2023-2024 NHL PREVIEW

The Vegas Golden Knights captured the Stanley Cup to end last season and are ready to defend it. This season is loaded with storylines across North America, the most obvious is if a Canadian club will ever lift the Cup again? This league is loaded with legendary veterans and young stars. Last season saw tremendous play during the regular season, highlighted by the Bruins dominance. I expect to see a lot more parity this season adding to the suspense of a playoff push. The number of “bad” teams is very limited and a ton are legit Cup contenders. I have jumped into various subplots below as well as my award and postseason predictions.

WAYS TO WATCH:

• YOUR LOCAL MARKET PROVIDER (IF APPLICABLE)
• NHL CENTER ICE PACKAGE (EVERY GAME VIA YOUR TV PROVIDER)
• ABC, ESPN, ESPN+ , HULU
• STARTING OCTOBER 24TH, ESPN2 WILL AIR “FROZEN FRENZY” WHICH IS BASICALLY AN NFL RED ZONE FOR HOCKEY
• TNT

2023-2024 SEASON STORYLINES:

• Can the Vegas Golden Knights go back to back?
• How will the Boston Bruins rebound after a historic regular season and an abrupt First Round exit?
• Speaking of the Bruins; Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci both retired in the offseason, can Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak carry the torch?
• Do the Tampa Bay Lightning have another Stanley Cup run in them?
• Will this be Lightning legend Steven Stamkos’s final campaign in Tampa Bay
• How will the Lightning manage during the first few months with star Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy recovering from surgery?
• Can the Florida Panthers backup their magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals?
• Can the Maple Leafs take the next step after finally winning a playoff series last year?
• Can the Edmonton Oilers finally live up to their potential?
• The New Jersey Devils were a major surprise last year, can they take the next step?
• Can the Colorado Avalanche return to the Stanley Cup Finals?
• Keep your eyes on the Predators, Canucks, Red Wings and Flames to make some noise and contend for a coveted playoff spot.

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES:

TALOR HALL

• FORMER TEAM: BOSTON BRUINS
• CURRENT TEAM: CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

BLAKE WHEELER

• FORMER TEAM: WINNIPEG JETS
• CURRENT TEAM: NEW YORK RANGERS

PIERRE-LUC DUBOIS

• FORMER TEAM: WINNIPEG JETS
• CURRENT TEAM: LOS ANGELES KINGS

RYAN O’REILLY

• FORMER TEAM: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
• CURRENT TEAM: NASHVILLE PREDATORS

MATT DUCHENE

• FORMER TEAM: NASHVILLE PREDATORS
• CURRENT TEAM: DALLAS STARS

ALEX KILLORN

• FORMER TEAM: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
• CURRENT TEAM: ANAHEIM DUCKS

PAT MAROON

• FORMER TEAM: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
• CURRENT TEAM: MINNESOTA WILD

VLADIMIR TARASENKO

• FORMER TEAM: ST.LOUIS BLUES
• CURRENT TEAM: OTTAWA SENATORS

RYAN JOHANSEN

• FORMER TEAM: NASHVILLE PREDATORS
• CURRENT TEAM: COLORADO AVALANCHE

ALEX GALCHENYUK

• FORMER TEAM: COLORADO AVALANCHE
• CURRENT TEAM: NASHVILLE PREDATORS

ERIK KARLSSON

• FORMER TEAM: SAN JOSE SHARKS
• CURRENT TEAM: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

PLAYERS TO WATCH THIS SEASON:

• LEON DRAISAITL (C) — EDMONTON OILERS
• MATTHEW TKACHUK (RW / LW) — FLORIDA PANTHERS
• AUSTON MATTHEWS (C) — TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
• JACK HUGHES (C) — NEW JERSEY DEVILS
• JACK EICHEL (C) — VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
• NAZEM KADRI (C) — CALGARY FLAMES
• ALEX OVECHKIN (LW) — WASHINGTON CAPITALS
• TAGE THOMPSON (C) — BUFFALO SABRES
• JARED McCANN (LW) — SEATTLE KRAKEN
• MIKHAIL SERGACHEV (D) — TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

2023-24’ SEASON PREDICTIONS:

ATLANTIC DIVISION PREDICTION:

1.). TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

2.). BOSTON BRUINS

3.). FLORIDA PANTHERS

4.). TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

5.). DETROIT RED WINGS

6.). BUFFALO SABRES

7.). OTTAWA SENATORS

8.). MONTREAL CANADIENS

METROPOLITAN DIVISION PREDICTION:

1.). NEW YORK RANGERS

2.). CAROLINA HURRICANES

3.). NEW JERSEY DEVILS

4.). PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

5.). NEW YORK ISLANDERS

6.). PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

7.). WASHINGTON CAPITALS

8.). COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

CENTRAL DIVISION PREDICTION:

1.). COLORADO AVALANCHE

2.). DALLAS STARS

3.). NASHVILLE PREDATORS

4.). MINNESOTA WILD

5.). ST. LOUIS BLUES

6.). WINNIPEG JETS

7.). CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

8.). ARIZONA COYOTES

PACIFIC DIVISION PREDICTION:

1.). EDMONTON OILERS

2.). VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

3.). LOS ANGELES KINGS

4.). SEATTLE KRAKEN

5.). VANCOUVER CANUCKS

6.). CALGARY FLAMES

7.). ANAHEIM DUCKS

8.). SAN JOSE SHARKS

POSTSEASON AWARD PREDICTIONS:

PRESIDENTS TROPHY (BEST REGULAR SEASON RECORD):

• TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

HART TROPHY (MVP): CONNOR McDAVID — OILERS

• HONORABLE MENTION: DAVID PASTRNAK (BRUINS), NIKITA KUCHEROV (LIGHTNING), & NATHAN MACKINNON (AVALANCHE)

VEZINA TROPHY (BEST GOALIE): IGOR SHESTERKIN — RANGERS

• HONORABLE MENTION: LINUS ULLMARK (BRUINS) & JAKE OETTINGER (STARS)

NORRIS TROPHY (BEST DEFENSEMAN): CALE MAKAR — AVALANCHE

• HONORABLE MENTION: ERIK KARLSSON (PENGUINS) & ADAM FOX (RANGERS)

CALDER TROPHY (ROOKIE OF THE YEAR): CONNOR BEDARD — BLACKHAWKS

• HONORABLE MENTION: LUKE HUGHES (DEVILS) & ADAM FANTILLI (BLUE JACKETS)

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

• TOP SEED: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
• 2 SEED: NEW YORK RANGERS
• ATLANTIC #2: BOSTON BRUINS
• ATLANTIC #3: FLORIDA PANTHERS
• METRO #2: CAROLINA HURRICANES
• METRO #3: NEW JERSEY DEVILS
• WILD CARD #1: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
• WILD CARD #2: DETROIT RED WINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

• TOP SEED: EDMONTON OILERS
• 2 SEED: COLORADO AVALANCHE
• CENTRAL #2: DALLAS STARS
• CENTRAL #3: NASHVILLE PREDATORS
• PACIFIC #2: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
• PACIFIC #3: LOS ANGELES KINGS
• WILD CARD #1: MINNESOTA WILD
• WILD CARD #2: SEATTLE KRAKEN

STANLEY CUP FINALS:

• CAROLINA HURRICANES VS EDMONTON OILERS

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION:

• EDMONTON OILERS
• CONN SMYTHE TROPHY: LEON DRAISAITL

LET’S DROP THE PUCK AND GET THE 2023/ 2024 SEASON STARTED!!!