Who's Ready for the NHL Season? The Second Line.
Is Ovechkin Able to Inspire the Capitals in the Post-Season?
The Russian may have led his side to a victory in the Winter Classic, and also to first place in the Southeast Division, but for the fourth season in succession, the Washington Capitals failed to come out of the Eastern Conference and make the Stanley Cup Finals.
Unlike in 2007-10, the Capitals were not narrowly defeated in a seven-game series, but swept out of the Conference Semifinals by the Tampa Bay Lightning in emphatic fashion.
Attempting to make improvements in the off-season, the Caps signed Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward to strengthen their offensive line, and hope to improve their defensive resistance with the addition of Roman Hamrlik from the Montreal Canadiens.
Three successive 100+ point seasons including back-to-back 50+ season wins in 2008 and 2009, the Caps have largely failed to impress when they were expected at the very least to compete for the Stanley Cup. In the 2011 playoffs, they easily brushed off the eighth-seeded Rangers before a lackluster showing against the Lightning in which the Caps were beaten in four consecutive games, despite holding leads at crucial times in Games one and four.
Ovechkin now needs to help his team recover and make his seventh NHL campaign a one which ends in a Cup appearance.
How Will the Winnipeg Jets do in Their Return to the NHL?
Largely failing to achieve success as part of the 'sun belt', the Atlanta Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets after a fourth successive failure to make the playoffs. Crossing the American-Canadian border will bring much delight to those in Manitoba who last saw a team in Winnipeg in 1996, when the Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes.
In truth, much of the off-season activity coming out of Winnipeg has been off the ice, but with an extension to top point scorer Andre Ladd's contract, the Jets will be hoping to make progress in the Southeast Division and provide their passionate fans with a happy return to the league.
Which NHL Franchise Will be Next for Relocation?
Most likely to answer this question would be the Phoenix Coyotes, who looked like they were skating in borrowed time at the end of last season. With one more year in Arizona guaranteed, attention will be focused elsewhere on the franchises of the New York Islanders and the Nashville Predators who have previously been linked with relocation.
Gary Bettman will be hoping to avoid the necessity to move on another franchise during his tenure, but in such a difficult financial climate it is difficult to imagine that all three of the teams mentioned will remain in their current 'homes'.
Is a 'Big Market' US Franchise Able to Re-Climb the NHL Mountain?
Victory for an original-six team, and particularly one from the United States will have pleased Hockey purists across the country who celebrated a double with the Chicago Blackhawks beating the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010.
Although the Dallas Stars prevailed in 1999, a team from New York (1994) or LA (1993) had not made the showpiece game of the NHL season before the Bruins ended their 29-year wait for a cup.
Whilst the Bruins will be in the mix once again, New York's Rangers and Islanders along with the Stars of Dallas, Blackhawks of Chicago and Kings of LA will be hoping to make it three in a row.
The Russian may have led his side to a victory in the Winter Classic, and also to first place in the Southeast Division, but for the fourth season in succession, the Washington Capitals failed to come out of the Eastern Conference and make the Stanley Cup Finals.
Unlike in 2007-10, the Capitals were not narrowly defeated in a seven-game series, but swept out of the Conference Semifinals by the Tampa Bay Lightning in emphatic fashion.
Attempting to make improvements in the off-season, the Caps signed Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward to strengthen their offensive line, and hope to improve their defensive resistance with the addition of Roman Hamrlik from the Montreal Canadiens.
Three successive 100+ point seasons including back-to-back 50+ season wins in 2008 and 2009, the Caps have largely failed to impress when they were expected at the very least to compete for the Stanley Cup. In the 2011 playoffs, they easily brushed off the eighth-seeded Rangers before a lackluster showing against the Lightning in which the Caps were beaten in four consecutive games, despite holding leads at crucial times in Games one and four.
Ovechkin now needs to help his team recover and make his seventh NHL campaign a one which ends in a Cup appearance.
How Will the Winnipeg Jets do in Their Return to the NHL?
Largely failing to achieve success as part of the 'sun belt', the Atlanta Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets after a fourth successive failure to make the playoffs. Crossing the American-Canadian border will bring much delight to those in Manitoba who last saw a team in Winnipeg in 1996, when the Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes.
In truth, much of the off-season activity coming out of Winnipeg has been off the ice, but with an extension to top point scorer Andre Ladd's contract, the Jets will be hoping to make progress in the Southeast Division and provide their passionate fans with a happy return to the league.
Which NHL Franchise Will be Next for Relocation?
Most likely to answer this question would be the Phoenix Coyotes, who looked like they were skating in borrowed time at the end of last season. With one more year in Arizona guaranteed, attention will be focused elsewhere on the franchises of the New York Islanders and the Nashville Predators who have previously been linked with relocation.
Gary Bettman will be hoping to avoid the necessity to move on another franchise during his tenure, but in such a difficult financial climate it is difficult to imagine that all three of the teams mentioned will remain in their current 'homes'.
Is a 'Big Market' US Franchise Able to Re-Climb the NHL Mountain?
Victory for an original-six team, and particularly one from the United States will have pleased Hockey purists across the country who celebrated a double with the Chicago Blackhawks beating the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010.
Although the Dallas Stars prevailed in 1999, a team from New York (1994) or LA (1993) had not made the showpiece game of the NHL season before the Bruins ended their 29-year wait for a cup.
Whilst the Bruins will be in the mix once again, New York's Rangers and Islanders along with the Stars of Dallas, Blackhawks of Chicago and Kings of LA will be hoping to make it three in a row.