3 Storylines to Watch As NHL Season Opens

As the NHL regular season opens, here are three storylines to monitor.

Oct 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) plays the puck during the second period against the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The 2024-2025 NHL season is set to begin as the St. Louis Blues and Seattle Kraken will kick-off the regular season games. After the Florida Panthers captured the 2024 Stanley Cup championship, the Cats are ready to officially begin their title defense. With the season now ready to begin, let's take a look at three of the biggest storylines to watch.

Can the Oilers avenge their game 7 loss?

The Edmonton Oilers suffered a hearbreaking defeat in the Stanley Cup Finals, dropping a game 7 contest to the Panthers and losing out on the Stanley Cup. The organization took their lumps, went out and improved the roster over the summer, and now are ready to contend again. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl motivated and determined to end the season hoisting the trophy, can the Oilers avenge their Cup Finals loss from last year?

What impact will the Four Nations Face-Off have?

The hockey world is eagerly anticipating the Four Nations Face-off, a tournament pitting the best NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States against each other. Each nation is bringing an all-star roster to the tournament, and it will be an incredibly exciting event.

The biggest question is what sort of impact will this have? Hockey fans and the league are pumped for this event, but are the players? And will playing in these games have any negative effect on these players and their teams when the Face-Off concludes? The tournament is set to begin in February of 2025, giving the NHL plenty of time to continue building excitement and anxiety.

How will Jeremy Swayman fare for the Boston Bruins?

The Bruins and Jeremy Swayman finally agreed to terms on a contract extension, earning Swayman an eight-year, $66 million deal. With this deal now done and behind them, how will the goaltender fare in his first season post-extension?

The Bruins are one of the Atlantic Division contenders, and that expectation is largely due to the presence of Swayman in net. But will the long negotiations and relationship strain have any negative effect on Swayman's performance this year? The Bruins are betting on that not being the case, but his play will be under the microscope all season.

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