TORONTO - The Los Angeles Kings will hoist the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row and third time in four years, according to a simulation of the 2014-15 season by EA Sports.
Generated by the made-in-Vancouver "NHL 15" video game, the EA Sports simulation has the Kings winning the Cup in six games over the Boston Bruins.
Boston tops the East with 103 points during the regular season while Chicago finishes first in the West with 106 points. The Kings place fifth in the West with 95 points.
The Montreal Canadiens (sixth place with 94 points) and Toronto Maple Leafs (eighth place with 92 points, wild card) both make the playoffs in the East. The Vancouver Canucks (eighth place with 91 points, wild card) are the lone Canadian team to advance in the West.
The Ottawa Senators are 16th in the East with 71 points.
The Capitals can't overcome an Alex Ovechkin injury and finish 12th in the East while the 11th-place Red Wings see their record of 23 years straight making the playoffs finally snapped.
Edmonton, Winnipeg and Calgary prop up the bottom of the Western Conference with the Oilers 12th (83 points), the Jets 13th (82 points) and the Flames 14th (64 points).
Los Angeles defeats San Jose in six games and the Dallas Stars in seven before edging the Chicago Blackhawks in seven games in the Western Conference final.
The Bruins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games in the Eastern Conference final after disposing of the Leafs in seven games in the opening round and then the Flyers in four.
Montreal is ousted by Tampa Bay in six games in the first round of the playoffs. The Canucks exit after five games in the first round at the hands of the Hawks.
The simulation also predicts:
— Anze Kopitar of the Kings wins the Conn Smythe and Selke trophies.
— Penguins star Sidney Crosby adds to his hardware collection by winning the Hart Memorial Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award.
— Arizona's Oliver Ekman-Larsson collects the James Norris Memorial Trophy.
— Montreal's Carey Price wins the Vezina Trophy.
— Chicago's Patrick Kane earns the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
— Tampa's Jonathan Drouin picks up the Calder Memorial Trophy.
