NHL Season Preview (2016-17): One Big Question For All 30 Teams
Next in our NHL season preview, we take a look at all 30 teams around the league asking one (or two) big questions heading into the 2016-17 campaign. Now, obviously each and every team has several burning questions heading into a new season, but we want to specifically address perhaps the most intriguing question/story lines.
Some of these questions could have answers before puck drop on opening night. Others will need help from other struggling teams to find solutions to their problems, while the rest should have an answer as the new season plays out.
NHL Season Preview: One Question, 30 Teams
Anaheim Ducks: Where does Shea Theodore fit?
Left-Handed Shots: Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler, Shea Theodore, Simon Despres, Clayton Stoner
Right-Handed Shots: Sami Vatanen, Kevin Bieksa, Josh Manson, Korbinian Holzer
Arizona Coyotes: Will goaltending need an eventual upgrade?
Current Depth Chart: Mike Smith, Louis Domingue, Justin Peters
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Boston Bruins: Will B’s use David Backes as a 3rd line center, sliding Ryan Spooner to the wing, or use their new arrival as a top six right winger?
Backes has always been known as a center, although he spent a large majority of his time on the right side in St.Louis. Given the success Spooner had in 2015-16, Boston might consider using David as a RW.
Buffalo Sabres: Ready for a playoff push?
The Sabres added a couple of key pieces in Kyle Okposo and Dmitry Kulikov. Add a year of development for numerous young blossoming stars and a (hopefully) healthy starter, Buffalo has a good recipe for success.
Calgary Flames: How will team respond to new bench boss Glen Gulutzan?
Gulutzan is known as a players coach that is approachable with excellent communication skills. Former colleagues praise his coaching style and structure – he was able to make the Canucks at top 10 penalty killer two years in a row.
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Carolina Hurricanes: Top six forward group a concern?
Locks:Jeff Skinner, Jordan Staal, Victor Rask, Elias Lindholm, F Teuvo Teravainen
Capable/Potential: F Sebastian Aho, F Andrej Nestrasil, F Joakim Nordstrom, F Bryan Bickell, F Lee Stempniak
Chicago Blackhawks: Who fills the void alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa?
Potential Candidates: F Richard Panik, F Tyler Motte, F Tanner Kero, F Dennis Rasmussen
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Colorado Avalanche: Will the Avs give Calvin Pickard an extended look?
With expansion on the way, G Semyon Varlamov could potentially be left unprotected after the emergence of Pickard in 2015-16. If Colorado wants to ensure Calvin is the starter of the future, they need to give him a heavier workload to feel comfortable moving forward.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Recent Calder Cup champions have followed it up with success at the NHL level. What type of impact will prospects such as Oliver Bjorkstrand and Zach Werenski have in year one?
Bjorkstrand had a point streak to close out the NHL season and went on to capture Calder Cup MVP honors. Werenski signed with Columbus after wrapping up his NCAA career at the University of Michigan. He appeared in the final seven games of the regular season, and gave the Monsters a massive boost in the postseason with 14 points in 17 games.
Dallas Stars: Goal scoring shouldn’t be an issue once again, but will the goaltending be good enough this year?
Kari Lehtonen put up a game seven performance that should continue to give him nightmares for years to come; how will he respond in 2015-16? Will Dallas give former Cup winner Antti Niemi the bulk of starts, or similar split to last season? If goaltending becomes an issue, how long before GM Jim Nill makes inquires on Ben Bishop or Marc-Andre Fleury?
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Detroit Red Wings: Is the quarter century playoff streak at risk?
GM Ken Holland did his best to replace the legend Pavel Datsyuk, but the pieces need to fall in place for a successful season. That means Dylan Larkin needs to fill massive shoes and avoid the sophomore slump. It also means Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek stepping up to provide depth scoring.
Edmonton Oilers: Who becomes the benefactor of playing alongside phenom Connor McDavid?
Logic would suggest that free agent addition Milan Lucic fits best along the left side, although Benoit Pouliot is a possibility as well. Jordan Eberle is the most likely fit along the right side, but if you’re Todd McLellan, aren’t you at least obligated to see if Connor McDavid can generate chemistry with Jesse Puljujarvi?
Related Story: Under the Radar Prospects to Watch
Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov ready to lead hungry team deep into the playoffs?
The Panthers spent over $200 million dollars this summer between free agents/extensions, and also made numerous trades. Even with the massive roster overhaul, Florida need their two young stars (Huberdeau and Barkov) to take another step in development leading this team both on and off the ice.
Los Angeles Kings: How will Dustin Brown respond in 2016-17?
Brown was stripped of his captaincy early in the summer (handed to Anze Kopitar) due to a decline in play over the past couple of seasons. He still owns a lengthy lucrative contract, putting the Kings in a difficult position. Some have questioned how one re-enters that change-room, so it’ll be interesting to see how Brown responds.
Minnesota Wild: Boudreau, Staal the missing pieces?
Minnesota hired Bruce Boudreau as new bench boss, and signed free agent Eric Staal to a very cap friendly deal. Fans in Minnesota have reason to be excited; Bruce has a great coaching resume; and Eric Staal is hungry to rebound from an ugly season.
Montreal Canadiens: Will a healthy Carey Price and a pair of impact additions help make the Habs an Eastern Coference powerhouse again?
No matter your stance on the blockbuster deal, there’s no way to change the past. On a positive note, Canadiens fans will quickly fall in love with Shea Weber.
The big question mark is KHL transfer Alexander Radulov. A one-year contract should be low-risk, but this is a special circumstance. Radulov has character concerns due to past behavior and he’s joining a vulnerable dressing room.
Nashville Predators: Will David Poile’s defensive experiment finally push the Preds over the hump?
Opting to switch from a punishing defender (Shea Weber) to a bigger offensive threat (P.K. Subban) will hopefully pay dividends. The Preds are looking for anything to push this team over the hump, and hoping their blue line setup gets the job done – although truth be told, they need to replace several ageing veterans (i.e. Mike Fisher, Mike Ribeiro, etc.)
New Jersey Devils: Healthy Schneider, impact additions make NJ a playoff contender?
Devils a playoff contender (puckprose article)
New York Islanders: Will the Isles take a step back after losing Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and Matt Martin?
GM Garth Snow replaced longtime Isles players (Okposo, Nielsen, and Martin) with free agent signings Andrew Ladd, P.A. Parenteau, and Jason Chimera. Failing to once again address the biggest issue – finding suitable linemates for John Tavares – all hope dwindles on the shoulders of inexperienced promising rookies (i.e. Michael Dal Colle, Mathew Barzal, etc.).
New York Rangers: Enough scoring depth added to escape first round (minimum)?
GM Jeff Gorton made a number of moves this offseason. They acquired Mika Zibanejad from Ottawa in exchange for Derrick Brassard, and signed free agents Michael Grabner, Brandon Pirri, Nathan Gerbe, Josh Jooris, and Jimmy Vesey. Time is running out for Henrik Lundqvist to win a Stanley Cup; do the Rangers have enough to make a push in 2016-17?
Ottawa Senators: Did new GM Pierre Dorion do enough to get the Sens back into the postseason?
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More changes were expected in Ottawa based on the way 2015-16 ended with owner Eugene Melnyk and his public rant. GM Bryan Murray was replaced (not shocking, we knew it would happen sooner than later) by Pierre Dorion, and Guy Boucher was hired as coach to replace Dave Cameron.
Other than acquiring Derrick Brassard, the Sens did very little in the offseason. If they think replacing Zibanejad with Brassard and welcoming back Clarke MacArthur from injury is enough to get them back over the hump, they’re fooling themselves (and no sorry, adding 35-year-old Chris Kelly does not do a whole lot).
Philadelphia Flyers: How will young blue line perform?
Can Shayne Gostisbehere build off a strong rookie season, or will he fall victim to the sophomore slump? What type of offensive impact will Ivan Provorov have from the back end in year one? Can Samuel Morin or Travis Sanheim find a way to crack the NHL roster? It will be interesting to see how this group rounds out on opening night.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Can the Pens repeat as Stanley Cup Champions in a league that prides itself on parity?
We’re yet to see back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions in the modern-day salary cap era. The NHL prides itself on parity, which makes a repeat performance unbelievably difficult. Obviously the right pieces would need to fall into place at just the right time (as they did in 2015-16 with a late push), but the Penguins certainly have a strong enough lineup to give it their best shot.
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San Jose Sharks: Finally getting over the hump, the Sharks taste blood now that they know they’re good enough. Did GM Doug Wilson make the necessary additions for a return to the Cup Finals?
San Jose signed free agents Mikkel Boedker, David Schlemko, and Tim Heed. They could also get a little help from prospects such as Nikolay Goldobin or Timo Meier (among others) in 2016-17.
It seems GM Doug Wilson did the best job he could with limited money to spend this summer, whether it’s enough to make a Cup Finals return, we shall see.
St.Louis Blues: Will goaltender Jake Allen be able to flourish as the undisputed number one starter?
Goaltenders are a strange breed in comparison to skaters. Deeply psychological individuals, one can imagine the presence of Brian Elliott having a disturbance on the overall play/development of Jake Allen.
Now as the undisputed no.1 starter, Allen should be able to flourish in a more comfortable setting (and could eventually find his name in Vezina Trophy conversations).
Tampa Bay Lightning: Ondrej Palat and Tyler Johnson are coming off a disappointing season; can they rebound from a sophomore slump, or reason for concern?
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After posting 50 points in 2013-14, followed up by 72 points in 2014-15, Tyler Johnson took a step back with a disappointing 38-point performance this past season.
Ondrej Palat racked up 59 points back in 2013-14, followed by 63 points in 2014-15, and saw his numbers fall to 40 points this past season.
In all fairness, the Tampa Bay Lightning were not that high scoring offensive threat in 2015-16 they were the previous two seasons. Look for this group to generate a lot more offense in 2016-17.
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Toronto Maple Leafs: How will opening night roster shake-up? Will Frederik Andersen be the answer between the pipes?
Biggest questions surround the Maple Leafs prospect pool. It might a safe assumption to include William Nylander, while others such as Nikita Soshnikov, Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen might fall under the category of grey-area.
Toronto also needs to figure out what to do with Mitch Marner.
If he is unable to crack the NHL roster this Fall, the CHL’s most outstanding player in 2015-16 will be forced to return for another year of junior.
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Vancouver Canucks: Will this re-tool on the fly while we’re still going for it philosophy pan out for GM Jim Benning?
It’s difficult to make sense of what Jim Benning is doing, but give him credit, he did make a pair of moves that should make the Canucks more competitive in 2016-17. They definitely overpaid at $6 million dollars/year with Loui Eriksson, but there’s something to said for finally addressing that void alongside the Sedin twins (and best of all, Eriksson has international chemistry with the pair).
The addition of Erik Gudbranson is also a major upgrade, and here’s a guy that will quickly become a fan favorite. There’s nothing flashy about his game, just a solid defensive player.
Washington Capitals: With a similar roster intact for the new season, will the Caps be able to repeat as Presidents’ Trophy winners?
The Caps were fairly fortunate in 2015-16. They began the year without Nicklas Backstrom, but stayed relatively healthy all season long.
Sure, Jakub Vrana is equipped to step up and replace an injured forward, just as Madison Bowey is ready to fill a defensive hole, but what happens if the Caps find themselves in a similar Blues situation from 2015-16? Not sure they have the depth to handle it.
Next: Season Preview: Who Got Better, Who Got Worse
Winnipeg Jets: What will the Jets do about their goaltending dilemma? Can they honestly force Connor Hellebuyck to another year of AHL service after his impressive NHL stint/2015 World Hockey Championship performance?
It would make absolutely zero sense if Kevin Cheveldayoff has convinced himself that another year of AHL duties is the right answer for Connor Hellebuyck.
The only logical answer is that no one has shown interest in Czech netminder Ondrej Pavelec – which is shocking if true. He carries a $3.9 million dollar cap hit for one more season, and if WPG retained $1.9 million, we’re talking about a $2 million dollar goaltender capable of carrying the load.
If we had to guess, it’s a waiting game for teams to struggle; it’s only a matter of time before Arizona realizes that Mike Smith, Louis Domingue, and Justin Peters aren’t good enough.