CAROLINA HURRICANES
It seems that this team has the players, the coaching staff and the management to become the elite of the NHL. However, when it comes to the crutch time game, they falter. C'mon, they should have plowed through the Panthers in the ECF. They still have time, this season is the time to do it.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Now this is the breakout that Devils fans have been waiting for. Jack Hughes is now a household name around the league and adding Tyler Toffoli from Calgary gives New Jersey a one-two scoring punch that can lift them farther in the playoffs.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
This franchise is headed in the right direction. The trade for Bo Horvat gave the Isles an organization cornerstone along with Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee. With a new arena in tow, NHL's Long Island team will be contenders, someday.
NEW YORK RANGERS
Are you sure James Dolan isn't meddling? They went all-in on Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane......only to bow out in the first round. It's Stanley Cup or bust for the Rangers this season. Until then, you will have the image of Mark Messier holding the Cup for years to come.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Ummmm, your mascot is still creepy. It seems like the Flyers are trying to stay in the pace, but it could another season of just staying in the pace. It's going to be a while until the Flyers find their footing.
WASHINGTON CAPITALLS
Well, now it's just the Alex Ovechkin nostalgia race to catch the Great One for most goals in NHL history. Washington does have a team can run for a playoff push. Yet, it will be the Ovechkin nostalgia race going forward.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
After signing Johnny Hockey, CBJ still tanked out. They hired a veteran-type coach to steer them the right way. Then, you find out that it's Mike Babcock, but he is still a jerk and had to resign without coaching a game for the Blue Jackets. Could be a long year for CBJ.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
The streak is over! The Penguins decided to clean house and bring in Boy Wonder Kyle Dubas from Toronto. Then, he executed a trade to snag Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson to give Crosby and Malkin one final push to a long playoff run.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
I don't think that the dynasty has ended, but it took a year off. The salary cap is having Tampa to part with their elite talent, but they can pull off another season of Stanley Cup success. This could be the last one though.
BOSTON BRUINS
Why did you do this? Most wins and points in a single season and you couldn't get past the first round? You wasted Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci's chance at another Cup as they skate off to retirement. It's going to be a long season for the Bruins.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Well, they did make it past the first round after over twenty years of not doing so. That was their shining moment as if the fact it's been 56 years since they last won the Stanley Cup never crossed their mind. Baby steps, everyone.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
The Canadiens have really become the Yankees of the NHL. They try to give the impression of past greatness, but that didn't buy them top free-agents to come to Montreal. It's another rebuild year for the Canadiens.
DETROIT RED WINGS
Patience. This is the key word in Hockeytown this season. Stevie Y is trying to blend his young talent to form a winning nucleus. It's all about patience, Red Wing fans. Also, I think that they sneak into the playoffs this season.
OTTAWA SENATORS
The Senators are having an uprising of sorts. Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux and one year of Vladimir Tarasenko could be the reason the Sens are playoff bound. Also, Deadpool wants to dip his hand on owning the franchise.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
The Panthers decided to be world-beaters and destroy the confidence of every favorite in the playoff last season. Can that momentum continue going into this new season? Florida fans hope so.
BUFFALO SABRES
It's actually happening! The Sabres could finally climb out of the doldrums of the NHL doghouse and be respectable. Please Pegula couple, don't meddle in this. I have a feeling they will, eventually. Oh boy.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
After capturing the Stanley Cup in 2022, Lady Karma came-a-knockin' and dealt them injury after injury. Captain Gabriel Landeskog could be out of a career. They can be back but expect another knock on the door.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
In the distance, you can hear the sounds of "Gloria" and a drunken Brett Hull. The Blues are now back to square one and in full rebuild after trading every key piece of their Stanley Cup team away for prospects and picks. 2019 seems so long ago.
DALLAS STARS
The dark horse pick in the Western Conference. They added veteran presence with Matt Duchene to pair with scoring machine Jason Robertson. The Stars are ready to surprise the hockey world.
WINNIPEG JETS
Remember when many thought this team was the next to be a dynasty in the NHL? It was all a pipe dream. Many moves have put the Jets in the rebuild territory. Ohh, what might have been?
MINNESOTA WILD
There is hope for this franchise after all. After being free from the Parise and Suter contracts, the Wild has flexibility and can develop their prospects as they wish. Will it make them playoff avengers? Not just yet.
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
I don't know what to make of this team. They financed to get Matt Duchene, only to buy him out and give a huge contract to Ryan O'Reilly. Very well then, the Preds are kind of in the middle of the pack here.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
So, goodbye to the core players of a past dynasty in Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as we usher in a new potential one with the next generational talent in Connor Bedard. Blackhawks fans can rejoice. The rest of the NHL is quietly steaming.
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
After six years of missed opportunities, VGK finally grabbed the brass ring and captured the Stanley Cup.....in six years of their existence. They can add more hardware this season before the monster of the salary cap will dash their dynasty hopes.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Ever since the Sedin twins hung up their skates, Vancouver seems to be in neutral. They traded Bo Horvat and are trying to find some grounding as multiple Cup winner Jim Rutherford tries to fix this mess.
CALGARY FLAMES
Key players are trying to get the heck out of Calgary, but they are finally getting that new state-of-the-art palace that they wanted for years! Hopefully, that can entice players to stick around. Fingers crossed.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
This is the end of what might have been. A rebuild is happening without the prize at the end of the rainbow. This is the start of something fresh for the Sharks as they begin a journey for the Cup. No, nope, I will end with that.
SEATTLE KRAKEN
In their second season, the Kraken went beyond expectations and went to the playoffs. Hopefully, Matty Beniers, Vince Dunn and Shane Wright can build a foundation that can provide playoff hockey for Seattle fans in the future.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
This is how you do a rebuild. The Kings made the playoffs for two straight seasons and traded for a top-notch superstar in Pierre-Luc Dubois. So, with that, the Kings would be able to get past the second round, right?..... Right?
ANAHEIM DUCKS
This is not how you do a rebuild. The Ducks have hit a snag on everything in the last few years. They even missed out on getting the #1 pick and getting a franchise-altering player to hopefully turn the Ducks around. Oh, vey, could be a long season for them.
EDMONTON OILERS
In the 90's, Hall and Oates had a hit song titled "So Close". This is the Edmonton Oilers of the last couple of years, so close, yet so far away. There will be a day when McDavid and Draisaitl can hoist the Cup. Will it be this season?
And finally.....
ARIZONA COYOTES
The Yotes are not really in lame-duck status, but it's only a matter of time. They have young pieces in place and many draft picks to stack for the future. They could surprise people and maybe won't be the laughingstock of the league.....only one can dream.
And enclosing, Coyotes management has continued to botch this new arena thing to bits. The Tempe proposal fell through the cracks and now, they are looking for another city in Arizona to get an arena deal. Where are they going next? Mesa, Maricopa, Arizona City, Tonopah, Apache Junction.....You get the idea. They made this bed, now they need to lie on it.
So, that is my attempt in an NHL preview. Let's crank up the goal horns and play the NHL on TNT theme non-stop. (I'm doing it now)
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