Preview: Montreal at Toronto.
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price enjoyed a career season in 2014-15, winning the Hart and Vezina Trophies and the Ted Lindsay Award while also securing a share of the William Jennings Trophy (with Chicago's Corey Crawford). Price looks to pick up where he left off on Wednesday as the Canadiens open the 2015-16 season on the road against the Original Six-rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
Price led the league in goals-against average (.196) and save percentage (.33) while setting a franchise record in wins (44), with four coming during the Canadiens' sweep of the Maple Leafs. "Ask anybody around the league. (Carey) is not a flash in the pan," Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin told reporters. "Carey Price is among the best, if not the best." While Montreal advanced to the second round before getting upended by Tampa Bay, Toronto saw the bottom fall out in a hurry last season and spent the summer making significant moves in a bid to get back on its feet. The Maple Leafs signed new coach Mike Babcock to an eight-year deal, brought in Hall-of-Famer Lou Lamoriello as general manager and sent five-time 30-goal scorer Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RSN (Montreal), TVA (Toronto)
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (2014-15: 50-22-10, 1ST IN ATLANTIC): Max Pacioretty, who became the third American to be named captain of the historic franchise last month, scored a team-leading 37 goals in 2014-15 and finished plus-38 to share the league's top honors with Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov. Pacioretty's output notwithstanding, Montreal struggled to light up the scoreboard and mustered just 221 goals - the fewest among teams that qualified for the playoffs. The Canadiens attempted to address that issue by signing free-agent forward Alexander Semin, a seven-time 20-goal scorer who is coming off a disastrous six-tally season in Carolina.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (2014-15: 30-44-8, 7TH IN ATLANTIC): With Kessel in the Keystone State, James van Riemsdyk (team-leading 27 goals) will be looked upon to carry the load for Toronto. Tyler Bozak added 49 points, with five (two goals, three assists) coming against the Canadiens. Jonathan Bernier has been confirmed to start the season opener but lost all four meetings with Montreal in 2014-15 and fell to 1-5-3 with a 3.07 GAA in nine career starts versus the Canadiens.
OVERTIME
1. Montreal veteran C Tomas Plekanec scored four of his 26 goals last season versus Toronto.
2. The Maple Leafs converted just 15.9 percent of their power-play opportunities in 2014-15, tied for fourth-worst in the league.
3. Canadiens RW Zack Kassian, who was acquired from Vancouver in the offseason, entered a substance-abuse program after being involved in a car accident on Sunday.
Preview: NY Rangers at Chicago.
The Chicago Blackhawks barely were able to breathe a sigh of relief after capturing their third Stanley Cup in six years before a busy offseason took their breath away. The Blackhawks look to get back to the business at hand when they open the 2015-16 season against the visiting New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Shortly after defeating Tampa Bay in six games to win the championship, Chicago sent forward Brandon Saad to Columbus as part of a blockbuster deal and alternate captain Patrick Sharp to Dallas while veterans Brad Richards and Antoine Vermette left the Windy City via free agency. The bombshell occurred later in the summer as superstar Patrick Kane became the subject of an ongoing sexual assault investigation that has continued into the season. Kane, who has not been charged with a crime, will join his teammates on the ice to watch the Stanley Cup banner be raised to the rafters at the United Center. On the opposing blue line will reside the Rangers, who won the Presidents' Trophy last season before falling to the Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE RANGERS (2014-15: 53-22-7, 1ST IN METROPOLITAN): While Chicago encountered plenty of change in the offseason, New York made minimal moves and returns a team with great expectations. Rick Nash's 42 goals last season doubled the total of his closest teammates - the now-retired Martin St. Louis (21) and Chris Kreider (21) - while his 69 points led the club as well. Captain Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi headline a deep corps of defensemen in front of veteran goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is entering his 11th NHL season.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (2014-15: 48-28-6, 3RD IN CENTRAL): Despite a bevy of change, coach Joel Quenneville's club remains top-heavy at both forward and defense. Top-line representatives Marian Hossa (club-best 39 assists) and captain Jonathan Toews (team-leading 28 goals and 66 points) will be paired with promising 21-year-old Teuvo Teravainen, who takes the place of the departed Saad following the seven-player deal in the summer. Reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith joins fellow blue-liners Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson on the back end in front of two-time Jennings Trophy winner Corey Crawford.
OVERTIME
1. New York's Antti Raanta, who was acquired from Chicago in June, could be in for a rude greeting from the United Center faithful on Wednesday. Angered after being demoted, the backup goaltender reportedly told a Finnish newspaper over the summer that he wished the Blackhawks would have lost their first-round series versus Nashville.
2. Chicago C Artem Anisimov, who began his career with the Rangers and was acquired in the Saad deal, has collected three goals and two assists in seven career games versus his former team.
3. New York finished third in the league in goals per game last season (3.02) but just 21st in power-play efficiency (16.8 percent).
Preview: Vancouver at Calgary.
The Vancouver Canucks don't have long to wait to begin exacting revenge for their quick exit last postseason as they visit the Pacific Division-rival Calgary Flames on Wednesday for the 2015-16 season opener for both teams. Vancouver fell to upstart Calgary in six games in their first-round series, losing all three contests at Scotiabank Saddledome to drop to 2-5 in playoff meetings with the Flames.
The Canucks made only a handful of additions to their roster over the summer and parted with a key member in defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who was traded to Anaheim for a second-round draft pick. Calgary's first playoff appearance since 2009 ended in the second round, when it lost to the division-champion Ducks in five games. While surprising most experts by qualifying for the postseason in 2015, the Flames will be expected by many to return behind their group of talented young forwards. Sean Monahan shared the team lead with 31 goals in his second season, Johnny Gaudreau tied for first in rookie scoring with 64 points to become a finalist for the Calder Trophy and 2014 first-round pick Sam Bennett has a chance to capture the award after recording two goals and an assist in the playoff series against Vancouver.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, RSN, TVA2
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (2014-15: 48-29-5, 2ND IN PACIFIC): One of Vancouver's offseason additions is Brandon Sutter, who was acquired from Pittsburgh in a deal involving Nick Bonino and will begin the season on a line with the Sedin twins. The 26-year-old son of Brent Sutter scored a career high-tying 21 goals for the Penguins last season and tied for second in the league with four short-handed tallies. Rugged left wing Brandon Prust, who was obtained from Montreal, is expected to make his Canucks debut against the team with which he began his NHL career.
ABOUT THE FLAMES (2014-15: 45-30-7, 3RD IN PACIFIC): Calgary strengthened its already formidable blue line over the summer by acquiring Dougie Hamilton from Boston for a trio of draft picks. The 22-year-old, who posted career highs of 10 goals and 32 assists last season, joins a defense corps that includes captain Mark Giordano, Dennis Wideman and TJ Brodie, who will begin the season on injured reserve. Karri Ramo will start in goal on Wednesday, but Jiri Hudler - who led the team in scoring last season with 76 points - is questionable as he battles the flu.
OVERTIME
1. Calgary lost LW Paul Byron, who was claimed off waivers by the Canadiens on Tuesday.
2. Canucks C Jared McCann could make his NHL debut Wednesday after earning a roster spot with a strong showing in training camp.
3. The division rivals, who meet in Vancouver on Saturday, split their four-game season series in 2014-15.
Preview: San Jose at Los Angeles.
With a new coach, a new captain and a new goaltender, the San Jose Sharks hope to erase the memory of a disappointing campaign when they visit the Pacific Division-rival Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday for the 2015-16 season opener for both teams. After failing to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2002-03, San Jose mutually parted ways with the winningest coach in franchise history in Todd McLellan, who was replaced by former Florida and New Jersey bench boss Peter DeBoer.
The Sharks, who played without an official captain last season, filled the vacancy by giving the honor to Joe Pavelski while shipping veteran netminder Antti Niemi to Dallas and bringing in former King Martin Jones from Boston to guard the crease. Los Angeles' 2014-15 season was even more disappointing, as it also missed the playoffs after winning its second Stanley Cup championship in three years the previous campaign. The Kings added a combination of grit and offense in the form of Milan Lucic, who was acquired from Boston for a package that included Jones. Los Angeles did a nice job in finding a new backup for Jonathan Quick, signing 2011-12 NHL All-Rookie Team member Jhonas Enroth to a one-year contract.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE SHARKS (2014-15: 40-33-9, 5TH IN PACIFIC): Pavelski, who led San Jose with 70 points last season, became the ninth captain in franchise history on Monday. One of his alternates is veteran center Joe Thornton, who was the last player to wear the "C" for the Sharks but was removed from the post following San Jose's first-round collapse against Los Angeles in the 2014 postseason. Pavelski will not have to worry about dealing with Raffi Torres, who received a 41-game suspension for delivering a hit to the head of Anaheim's Jakob Silfverberg in a preseason contest.
ABOUT THE KINGS (40-27-15, 4TH IN PACIFIC): Los Angeles begins its quest for a third Cup in five years without several key pieces from its first two championship teams as 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Justin Williams, Mike Richards and Jarret Stoll have moved on. But the club is hoping for big things from youngsters Nick Shore and Andy Andreoff, as well as the veteran Lucic. The 27-year-old power forward, whose 18 goals in 2014-15 was his lowest total for a full season since 2009-10 (nine), is expected to begin the campaign on a line with Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik.
OVERTIME
1. Los Angeles lost G J.F. Berube, who was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders on Tuesday, and traded F Brian O'Neill to New Jersey for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2017.
2. San Jose is hoping to improve its already solid power play and its disappointing penalty kill with the addition of D Paul Martin, who signed a four-year, $19.4 million contract as a free agent during the offseason.
3. The Kings won three of their five meetings with the Sharks last season.
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