Exactly 100 days after the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup for the primary time, coaching camps open across the NHL on Thursday.
The Golden Knights convey again almost the identical roster of their bid to repeat whereas the Panthers are nonetheless licking their wounds after accidents piled up throughout their run to the ultimate. Colorado, now greater than a 12 months faraway from hoisting the Cup and lacking captain Gabriel Landeskog for one more season, goes into camp as favourite to win all of it once more.
The largest questions are in locations like Columbus, Anaheim, Carolina and Calgary: How the Blue Jackets will deal with a last-minute teaching change, what is going to occur with unsigned Ducks star Trevor Zegras, and whether or not the Hurricanes and Flames are among the many groups with a commerce or two left to make within the coming weeks and months.
The scorching subjects on and off the ice earlier than the puck drops on the 2023-24 NHL season Oct. 10:
Fresh off serving to lead Vegas to the Cup, Jack Eichel requested buddies who beforehand performed lengthy into June how they recovered for the next season.
“The message they relayed is, ‘You’ll be surprised by how good you feel come training camp, with having trained a little less and maybe spent a little less time in the gym,’” Eichel mentioned. “Maybe more so now than past summers, it’s about trying to get your body healthy and feeling good going into camp.”
PHOTOS: Training camps open across the NHL with large inquiries to reply from Anaheim to Columbus
The Golden Knights ought to be feeling good about their continuity after maintaining pending free agent goalie Adin Hill and ahead Ivan Barbashev and shedding solely Reilly Smith by commerce from the group that performed the majority of the playoffs.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Avalanche are the betting favorites at slightly below 9-1, adopted by the Hurricanes at slightly below 10-1. The Golden Knights are sixth at 13-1.
Matthew Tkachuk broke his sternum throughout the last, an damage he performed by way of earlier than lacking Game 5. It took longer to rehab than anticipated, however the finalist for the Hart Trophy as league MVP and Panthers playoff main scorer seems good to go.
“Feeling really good now,” Tkachuk mentioned. “Look at glass half full: I didn’t miss 30 games or 20 games during the regular season. I had the summer to get it back and hopefully have a great start.”
The remainder of his crew isn’t so fortunate. Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour had shoulder surgical procedure and every defenseman might be out till mid-December.
Nothing like a compelled resignation of a polarizing, Stanley Cup-winning coach to shake issues up for the Blue Jackets. Mike Babcock stepped down Sunday after asking to view pictures on gamers’ telephones as a part of a bonding effort led to an investigation by the NHLPA and Pascal Vincent being named his substitute.
It all occurred over the previous week or so, and possession mentioned there could be no modifications to the entrance workplace led by president of hockey operations John Davidson and longtime common supervisor Jarmo Kekalainen presently as a result of “additional disruptions would be detrimental to our players and coaches as they prepare for the opening of training camp.”
Vincent, who spent the previous couple of seasons as an assistant underneath earlier coach Brad Larsen, has a two-year contract and maybe extra respect from gamers.
“The advantage that I have is I know those people,” Vincent mentioned. “I’ve been with them for two years, and I know they care. They really care about the team.”
Zegras, Ducks teammate Jamie Drysdale and Ottawa’s Shane Pinto are among the many restricted free brokers and not using a contract for the upcoming season. Any of them might signal any time.
Devils heart Jack Hughes, requested final week about Zegras, advocated for the very best for his shut buddy and former U.S. teammate.
“I think he’s a great player – the best player on their team,” Hughes mentioned. “He’s good for the league. He needs to be back, and hopefully he gets a deal done soon.”
On the damage entrance exterior the Panthers, Washington free agent signing Max Pacioretty is amongst these not anticipated to be prepared for the beginning of the season as he recovers from re-tearing his proper Achilles tendon. Former Carolina teammate Andrei Svechnikov could be restricted six months since tearing the ACL in his proper knee.
After a decidedly quiet summer time of trades exterior of Pittsburgh getting three-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Erik Karlsson, there might nonetheless be some shuffling earlier than opening evening.
Calgary has a call to make with potential 2024 free agent Elias Lindholm, who’s thought-about among the many finest two-way facilities within the league. Same goes with the Hurricanes, given their logjam on the blue line and Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei every with one 12 months left on his contract.
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