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Contenders, breakout teams, rookies to watch, and 1 bold prediction.
It’s hard to believe, but the NHL is back. The puck drops on Tuesday afternoon with the 2024-25 season opening in Seattle with the Kraken hosting the Blues at 4:30 p.m. ET, and then we’re into the full swing of the season.
As it stands the season is shaping up to be a continuation of what we saw last year. The same elite teams are still going to be very good. Organizations who were in the process of rebuilding aren’t quite there yet, with a lot of teams slotting somewhere in the middle trying to take the next step into playoff contenders.
In a lot of ways this is the best the NHL has been in a long time. Parity is ruling across the league when it comes to talent, with coaching and endurance being the key markers of teams who will still be alive and competing as the ice thaws next year. Today we break down everything you need to know about the upcoming season before action gets underway.
Who are the contenders in 2024-25?
Realistically we’re looking at a lot of the same teams as last year. This can more or less be broken down into four legitimate Stanley Cup potential teams in the East, four in the West — with the rest of the playoff spots up for grabs.
East
Toronto Maple Leafs
Florida Panthers
Carolina Hurricanes
New York Rangers
West
Edmonton Oilers
Dallas Stars
Vancouver Canucks
Colorado Avalanche
The biggest question (as it tends to be every year) is whether or not this is the year Toronto can get over the hump. The Leafs went 46-26-10 a year ago, but the playoffs proved they needed to improve defensively. Organizationally they made very smart decisions, trading for Chris Tanev, arguably the best available defenseman on the market, while also adding defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and upgrading their goaltending with Anthony Stolarz. Those moves should make the Leafs a force.
There’s an accepted belief that the elite of the East is lagging behind the West. Edmonton still has the NHL’s most fearsome skaters, but didn’t go much to address their issues on defense and in net. That could hold them back a little. Still, when you have the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl it affords you wiggle room on the back end.
Which teams can make the biggest jumps in 2024-25?
Don’t sleep on Utah HC. The newly-relocated team is looking to make a mark after leaving Arizona and there’s a very real chance they could shock people in their first season in Salt Lake City.
Last year’s team finished outside the playoffs at 36-41-5, but they benefit in a few big ways. Firstly, a lot of their promising young players like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther are poised to break out. Secondly, the team spent big in free agency to win now. Finally, Utah really benefits from a softer Central Division with the Blues and Wild taking big steps back. That sets the stage for this team to nab a playoff spot as long as they can keep up with Nashville.
The East is a lot more difficult to figure out. The gap between last year’s playoff teams and the hopefuls is larger, with only the Red Wings and Penguins really feeling like they could find a way in. That requires a little bit of luck and regression from other teams, but the door is certainly open.
Who are the hot rookies to watch?
When it comes to the 2024-25 Calder Trophy there are really two guys to keep an eye on: Macklin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks, and Matvei Michkov from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Celebrini was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, landing him in a perfect spot where he can make an impact. Entering the league with much less fanfare than 2023 No. 1 pick Connor Bedard, Celebrini’s all around play is ideal to rack up a lot of points and turn heads, even on a rather hopeless team like the Sharks.
Meanwhile Michkov finally makes the jump to the NHL after being taken with the No. 7 pick in the 2023 draft. The 19-year-old Russian is coming off a brilliant KHL season with Sochi that saw him register 41 points in 47 games as an 18-year-old. Michkov had No. 2 pick potential, and only fell last year because there was an expectation he might stay three or four years in the KHL before making the jump. Now he’s in early, and already showed amazing potential by scoring three goals in preseason.
Rule changes for 2024-25
There isn’t anything earth-shattering in this regard, but there is one key tweak to watch as the season progresses.
Coaches will now be able to challenge a penalty for delay of game in the event of a puck traveling out of play. Upon review a minor penalty can be erased if it’s found the puck deflected off a player, stick, or the boards. However, if the challenge fails a team will be assessed a second minor penalty in addition to the delay of game.
Outside of this other changes are minor, and relate to warnings for players sitting on the boards, or how face-off violations occur after icing. Things so small you won’t really notice them in 2024-25.
One bold prediction for 2024-25 …
This is the year Canada breaks its Stanley Cup Curse. The last time a team from Canada won the cup was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, and the stage is set for this to end. Edmonton are the scariest team in the west, while an improved defense should propel the Maple Leafs forward in the east.
We might not get an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Finals, but the stage is very much set for one of these teams to make a big run. Factor in the massive potential of the Canucks and Jets, and the 31-year drought could finally be over.
