Storylines to observe for the 2021-22 NHL season

There doesn’t appear to be any believable path for Jack Eichel to return to the Buffalo Sabres and play for that staff ever once more. The fixed dropping, the dearth of course, and the bridge-burning disagreement over his medical remedy appear to make this a scenario ripe for a divorce. The query is the place will the Sabres commerce him and the way a lot harm has been accomplished to his commerce worth? Anaheim, Los Angeles, New York, Calgary all appear to be believable choices. 

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The final time we noticed a brand new staff enter the NHL the Vegas Golden Knights have been enjoying within the Stanley Cup Closing of their inaugural season. That’s going to boost the bar for the Seattle Kraken who got here into the league with the very same growth draft guidelines. The one drawback: Different groups didn’t screw up the best way they did in the course of the Vegas growth draft, and Seattle didn’t appear to take full benefit of the choices out there to it. The excellent news for the Kraken is that they play in a weak division, which ought to assist them keep aggressive. In addition they invested closely in goaltending. The Stanley Cup Closing might be not a sensible aim, however the playoffs could possibly be inside attain. 

Alex Ovechkin won’t attain Wayne Gretzky’s all-time aim document this season however he can get himself a little bit nearer. If he registers one other 40-goal season he’ll climb to the No. 3 spot on the NHL’s All-time record and inch his approach nearer to the magic variety of 894 objectives. It won’t be simple over the following few years, however it’s definitely effectively inside attain. 

Connor McDavid received one other scoring title and his second MVP in the course of the 2020-21 season by topping the 100-point mark in a 56 recreation season. That’s near a 150-point tempo over 82 video games. He won’t have the luxurious of solely enjoying in opposition to Canadian groups this season, however he’s getting into his age 25 season which is usually an offensive participant’s peak years. What’s he able to this season?

After a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Closing, the Montreal Canadiens underwent main modifications this offseason, dropping Philip Danault, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Tomas Tatar to new groups, whereas additionally dropping Shea Weber to damage. Then simply earlier than the beginning of the season, it was introduced that beginning goalie Carey Worth, the most important consider that Stanley Cup Closing run, entered the league’s participant help program and can miss time this season. Among the most essential gamers in that Stanley Cup Closing run won’t be there at the beginning of the season. 

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The Chicago Blackhawks have been within the information all offseason for 2 very completely different causes. Probably the most vital of which is the 2 separate lawsuits that have been filed by former gamers accusing a former video coach of sexual assault. The staff vows to launch the findings of its investigation and make correct modifications, however basic supervisor Stan Bowman stays in cost though he was the overall supervisor on the time and knew of the accusations. 

In addition they made headlines for overhauling the roster with the additions of Marc-Andre Fleury, Seth Jones, Caleb Jones, and Tyler Johnson, in addition to the return of Jonathan Toews. 

Gaudreau has been the Flames’ finest participant for the previous seven years and is getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract. His future with the staff stays very a lot unsure. He has been the topic of commerce rumors for years, and whereas he says the entire proper issues about wanting to remain that is going to be his one massive alternative to money in and decide the staff of his selecting. He additionally has a no-trade clause that lets him decide the 5 groups he desires to be dealt to in the course of the season, so the Flames may discover themselves within the awkward place of doubtless dropping him for nothing after the season in the event that they can’t work out a brand new contract. 

The massive in-season commerce final 12 months was Columbus sending Pierre-Luc Dubois to the Winnipeg Jets for Patrik Laine. It was a swap of disgruntled gamers that needed out of their present conditions and the early returns have been awful for each groups. Particularly Laine in Columbus. He struggled to make an impression, was always in coach John Tortorella’s doghouse, and didn’t play effectively. Now he will get a contemporary begin with a brand new coach and a full, regular season. A return to his 35-40 aim self can be an enormous improvement for the Blue Jackets, who want that sort of participant, and for Laine in the case of his contract scenario. 

After not collaborating within the 2018 Olympics, the NHL is again for the 2022 video games in Beijing, China. It’s all the time thrilling to see the world’s finest representing their international locations, and Canada figures to be the heavy favorites going into the event. This would be the first time Connor McDavid will get to signify Canada on the Olympics, and he’ll achieve this alongside Sidney Crosby on the high of its roster. 

Tuukka Rask is just not but signed however is just not but completely out of the image, both. Till he returns (or if he does) the goaltending will fall on free-agent addition Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. Swayman has proven potential, and Ullmark is coming from a brutal scenario in Buffalo, however it’s positively a query mark for a staff that also has numerous the elements to be a Stanley Cup contender. 

There’s a lot taking place in San Jose proper now, and never a lot of it’s good. The staff is clearly in want of a rebuild and is loaded with growing old gamers on huge contracts. There are additionally main questions relating to their two finest gamers, for very completely different causes.

Evander Kane retains discovering himself the topic of investigations, starting from the allegations that he threw his staff’s video games, to bodily and sexual abuse allegations from his ex-wife, to the investigation that he might have submitted a faux vaccination card. His future with the staff, short-term and long-term, could be very a lot unsure.

Then there’s Tomas Hertl, who’s getting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract and is an unrestricted free agent after this season. With the Sharks more likely to miss the playoffs once more he may discover himself on the transfer earlier than the NHL commerce deadline.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have grow to be the gold customary for successful within the NHL proper now, topping the league in regular-season wins and playoff wins going again over the previous seven years. They’ve been in 5 Convention Finals since then, three Stanley Cup Finals, and received every of the previous two Stanley Cup Finals. They’re going for the NHL’s first three-peat for the reason that early Eighties when the New York Islanders received 4 in a row. They did lose fairly a bit from final 12 months’s staff, however they’re nonetheless returning all of their superstars. 

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It has not occurred for the reason that 2003-04 season, and this present core has misplaced within the first spherical in 5 consecutive seasons. That’s merely not ok for the expertise stage and monetary funding right here. Adjustments should be made in the event that they fail once more, and enjoying within the Atlantic Division they’re nearly sure to get a brutal First Spherical matchup whether or not it’s Tampa Bay, Boston, or a quickly improved Florida Panthers staff. 

Doug Jarvis’ document of 964 consecutive regular-season video games performed may fall this season as Keith Yandle and Phil Kessel shut in on it. Patrick Marleau, if he indicators with a staff, may additionally go that mark this season. So it’s doable that Jarvis’ mark of 964 video games may finish this season as solely the fourth-longest streak in league historical past. Yandle is the closest to the mark and may have an opportunity to go it as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.