Author: Buffalo Winter

Las Vegas Golden Knights {tied for 4^th overall} Western Conference, Pacific Division

The Knights goaltending carousel of injuries from February into the playoffs led to the emergence of Adin Hill who in 14 playoff games earned two shutouts, 11 victories, 2.17 GAA, and a .932 save percentage to help his Knights capture the Cup.

Las Vegas won 51 regular season games winning 25 games at home and 26 on the road earning them the Pacific Division and Western Conference titles then they were even better in the playoffs offensively with Captain Stone, misters Marchessault, Stephenson, and Karlsson scoring goals in double digits.

Winning the Stanley Cup back-to-back is a nearly insurmountable task that only eight teams have accomplished in over 100 years of playoffs with just three of them in the last three decades now Las Vegas has earned their shot to become the ninth team to accomplish this feat.

Edmonton Oilers {tied for 6^th overall} Western Conference, Pacific Division

The Oilers were an offensive juggernaut last season compiling the second-best goal differential with a +65, scoring over 300 goals and scoring 20 more goals than the number one team in the League, and finished the season on a nine-game winning streak.

After two overtime games in the opening round, Edmonton was down 2-1 but then scored 16 goals over the next three games to advance where they met the eventual Cup winner in round two.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman discussed the pain of the early playoff exits the last two seasons to the eventual Cup winners and how it is not a moral victory but a lesson and experience that will assist them in their efforts toward winning the Cup in the 2023-24 season.

Colorado Avalanche {tied for 6^th overall} Western Conference, Central Division

Last season’s defending Stanley Cup Champions were one of five teams to win more than 50 games and had taken a 2-1 opening round series lead and forced a game seven before eventually bowing out early.

Colorado had two picks [27 & 31] in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and selected 6’ 2” Center Calum Ritchie who in two seasons is on a near point-a-game pace for the Oshawa Generals in the OHL while collecting 13 points in 11 playoff games.

The Avalanche chose a defenseman for the second pick at 5’ 10” from Russia Mikhail Gulyayev who had made his KHL [Russia’s top pro league] 13-game debut last season.

Having recently won the Cup, winning over 50 games, sporting a 50-goal scorer and two solid goaltenders there is not much Colorado has to change to be able to advance further in the 2024 playoffs.

Dallas Stars {8^th overall} Western Conference, Central Division

Dallas welcomes their new assistant coach Misha Donskov a former Director of Hockey Operations (NHL), assistant coach (NHL), Manager of hockey operations/analytics (Canada’s Men’s National Team), and associate coach (OHL), Mr. Donskov has also held development positions for two NHL teams in hockey, community, and fans as well as marketing.

In the 2023 NHL Entry Draft Dallas had six picks one in each round beginning in round two, the Stars traded away their first-round pick before last season. They acquired a young defenseman and GM Nill (2022-2023 GM of the Year) explained giving up a first-round selection, “if” he knows he is getting a young player (Nils Lundkvist) who can contribute now and in the future.

The Stars earned 108 points with 47 victories while becoming third overall in goals against and nearly scoring 300 goals in the regular season, the playoffs proved tougher as Dallas dropped game one in the opening round in double overtime before advancing eventually to the Conference Finals.

Exiting the playoffs before reaching their goal the Dallas Stars have a solid but aging team whose “window” will still be open for the 2023-2024 NHL Season.

New York Rangers {9^th overall} Eastern Conference, Metropolitan Division

New York was one of only four teams to have less than 10 losses out of 41 road games last season, fourth overall in goals against average and a +58 in their goal differential, which culminated with the Rangers taking a 2-0 opening round series lead on the road.

President/General Manager Chris Drury brought in veterans Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino, goaltender Jonathan Quick, and a few others to provide some offense, Cup-winning experience, and mentoring to bring in veteran leadership to assist in progressing in the 2024 playoffs.

The Rangers’ first pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft did not come until the third round at number 90 and they chose 6’ 3” defenseman Drew Fortescue and the 18-year-old will be a freshman at Boston College for 2024.

It is tough to leave the playoffs early but with the incoming Cup-winning veterans to help balance things out for those that have not won a Cup yet the New York Rangers will have an opportunity to absorb/learn and to progress past the opening round.