliever, Abel could be a centerpiece of a deal to land such a player at the deadline. With the crowded rotation, Abel might not have a starting role on the roster for the rest of the season. He could go to the bullpen for the postseason run or be dealt to land a high-profile reliever or outfielder. But, regardless of what the Phillies do with Abel, this report from Gelb is a good sign. If teams around baseball are interested in Abel, then his progress isn't just a facade; it's something teams are willing to buy in on.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
