Anaheim Ducks | Arizona Coyotes | Boston Bruins | Buffalo Sabres | Calgary Flames |
Carolina Hurricanes | Chicago Blackhawks | Colorado Avalanche | Columbus Blue Jackets |
Dallas Stars | Detroit Red Wings | Edmonton Oilers | Florida Panthers | Los Angeles Kings |
Minnesota Wild | Montreal Canadiens | Nashville Predators | New Jersey Devils |
New York Islanders | New York Rangers | Ottawa Senators | Philadelphia Flyers |
Pittsburgh Penguins | San Jose Sharks | Seattle Kraken | St. Louis Blues |
Tampa Bay Lightning | Toronto Maple Leafs | Vancouver Canucks | Vegas Golden Knights |
Washington Capitals | Winnipeg Jets
Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks 2024-25 Season Predictions
The 2024-25 season kicks off for the Anaheim Ducks on Friday (Oct. 11) in San Jose. Expectations aren’t high for the Ducks, as the franchise continues to trudge through a multi-season rebuild. Despite the glum short-term expectations, the future is bright in Anaheim. The youth movement is in full effect,…
Ducks September Series: 2024-25 Expectations for Olen Zellweger
Earlier today, we concluded our month-long analysis of and predictions for the young forwards of the Anaheim Ducks by looking at Trevor Zegras. Let’s do the same for the last (but certainly not the least) young defenseman of the bunch: Olen Zellweger. Related: Ducks September Series: 2024-25 Expectations for Trevor Zegras Zellweger…
Ducks September Series: 2024-25 Expectations for Depth Forwards
Barring a miraculous yet unlikely outcome, the Anaheim Ducks will not be contending for the playoffs but should take a meaningful step forward in their path back to competitive play. They cannot afford another bottom-five finish in the NHL standings. In their post-Cup-contending era (2018-present), they have made numerous first- and…
For all Ducks season preview content, click here.
Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes a Team to Watch in the 2023-24 Season
For the Arizona Coyotes, this season is a new opportunity to grow from last season. Reinforcements were brought in during the offseason to make them a playoff team and a potential contender in the near future. Will they do the unthinkable and grab a playoff berth in 2023-24? Arizona finished…
Predicting the Arizona Coyotes’ First Road Trip
The Arizona Coyotes are just under a week from kicking off the 2023-24 campaign, and there is much anticipation. The team starts the season on a four-game road trip, beginning in New Jersey. Though, the Coyotes have not fared well to start the year in the previous two seasons. In…
3 Coyotes Facing A Must Prove-It Season
The Arizona Coyotes kicked off training camp this past week with preseason officially underway. While camp has begun in Arizona, the majority of the team’s opening night roster is on their way home, having wrapped up their two-game slate against the Los Angeles Kings in the NHL’s Global Series in…
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Boston Bruins
3 Bruins to Watch to Start 2024-25
After a long offseason, the NHL season is finally here. The Boston Bruins will have the chance to kick off their campaign against the Florida Panthers on a night that will see the first games of the 2024-25 regular season that will be played on North American soil. Bruins fans…
3 Keys to the Bruins Winning Season Opener Versus the Panthers
The time has finally come. Hockey is officially back. While the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres kicked things off in Prague, Oct. 8, 2024, has a three-game set in place. One of those teams that will be playing is the Boston Bruins. The revenge tour is underway, as their…
Ranking the 2024-25 Boston Bruins Roster
Opening night for the Boston Bruins is just one week away and as of now, the 20 players that will dawn the Spoked-B this season seem all but confirmed. With many potential internal progressions as well as the additions of some new faces to the roster, we will rank the…
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Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres’ 2024-25 Season Predictions
The Buffalo Sabres are just a day away from kicking off the 2024-25 NHL season against the New Jersey Devils. After a long summer of speculation, there will be nothing left for the team to do but put up or shut up. The hope is that enough was done to…
Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 Player Projections: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
As the season approaches, there is excitement and nervousness surrounding the Buffalo Sabres. The franchise and fan base alike are anxious to end the 13-season playoff drought. Those a bit more optimistic have eyes on the future and a young core that offers a plethora of promise. A large part…
Buffalo Sabres 2024-25 Player Projections: Mattias Samuelsson
The Buffalo Sabres are counting on a lot of internal factors to come through in hopes of making the playoffs. They will need some outside help but believe that the pieces are in place for this team to get back to the postseason for the first time in 13 seasons….
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Calgary Flames
4 Flames Who Will Outperform Their Contracts This Season
Aside from an ugly Jonathan Huberdeal deal, the Calgary Flames have some fantastic contracts across the board. Sure, it’s fair to question how Nazem Kadri’s will age as time goes on, but his 75 points last season far exceeded his $7 million cap hit. Related: Flames’ Devin Cooley Has Opportunity…
Flames Should Target 3 Veteran Goaltenders in Trades
We’re midway through September; NHL rookie camps and tournaments are well underway and the preseason is under a week away. Rosters will need to be finalized before the regular season begins on Oct. 4. Fans of the Calgary Flames have been eagerly watching the team’s Young Stars Tournament, which takes…
Pacific Division Still Looks Top Heavy Heading Into 2024-25
Last but not least in our offseason division roundup is the Pacific. The race in the top four was one of the most competitive in 2023-24, but some of the league’s worst teams were also in the Pacific. While many teams improved, it might not necessarily lead to change in…
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Carolina Hurricanes
3 Under-the-Radar Hurricanes Players to Breakout in 2024-25
Hockey fans, we made it. It’s finally October as the calendar flips to where hockey games officially count. Regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, we’re only 10 days away from their opening night game on Friday, Oct. 11 vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. While sights are still on training camps and the…
Hurricanes’ Jack Roslovic Addresses Team’s Need for Speed
The Carolina Hurricanes and their fans are 18 days away from opening night of the 2024-25 season. Furthermore, training camp has been fully underway for almost a week now with a preseason hockey coming up on Tuesday, Sept. 24 in Tampa, Florida. While everyone is excited for the start of…
3 Young Hurricanes Who Can Win a Roster Spot in Training Camp
The Carolina Hurricanes open training camp this week, and all eyes will be on a roster that’s undergone a serious change since last season. Gone are long-tenured fan favorites like Brett Pesce, Teuvo Terävainen, Brady Skjei, and several others, while new faces include Sean Walker, Jack Roslovic, Will Carrier, and…
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Chicago Blackhawks
Breaking Down Blackhawks’ Opening Night Roster & Lineup
It’s been a somewhat disappointing preseason for the Chicago Blackhawks. Hopes were high and the intensity was there at the beginning of training camp, but the effort didn’t translate over to the exhibition games. The Blackhawks went 1-4-1 in the preseason, with their one lone win coming from a lineup…
Blackhawks: 5 Things to Look Forward to in 2024-25
The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to take the next step in their rebuild this season, having added reinforcements in the offseason to better support new franchise cornerstone, Connor Bedard. Not to mention there are a plethora of young and talented prospects knocking at the door. We saw that promise in…
4 Blackhawks Who Could Outperform Their Contracts This Season
After injuries and youth led to the Chicago Blackhawks earning only 52 points last season, the team will look to rebound as the injured players return and the young players build upon the experience they gained filling in. The team added more veteran presence to the roster, signing Tyler Bertuzzi,…
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Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche Can Afford Slow Start to 2024-25 NHL Season
With one day to go until the Colorado Avalanche kick off the 2024-25 NHL season against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 9, the team announced its opening night roster though certain players may have been temporarily demoted for cap reasons. My colleague Ryan Womeldorf ran through three reasons why…
3 Avalanche Prospects Fighting for Opening Day Lineup Spots
While the Colorado Avalanche preseason hasn’t been the prettiest due to them being winless, there have been many positive things to take away despite it. The Avalanche have used training camp and preseason to determine ice time for the third defense pair and assess rookies for lineup spots. Many spots…
Colorado Avalanche 2024-25 Player Projections: Alexandar Georgiev
For the Colorado Avalanche, it feels like ages since they hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2022. The elimination at the hands of the Dallas Stars in last spring’s playoffs would feel fresher if not for an offseason fueled by questions. One of the quietly dependable aspects of the team, however,…
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Columbus Blue Jackets
Blue Jackets Have Reasons To Be Optimistic
Given their results in the last few seasons, the tragic loss of Johnny Gaudreau, and the lack of major additions to the core group, it is easy to see why predictions have the Columbus Blue Jackets finishing in the basement of the NHL standings. Related: Blue Jackets’ Kent Johnson Made…
CBJ Union Junction Podcast: 2024-25 Predictions, The Roster & More
The Columbus Blue Jackets are back after a long summer, and there is a lot to talk about. The Hockey Writers’ Blue Jackets writers Mark Scheig and I, Nicholas Arnold, are here to guide you through everything that happened in training camp and the preseason as the team prepares for…
Blue Jackets Showing Hints of What NHL Roster Could Look Like
The Columbus Blue Jackets have only played one preseason game going into Wednesday night’s home preseason opener against the St. Louis Blues. However, Tuesday’s practice gave some insight into where things stand with the potential NHL roster. Just one day after the Blue Jackets’ 6-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres,…
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Dallas Stars
Stars’ John Klingberg Facing Vital 2021-22 Season
The 2021-22 season is a vital one for Dallas Stars’ defenseman John Klingberg. In the final season of his seven-year contract, he will look to prove he is worthy of an extension as well as a raise. Klingberg’s Bargain Contract When Klingberg signed his seven-year, $29.75 million deal in 2015,…
5 Dallas Stars Prospects That Could Make NHL Roster in 2023-24
The Dallas Stars are the envy of many teams across the NHL – and if they aren’t, they should be. Not only do they have a championship-caliber roster heading into the 2023-24 season, but they also have more than a handful of prospects that should be knocking on the NHL’s…
Projecting the NHL’s Top 5 Offenses in 2024-25
The 2024-25 season is around the corner as the offseason, and the action that came with it, is starting to wind down. It’s that time when fans and experts alike start to make some predictions. One of the things to look at is the top five offenses in the NHL….
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Detroit Red Wings
How the Red Wings’ Forwards Stack Up in the Atlantic Division
The 2024-25 NHL season is finally here; after a long offseason that saw plenty of movement, the Detroit Red Wings see some new faces in the organization. They also have seen a few leave the organization, as is the case for the rest of the league. With the opening night…
Red Wings’ Scoring Projections for 2024-25
After narrowly missing out on the postseason, the Detroit Red Wings made some modest roster tweaks this summer. Vladimir Tarasenko, Tyler Motte, Erik Gustafsson, and Cam Talbot were brought in, and the organization expects the team as a whole to take a step forward in 2024-25. Given the increased emphasis…
Red Wings Season Preview: Depth Chart, X-Factors, Projections & More
Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Detroit Red Wings are a contradiction. They’re rebuilding, yet they’re loaded with veteran players. They’ve improved over the last few years, but are due for regression. At least, this has been the narrative in the lead-up to the season. Outsiders do not see the…
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Edmonton Oilers
What’s Old Is New Again for the Edmonton Oilers
You could blame the Edmonton Oilers’ season-opening 6-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on having a Stanley Cup hangover, but how come the Florida Panthers looked like champions in beating the Boston Bruins 6-4 on Oct. 8? Florida looked focused even though they weren’t facing Bruins stud netminder Jeremy Swayman,…
Oilers’ Fans Hope Poor Preseason Is Not a Sign of Things to Come
It’s a good thing that preseason results don’t count towards anything in the NHL, because the last two weeks were quite ugly for the Edmonton Oilers. They were beaten 4-1 by the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Friday (Oct. 4) to finish the 2024-25 NHL preseason with three wins…
5 Reasons for Oilers Fans to Be Optimistic in 2024-25
Oilers fans: how are you feeling about your team after a lukewarm performance in the 2024-25 NHL pre-season? If you’re a pessimist, you’re probably thinking the sky is falling in because the defense has holes, Jeff Skinner hasn’t found chemistry with Leon Draisaitl, and they could be headed for a…
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Florida Panthers
Panthers Roster Has Not Declined Despite Drastic Moves
The Florida Panthers enter the 2024-25 season as defending Stanley Cup Champions for the first time in franchise history. They look to end this season the same way they finished their last by lifting Lord Stanley’s holy grail again. The last team to win back-to-back championships was the Tampa Bay…
Panthers Unlikely to Trade Aaron Ekblad This Season Despite Rumors
The Florida Panthers are entering the 2024-25 season as first-time Stanley Cup Champions. They look to replicate this past season and win back-to-back Cups. The last team to accomplish that feat was their in-state rival in the Tampa Bay Lightning. One of the key pieces on the Cup-winning roster was…
Panthers’ Mackie Samoskevich Looks to Take Next Step
The Florida Panthers enter their upcoming season as defending Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history. They look to end their 2024-25 campaign the same way last season ended. Throughout the summer, development camp was going on for the team’s prospects. But one player that was left…
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Los Angeles Kings
How the Los Angeles Kings Stack Up Against All 7 Pacific Division Opponents
A huge factor determining how successful an NHL team will be in any given season is how well they perform against the rest of the teams in their division. With the regular season right around the corner, let’s take a look at how the Los Angeles Kings stack up against…
Analyzing the Kings’ Roster Heading Into 2024-25 Season
A few years ago the Los Angeles Kings were en route to becoming contenders once again. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and again in 2014, they began to decline as expected. What wasn’t expected, however, was how quickly the Kings turned their ship around. Their rebuild was surprisingly…
Pacific Division Still Looks Top Heavy Heading Into 2024-25
Last but not least in our offseason division roundup is the Pacific. The race in the top four was one of the most competitive in 2023-24, but some of the league’s worst teams were also in the Pacific. While many teams improved, it might not necessarily lead to change in…
For more Kings season preview content, click here.
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild Roundtable: 2024-2025 Season Preview
It’s that time of year again. The regular season has officially started for some NHL teams. The Minnesota Wild will begin on Thursday, Oct. 10, when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. With the season about to begin, the team has plenty of questions facing them. The Hockey Writers Wild…
Minnesota Wild Need a Strong Start to 2024-25
We’re less than one week away from the regular season, and the Minnesota Wild are looking good thus far. Much of that credit goes to head coach John Hynes as he’s been demanding intensity since day one of training camp. He wants a much better start to the season, unlike…
4 Non-Playoff Teams From 2023-24 That Can Win the 2025 Stanley Cup
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023 after missing the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Otherwise, it’s a rarity for a team to miss the playoffs one season and hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug the next. The only other time in the past decade a team won it…
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Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens 2024-25 Season Preview
Training camp and preseason are over, and the Montreal Canadiens have made their final cuts. The 2023-24 NHL season is long finished and, after a whirlwind offseason, the Habs are ready to start another grueling step forward in what is hopefully near the end of their rebuild. Here is a…
Montreal Canadiens’ Best & Worst-Case Scenarios for 2024-25
The preseason is behind the Montreal Canadiens. It’s all done with the line juggling, the dress rehearsals to rekindle the epochal rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and American Hockey Leaguers playing on the top lines. Oct. 9 awaits when the Maple Leafs and Canadiens do battle in the regular…
Canadiens Who Are the Most Overrated for 2024-25
To be clear: Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson is NOT on this list of the most overrated Habs entering 2024-25. Christian Dvorak is.
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Nashville Predators
Projecting the 2024-25 Nashville Predators Defensive Pairings
The Nashville Predators have a stacked roster heading into the 2024-25 NHL season. The offense will be led by newly-signed forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, along with other Predators in Ryan O’Reilly, Tommy Novak, and Gustav Nyquist among others. Nashville is covered in net as well, with the two…
Projecting the 2024-25 Nashville Predators Forward Lines
The Nashville Predators 2024-25 season is less than a month away. The puck drops on their regular season on Oct. 10 against the Dallas Stars. The organization has much to take care of before that game day arrives, as the team has training camp and the preseason to get through….
Nashville Predators Well-Represented in NHL Network Top Player Lists
The NHL Network has been putting out top 20 lists in each of the positional categories this offseason. They most recently ranked the top 20 defensemen heading into the 2024-25 season; but they have also put out lists for the top 20 centers, top 20 wingers, and top 10 goalies….
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New Jersey Devils
4 Non-Playoff Teams From 2023-24 That Can Win the 2025 Stanley Cup
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023 after missing the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Otherwise, it’s a rarity for a team to miss the playoffs one season and hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug the next. The only other time in the past decade a team won it…
Devils Fixing Their Power Play Must Be a Top Priority
As the final horn blew, ending the New Jersey Devils’ brutal 2023-24 campaign, general manager Tom Fitzgerald knew he had to make changes. The team needed more than just a fresh coat of paint. Atop Fitzgerald’s “punch list” had to be a bonafide starting goaltender, more depth and physicality throughout…
3 New Jersey Devils Position Battles to Watch in Training Camp
There are always position battles in training camp. This season, the New Jersey Devils camp is notable for lacking a battle in the crease. For the first time in nearly a decade, the team will enter camp with a bonafide starting goalie and one of the top backups in the…
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New York Islanders
Fans Shouldn’t Expect Anything Different From the Islanders This Season
The New York Islanders are heading into a crucial season that could define the franchise’s direction for the next decade. If they build on last year’s progress and establish themselves as genuine contenders, most of the core will remain intact following an aggressive 2025 offseason. However, if they struggle, it…
New York Islanders’ 2024-25 Record Prediction
Following a 39-27-16 record last season, the New York Islanders squeezed into the playoffs as the Metropolitan Division’s third seed before falling in Round 1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The season was an overall disappointment, despite the team surpassing expectations by reaching the playoffs. Related: New York Islanders 2024-25 Stat…
New York Islanders’ 2024-25 Stat Predictions
Despite enduring many injuries last season, the New York Islanders made the playoffs and put up an admirable fight against the powerhouse Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1. After making two substantial additions to the forward core this offseason, the Islanders are now hopeful to build on last season’s success under…
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New York Rangers
Rangers’ Formula for Success in 2024-25 Remains Strong Goaltending & Special Teams
The New York Rangers did not make any big changes to their team this offseason, so they will be relying on many of the same players that helped them win the Presidents’ Trophy last season. They had excellent goaltending and special teams units in 2023-24 and both will be key…
Rangers Relying on Youth, New Veteran to Bulk Up Bottom-6
The date was Oct. 13, 2021, and for a New York Rangers organization seeking change, there was a sense that a new era might be dawning before its eyes. The Blueshirts were playing their season opener against the Washington Capitals, and for 60 minutes, fans saw a retooled roster that…
Expectations for Rangers’ Jacob Trouba in 2024-25
The New York Rangers made no major changes this offseason, especially on defense. Erik Gustafsson left in free agency, signing with the Detroit Red Wings, clearing the path for Zac Jones to make the opening night lineup. They held onto the other five defensemen they played last postseason, including captain…
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Ottawa Senators
Senators Finalize 23-Man Roster for 2024-25 Season
The deadline to submit the season-opening roster has come and gone, and the Ottawa Senators have settled on a 23-man roster that may have surprised some. With moves like waiving Adam Gaudette and Jan Jenik, while also sending defenseman Carter Yakemchuk to the Western Hockey League (WHL), there were certainly…
4 Non-Playoff Teams From 2023-24 That Can Win the 2025 Stanley Cup
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023 after missing the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Otherwise, it’s a rarity for a team to miss the playoffs one season and hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug the next. The only other time in the past decade a team won it…
Ottawa Senators’ Offence Still a Question Mark in 2024-25
On the Sept. 12 episode of The Hockey Writers Roundtable, my colleague Jacob Billington and I disagreed on whether the Ottawa Senators were packing enough offensive punch to be successful this season (discussion at 9:43). I argued they were not, noting that not one of the Senators’ much-ballyhooed group of…
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Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers’ X-Factor for 2024-25: Puck Possession
For the Philadelphia Flyers to avenge their last-day-of-the-season playoff miss in 2023-24, they need a few things to go right. We can point to several “X-factors”, like the goaltending, how rookie Matvei Michkov will perform, and how the defense will adapt to essentially replacing Sean Walker with Jamie Drysdale. But…
5 NHL Teams Who Could Regress in 2024-25
The 2024-25 NHL season is nearly upon us, and with that comes change. While playoff teams might not look too much different than a season ago, there are always a few teams that take a step back and some who make the jump forward. Today, we’ll look at five teams…
Flyers’ Bobby Brink Needs to Make His Mark This Season to Stick with the Team
With the addition of Matvei Michkov to the Philadelphia Flyers’ offense, there’s only one small, young winger on anyone’s mind right now. However, there’s another one to be taken notice of: Bobby Brink. Brink, a 23-year-old, signed a two-year extension worth $1.5 million annually in the 2024 offseason which reads…
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins Prospects: Where They Will Start Their 2024-25 Season
The 2024-25 regular season is finally almost here. After a long offseason, the Pittsburgh Penguins have completed their opening-night roster, so where are some of their notable prospects ending up for the season (at least the start)? G Joel Blomqvist – Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) After a strong first professional season…
5 NHL Teams Who Could Bounce Back in 2024-25
Late last week, we looked at five NHL teams who could regress this coming season. Today, we’ll look at five teams who struggled a season ago and have bounce-back potential in 2024-25. Let’s get right to it. Seattle Kraken 2023-24 season: 34-35-13, 81 points, 6th in Pacific The Seattle Kraken…
The Wayne Gretzky Record That Sidney Crosby Is About to Break
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby has already had an incredible career thus far. The 19-season veteran has already won the Stanley Cup three times, Art Ross Trophy in 2006-07 and 2013-14, Conn Smythe Trophy in 2015-16 and 2016-17, Hart Memorial Trophy in 2006-07 and 2013-14, Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in…
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San Jose Sharks
Sharks’ Young Players Will Receive Unique Chance With Power Play Role
It’s safe to say most San Jose Sharks fans will likely be interested in following the team’s young players this season. Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and others will team up to form one of the most intriguing groups of up-and-comers in the entire NHL. They will have one of the…
Sharks’ Eklund Can Become a Breakout Star in 2024-25
It’s safe to say, there weren’t many eyes on the San Jose Sharks during the 2023-24 season. They struggled heavily as a team, but despite those struggles, a couple of players had phenomenal individual seasons. One of those players is the seventh-overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft, William Eklund….
3 Sharks Stats That Will Be Key to Improvement in 2024-25
Following one of the worst seasons in franchise history, the San Jose Sharks will enter 2024-25 with some optimism. They have a handful of exciting young players and also signed or traded for several veterans to upgrade the roster. However, despite the changes, the team has a lot of work…
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Seattle Kraken
Seattle Kraken’s Best and Worst-Case Scenarios for 2024-25
With the preseason winding down and almost all the training camp cuts in the rearview mirror, the 2024-25 Seattle Kraken have mostly taken shape. It’s quite clear who will be between the pipes, who will defend the blue line and who the forwards will be. It is therefore time for…
4 Non-Playoff Teams From 2023-24 That Can Win the 2025 Stanley Cup
The Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in 2023 after missing the playoffs in the 2021-22 season. Otherwise, it’s a rarity for a team to miss the playoffs one season and hoist Lord Stanley’s Mug the next. The only other time in the past decade a team won it…
Kraken Players to Watch at 2024 Rookie Camp
The Seattle Kraken’s rookie camp began on Thursday, Sept. 12. When the official list of players called up for the exercise was shared on official social media platforms, a few names stood out. Which ones have something to prove this month? Which ones just need to reassure the Kraken’s brass that they…
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St. Louis Blues
3 Things That Will Impact the St.Louis Blues’ Regular Season
The 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season is already underway, with the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres playing two games in Prague, Czechia, to begin the league’s Global Series. The St. Louis Blues, on the other hand, started their regular season against the Seattle Kraken with a 3-2…
Blues Season Success Rides on Binnington & Hofer Goalie Tandem
Despite failing to make the 2024 playoffs, the St. Louis Blues received elite goaltending from their netminders in the 2023-24 season. Led by Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer, the team allowed just 248 goals, the 15th fewest in the NHL, despite facing 273.42 expected goals, the fifth most in the…
Blues & Thunderbirds Announce Affiliation Extension
The St. Louis Blues and Springfield Thunderbirds have announced an affiliation extension through the 2030-31 season. In their three seasons as the Blues’ AHL affiliates, the Thunderbirds have captured the Richard F. Canning Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions in 2022, reaching the Calder Cup Finals for the first time in…
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Tampa Bay Lightning
3 Final Tampa Bay Lightning Questions for the 2024-25 Season
The 2024 offseason wasn’t short of action for the Tampa Bay Lightning front office and fan base. There was a culture shift in the team this summer, and the roster will never look the same moving forward. The first building block of the core, Steven Stamkos, will finally wear a…
4 Lightning Who Will Outperform Their Contract This Season
The Tampa Bay Lightning are poised to start the 2024-25 season and make a run at winning another Stanley Cup. To improve on the first-round exits of the previous two seasons, the team had to make some difficult decisions in the offseason, including letting long-standing standout captain Steven Stamkos leave…
3 Teams That Can Threaten the Lightning’s Playoff Spot This Season
The Tampa Bay Lightning had a busy offseason in an attempt to reverse their playoff fortunes and make a run for another Stanley Cup. These moves were made to make one final push toward that goal as the team’s core group ages and starts to see some decline in their…
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Can Tanev Unlock Rielly’s Best for the Maple Leafs?
In my early days as a Toronto Maple Leafs writer, I admired Morgan Rielly’s partnership with veteran defenceman Ron Hainsey. Despite his slower speed, Hainsey was praised by former head coach Mike Babcock because he kept his game simple and didn’t try to do things that caused errors. If I…
Maple Leafs’ Optimism Comes From Depth, Defense & Determination
With the preseason officially over, the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown promising signs that should have fans excited for what lies ahead. While preseason results aren’t always a reliable indicator of regular-season success, the team demonstrated growth in areas that could position them as a legitimate contender this season. In…
Maple Leafs Are a Better Team After Offseason Moves
As the NHL season nears, all the analysis, speculation and projections that the off-season brings ultimately boil down to one question: have the Toronto Maple Leafs improved? That’s a tricky question to tackle at any juncture of an 82-game campaign, much less before a single puck has even dropped on…
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Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks’ 5 Best-Case Scenarios for 2024-25
As the Vancouver Canucks enter the 2024-25 NHL season, optimism surrounds the team, fueled by solid offseason moves and the development of their young core. The team’s challenging seasons are now in the rear-view mirror, and fans are excited to see if the pieces can finally cement together for another…
3 Canucks Who Will Outperform Their Contracts This Season
The Vancouver Canucks are ready to start their 54th season in the NHL with aspirations of returning to the playoffs for the second season in a row for the first time since 2012-13. They are well set up to do it with arguably one of the deepest forward groups in…
Meet the New Canucks: Kevin Lankinen
The Vancouver Canucks shored up their goaltending on Saturday signing veteran Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract worth $875,000. With Thatcher Demko recovering from the unique injury he suffered last season, he will join rookie Arturs Silovs in what likely will be a 1A/1B tandem until the 2024 Vezina Trophy…
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Vegas Golden Knights
Golden Knights Have All the Pieces to Contend This Season
The Vegas Golden Knights lifted the Stanley Cup in 2023, not even two years ago. Memories and attention spans are short though, and it seems that people have already forgotten about or written off the Golden Knights. Elliotte Friedman testified to this on 32 Thoughts: “There are a lot of…
Pacific Division Still Looks Top Heavy Heading Into 2024-25
Last but not least in our offseason division roundup is the Pacific. The race in the top four was one of the most competitive in 2023-24, but some of the league’s worst teams were also in the Pacific. While many teams improved, it might not necessarily lead to change in…
Projecting the NHL’s Top 5 Defenses for 2024-25
A few weeks back, The Hockey Writers (THW) projected the top five offenses for the upcoming season. So, it’s time to project the teams that will thrive at the other end of the ice. The catch with defense is that, unlike offense, there’s a lot more change from season to…
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Washington Capitals
Metropolitan Division Continuing Downward Trend Heading Into 2024-25
In our first division roundup of the month, we looked at the Atlantic and how it may not change all that much this coming season. Today, we’ll finish the Eastern Conference by looking at the Metropolitan Division, which doesn’t look like the powerhouse division it used to be. New York…
4 Dark Horse NHL Teams to Watch in 2024-25
Every season, we expect certain teams to perform to certain standards based on their roster. However, a few teams always decide to turn the tables on our predictions. Last season, the Vancouver Canucks, who, after missing the playoffs by 12 points in 2022-23, took the league by storm, winning the…
Capitals’ 2024-25 Schedule Released
On Tuesday, the NHL announced the regular-season schedules for all 32 clubs, including the Washington Capitals. This season will be the Caps’ 50th Anniversary celebration with special nights to commemorate their entrance into the league, along with the Kansas City Scouts, in the 1974-75 season. Capitals’ Home Stretches The Capitals…
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Winnipeg Jets
4 Winnipeg Jets Who Will Outperform Their Contracts in 2024-25
The Winnipeg Jets have a lot of roster depth, many of whom are signed to great contracts. There are a lot of hidden bargains on the team, and if last season was any indicator, a number of them could outperform their contracts again this season. Let’s take a look at…
Breaking Down Jets’ 2024-25 Opening-Night Roster
The Winnipeg Jets unveiled their opening-night 2024-25 roster two days ahead of their first tilt of the campaign, on Wednesday, Oct. 9 versus the Edmonton Oilers. The roster new head coach Scott Arniel will oversee as the quest to remain competitive in the Central Division begins is as follows: While…
Winnipeg Jets’ 5 Best-Case Scenarios for 2024-25
Since returning to the NHL in 2011, the Winnipeg Jets have experienced a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. Their most significant achievement came in 2018 when they reached the Western Conference Final. However, sustained success has been elusive. Following a frustrating 2022-23 season and another first-round exit in the…
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