Believe it or not, the NHL is back. The puck drops Tuesday afternoon to open the 2024-25 season in Seattle, with the Kraken hosting the Blues at 4:30 p.m. ET. After that, the season begins in earnest.
At this point, the season is looking like a continuation of last year. The same elite team will continue to be a very good team. Organizations in the rebuilding process aren't quite there yet, with many teams sitting somewhere in the middle trying to take the next step toward becoming a playoff contender.
In many ways, this is the best thing for the NHL in a long time. Parity dominates the entire league in terms of personnel, and coaching and endurance will be key to teams that can survive and compete when the ice melts next year. Today we're breaking down everything you need to know about the upcoming season before the action begins.
Who will be the winner from 2024 to 2025?
Realistically, many of the teams will be the same as last year. This is more or less a division of the Stanley Cup favorites into four teams in the East and four teams in the West, with the remaining playoff spots vying for each other.
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 this is the year Toronto can overcome the challenges. The Leafs posted a 46-26-10 record a year ago, but the playoffs proved they needed to improve defensively. Organizationally they made a very smart decision, trading Chris Tanev, probably the best defenseman on the market, while adding defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and goaltending along with Anthony Stolarz. Upgraded. Those moves should make the Leafs a force to be reckoned with.
The idea that Eastern elites are lagging behind the West is widely accepted. Edmonton still has the most fearsome skaters in the NHL, but they couldn't do much about their defense and net issues. That might be able to hold them back a little. Still, having players like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl gives them room on the back end.
Which team will make the biggest leap forward in 2024-25?
Don't sleep on Utah HC. The newly relocated team is looking to make a mark since leaving Arizona and will very likely shock people in its first season in Salt Lake City.
Last year's team finished outside the playoffs with a record of 36-41-5, but had some big upsides. First, a number of promising young players like Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther are ready to break out. Second, the team spent a lot of money on free agents to win now. Finally, Utah State has really benefited from the Blues and Wild taking a big step back and the Central division getting softer. This leaves this team poised for a playoff spot as long as they can keep up with Nashville.
The East is much more difficult to understand. The gap between last year's playoff teams and the teams hoping to make it was even wider, leaving only the Red Wings and Penguins. Really It will take a bit of luck and regression from other teams, but the door is definitely open.
Who are the new faces to watch?
When it comes to the 2024-25 Calder Trophy, there are two players to really keep an eye on: Maclin Celebrini of the San Jose Sharks and Matvey Mitchkov of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Celebrini was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, putting him in the perfect position to make an impact. Celebrini's all-around play, which entered the league with much more fanfare than 2023 No. 1 pick Connor Bedard, allows him to score a lot of points and draw attention, even on a desperate team like the Sharks. Ideal for collecting.
Mitchkov, on the other hand, was selected No. 7 in the 2023 draft and finally made the jump to the NHL. The 19-year-old Russian is coming off a stellar KHL season in Sochi, scoring 41 points in 47 games despite being just 18 years old. Mitchkov had the potential to be the No. 2 pick, but he fell short last year because there were expectations that he might stay in the KHL for three or four years before making the jump. He has now been featured from the early stages and has already shown incredible potential, scoring three goals in pre-season.
2024-25 rule changes
There's nothing surprising in this regard, but there is one important adjustment to note as the season progresses.
Coaches will now be able to appeal penalties for match delay If the puck goes out of play. A minor penalty may be rescinded if, upon review, it is determined that the puck deflected from the player, stick, or boards. However, if the challenge fails, the team will be assessed a second minor penalty. In addition To the delay of the game.
Other changes outside of this are minor and relate to warnings to players sitting on the boards, or how faceoff violations occur after landing. Something so small that you won't notice it in 2024-2025.
Here's one bold prediction for 2024-2025…
This is the year Canada breaks the Stanley Cup curse. The last time a Canadian team won a Cup was in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens, and they are ready to put an end to that. Edmonton is the most feared team in the West, but an improved defense should propel the Maple Leafs forward in the East.
It may not be possible to make the Stanley Cup Final with all Canadians, but the stage is set for one of these teams to make a breakthrough. Considering the great potential of the Canucks and Jets, the 31-year drought could finally be over.
