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The NHL 2024-25 season is correct across the nook, and when the puck does drop, there can be a handful of groups worthy of some further consideration.
Do not get me mistaken. Each NHL team has intriguing plot threads, however eight of them stand out above the remaining for one cause or one other. Whether or not it is a veteran workforce seeking to capitalize on a championship window, a younger core making an attempt to take the following step or a legend making an attempt to cement his place in NHL historical past, they only have some further juice as we strategy opening evening.
The Nashville Predators, as an example, made an enormous splash within the offseason and considerably raised expectations within the blink of a watch. The Detroit Red Wings, then again, can be counting on continued improvement from key items of their core.
Here is a take a look at the eight groups to maintain an in depth eye on all through the 2024-25 NHL season.
One thing tells me Connor McDavid won’t be glad with the Conn Smythe Trophy after coming inside one win of his first Stanley Cup final season. McDavid is already the perfect participant on the planet, and I count on he’ll solely take his recreation to a different degree this 12 months. On high of that, his good good friend and fellow goalie-tormenter Leon Draisaitl acquired the bag to remain in Edmonton long-term.
The actual distinction for the Oilers could be the truth that their ahead depth has never appeared this robust in McDavid’s profession. The additions of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson give Edmonton some good secondary scoring, and that’s one thing Edmonton has lacked in recent times. This was already an elite offensive workforce, however this group goes to make scoreboard operators across the league work for his or her cash this season.
Detroit Crimson Wings
Steve Yzerman is a franchise legend, and he has sufficient hockey data to fill just a few bookshelves. That mentioned, it is in all probability time for “The Yzerplan” to begin coming collectively in Detroit. The Crimson Wings have not reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2016, and I am uncertain they may finish that drought this season.
Detroit practically ended its prolonged playoff absence final season, shedding a tiebreaker to the Washington Capitals for the second wild card spot. Regardless of that, this workforce looks like a detrimental regression candidate in 2024-25. Final 12 months, the Wings wildly outperformed some troubling underlying metrics, and so they did not get a lot better within the offseason. Do not get me mistaken, Detroit has some thrilling younger gamers in Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, and Simon Edvinsson, however I am unsure Yzerman has constructed a robust sufficient supporting solid round them. Can the Crimson Wings exceed expectations once more, or will the rebuild plateau?
Nashville Predators
It did not take lengthy for GM Barry Trotz to get aggressive in his retooling of the Predators. On the primary day of free company, he opened up the financial institution vault and spent $108.5 million to usher in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. That instantly opened up a championship window in Nashville, however given the age of the workforce’s core, the clock is already ticking to profit from it.
Not less than on paper, the Predators must be competing for a Central Division title and the Western Convention crown. The one query is whether or not stars like Stamkos, Marchessault, Roman Josi, and Ryan O’Reilly can preserve Father Time at arm’s size. If they’ll, Nashville can be poised for its first deep playoff run since 2017. If not, that offseason spending spree will look ugly. Both approach, the Preds can be one of many NHL’s most intriguing groups all through the 2024-25 season.
Washington Capitals
Let’s simply begin with the truth that Alex Ovechkin is simply 41 objectives behind Wayne Gretzky for the all-time objectives file. That may require a bounce-back season from Ovechkin, however the Capitals will do the whole lot they’ll to assist him get there, and there’s extra expertise round him now than there was in 2023-24.
Along with Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky, Washington made some fascinating additions within the offseason. Probably the most notable was the mercurial Pierre-Luc Dubois, whom the Kings shipped out only one season after he signed an eight-year, $68 million contract. Can he discover his footing in a brand new position with the Caps? Washington additionally acquired Andrew Mangiapane to assist with its ahead depth, and its blue line seems a lot better due to the arrival of Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy. The Capitals have been a shock playoff workforce final season, however they will not sneak up on anybody this 12 months.
The debut of NHL hockey in Salt Lake Metropolis is actually fascinating, however the product on the ice is worthy of consideration by itself. After leaving the desert, Utah made a few offseason strikes to enhance its protection, and now this workforce seems like it should contend for a Western Convention playoff spot.
Utah acquired a brand new No. 1 defenseman when it acquired Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning, and it landed one other top-four choice when it introduced in John Marino from the New Jersey Devils. Placing these two behind a younger ahead group led by Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Dylan Guenther is an thrilling mixture. Do not be shocked to see Utah steal a playoff spot from one of many extra established groups within the convention.
Over the past six seasons, the Hurricanes have been one of many NHL’s greatest groups, however that hasn’t actually translated into postseason success. Now, after a summer time of change, Carolina should modify and overcome the lack of key items because it tries to recover from that playoff hurdle.
Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, two staples on this Carolina blue line for years, at the moment are gone. Ahead Teuvo Teravainen is a Chicago Blackhawk as soon as once more. Jake Guentzel, the Hurricanes’ large commerce deadline acquisition final 12 months, bolted for Tampa in free company. Carolina continues to be going to be a stable workforce, particularly with its present core and Rod Brind’Amour behind the bench, however will it’s ok to go the gap within the playoffs?
Of their first full season beneath head coach Rick Tocchet, the Canucks put up 50 wins and 109 factors en path to profitable the Pacific Division. That made Vancouver one of many NHL’s most nice surprises final season, however now it has to maintain constructing upon that. If the Canucks can take one other step, they’re going to be a really harmful Stanley Cup contender.
With Tocchet behind the bench, stars like Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser unlocked their ceilings. That core all the time had the potential to be particular, and that got here to fruition in 2023-24. Regardless of shedding their two largest commerce acquisitions from final season, the Canucks are nonetheless in place to problem the Oilers within the division. The one main concern for this workforce because the season approaches is the standing for beginning goaltender Thatcher Demko, who acquired injured within the postseason. If he misses prolonged time, that could possibly be an actual drawback.
Montreal GM Kent Hughes simply continues his methodical rebuild of this roster, and I need to see the way it develops this season. The Canadiens have some actually promising younger gamers on the roster, and though they’re in all probability a pair years away from being a playoff workforce once more, they need to nonetheless be lots enjoyable to observe.
A kind of promising younger gamers is former No. 1 general choose Juraj Slafkovsky, who I used to be skeptical about after a sluggish begin final season. Slafkovsky actually picked up his recreation because the 12 months progressed, and he completed with 50 factors on the age of 20. This 12 months, Lane Hutson wll be on the blue line with Kaiden Guhle, and the duo of Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki will lead the forwards. That is numerous expertise at or beneath the age of 25, and do not forget the Habs added 26-year-old sharpshooter Patrik Laine to the combination as properly.
