CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — NHL Puck Drops
Opinion
The curtain rises on the NHL's 2019-20 season tomorrow.
Here's a quick preview of what could be in store:
Stanley Cup contenders
Despite getting swept out of the opening round of the 2019 playoffs, the Tampa Bay Lightning remain the favourite to win the Cup. They're loaded with talent, such as Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, and will be keen to atone for last season's disappointing finish.
The Boston Bruins were Cup finalists last season. They have the depth in skilled veterans (Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand) and rising stars (David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy) to make a return trip to the Final.
Led by young guns Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk, the Calgary Flames finished atop the Western Conference last season. Like the Lightning, they'll try to make amends for a dissatisfying post-season effort.
Keep an eye on the Colorado Avalanche in the west. With an impressive first line led by superstar Nathan MacKinnon and improved depth throughout their roster, the Avs are a team on the rise.
Is this the Leafs' year?
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas defied the odds this summer. He juggled his cap space to re-sign Mitch Marner while acquiring defencemen Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci to bolster the right side of the blue-line. With a potent offence led by Marner, Auston Matthews and John Tavares, the Leafs are Canada's best hope of ending its 26-year Stanley Cup drought.
Chasing milestones
Several notable NHL stars could reach significant milestones this season.
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin is 42 goals away from becoming just the eighth player in NHL history to score 700 career goals. San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton could reach 1,600 career games, 1,100 career assists, and 1,500 career points.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is 84 points away from 1,300 career points. New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury should each reach 450 career wins.
Rookies To watch
Vancouver Canucks centre Elias Pettersson took home the Calder Memorial Trophy last season as rookie of the year. The Canucks could have another Calder candidate in defenceman Quinn Hughes. His younger brother, Jack, meanwhile, is a promising young centre who was selected first overall by the New Jersey Devils in this year's NHL Draft.
Second-overall pick Kaapo Kakko could become a top-six winger with the New York Rangers.
In Colorado, Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar is poised for his first full NHL season following a strong performance in last spring's playoffs.
Long-term labour peace?
The NHL and NHL Players Association last month agreed not to re-open the current collective bargaining agreement. This means the CBA won't expire until Sept.15, 2022.
Both sides are engaged in ongoing discussions regarding possible adjustments to the current agreement.
It's believed there's a genuine desire on both sides to avoid another lockout. Speculation suggests an extension to 2026 could be hammered out before the end of this season.
Lyle Richardson is a freelance writer with the Sporting News, The Hockey News and runs the website Spector's Hockey. His column will appear in The Guardian throughout the NHL hockey season.
