NHL 2024 Preview: Who to Look Out For
The NHL season is right around the corner, and after a riveting playoff in June and an intriguing offseason that sent top players like Vladimir Tarasenko and Linus Ullmark away from their former teams, here is a list of teams to look out for during the next NHL season.
Nashville Predators: Nashville had the strongest off-season. During the season, they successfully made the playoffs, led by their elite goaltender Juuse Saros; their decision to re-sign him was a good one. They stacked up in the offseason with names like Steven Stamkos and Johnathan Marchessault, who were previous Cup champions. Filip Forsberg is set to improve with Marchessault on his line, and their top six is off the charts. Although they look to compete and certainly make the playoffs, their lack of depth will probably prevent them from competing with some of the West’s biggest powerhouses, like the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche.
Edmonton Oilers: Edmonton is coming off a heartbreaking game-seven defeat to the Panthers in the Stanley Cup final. Their strategy for the offseason? Bring back all those players that got them to the Cup. They managed to retain their key players, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Draisaitl, and, of course, Conner McDavid. They stacked up their second line, and with the best player in the league guiding them, they are set to at least make the playoffs and possibly more.
New Jersey Devils: The New Jersey Devils were the most disappointing team last year. Most fans believed they had a shot to win the Stanley Cup, but they dramatically fell short. A season riddled with injuries quickly killed that hope. However, there is a reason to be positive: Jersey had an incredible offseason. They picked up star goaltender Jacob Markstrom to fix recurring goalie problems. They signed Tomas Tatar back to help with offensive depth. They took Brett Pesce to help with their defense problem, and they still have many of their star players. Jack Hughes is set to lead the team along with names like Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, and Jesper Bratt. Looking for a bounce-back year, hopes for the Devils are up, but the memory of last year’s disaster is still looming.
Florida Panthers: After skating their way through the playoffs with an impressive Stanley Cup series, Florida is set to be a force to be reckoned with for the fourth year in a row. They retain star players Mathew Tkachuck, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Alexander Barkov while still keeping good-depth players like Sam Reinhart. Florida fans should expect nothing less than a conference championship appearance as the team seeks to defend their cup. So why are they on the list? Because the question everyone is asking about Florida is: can they do it again?
New York Rangers: The Rangers won the President’s Trophy last year for the best regular season record. However, even they were handled by Florida. But there is hope: Rangers fans should not only expect a conference championship appearance but a Stanley Cup. Every year, fans hear about the brilliance of the Rangers, including huge names like Artemi Panarin, Igor Shisterken, and Jacob Trouba. So where is the cup? Look out to see if the Rangers are the NHL powerhouse once more or if they fall short a game from the finish line.
The 2025 NHL season will no doubt bring just as much thrill as the last, but the real question is: which team will go all the way to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup?
