It has been about three months since the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, the 2024 NHL draft was held at the Sphere, and hundreds of players found new homes via free agency.
But as autumn quickly approaches, so too do the NHL preseason and training camps for all 32 teams ahead of opening night on Oct. 8.
To help get you ready for the next few weeks — as teams decide on which players make the roster, and how their lines, D pairings and goalie tandems will shake out — here are the biggest lingering questions for each club, courtesy of Ryan S. Clark (on the Western Conference) and Kristen Shilton (on the Eastern Conference).
Jump to a team:
ANA | BOS | BUF | CGY
CAR | CHI | COL | CBJ
DAL | DET | EDM | FLA
LA | MIN | MTL | NSH
NJ | NYI | NYR | OTT
PHI | PIT | SJ | SEA
STL | TB | TOR | UT
VAN | VGK | WSH | WPG
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins
How will the Bruins reshape their top six?
Yes, there is also the question of whether restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman will have a new deal in place to officially take the mantle as Boston’s No. 1 goaltender. But that financial stickiness is, as B’s captain Brad Marchand said, “part of the business.”
The job for Bruins coach Jim Montgomery going into camp is figuring out how to revamp the offense. The Bruins finally landed top center Elias Lindholm in free agency while losing winger Jake DeBrusk to Vancouver. So who will step in to fill that void on the wing? Boston has a prized prospect in Fabian Lysell to keep an eye on, and a formerly bottom-six skater like Morgan Geekie could push for an expanded role.
Lysell is the real one to watch, though. Boston held him out of rookie camp so he would be “extremely ready” for the team’s main event. In other words, the Bruins expect he’s ready to snag an NHL roster spot for opening night. We’ll see if that’s the case.
Buffalo Sabres
Was Buffalo right to stand pat offensively?
The Sabres’ inactivity in free agency was a head-scratcher. Buffalo didn’t add a single notable asset, and it bought out veteran Jeff Skinner‘s contract to, quite possibly, make them worse up front than they were a season ago.
How will new coach Lindy Ruff piece his forward lines together now? If Jack Quinn can come back strong from an injury-shortened 2023-24 campaign, that would be a huge boost and give Buffalo a potential top-line partner for Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson. A rebounded Dylan Cozens to go with JJ Peterka would also improve the Sabres’ prospects.
It remains to be seen though whether Buffalo will suffer from a lack of new talent. GM Kevyn Allen might be able to tell quickly in camp if he was right to bet on Buffalo’s incumbents.
Detroit Red Wings
What — or who — will be the difference-maker?
The Red Wings have been missing … something. Despite good talent, a solid structure and, at times, long stretches of momentum last season, Detroit managed to fall just short when it mattered most. How will the Red Wings go about fixing that?
It starts with training camp. Detroit is expecting growth from its young players like Simon Edvinsson, Jonatan Berggren and Carter Mazur. Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko will need to play key roles as veterans on and off the ice. And other returning stars — led by captain Dylan Larkin — have to be better, too.
On the back end, the Red Wings could be minus one significant skater in Moritz Seider. He doesn’t have a contract yet (fellow RFA Lucas Raymond signed his new deal on Monday night), and that’s a potential distraction the Red Wings can’t afford to let derail their progress. Coach Derek Lalonde has enough to sort through as it is identifying how to get Detroit back into the postseason picture.
Florida Panthers
Will two short summers catch up to Panthers?
Florida lost in the Stanley Cup Final two years ago — only to make up for it with a thrilling Game 7 victory over Edmonton in June to secure the franchise’s first championship. That elation bled into a busy — and decidedly brief — summer of Cup parties and events that have no doubt kept players from their usual offseason routines. Does that come back to bite Florida as it gets set to defend its title?
While the Panthers used losing to Vegas in 2023 as motivation for redemption the following year, Florida was able to bask in Cup-winning glory the past two months. Certainly no player will be resting on his laurels come training camp, but that is where the first indications of fatigue — mental or physical — might be.
Florida wouldn’t be the first team to experience it. Many skaters lucky enough to go deep into the playoffs multiple times have said the grind eventually takes its toll. Will that be the Panthers’ reality after two long runs?
The Canadiens are still in the middle of a long-term rebuild. However, there’s potential for the team to take significant steps forward — once they settle on a strong blue line.
Fortunately, the Canadiens have options. The recently extended Kaiden Guhle is a lock for a top-pairing role, while David Savard and Mike Matheson should provide solid veteran presence. It’s a full-blown competition for spots from there. Justin Barron, Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj will all make their case for ice time, and prospect Lane Hutson will show in camp whether he’s ready for an NHL gig.
Montreal was tied for No. 27 overall in goals against last season (3.43 per game) and No. 30 in shots against, so finding the right formula on the back end is vital to improving.
Ottawa Senators
Can Travis Green get the Senators to the next level?
Ottawa has — to put it mildly — gone through some changes. There has been a new owner, new management and a new coach implemented all in the past 12 months, and a number of fresh faces looking to take roster spots on the ice. That’s all been done in the name of helping Ottawa become an actual contender in the Atlantic again.
New bench boss Travis Green is at the center of that mission. Speaking of centers, Green has superb depth there — from Josh Norris to Tim Stutzle to Shane Pinto — ready to go, and a healthy Thomas Chabot on the back end.
From there, it’s on Green to sift through a landslide of depth options — Noah Gregor, Nick Cousins, even Nikolay Kulemin — on offense, and the likes of Jacob Bernard-Docker and Maxence Guenette on defense. Green said his players can expect a tough training camp.
The Lightning have entered a new era, and it doesn’t include former captain Steven Stamkos. Tampa Bay let the longtime face of the franchise walk in free agency, essentially replacing him with Jake Guentzel.
There’s no telling how Stamkos’ absence will affect Tampa Bay on the ice and in the locker room, where he’d been a stable presence for more than a decade (and through two Stanley Cup victories). The Lightning have been aggressive in their dealings before, and moving away from Stamkos, trading Mikhail Sergachev to Utah, reeling in Guentzel and even bringing back former defenseman Ryan McDonagh showed GM Julien BriseBoise isn’t afraid of making waves.
Training camp will be the first take on a new-look Lightning group and could signal whether Tampa Bay is back on a potential championship track, or proof that too much change isn’t a good thing.
The Leafs prioritized adding to several areas in the offseason, but center wasn’t one of them. Is that going to be a problem for new coach Craig Berube?
Toronto’s current lineup has Auston Matthews and John Tavares locked into their top-six pivot spots. After that, it’s anyone’s guess how Berube is going to fill in those gaps.
Naturally, the idea of William Nylander sliding back to center has surfaced. It’s an experiment the Leafs have gone back to — with varied results — at least once a season for years. Max Domi had success at center last season as an injury replacement but he wouldn’t be a long-term solution for a job. And David Kampf is stronger in a fourth-line position.
So what will Toronto do? Turn to Pontus Holmberg or Fraser Minten? The team has to think Berube’s fresh eyes on the roster will help in finding a quick solution.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes
After offseason losses, is there enough defensive depth?
The Hurricanes enter training camp without Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, two previous stalwarts on their blue line who played heavy minutes. Those are mighty big skates to fill.
Carolina made some free agent acquisitions for the back end, bringing back Shayne Gostisbehere and inking veteran Sean Walker. Jaccob Slavin will be an expected star on the defense, too, and Dmitry Orlov will play big minutes. But what about the aging Brent Burns? Can he still play an effective role to keep Slavin from burning out? Will Jalen Chatfield carry a larger load?
Carolina has prospects waiting in the wings, but rushing them with too much responsibility could backfire. The Hurricanes’ history as a heavy, defensive group could be shifting this season — and might unveil a whole new identity for a team that’s perennially knocking on the door of a Cup Final bid.
The Blue Jackets will have an open competition for roster spots when training camp opens, but the offensive possibilities are intriguing. The Blue Jackets signed veteran Sean Monahan, while Patrik Laine and Alexandre Texier have exited. Monahan had 26 goals and 59 points last season, proving he can still have an impact in the right role. That’s good news for Columbus. Adding veteran James van Riemsdyk on a one-year deal gives Columbus depth.
The Blue Jackets are obviously grieving the loss of Johnny Gaudreau, whose tragic death leaves an irreplaceable void in their organization. Columbus has to figure out who can help it light the lamp and improve on an offense that ranked 25th in the NHL in 2023-24, averaging fewer than three goals per game.
Can Kent Johnson come back strong from a poor 2023-24 campaign and offseason surgery? That would help. The Blue Jackets dealt with consecutive years of poor injury luck that limited the availability of top skaters, including Boone Jenner and Adam Fantilli. Both of them will need to thrive in significant roles for Columbus to make progress this season.
New Jersey Devils
How will Sheldon Keefe get the team back on track?
The Devils missed out on a playoff berth last season. It’s partially why GM Tom Fitzgerald needed to find a new coach, tapping Sheldon Keefe for the job. Keefe’s resume includes four consecutive trips to the playoffs in his first NHL head-coaching stint with the Maple Leafs. He has experience managing young talent, something with which New Jersey is stocked.
On paper, it appears Keefe and the Devils are an ideal fit. Training camp will start to reveal whether that’s truly the case.
This is Keefe’s first professional opportunity outside Toronto — he was the organization’s AHL coach for five years before taking over behind the Leafs’ bench — and there will be a learning curve in New Jersey. Keefe might even have more rising stars to juggle now than ever. Will the Devils embrace Keefe’s style and thrive? That answer will define New Jersey’s success.
The Islanders’ most pressing problem now or at any point in the season would be an injury to goalie Ilya Sorokin. New York’s coach Patrick Roy revealed Sorokin had offseason back surgery that was not “the perfect thing” but Roy said he “thinks [Sorokin] will be fine….when he’s ready, he’ll help us.” GM Lou Lamoriello said previously that the injury is not something the team is “concerned” about, and Sorokin should be available at some point during camp.
Let’s assume that’s the case and move onto familiar territory for the Islanders: scoring … or a lack of it.
New York’s 22nd-ranked offense last season barely got it into the playoffs (Sorokin was a primary catalyst in that feat). Lamoriello signed Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov (a 30-goal scorer in the KHL last season) after New York’s first-round postseason exit. But it raises the same questions; do the Islanders expect that’s enough to enliven their offense? We’ll see.
The Rangers have an established roster at this stage. Other than settling on their top-line right winger — a position that was constantly in flux last season — there’s a pretty clear picture for the rest of the lineup.
What’s less obvious is how captain Jacob Trouba will bounce back from last season’s slide into a third-pairing slot, a lackluster playoff performance, and a long offseason of trade rumors. Trouba suffered an injury late last season that impacted his play down the stretch, so health is a primary factor in any sort of comeback attempt.
And that’s what New York needs from him. It doesn’t mean Trouba has to carry 24 minutes per game. He just has to make positive impact plays at even strength and on special teams, to be the difference-making defenseman the Rangers obviously still believe he can be.
There’s a lot going on in Philadelphia. The Flyers have an exciting talent in Matvei Michkov who’s already impressed his new coaches during rookie camp. Where might Michkov fit into Philadelphia’s offense out of the gate, and how big a role will coach John Tortorella allow for him?
On that note, the Flyers are figuring out their center situation as well, with moving parts to slot into potentially new roles — does Morgan Frost finally get a larger opportunity?
Defensively, the Flyers have an unknown in Rasmus Ristolainen given his health following triceps surgery. It all feels a little unsettled. Which is why, of course, training camp will be critical for Philadelphia to start building a foundation.
Pittsburgh enters training camp without a clear-cut starter. Tristan Jarry held the No. 1 job for much of last season, but was replaced by backup Alex Nedeljkovic for the final 13 games. Nedeljkovic was an impressive 8-1-3 over that stretch, and his strong finish helped earn a two-year extension with the Penguins. He’ll battle Jarry for a top spot on the depth chart during camp.
At the same time, Pittsburgh must also consider Joel Blomqvist‘s development following a standout season in the AHL, with top-five finishes in several major statistical categories. Managing each of their goalies will be critical for Pittsburgh’s success in the short and long term. Camp will be the place for each goaltender to showcase his best work.
The Capitals are banking that a third trade is the charm for center Pierre Luc-Dubois, as he is a potential top-line center following his acquisition from Los Angeles this summer. The Capitals are hoping that Dubois can return to that level and perform like he did in 2022-23 for the Jets (posting a career-high 63 points in 73 games).
Beyond Dubois, Washington added Andrew Mangiapane, Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh to work into the rotation up front, and Jakob Chychrun and Matt Roy to bolster the defense. Logan Thompson also arrived via offseason trade to give Washington a one-two punch with Charlie Lindgren in net.
It’s a significant number of new faces, and the Capitals are also dealing with uncertainty surrounding T.J. Oshie‘s future — will he be back this season? — and too much depth is a problem every team would like to have. The only question is how the Capitals will go about using theirs.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks
How will this season impact their long-term plans?
There’s no question the Blackhawks are staging a promising rebuild, and their offseason moves raise questions about the speed at which they’ll be truly competitive again. Adding several veterans — such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Laurent Brossoit and Teuvo Teravainen, among others — could help with addressing the deficiencies that made them one of the NHL’s worst teams last season. So could the return of a fully healthy Taylor Hall, who sustained a knee injury last November.
Plus, this will be a pivotal season in the development of young cornerstones such as Connor Bedard, Kevin Korchinski, Philipp Kurashev and Alex Vlasic.
Finding cohesion among all those moving parts could see them finish with more than 70 points for the first time since the 2019-20 season. And if not, it could result in some of those veterans being moved at the trade deadline.
Colorado Avalanche
Is the supporting cast strong enough?
Performing well in the regular season isn’t the issue for the Avalanche; they finished with more than 107 points the past two seasons. The playoffs, however, are another discussion altogether.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2022, they’ve hit a wall in two straight postseasons. One of the reasons for their struggles stems from a lack of consistent secondary and tertiary scoring. Having that supplementary support allowed them to beat the Jets in five games, only to lose to the Stars in six, scoring only six goals in the final four games of the series (three coming in one game).
Being in a championship window means that a front office must find solutions without significant cap space. The Avs added around the edges in the offseason, but it’s also what makes the situations with Gabriel Landeskog, Nikolai Kovalenko, Logan O’Connor and Valeri Nichushkin so crucial. Their collective contributions could play a sizable role in the Avs’ bid for the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history — or they could be looking for help at the deadline.
Dallas Stars
Is this the Stars’ best Cup chance with this core?
Every championship challenger is forced to navigate the salary cap and must get creative. One of the ways the Stars have been creative with their cap challenges is having at least one player on an entry-level contract perform in a significant role. Alleviating their cap challenges with those sorts of players does come with a long-term problem: eventually, they need to sign those players to bigger deals.
That process has already started for Dallas with defenseman Thomas Harley, who is an unsigned RFA after his rookie contract came to an end. It will continue with Mavrik Bourque and Wyatt Johnston, who are both entering the final year of their ELCs. Figuring out what those future contracts look like comes as Jake Oettinger is also a pending RFA, and his next deal could be sizable.
Meanwhile, captain Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene and Esa Lindell are members of the team’s seven-player UFA class next summer. There is certainly pressure on this group to excel given those realities.
Enough scoring? Enough players who can stay healthy? Enough depth to take on another injury crisis?
Granted, that’s more than just one question, but these are some of the more imperative questions in assessing whether the Wild have enough to make the playoffs.
Last season the Wild finished 21st in goals per game, and rookies Brock Faber and Marco Rossi were the only players on their roster to play in all 82 games. Their cap limitations meant their major signing this summer was Yakov Trenin, who has hit double figures in goals in each of the last three seasons.
But can Trenin, along with incoming rookie Marat Khusnutdinov, provide another layer of scoring and stability needed for a team that saw 59% of its goals come from five players last season? And would that be enough to reach the playoffs?
Nashville Predators
After massive additions, what’s a realistic expectation?
Even with their first-round exit, the Predators had a clear identity. They were a two-way team that just needed more goals and players who had significant playoff experience. So what are they now? That’s where it gets interesting.
At minimum, the Predators remain a playoff-caliber team, and should be aiming for a top-three spot in the Central instead of the wild card. Beyond that is where the intrigue lies.
Adding Jonathan Marchessault, Brady Skjei and Steven Stamkos signals that the Predators are in win-now mode. What separates the Predators from a crowded field in the Western Conference appears to be cohesion. Both the Avalanche and Golden Knights had years to find the right combination needed to win a title. The same applies to the Oilers and the Stars, as they seek to find the configurations that could see them win it all.
So are the Preds in that class of teams that’s capable of winning a Stanley Cup in 2024-25? Or are they in that next tier below, where there might be one or two details they need to address before cementing their status as a legit championship challenger?
St. Louis Blues
Have the defensive issues finally been solved?
This is a question that’s been plaguing the Blues for the last two seasons, with the acknowledgment that there is rarely a quick solution. Shuffling their defensive corps wasn’t a real option considering they have four defensemen each making more than $4 million annually who all have no-trade clauses.
Instead, the tactical adjustments started in the 2023 offseason when they hired assistant coach Mike Weber to oversee their defensive overhaul. Even when Drew Bannister took over during the 2023-24 season, the Blues allowed the fourth most high-danger chances per 60 minutes, the fifth most shots per 60, and the sixth most scoring chances per 60. The reason they remained in the wild-card hunt was that their goalies finished with the fifth-best team save percentage under Bannister’s watch.
This summer, GM Doug Armstrong added two-way forwards such as Radek Faksa, Matthew Joseph and Alexandre Texier, while also acquiring defensemen such as Philip Broberg, Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Ryan Suter ahead of a season that will see them miss Torey Krug for the year because of ankle surgery. Will the results be different?
Utah Hockey Club
Can they make the playoffs in their first season?
New franchises can get into the playoffs early in their existence. The Golden Knights made the Cup Final in their first season, while the Kraken made it to the second round in their sophomore campaign. Could Utah could make the playoffs in its first season?
Utah coach Andre Tourigny has a strong familiarity with several players on the roster given he coached more than a dozen of them when he was in charge of the Arizona Coyotes last season. Tourigny had the Coyotes challenging for a playoff spot through late January, until a 14-game losing streak derailed those aspirations. That familiarity coupled with offseason defensive additions such as Ian Cole, John Marino and Mikhail Sergachev creates the belief Utah could challenge for a wild-card spot.
And if that’s not enough, Utah GM Bill Armstrong has more than $9 million in cap space to strengthen the roster with impact additions in trade.
Winnipeg Jets
How will Scott Arniel put his stamp on the team?
There are teams that are going to be judged by what they do in the playoffs. There are teams that are judged on whether or not they can reach the playoffs. It appears the Jets might be somewhere in the middle when it comes to what they could accomplish now that Arniel has gone from an assistant under Rick Bowness to head coach.
Part of the challenge facing Arniel is how to get the Jets beyond the first round. The last two postseasons have been a repeated pattern: The Jets scored more than five goals to win the opening game, only to then lose the next four contests en route to an early exit.
But before all of that, there’s a question of whether the Jets will claim one of the three divisional playoff spots, or if they’ll be among the teams going for a wild-card spot. The Avs and Stars look like top Cup contenders, while an aggressive offseason could see the Predators force the issue. Arniel can’t simply put the team on cruise control and expect to make the postseason again.
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks
Can they eclipse 30 wins in Greg Cronin’s second season?
Every rebuild has its nuances, but all seek some signs of progress. For the Ducks, one of those benchmarks is winning 30 games or more. They were one of four teams last season that won fewer than 30, and have surpassed the 30-win mark just once in the last five campaigns.
A big thing that prevented the Ducks from hitting the mark in Cronin’s first season were the lengthy losing streaks — the Ducks had five sequences in which they lost more than five games in a row. Then there’s how they lost those games. The Ducks had 23 games in which they allowed more than three goals, and nearly half of those games saw them lose by more than three. Getting the details down better in Year 2 for Cronin should lead to better results and some steps in the right direction.
Calgary Flames
What is the Flames’ identity?
A year ago, the Flames were in a state of flux. They didn’t know what players were staying or going, despite having several players who were under contract for more than two years.
After maneuvering the roster challenges, the Flames appeared to find an identity: They were seven points out of the wild-card spot by early March, only to lose eight of their next 10 games, which effectively took them out of the playoff conversation. But, they were able to get a stronger feel for in-season acquisitions Andrei Kuzmenko and Daniil Miromanov, and see how homegrown talents such as Matthew Coronato and Dustin Wolf performed.
Those players — along with the Flames’ offseason additions — will play a key part in assessing the Flames’ short- and long-term identity, and whether the playoffs could be part of that profile.
Everything the front office did this offseason was with the intent that this year’s group can be the ones who win that 16th playoff game and capture what’s been an elusive sixth championship. That includes signing UFA forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, while returning a number of veterans, and inking Draisaitl to a $112 million contract that kicks in for 2025-26.
All of it came with a cost: The Oilers couldn’t afford to keep homegrown talents such as Vincent Desharnais, who left in free agency, while Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway signed offer sheets with the Blues that the Oilers didn’t match. While those decisions led to questions in the short term, the concerns won’t matter as much if this season ends with the Oilers winning the Stanley Cup.
As the Kings continue to struggle to get out of the first round, one of the continued issues is their goaltending. They’ve gone through Cal Petersen, Jonathan Quick, Pheonix Copley, Joonas Korpisalo, David Rittich and Cam Talbot, with the belief that one of them could be the answer only to end up still asking the same question.
That’s what made getting a Cup winner in Kuemper in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois rather intriguing. Kuemper was arguably the biggest reason why the Coyotes made it out of the opening round in the 2020 bubble playoffs. He also played a key role in the Avs’ Cup victory back in 2022. The Kings are banking on the fact that Kuemper could help them get into (and beyond) the second round, knowing another early exit would be a fourth straight first-round departure.
San Jose Sharks
How much better will the Sharks be?
Here’s how bad last season was for the Sharks:
-
They had the NHL’s worst record.
-
They were the only team that didn’t win 20 games.
-
They had a minus-150 goal differential. They had the fewest home wins in the NHL.
While those factors added to the Sharks having one of the worst seasons in franchise history, it has paved the way for their current situation.
It starts with hiring a new head coach, in Ryan Warsofsky. They won the draft lottery, and used the No. 1 pick to draft Macklin Celebrini, pairing him with 2023 No. 4 pick Will Smith to serve as the faces of their franchise. They also added veterans such as Codi Ceci, Barclay Goodrow, Tyler Toffoli and Jake Walman, and traded for a long-term franchise goalie in Yaroslav Askarov.
In sum, this all creates a belief that the rebuilding Sharks will be much better than the basement-dwelling version of a season ago.
Seattle Kraken
Can a new coaching staff solve old problems?
The Kraken were a win away from the Western Conference finals in their second season. But last season, they had the fourth-lowest shooting percentage in the league coupled with general inconsistency, which is why they missed the playoffs before deciding an offseason coaching change was needed.
They hired former Penguins and Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma to take over after he and his staff took the Kraken’s AHL affiliate to consecutive Calder Cup Finals on the strength of one of the most prolific offenses in the AHL.
Promoting Bylsma along with assistant coach Jessica Campbell, the first woman to be behind a bench in NHL history, was done with the belief that their AHL success can translate to the Kraken rediscovering their scoring touch and challenging for a playoff spot.
Vancouver Canucks
In which direction are the Canucks heading?
Progress has been at the forefront ever since the Canucks hired Tocchet. He won 20 of the first 36 games after replacing Bruce Boudreau in 2022. He led them to a 109-point season, winning the Pacific Division and coming within a victory of advancing to the Western Conference finals. And they did it all while missing star goalie Thatcher Demko for a substantial portion.
So what’s next? Building on that momentum — or regression?
While they the Canucks lost Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov in free agency, they have the rest of their core intact. They used the offseason to add more scoring, while supplementing their defensive group as well. It all sets the Canucks up to be one of the teams to watch in the West, with the idea that this season could be defined by more progress — or a lack thereof.
Vegas Golden Knights
How will the new-look Golden Knights fare?
Change is nothing new for the Golden Knights. If anything, managing everything that comes with change has been the constant for a franchise that’s been defined by its win-at-all-costs mentality.
The Golden Knights lost seven players in the offseason, and six of them were on the Stanley Cup-winning roster. With those departures, they have 13 players remaining from that championship team. Much of the core is intact, but Conn Smythe winner — and original Golden Misfit Jonathan Marchessault — was among those who are now playing elsewhere.
All of that talent and experience heading out the door — with replacements coming in — raises questions: How will Viktor Olofsson fit within their forward rotation? What sort of impact will Alexander Holtz have? Which version of Ilya Samsonov will they have in a goaltending tandem with Adin Hill?