Jun 24, 2024; Dawn, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers ahead Matthew Tkachuk (19) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating Edmonton Oilers in sport seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Closing at Amerant Financial institution Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Jim Rassol-Imagn Pictures BOSTON BRUINS
Head coach: Jim Montgomery (third season)
Final season: 47-20-15, 109 factors, second place in Atlantic Division
This season: The Bruins ought to be within the playoff combine led by forwards David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle and defensemen Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Brandon Carlo.
What’s new: Boston landed a giant fish, Elias Lindholm, by way of free company, inking the middle to a seven-year contract. The Bruins, who watched Jake DeBrusk depart by way of free company, additionally added hulking defenseman Nikita Zadorov.
Gamers to look at: The largest query might be goalie Jeremy Swayman, whose contract stalemate stored him out of coaching camp and have become acrimonious at occasions. The Bruins will rely closely on goalie Joonas Korpisalo to man the pipes till Swayman is up to the mark. As nicely, ahead Fabian Lysell is being counted on to take a second-line function.
BUFFALO SABRES
Head coach: Lindy Ruff (first season of second stint with Buffalo)
Final season: 39-37-6, 84 factors, sixth place in Atlantic Division
This season: Can the Sabres snap their NHL report for many seasons with out reaching the Stanley Cup playoffs? They’ve fallen quick in 13 consecutive campaigns.
What’s new: Ruff, the winningest coach in franchise historical past who guided the workforce final time they made the playoffs as not too long ago as 2011 however was fired in 2013, might be tasked to get a younger workforce to the subsequent degree.
Gamers to look at: Buffalo has an thrilling offensive squad with the likes of forwards Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn, plus an excellent protection corps. The important thing might be for these gamers and goaltenders Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, James Reimer and teen Devon Levi to maintain pucks out of the web.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Head coach: Derek Lalonde (third season)
Final season: 41-32-9, 91 factors, fifth place in Atlantic Division
This season: The Pink Wings final season got here so near clinching a playoff spot for the primary time since 2015-16, dropping out as a consequence of a tiebreaker. They’ve a shot of snapping that drought, however they should have loads of items fall into place.
What’s new: After an enormous changeover in the summertime of 2023, the Pink Wings have been comparatively quiet this summer season. The important thing additions have been two-time Stanley Cup champion ahead Vladimir Tarasenko and goaltender Cam Talbot.
Gamers to look at: Don’t be stunned if the Pink Wings seize a wild-card playoff spot, due to a strong ahead crew and children in Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider breaking out, however the important thing would be the goaltending brigade and whether or not one in every of Talbot, Ville Husso or Alex Lyon can backstop them to success.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
Head coach: Paul Maurice (third season)
Final season: 52-24-6, 110 factors, first place in Atlantic Division and Stanley Cup champions
This season: After claiming the primary Cup in franchise historical past, the Panthers will expertise life because the hunted squad. Additionally they will do it with out a bevy of gamers who departed by way of free company, notably key defensemen Brandon Montour and Oliver-Ekman Larsson and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Lomberg.
Gamers to look at: We all know what to anticipate from Florida’s ahead group led by Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart and their goaltending duo of Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight. At query is the protection corps past Aaron Ekblad. Gustav Forsling performed phenomenally in the course of the playoffs, however slotting Niko Mikkola and Nate Schmidt as a second pairing raises questions.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Head coach: Martin St. Louis (fourth season)
Final season: 30-36-16, 76 factors, eighth place in Atlantic Division
This season: The Canadiens are prone to end nicely down the standings once more, however anticipate them to take a step ahead with their younger group of forwards that includes Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, Juraj Slafkovsky and key summer season acquisition Patrik Laine, who sustained a knee sprain within the preseason and is predicted to overlook the primary couple of months.
What’s new: Aside from Laine? Extra younger gamers are prone to step in as full-time NHLers, amongst them defenseman Lane Hutson and ahead Joshua Roy.
Gamers to look at: Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau aren’t slam-dunk, star-of-the-future goalies, however they are going to be counted on to maintain the Canadiens out of the underside of the standings.
OTTAWA SENATORS
Head coach: Travis Inexperienced (first season)
Final season: 37-41-4, 78 factors, seventh place in Atlantic Division
This season: After a dismal marketing campaign during which there was fixed points, controversy and harm woes, the Senators have reset and imagine they will push for a playoff spot.
What’s new: After goalie Joonas Korpisalo failed to show Ottawa’s fortunes final season, his first upon being acquired in free company, the Senators switched gears in a giant manner by buying and selling him and a first-round draft choose to Boston for Linus Ullmark. It’s unlikely Ullmark might be within the Vezina Trophy dialogue as he was whereas in Boston, however he ought to stabilize the web.
Gamers to look at: In Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris and Shane Pinto, the Senators have a strong younger nucleus of forwards, guided by veterans Claude Giroux and free agent acquisition David Perron. Key would be the protection, led by up-and-coming Jake Sanderson, and the workforce’s capacity to maintain pucks out of its internet.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Head coach: Jon Cooper (thirteenth season)
Final season: 45-29-8, 98 factors, fourth place in Atlantic Division
This season: In spite of everything these nice seasons, together with a few Stanley Cup championships, the Lightning are slowly sliding down. They are going to be hard-pressed to maintain a playoff spot.
What’s new: It’s price first noting the important thing departures: long-time captain and franchise face Steven Stamkos exited by way of free company and key defenseman Mikhail Sergachev was traded to Utah. The Lightning will attempt to fill these holes with the likes of forwards Jake Guentzel and Cam Atkinson and blueliners Ryan McDonagh and J.J. Moser.
Gamers to look at: With forwards Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Level, defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, the Lightning nonetheless have a shot at making the playoffs. However a lot will rely on contributions from Guentzel and Atkinson.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Head coach: Craig Berube (first season)
Final season: 46-26-10, 102 factors, third place in Atlantic Division
This season: Toronto’s core-four star forwards Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares have fallen in need of claiming Toronto’s first Cup since 1967, and endurance is working out. The Leafs are a playoff workforce, however the true check is what occurs within the Cup chase.
What’s new: The summer season’s focus was protection, and Toronto stuffed a few huge wants by buying Chris Tanev and Oliver-Ekman Larsson. The Maple Leafs additionally added goalie Anthony Stolarz from the Cup-champion Panthers within the hopes of solidifying a puck-stopping crew that features Joseph Woll and Matt Murray.
Gamers to look at: Marner is a pending unrestricted free agent after this season, and his contract standing might be an enormous story, particularly if the Maple Leafs fail to make a playoff run.
–Discipline Stage Media
