The NHL season also starts in North America on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday. You still have time to tune in to the season’s settings with the NHL night, which you can listen to on the player above or on Areena by following this link.
In this story, all the talking points of the NHL season will be briefly reviewed.
What are we talking about?
Let’s start with outdoor hockey stuff. Many NHL fans vividly remember the pain of the 1994–1995, 2004–2005 and 2012–2013 seasons. At that time, the NHL doors were slammed due to collective bargaining disputes. In the first and last mentioned seasons, games were finally played, but the 2004–2005 season was canceled completely.
It may very well be that this time we avoid the trauma of a lockout.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman namely, he promised that the league would start negotiations on a new contract at the very beginning of January. Bettman stated that the ground under the new negotiations is so favorable that an agreement could be reached even by the summer.
This kind of news is pretty good music for sportsmen, considering that the current contract does not expire until September 2026. So the parties are on time.
On the other hand, it is not a miracle. The NHL business is doing well and the prospects for the future are bright. In the future, there will be enough for everyone to eat from the ever-growing cake, and nobody wants the damage caused by collective bargaining disputes right now.
Fingers crossed that in the summer of 2025 we will have a new CBA, the NHL’s collective agreement, in our hands.
Who will take the championship?
Predicting the champion in October is pure madness in a series like the NHL, but the biggest favorites are easy to highlight. Florida, the reigning champion playing in the Eastern Conference, is a big favorite, and the same can be said about Dallas and Edmonton on the west side.
The championship goes to Florida, which becomes the third double champion of the 2000s, in addition to Pittsburgh and Tampa.
In Florida, the top carries, the style of play is in order, the goalkeeper game works and the group has depth and the experience of winning. Alexander Barkov plays another cannon season and raises the pitcher in the air again in the summer.
Barkov joins tough company. So far, Finnish players have reached the double championship Jari Kurri, Esa Tikkanen and Olli Määtä.
Which team is cheating?
Buffalo. I’m sorry to bring the Sabers up to snuff again, but the weekend’s matches in the Czech Republic brought to mind the old grudges at a fast pace.
Henri Jokiharju spoke convincingly about the strengthening of the culture in an interview with Ylen Urheilu over the weekend, but the start of the season was something completely different from what was expected from the team. One would think that after 13 dry years, Buffalo would have the desire to look merciless, but the expression was once again limp and unruly.
Especially if the season gets off to a bad start, the spine may be put to the test quickly. It is burdened by the heavy burden of history.
Is Buffalo really ready to take the next step? Is the new old head coach Lindy Ruff really the right man to lead the project? It may be, but it is equally possible that the bench will gather dust again.
Unfortunately, the latter option is easier to believe.
Which Finn surprises?
Take a good position and see how in Denver Justus Annunen eat the Russian guard in front of him Alexander Georgiev. Georgiev didn’t convince last season with Colorado’s goal, especially at the point when the matches really started to matter.
Of course, the coaching also gets to take some of the problems after playing the Russian at an unreasonable pace.
However, now begins the time of Justus Annus, who has been marinating in the AHL for a long time. Annunen has shown that he is capable of playing at the NHL level very well and if the development goes in the direction seen, the number of games will increase in the starting season and eventually the Finn might even be the team’s number one defenseman.
Annus’ briefcase contains all the tools needed for a coup.
Which Finn has a hard time?
Kasperi Kapanen must be highlighted in this category. Kapanen has not been able to get on top of his game for a long time, or at least not able to perform consistently at a sufficient level.
The game didn’t go in Pittsburgh, and it didn’t go in St. Louis. The role has shrunk continuously and now only a one-year million dollar contract was signed. Kapanen has been known to be talented, but the fishing line is starting to run out – now is the last chance to show.
On top of all that, the competition for playing spots in St. Louis’ base chains is tougher than in years. The plot is not offered to the Finnish striker on a silver platter.
The question remains: how much has Kapanen practiced in the summer? Are all the stones turned now? If so, snacks are on the rise again.
If not, it can quickly be seen in the rink, in self-confidence and so on. It will be difficult.
What next?
What note does country play in Nashville? Juuse Saros and Juuso Pärssisen represented by Nashville is undoubtedly one of the most interesting teams in the starting series.
Just when many thought the club would make a controlled generational change, GM Barry Trotz decided to move all characters to the center. The club acquired top individuals By Steven Stamkos, by Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjein meet, and thus made himself one of the favorites of the Central Division and the Western Conference.
At the same time, the bar with the team rose to new heights: Nashville must be a 100-point group in the regular season and be able to cause noise in the playoffs as well.
If the collective works, the individuals mentioned above will be able to bring enormous added value to the group’s results-making department. Juuse Saros at the back of the group forgives a lot for the team, which is sure to rumble with a positive and courageous way of playing night after night.
It’s worth following.