When will Luke Hughes sign, and for how long?<\/strong><\/p>\nLuke Hughes remains a restricted free agent. He and the Devils have yet to land on a deal. It will get done at some point, but will Hughes have to miss any of the opening camp practices? And when he signs his deal, how long will it be for and at what average annual value? Both will have ramifications on the Devils\u2019 cap situation going forward. \u2014 Peter Baugh<\/p>\n
New York IslandersHow will the team respond to its new retooling direction?<\/strong><\/p>\nMathieu Darche shook things up on Long Island this summer, and training camp will be the first time to start seeing it come to fruition. Between 2025 No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer\u2019s arrival, Noah Dobson\u2019s departure, Mathew Barzal shifting back to center, some offseason adds such as Jonathan Drouin, and new assistant coaches to coordinate special teams alongside Patrick Roy, the 2025-26 Islanders are building a new identity. This is going to be the first test of that, which will give management an idea of how to build from here. \u2014 Shayna Goldman<\/p>\n
New York RangersHow much of an impact does a new coach make?<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter a decorated tenure leading the Penguins, Mike Sullivan is entering his first year as Rangers head coach. The team is counting on him to bring a stabilizing presence after a tumultuous 2024-25 season that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021. One of his biggest tasks will be fixing the team\u2019s defense, which was porous throughout last season. \u2014 Peter Baugh<\/p>\n
Ottawa SenatorsHow much of a step forward can the Senators\u2019 core take? <\/strong><\/p>\nThe Senators made minimal changes to their roster this offseason. So, it\u2019s all on Brady Tkachuk and Co. to prove that last year wasn\u2019t a fluke. Tkachuk says this is the best he\u2019s ever felt entering a new season. Pending restricted free agent Shane Pinto is in a prove-it year with a new contract on the horizon. Tim St\u00fctzle is knocking on the door of superstardom, and more people are aware of Jake Sanderson after his 4 Nations Face-Off performance. It\u2019s on the Senators to make the most of their potential, and GM Steve Staios is doubling down on his core. \u2014 Julian McKenzie<\/p>\n
Philadelphia FlyersCan Trevor Zegras find his way as a center again?<\/strong><\/p>\nAfter two seasons mostly on the wing, Zegras wants to play center again. The Flyers acquired him with the hope that he could play there, too. If Zegras can recapture the offensive success he had as a center early in his career, while maintaining his defensive responsibilities, it would be a tremendous tool for new coach Rick Tocchet. \u2014 Kevin Kurz<\/p>\n
Pittsburgh PenguinsWho is the No. 1 goalie?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Penguins have many questions to answer, but goaltending is high on the list. Tristan Jarry, Arturs Silovs, Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov are all contenders to start on opening night. The smart money is on Jarry or Silovs. Murashov, a much-hyped prospect, is likely one year away from being NHL-ready. Blomqvist is the dark horse. Jarry and Silovs figure to battle for playing time in the early portions of the season. \u2014 Josh Yohe<\/p>\n
San Jose SharksWill Michael Misa or Sam Dickinson make the team?<\/strong><\/p>\nMisa and Dickinson were two of the best players in Canadian junior hockey last season. Both are part of the Sharks\u2019 young core that\u2019s still under construction. Is Misa their future second-line center? Can Dickinson crack a rebuilt blue line? A lot of eyes will be on these two major pieces of San Jose\u2019s intriguing puzzle. \u2014 Eric Stephens<\/p>\n
Seattle KrakenWhat happens if the Kraken are mid (or worse) again?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Kraken shuffled their front office, but didn\u2019t change direction. They brought in a couple of veteran players this summer in Mason Marchment and Ryan Lindgren, both useful role players with experience contributing in winning environments, but not exactly needle movers. Meanwhile, Seattle returns Philipp Grubauer, who struggled to a devastating extent as a backup last season. They haven\u2019t addressed their goaltending depth, which was their biggest on-ice issue last season. And they still don\u2019t have an elite gamebreaker. Seattle\u2019s direction is becoming more difficult to discern, a question that increasingly hangs over the team. \u2014 Thomas Drance<\/p>\n
St. Louis BluesCan Pavel Buchnevich return to being an offensive threat?<\/strong><\/p>\nBuchnevich starts a new eight-year, $48 million contract this season, and when he\u2019s playing his best, he\u2019s worth every bit of that. But after netting 30 goals and 76 points in 73 games in 2021-22, Buchnevich had just 20 goals and 57 points in 76 games in 2024-25. That could be chalked up, in part, to the team moving him to center at the start of the season, but he\u2019s now back on the wing under coach Jim Montgomery. Armed with a new contract, the club is hoping that Buchnevich can become an offensive threat again. \u2014 Jeremy Rutherford<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay LightningCan the Lightning build on last year\u2019s success?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe Lightning\u2019s last season may have ended in a disappointing Round 1 exit, but it did prove one thing: this core still has the chops to be a contender. So can this group run it back, with depth additions, to get past the Panthers? A full season of Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand should bolster the supporting cast, along with some low-key offseason signings. \u2014 Shayna Goldman<\/p>\n
Toronto Maple LeafsIs Auston Matthews at full health, and who is his right winger?<\/strong><\/p>\nThere\u2019s no more important subplot this season than Matthews\u2019 health. The Leafs are a different team, to say the least, if he\u2019s healthy again and back to Hart Trophy-level form. Camp will offer the first glimpses. We\u2019ll also see the beginnings of what may be a season-long audition for the opening (left by Mitch Marner) on his right wing. Craig Berube is going to try some different candidates, Max Domi and Matias Maccelli likely among them. \u2014 Jonas Siegel<\/p>\n
Utah MammothWho will win the backup goalie spot?<\/strong><\/p>\nKarel Vejmelka re-established himself as Utah\u2019s No. 1 goalie last season, but after that, there\u2019s stiff competition for the backup spot. Connor Ingram broke out and performed like an above-average starter during Arizona\u2019s final season (.907 save percentage in 50 games), but he regressed and had a down year in 2024-25. Ingram\u2019s status for this season was uncertain because he was in the NHL\/NHLPA assistance program, which prompted the Mammoth to sign Vitek Vanecek in free agency. Ingram was cleared from the program in late August, however, setting the stage for an intriguing battle between him and Vanecek. \u2014 Harman Dayal<\/p>\n
Vancouver CanucksWill Elias Pettersson bounce back?<\/strong><\/p>\nThis is an unsettled team that enters this season with a ton of questions surrounding their top players (can Thatcher Demko stay healthy? What does Quinn Hughes\u2019 future look like?) and their first-year head coach. Ultimately, however, Vancouver\u2019s ability to hit its ceiling as a team will require this club to score enough goals for its sturdy goaltending and high-quality defensive personnel to make the difference. And that game-breaking responsibility is going to fall primarily on Elias Pettersson, the once dominant top-line center who has struggled to produce like an elite player since signing his eight-year megadeal in March 2024. \u2014 Thomas Drance<\/p>\n
Vegas Golden KnightsWho will fill Alex Pietrangelo\u2019s spot on the top defensive pair? <\/strong><\/p>\nThis summer, Pietrangelo stepped away from hockey due to hip injuries, and the team believes the likelihood of him playing again is low. He led all Vegas skaters in ice time in each of the last five seasons, and leaves massive shoes to fill on the blue line. Will Bruce Cassidy put both Shea Theodore and Noah Hanifin (who rarely play together) on the top pair, or will Brayden McNabb or Zach Whitecloud be elevated? \u2014 Jesse Granger<\/p>\n
Washington CapitalsDoes Connor McMichael stick at 3C?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe biggest offseason Caps question was how they\u2019d fill the hole behind Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois \u2014 and specifically whether they\u2019d shift McMichael into that role, since he broke out last season as a winger, scoring 26 goals. For now, that\u2019s how they\u2019re leaning. McMichael is a natural center and will be an upgrade over the departed Lars Eller, but it\u2019s fair to wonder who will take his place. Prospects Ryan Leonard, Ivan Miroshnichenko and Andrew Cristall will be options. \u2014 Sean Gentille<\/p>\n
Winnipeg JetsCan Jonathan Toews help his hometown team win?<\/strong><\/p>\nToews\u2019 NHL comeback might be the biggest early story in all of hockey. The 37-year-old center hasn\u2019t played an NHL game since April 13, 2023, when he scored a goal for Chicago in the Blackhawks\u2019 5-4 OT loss to Philadelphia. Now he\u2019s a Winnipeg Jet, dressing for his hometown team in a bid to prove to himself \u2014 and to the world \u2014 that he\u2019s still a quality NHL player. His bonus-laden contract is tied to games played, implying that the only question is about Toews\u2019 health. But the range of possibilities for his impact is huge, even if he plays all 82 games. He\u2019s an all-time NHL legend. Can he be an impact player in 2025-26? \u2014 Murat Ates<\/p>\n
(Top photos of Jonathan Toews, Connor McDavid and Kirill Kaprizov: Matt Krohn \/ Associated Press and John Woods \/ The Canadian Press via Associated Press)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How will Jonathan Toews look in his return to the NHL for his hometown team? How will Kirill…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":223532,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[3115,3103,1720,3113,3107,291,2995,3110,1320,2993,2997,3000,1323,2081,3112,3104,3111,2994,1301,1302,293,3105,3108,1334,1328,2999,62,2996,3106,1304,67,132,68,2082,3114,3116,3109,292],"class_list":{"0":"post-223531","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-anaheim-ducks","9":"tag-boston-bruins","10":"tag-buffalo-sabres","11":"tag-calgary-flames","12":"tag-carolina-hurricanes","13":"tag-chicago-blackhawks","14":"tag-colorado-avalanche","15":"tag-columbus-blue-jackets","16":"tag-dallas-stars","17":"tag-detroit-red-wings","18":"tag-edmonton-oilers","19":"tag-fantasy-hockey","20":"tag-florida-panthers","21":"tag-los-angeles-kings","22":"tag-minnesota-wild","23":"tag-montreal-canadiens","24":"tag-nashville-predators","25":"tag-new-jersey-devils","26":"tag-new-york-islanders","27":"tag-new-york-rangers","28":"tag-nhl","29":"tag-ottawa-senators","30":"tag-philadelphia-flyers","31":"tag-pittsburgh-penguins","32":"tag-san-jose-sharks","33":"tag-seattle-kraken","34":"tag-sports","35":"tag-st-louis-blues","36":"tag-tampa-bay-lightning","37":"tag-toronto-maple-leafs","38":"tag-united-states","39":"tag-unitedstates","40":"tag-us","41":"tag-utah-mammoth","42":"tag-vancouver-canucks","43":"tag-vegas-golden-knights","44":"tag-washington-capitals","45":"tag-winnipeg-jets"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223531"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223531\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=223531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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