NHL pre-season has commenced, and regular season kicks off on October 10th, which means the start of hockey season is approaching quickly.
Last year the season took a very unexpected turn with the Florida Panthers making it all the way to the Cup Finals.
Following a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series against the number one seed Boston Bruins, the team completed one of the greatest shocks in NHL history. The team then swept the second-seeded Toronto Maple Leafs in a four-game series, as well as the third-seeded Carolina Hurricanes in a five-game series to reach the conference final.
With this season starting there is a lot of speculation about what will happen.
In last year’s playoffs, the Devils, Islanders, and Rangers were the only three New York teams to qualify for the playoffs. With all the young players on the team, the Devils are a team that has the potential to bounce back and be a contender again, while the Rangers and the Islanders are another story.
The Islanders have been a playoff team for a while now, but it’s not clear if they’re still contenders. They didn’t have much potential last year when they fired coach Barry Trotz, which made last year look like a fluke. The Rangers on the other hand show more potential but lost some of the momentum they had two years ago when they made it all the way to the conference finals. It’ll be interesting to see what captain Trouba can do this year.
Anthony (12) says “My favorite team is the Penguins, and I am hoping that they can make it to the playoffs this year.”
Then there’s the first overall pick. There’s a lot of talk about Connor Bedard. He’s being compared to Connor McDavid, who has been and continues to be the best player in the NHL for the past few years, and he’s been compared to Sidney Crosby, who has been one of the best players in the history of the game. With the first overall pick, the Blackhawks get a player who fits the mold of the team they want to be a part of. Connor Bedard should be a great fit for the Blackhawks considering he should bring some life to the team and give them hope to have a great season.
All in all, the season is shaping up to be a rollercoaster ride, which is exactly what the NHL needs right now.