The 2024-25 NHL season kicked off Saturday, with the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres competing within the NHL’s International Sequence in Czechia. The remainder of the groups begin this week, and as all the time earlier than the season, there are many postseason hopefuls to go round. Sixteen groups will make it in, and 16 will ebook their tee occasions for Might.
Let us take a look at 4 groups that may get into the postseason after lacking in 2023-24 and two groups which may discover themselves disillusioned after making it the earlier season.
IN: Detroit Purple Wings
The Detroit Purple Wings suffered a brutal finish to their season in 2023-24, lacking the playoffs on a tiebreaker after the Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in regulation on the final day of the season.
This season, the workforce appears to be like to interrupt an eight-year playoff drought. Normal supervisor Steve Yzerman might not have made any enormous strikes in free company, however by including goaltender Cam Talbot, defenseman Erik Gustafsson and winger Vladimir Tarasenko, he addressed some key holes within the lineup that might put the workforce over the sting.
Moreover, with the re-signing of Patrick Kane, the continued emergence of younger stars Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider and a wholesome Dylan Larkin, search for third-year head coach Derek Lalonde’s squad to make a splash in a reasonably open Jap Convention.
IN: New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils had been a surprisingly disappointing workforce in 2023-24, ending twenty third within the league and lacking the playoffs by 10 factors.
A midseason damage to Jack Hughes and a season-long damage to defenseman Dougie Hamilton definitely did not assist. Poor goaltending led to the workforce buying and selling for former Calgary Flame Jacob Markstrom.
An enchancment in web, a wholesome Hughes and Hamilton and one other Selke-like season from captain Nico Hischier could lead on the Devils again into the playoffs. Add in younger stars and prospects like Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec and Dawson Mercer as greater contributors and the Devils could be postseason-bound as soon as once more.
OUT: New York Islanders
The New York Islanders snuck into the playoffs final season after a good battle with a number of different groups. In typical Lou Lamoriello style, the Isles basic supervisor did not make any massive splashes in free company, with the one notable signings being winger Anthony Duclair and depth defenseman Mike Reilly.
Head coach Patrick Roy, in his first full season with the workforce, will look to proceed the group’s earlier playoff success, however his addition won’t be sufficient. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin will want a bounce-back yr to assist the Islanders make the playoffs in a Metropolitan Division that options many potential postseason contenders.
IN: Seattle Kraken
Seattle was a shocking playoff workforce in 2022-23, reaching the postseason in simply its second yr as a franchise. Though it upset the reigning Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in Spherical 1, it could not pull off the Vegas Golden Knights-like Cinderella run.
Then, in 2023-24, it noticed main regression, dropping from 100 factors to only 81. The Kraken made a splash in free company, signing prime offensive defenseman Brandon Montour and prime six winger Chandler Stephenson to seven-year offers.
New head coach Dan Bylsma and assistant coach Jessica Campbell, the primary feminine coach in NHL historical past to be on a bench, hope to information their workforce again to the postseason in a considerably lackluster Pacific Division.
IN: Minnesota Wild
Often a constant playoff contender, Minnesota was out of the playoffs for the primary time since 2019. Though it had a quiet offseason, like New Jersey, its 2023-24 season was stricken by accidents and poor goaltending.
Defenseman Jared Spurgeon performed simply 16 video games final season, and the Wild sported a below-league-average .893 save proportion in web. With a clear invoice of well being, a bounce-back yr from goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson and one other elite season from celebrity Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota will hope to be again for one more playoff run.
OUT: Los Angeles Kings
After a fast rebuild following three straight years of lacking the playoffs, Los Angeles has discovered itself within the postseason since 2022. Nevertheless, following yet one more first-round playoff loss to the Edmonton Oilers, basic supervisor Rob Blake determined to shake issues up a bit.
Only one season after a giant commerce despatched him to the Kings, Pierre-Luc Dubois, in 12 months 1 of his eight-year deal, was traded to the Washington Capitals this previous offseason. Winger Viktor Arvidsson left the workforce in free company (though he missed nearly all of 2023-24 with an damage) and goaltender Cam Talbot signed with the Detroit Purple Wings in July.
New goaltender Darcy Kuemper, a part of the Dubois commerce, will look to fill Talbot’s position, and rising younger star Quinton Byfield will proceed to be a giant a part of the highest six, serving to to fill a number of the misplaced manufacturing from Dubois.
Nevertheless, the lack of prime defenseman Drew Doughty (month-to-month) might play a giant issue within the Kings’ postseason probabilities. If Los Angeles’ younger gamers do not step up, it could possibly be a tricky battle for a postseason alternative.
