Sounds crazy, but in about a month the 2019-2020 NHL Season gets underway. It feels like the St. Louis Blues just beat the Boston Bruins for the Stanley Cup. That’s what happens when you’ve got a short offseason. Check out an update on the upcoming NHL Season!
NHL Updates of the Week – Sep. 2nd Edition
NHL Preseason Starts On Sep. 15th
Circle September 15. That’s when teams hit the ice for the first time. Most eyes will be on the new look New York Rangers. In our last update, we discussed how the Rangers could, possibly, contend for the Cup this season.
Artemi Panarin will start at left wing for NYR. He’s the type of player that makes everyone around him better. If Panarin plays to his abilities, who knows
It’s also important to pay attention to the Columbus Blue Jackets during NHL Preseason. The Jackets went through a lot of changes. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen believes his squad can compete in the deep Eastern Conference.
The final team to really pay attention to, of course, must be the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning ran roughshod over the rest of the NHL during the regular season. Columbus bounced them in Round 1. Not only did Columbus bounce them, the Blue Jackets swept the Lightning.
Is Tampa Bay shell shocked still from such a horrible playoff performance? Watch them during the preseason for clues.
NHL Regular Season Starts on Oct. 2th
The National Hockey League wastes no time. The first 3 days of the NHL Regular Season is chockfull of excellent matchups.
On Oct. 2, the Washington Capitals battle the St. Louis Blues, and the San Jose Sharks take on the Vegas Golden Knights. The next day, Oct. 3, sees the Montreal Canadiens battling the Carolina Hurricanes, and the Winnipeg Jets hitting the ice versus the New York Rangers.
Then on Oct. 4, it’s the Caps versus the New York Islanders, the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Knights versus the Sharks again.
After only a few days in the NHL Regular Season, we’ll know which teams have set the tone and which need to do some work.
Lightning Holding Steady as NHL Stanley Cup Favorites
Although Tampa Bay imploded, they’re still a solid +750 favorite to win the Stanley Cup. The Lightning are the best team in the National Hockey League based on last season.
The NHL Preseason favorite almost never wins Lord Stanley’s hardware, though. That’s why Vegas and Boston at +1000, Toronto at +900, and Colorado at +1200 are being taken seriously to win the championship.
We’ll see if odds change right before the first puck drops on October 2. If they don’t, the Lightning will once again carry the favorite’s burden into the NHL Regular Season.
Have a great week!
