3 things to watch for on NHL opening night
Congratulations, everybody. We made it.
At several different points, wading through the fruitless summer months and meaningless preseason games seemed impossible, but we've reached the light at the end of the tunnel, and hockey is officially back.
As we begin another NHL voyage, here are three things to keep an eye on during opening night. Only 27 weeks until the playoffs!
Matthews vs. Laine (and Leafs vs. Jets)
Wednesday marks another meeting between 2016's top two draft picks, and if their rookie season was any indication, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine are destined to provide another classic. The electric Finn bagged a hat trick in their first matchup while Matthews notched three assists in round two, giving each side a win.
The sophomore phenoms will draw most of the attention, but the Maple Leafs and Jets have several supporting candidates capable of stealing the spotlight: William Nylander, Mark Scheifele, Mitch Marner, and Nikolaj Ehlers, just to name a few.
Both meetings between Winnipeg and Toronto last season were high-scoring overtime thrillers, and we should all be hoping for more of the same.
Penguins raise banner
The Penguins' quest for a three-peat begins Wednesday, with the defending champs hosting the St. Louis Blues on banner-raising night.
The target on Pittsburgh's back grew even larger after adding another ring - a rather flashy one - to its collection, and the Blues should offer a tough test right out of the gate.
Even if the game is tightly contested or low scoring, there should be no shortage of entertainment with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Vladimir Tarasenko sharing the same ice surface.
Battle of Alberta Vol. I
Based on personnel alone, the Oilers and Flames have the potential to be the most entertaining rivalry in the NHL. Both sides have hated each other for a long time, but it's been quite a while since Edmonton and Calgary have each entered a season with such high expectations.
Edmonton swept the season series last year, but Calgary has an early chance to erase those memories with a win Wednesday night. The Flames added Mike Smith and Travis Hamonic over the summer to help fix defensive issues the Oilers were able to expose, and it will be interesting to monitor how well their new pieces perform.
Oh, and there's that Connor McDavid guy. He's pretty fun to watch, too.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
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