The 2024-25 season is simply days away, and there is a considerable amount of anticipation because of this.
The Florida Panthers had a bitter style of their mouths after dropping to the Vegas Golden Knights within the 2023 Stanley Cup Ultimate. Because of this, the Panthers have been extraordinarily motivated to complete the job through the 2023-24 season, and so they did simply that by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in seven video games. Whereas the Panthers will definitely have an opportunity to make one other deep run, the Japanese Convention has an abundance of gifted groups that might be making an attempt to dethrone the defending Stanley Cup champions.
This is a breakdown of the Japanese Convention because the 2024-25 season will get underway.
Atlantic Division
Can the Panthers repeat?
The Panthers captured their first Stanley Cup in franchise historical past through the 2023-24 marketing campaign. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was a steady drive in web all through Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup, whereas the Panthers rode their deep offense and stellar protection to defeat the Oilers.
As is the case with many Stanley Cup-winning groups, the Panthers did have some turnover after successful all of it. The Panthers noticed defenseman Brandon Montour signal with the Kraken, whereas veteran ahead Vladimir Tarasenko landed with the Crimson Wings. Florida was in a position to retain star winger Sam Reinhart, who scored a career-high 57 objectives final season. Repeating is just not a simple activity, however assuming the Panthers can keep wholesome, this can be a staff that’s able to being the category of the Japanese Convention as soon as once more in 2024-25.
Lightning transfer right into a post-Steven Stamkos period
The Lightning appeared within the Stanley Cup Ultimate in three consecutive seasons, together with hoisting the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021. Since being defeated by the Avalanche within the 2022 Stanley Cup Ultimate, the Lightning has been ousted within the first spherical in every of the final two editions of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Now Tampa Bay will transfer into a brand new period of its franchise historical past after star middle Steven Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators in free company. Whereas Stamkos has left the staff, the Lightning did add some firepower on their high line within the former of winger Jake Guentzel. Along with securing a top-tier expertise like Guentzel, the Lightning additionally nonetheless have a really harmful high six group of forwards that features Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Level, and Brandon Hagel. The Lightning will look to indicate that they’re nonetheless one of many high groups within the East after not making a lot noise within the postseason in every of the final two campaigns.
Bruins problem for division crown amid Jeremy Swayman contract talks
The Bruins completed only one level behind the Panthers on the high of the Atlantic Division. Boston ended up defeating the Maple Leafs within the opening spherical earlier than being eradicated by the Panthers for the second straight yr in six video games.
Over the summer season, the Bruins added Elias Lindholm to solidify their top-line middle place only one yr after franchise icon Patrice Bergeron introduced his retirement. The staff additionally improved their defensive core with the signing of defenseman Nikita Zadorov. With regards to the Bruins, the most important query mark is the continuing contract extension talks with goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Swayman is at the moment a restricted free agent, and the 2 sides do not seem like anyplace near agreeing to phrases on a brand new deal. After buying and selling Linus Ullmark to the Senators this previous offseason, the Bruins undoubtedly have to get Swayman locked up within the close to future. If he is not signed within the coming days, the Bruins might be working with a goaltending duo of Joonas Korpisalo and Brandon Bussi.
Metropolitan Division
Devils trying to produce bounce-back marketing campaign following busy offseason
The Devils possess one of the vital gifted younger cores in all the NHL. New Jersey gained a playoff sequence in 2022-23, however have been hampered by defensive inefficiencies all through the 2023-24 season. Such extra in order that the Devils missed the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs all collectively.
All through the 2023-24 marketing campaign, Devils goaltenders tallied a 3.43 goals-against-average, which was tied for the fifth-highest within the league. It was a revolving door within the crease with the likes of Akira Schmid, Vitek Vanecek, Kaapo Kahkonen, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen all enjoying in web. The Devils acquired netminder Jacob Markstrom in an offseason commerce with the Flames in an effort to stabilize the place. As well as, New Jersey additionally tried to solidify their again finish with the signing of defensemen Brett Pesce and Brendan Dillon. Contemplating the expertise that the Devils have added, it is laborious to think about this staff not enhancing fairly a bit, and a playoff run definitely is not out of the query.
Matvei Michkov arrives in North America
Subsequent to Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov was arguably the second most gifted prospect within the 2023 NHL Draft. Nonetheless, as a result of uncertainty of when Michkov can be free of his KHL contract, many groups handed on choosing the Russian scoring menace. The Flyers, who have been within the midst of a rebuild on the time, gambled and took Michkov with the No. 7 choose. Simply over a yr later, Michkov has set foot on American soil and can embark on his rookie season in 2024-25.
Since Philadelphia traded Claude Giroux on the 2022 commerce deadline, the staff has been looking for a celebrity to construct round. There’s loads of vital complementary items on their roster, however Michkov is the gifted purpose scorer that the Flyers have been craving for. Michkov lately compiled 41 factors (19 objectives & 22 assists) in simply 47 video games for HC Sochi, and has already confirmed off his goal-scoring prowess within the NHL preseason. It will not be an enormous shock if Michkov wins the Calder Trophy because the NHL’s high rookie when the mud settles on the 2024-25 season.
Rangers intention to achieve the mountaintop
It is laborious to discover a staff that has been nearer to reaching the Stanley Cup Ultimate lately than the Rangers. New York has fallen within the Japanese Convention Ultimate in two of the previous three seasons, together with being eradicated by the Panthers within the East ultimate final season.
The Rangers did not make a big quantity of modifications to their roster this previous offseason. The staff did add veteran winger Reilly Smith in a commerce with the Penguins that gives some scoring acumen to an already harmful second line. The Rangers will depend on a deep group of high six forwards, whereas having a world-class goaltender within the type of Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin did battle all through the primary half of the 2023-24 marketing campaign, however in the end produced a stable season to the tune of a 2.58 goals-against-average and .913 save share. New York definitely has the items to make a run on the Stanley Cup, and can seemingly be one of many favorites to come back out of the East in 2024-25.
