With the month of September right around the corner now, the countdown to the 2017-18 NHL season is winding down. While fans across the league can’t wait to see their favorite teams in action, there is a handful of storylines in particular that will appeal to every hockey fan.
It’s supposed to be a quiet time in the offseason as the free agency frenzy is over, the draft is behind us and training camps haven’t started. However, the league has made plenty of headlines – starting with the removal of their players from the 2018 Winter Olympics. We’ll start there as we take a look at the top storylines to watch entering the 2017-18 NHL season.
Olympics Absence
The NHL will not send players to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which is obviously a huge loss for the international event and hockey fans. The 2018 Games are scheduled for PyeongChang, South Korea. The league determined that participation would be too disruptive to their schedule. That means NHL players will not compete in the Olympics for the first time since 1998.
The first thought was that the countries in the Winter Olympics would then use minor leaguers to fill their roster but the NHL then banned that as well. While the league says that the scheduling conflicts are an issue, the reality is that there’s more to the story. Players can get injured at these events and then owners and franchises – who are paying millions for their stars – are significantly affected. Or players may be fatigued from playing extra games.
A number of players have criticized the decision but ultimately that won’t change anything. The teams will be forced to fill their rosters with a mixture of players on overseas contracts, players from other pro leagues and former NHL players.
McDavid’s Contract Trickle Down
Connor McDavid signed an eight-year, $100 million extension this summer that will pay him the highest annual average value at $12.5 million per season. That new deal is a sign of faith in the Edmonton Oilers organization that they can build a true Stanley Cup contender. So what’s the trickle down effect of the deal? The Oilers still need to lock up restricted free agent Leon Draisaitl. Then they will attempt to insulate their core with talented veterans that can help them take that next step.
Other teams around the league are also paying close attention with the Buffalo Sabres preparing to lock up Jack Eichel and the Toronto Maple Leafs needing a long-term deal for Auston Matthews. With McDavid earning more than anyone including, say Sidney Crosby, it’ll be interesting to see what other up-and-coming players are set to earn.
Penguins Shoot For Three-Peat
The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off back-to-back Stanley Cups. There is a good chance they will contend for a three-peat this season. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Jake Guentzel and Matt Murray are all back. Kris Letang returns along with Justin Schultz on the back end. The Penguins did their best to reload despite salary cap constraints. The good news is they have a talented young group of prospects that is ready to take the next step this season. Pittsburgh has enough talent and depth to make another Stanley Cup run. All eyes will be on the Penguins to see if they can continue to build a dynasty and complete a three-peat this season.
The Golden Knights Have Arrived
There will be hockey in Las Vegas this season. The Golden Knights are strategizing for the future with a long-term plan to build a Stanley Cup contender. They have an intriguing core group including Marc-Andre Fleury, Jonathan Marchessault, James Neal and David Perron, so they could certainly be an entertaining team to watch this season.
Las Vegas will be an experience for NHL fans that make the trip to the city to watch the Golden Knights. Las Vegas is already a top-10 team in terms of revenues based on season tickets, which is a great sign for the league. There have been hesitations about expanding ice hockey to what is basically a dessert climate. Now it’s up to the franchise to build an entertaining team on the ice that can complete the experience of hockey in Sin City.
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