It\u2019s been a painfully slow offseason. The 2025 NHL Draft flopped. Few stars reached free agency, and most restricted free agents were extended early enough to crush any offer sheet buzz. Plus, the trade market completely underwhelmed.<\/p>\n
So while it\u2019s easy to be negative and dramatic<\/a> with little-to-no NHL news to fill the airwaves, there are still some things to get excited about \u2014 besides just the end of a boring offseason.<\/p>\n It\u2019s time to crank up the hype-o-meter\u2122\ufe0f and look at some interesting developments building up this summer.<\/p>\n A new challenge for Sullivan<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 6\/10<\/p>\n The coaching carousel spins fastest in the NHL, with the average tenure of all 32 teams just cracking the two-year mark. So when coaches like Mike Sullivan last over nine years with one franchise, it\u2019s pretty noteworthy. Before departing the Penguins, he was the second-longest tenured coach in the league, behind only Jon Cooper. Now, that elite group at the top with five-plus years in their current position is down to just three: Cooper, Jared Bednar and Rod Brind\u2019Amour. Can Sullivan climb back up the ranks over the next five years and add some stability behind the bench in New York?<\/p>\n The Rangers have only added to the ever-changing coaching landscape in recent seasons, with four different head coaches over the last five years. Two things are true in New York: coaches have a relatively short leash under Chris Drury, and the hires were flawed to begin with (which subsequently led to more frequent changes).<\/p>\n Can Sullivan break either of those trends? As strong as his Pittsburgh track record may be, with two Stanley Cup rings to show for it, that alone won\u2019t give him longevity in New York. So not only does Sullivan have to fuel the Rangers\u2019 turnaround as head coach, he also has to evolve and grow with the position to maintain it. Unlike his Pittsburgh tenure, he\u2019ll have more stability in net, but he won\u2019t have a Sidney Crosby to carry an underperforming team, either.<\/p>\n Eichel and Marner in Vegas<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 6.5\/10<\/p>\n It\u2019s rare for a star player to reach free agency in the first place, let alone walk from their team. So Mitch Marner signing in Vegas already has that buzz behind it. Now factor in how his skill set \u2014 from his slick playmaking and creativity to his two-way game \u2014 will look alongside Jack Eichel, who has progressed into a Selke-caliber center. It\u2019s an ideal stylistic fit for a team that craved an elite winger, which should help maintain top-nine balance. That\u2019s key, as the Golden Knights had to stack some of their best this past postseason.<\/p>\n Another element to consider is how Marner\u2019s game might look outside of the Toronto market. Leaving the Maple Leafs won\u2019t automatically make Marner a playoff player; he is going to have to work through the physical and mental demands of a postseason environment, and do a better job of translating his regular-season ability into a demanding, high-pressure situation. However, the move should take some weight off his shoulders. It seemed to help free up Eichel a few years ago; his playoff pedigree was in question when he arrived in Vegas from Buffalo, simply because he didn\u2019t have any Stanley Cup playoff experience to that point. In his first playoff, however, he put up Conn Smythe-caliber play on his way to a championship.<\/p>\n Spotting the rising tides<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 7\/10<\/p>\n As fun as it is to watch projected contenders play up to expectations, up-and-coming teams that disrupt the playoff picture tend to generate a ton of hype.<\/p>\n Just take the Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Blues last year.<\/p>\n Columbus\u2019 inspiring playoff push was one of the best storylines of the season and will put more eyes on Kirill Marchenko\u2019s and Adam Fantilli\u2019s development this season. The Blues\u2019 turnaround under Jim Montgomery brought them to the playoffs, changing the expectations. And the Canadiens followed up an exciting post-4 Nations Face-Off surge with a bold offseason.<\/p>\n \u00c9LE\ud83c\udde8TRIQUE<\/p>\n Keep your friends close and Nick Suzuki closer#GoHabsGo<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0tsUseWG8O<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Canadiens Montr\u00e9al (@CanadiensMTL) April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n How will that trio of teams build on last year\u2019s success, and who will shake up the standings this year? Sometimes those risers and disruptors are the most exciting parts of the season and steal the national spotlight, even if the adventure doesn\u2019t end in a playoff appearance.<\/p>\n Maybe the Sabres and Red Wings can finally make some noise in the Atlantic. The Mammoth\u2019s skilled top six could fuel a return to the playoffs, as the team keeps building roots in Utah. Or maybe the Dustin Wolf-led Flames will head up the Western Conference playoff race.<\/p>\n The Panthers\u2019 quest for a three-peat<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 7.5\/10<\/p>\n Does winning back-to-back championships make the Panthers a dynasty? It depends on who you ask. A trifecta of Stanley Cups should quell any doubts, though.<\/p>\n Just how difficult is it to win three straight? Sometimes the teams perceived to be the strongest don\u2019t even make it past Round 1, let alone to the Final. The Panthers\u2019 string of dominance has resulted in three Final appearances, two of which ended with rings. However, no team has won three straight since the 1983 Islanders, and a few have tried \u2014 the Oilers in the \u201980s; the Red Wings in the 2000s; the Penguins in the \u201990s, 2000s and 2010s. The Lightning came close, with a return to the Final after back-to-back wins, but fell short to the Avalanche.<\/p>\n Considering the challenge ahead, the Panthers\u2019 quest for history is a tantalizing story on its own. However, trying to project how another team can stop this run of dominance is also interesting. Many around the league are likely tired of the Panthers\u2019 antics \u2014 from their physical playing style to their cap gymnastics, team-friendly contracts and outright dominance. Opposing general managers have had a few years to study Florida and find ways to either emulate or counter its team-building strategies. So, what wins out this year?<\/p>\n Celebrini\u2019s development<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 8\/10<\/p>\n Pressure may be a privilege, but it still isn\u2019t easy for top picks to deal with \u2014 especially those who had to follow in the footsteps of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. McDavid and Matthews set the bar extremely high after making instant impacts in the NHL in 2015 and 2016. Few top picks have measured up since. A less-than-stellar rookie season isn\u2019t necessarily damning for a player\u2019s arc; Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Rasmus Dahlin have proven the importance of patience for players drafted No. 1. However, a player jumping into the league and already showing glimpses of star power can be electrifying.<\/p>\n Celebrini\u2019s first impression in the NHL was eye-catching, and the hype only grew as his rookie year progressed. His impact was greater than just 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games on a rebuilding team that took a pretty big hit after the trade deadline. His All Three Zones tracking data<\/a> showed he stood out below the surface, relative to the rest of the league. Between his scoring chance creation, playmaking and play in transition, he is already showing signs of being an elite offensive creator at five-on-five.<\/p>\n Celebrini \u27a1\ufe0f Smith \ud83d\udea8#TheFutureIsTeal<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/2qZbubecnM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) December 28, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Maintaining that level in his surroundings may be difficult, given how daunting the rebuilding process can be. However, the vibes were different in San Jose last year, and the team looks invested in continuing that. That should help Celebrini (and other up-and-comers like Will Smith) continue to blossom as a franchise cornerstone and one of the best rising stars in the league.<\/p>\n NHL\u2019s return to the Olympics<\/p>\n Hype-o-meter: 9\/10<\/p>\n At the junior level and in the women\u2019s game, there are opportunities to play best-on-best international hockey every year. That isn\u2019t the case at the men\u2019s professional level. The World Championship conflicts with the NHL playoffs, and those outside the postseason bubble don\u2019t always participate. That\u2019s part of what makes the Olympics so special \u2014 it\u2019s the one consistent opportunity for men to play international hockey at the highest level.<\/p>\n This season, after a 12-year gap, NHL players are finally returning to the Olympics.<\/p>\n The 4 Nations Face-Off was a gauge for interest around international games, both from a viewership and player standpoint. And that was just a taste \u2014 4 Nations wasn\u2019t only a lesser version of Olympic action, but also a step down from the competition of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. However, that didn\u2019t stop anyone from giving their all while representing their home country.<\/p>\n For some, like Crosby and Victor Hedman, it\u2019s the chance to return to the Olympics one more time after missing out on PyeongChang and Beijing. For others, like McDavid, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Aleksander Barkov, it\u2019s the opportunity to debut on one of hockey\u2019s grandest stages.<\/p>\n The only thing holding this back from a perfect 10\/10 score on the hype-o-meter\u2122\ufe0f is that there likely won\u2019t be the same level of physicality and snarl of the 4 Nations, due to IIHF rules. The intensity of long-awaited, true best-on-best international hockey should more than make up for it, though.<\/p>\n Data via Evolving-Hockey<\/a>, HockeyViz<\/a>, HockeyStatCards<\/a>, All Three Zones<\/a>\u00a0and Natural Stat Trick<\/a>. This story relies on shot-based metrics; here is a primer<\/a> on these numbers.<\/p>\n (Photo of Mitch Marner: Gavin Napier \/ Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/p>\n\n
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