CENTRAL DIVISION
Colorado Avalanche: Jonathan Drouin signed a one-year contract with the Avalanche on July 1 to reunite with center Nathan MacKinnon, his former junior teammate with Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Colorado is hoping the low-risk move of bringing in Drouin pays off; the forward hasn't reached 30 points or played in more than 58 games since 2018-19, but maybe things will be different in his reunion with MacKinnon. Colorado is also working Ryan Johansen into the lineup, likely as the center on the second line. The Avalanche acquired Johansen in a trade with the Nashville Predators on June 24 with the hope he and Drouin can provide an offensive boost to a team that was tied for 10th in the NHL in goals last season (274) after being fourth in the League (308) in 2021-22.
NHL Tonight on the offseason for the Avalanche
Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene signed a one-year contract with the Stars on July 1 after having his contract bought out by the Predators days earlier. The center scored 22 goals in 71 games last season after scoring 43 in 78 games in 2021-22. Dallas would take the average between those two seasons, making Duchene a 30-goal scorer. But where the Stars use him and how much power-play time he gets will have to be determined in training camp and at the start of the season.
Minnesota Wild: The future could be now for the Wild with center Marco Rossi and defenseman Brock Faber each a favorite to make the final roster out of training camp. Rossi, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, had one assist in 19 games with Minnesota last season, and 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 53 games with Iowa of the American Hockey League. Faber signed with the Wild out of the University of Minnesota last season and played well in two regular-season games and six playoff games. Watch them in camp; if each progresses the way the Wild hope, each should be in the opening-night lineup against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 12.
Winnipeg Jets: There were big changes in Winnipeg during the offseason with the departures of forwards Blake Wheeler (contract bought out) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 27). It's a minor reboot for the Jets, who acquired forward Alex Iafallo and centers Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi for Dubois. Center Adam Lowry is their new captain. Winnipeg will have to rediscover some chemistry and Lowry has to take over the leadership group in training camp, with the Jets continuing to deal with questions about the futures of goalie Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele; each is entering the final season of his current contract.
Nashville Predators: The Predators are different this season and training camp will start to show us how different. Andrew Brunette is the new coach. Barry Trotz is the new general manager. Ryan O'Reilly is the new No. 1 center. They also added center Gustav Nyquist and defenseman Luke Schenn in free agency. Filip Forsberg is back after the forward missed the last two months of last season with an upper-body injury. How it all comes together in camp will help determine the type of start Nashville could have this season.
St. Louis Blues: Center Brayden Schenn was named captain Tuesday, indicating the Blues are ready to hand over the leadership duties to the group of players who spent the past several seasons learning under the Blues' past two captains, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and O'Reilly. Schenn's ability to galvanize the new leadership group in camp will be among St. Louis' most important tasks heading into the season.
Arizona Coyotes: They're in Australia with the Kings for the 2023 NHL Global Series -- Melbourne, and the Coyotes hope to return home a closer-knit group after the experience, not to mention the two exhibition games they'll play against Los Angeles at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday and Sunday (12 a.m. ET; NHL Network and ESPN+ in the United States; SN and SN+ in Canada; 9Go, 9Now, ESPN, ESPN App in Australia). Arizona will have to manage the jet lag, but it will be worth it if the Coyotes can get off to a good start out of the gate.
Chicago Blackhawks: It's the Connor Bedard show in Chicago. The Blackhawks' training camp will be all about the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The center started strong, with three goals and an assist in a 5-0 win against the Blues in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday. Who will be his linemates? How will he handle the pressure? How many preseason games will he play? It will be all Bedard all the time. He and his teammates better get used to it.
Expectations for Connor Bedard's rookie season
PACIFIC DIVISION
Vegas Golden Knights: They're back after a short summer of celebrating following their Stanley Cup triumph last season, but the page has turned and many of those who played a role in the title run last season will return except for forward Reilly Smith, an original Golden Knight who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 28. A big reason Vegas was able to lift the Cup last season was its ability to remain healthy through the postseason. Continuing that trend after a long playoff march and a quick turnaround will be a key during camp.
Can Vegas win back-to-back championships?
Edmonton Oilers: Goaltending might be the only thing holding the Oilers back from being a Stanley Cup favorite. Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell return as Edmonton's tandem in goal, but will they be good enough? That's a big question, but the competition between them for playing time will be interesting. Campbell entered last season as the No. 1 after signing a five-year contract, but he struggled and Skinner took over most of the playing time as a rookie. A strong camp for each will be a sign of potential good things to come.
Los Angeles Kings: They're with the Coyotes in Australia, selling the game and the League in the NHL's first visit to the southern hemisphere. Like the Coyotes, this could be a team bonding trip for the Kings and it could pay huge dividends in that sense. But the bigger picture focuses on their goaltending depth and whether it's strong enough with Pheonix Copley and Cam Talbot. That won't be figured out in Melbourne, but will be the most significant issue for Los Angeles going into camp.
Seattle Kraken: All eyes will be on Shane Wright, the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. The center needs to utilize training camp to earn his spot on the Kraken roster. If he does, problem solved. If he doesn't, Seattle will have to figure out what to do with their prized prospect. He's 19 and he comes from the Canadian Hockey League, so technically he is not old enough to be eligible to be sent to the AHL, meaning he'd have to return to the Ontario Hockey League. The Kraken might seek an exception to allow Wright to go to the AHL if that's best for his development, but there's no guarantees there. Playing well enough in camp to make the NHL opening-night roster is the best option for all involved.
NHL Tonight on Wright's future with the Kraken
Calgary Flames: Ryan Huska will be running his first training camp as an NHL coach and center Jonathan Huberdeau has to start the process of bouncing back after a pedestrian first season in Calgary by his standards. Huska, hired June 12 to replace Darryl Sutter, spent the past five seasons as a Flames assistant, so this is a mere promotion instead of a relocation. Huberdeau needs to get off to a good start to prove his confidence and swagger are back. He had 55 points (15 goals, 40 assists) last season after tying for second in the NHL with 115 points (30 goals, 85 assists) in 2021-22, his last with the Panthers.
Vancouver Canucks: Rick Tocchet took over as the Canucks coach midway through last season and Vancouver responded by going 20-12-4 in 36 games. Now Tocchet gets to run his first training camp with the Canucks and instead of spending time learning about the players, he can fully implement his style, systems and ideas. A big part of the equation will be the penalty kill, which operated at 78.4 percent under Tocchet after ranking last in the NHL under former coach Bruce Boudreau (65.9 percent in 46 games). Vancouver was last on the PK through the past two seasons (73.2 percent), and that should be a focus during camp.
San Jose Sharks: The Sharks are rebuilding, but have a lot of hope and potential heading into training camp for players who could make an immediate impact. The list starts with forward Filip Zadina. The No. 6 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft is getting a second chance in the NHL after failing to move the needle with the Detroit Red Wings, who terminated the final two years of his three-year contract after placing him on waivers July 3. William Eklund and Thomas Bordeleau are forward prospects with a chance to make the final roster. Mackenzie Blackwood and Kaapo Kahkonen will compete for playing time in net, with each trying to establish himself as a No. 1 goalie.
Anaheim Ducks: Will Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale be on the ice with the Ducks when camp opens Thursday? Zegras, a center, and Drysdale, a defenseman, each remains a restricted free agent coming off an entry-level contract. Anaheim has a new coach in Greg Cronin and some new veteran leaders in center Alex Killorn, who signed a four-year contract, and defenseman Radko Gudas, who signed a three-year contract, each on July 1. The longer Zegras and Drysdale remain out, the bigger the distraction becomes. Each is a huge part of the Ducks' present and future.
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