The 2014-2015 NHL season is mere hours from kicking off.
Ahead of the inaugural puck-drop, let's take a closer look at the four games that will send us careening headlong into the latest grueling, 82-game campaign.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins
The Bruins absolutely owned the Flyers last season, sweeping the season series 3-0 behind stellar performances from defenseman Zdeno Chara and goalie Tuukka Rask.
Rask and Chara are both in the conversation to win individual awards this season, and after last year's unceremonious exit from the second round of the playoffs at the hands of the upstart Montreal Canadiens, they and the Bruins are looking to bounce back and fulfill the expectations they left unmet.
The Bruins return most of that same squad, minus Shawn Thornton, Jarome Iginla and Johnny Boychuck. They'll continue to rely on dependable mainstays Chara, Rask, Patrice Bergergon and Milan Lucic. Last season's leading scorer and top-line center David Krejci will start the season on injured reserve.
For the Flyers, much of this season's potential for success hinges on the health of Captain Claude Giroux, and the continued maturation of players like Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek, as well as the ability of their blueline to play at least moderately well. The Philadelphia defense is, to put it nicely, a mess. They boast a group comprised almost entirely of older, slower players, and younger projects who didn't pan out at their initial NHL stop.
Coach Craig Berube returns for his first full season, and is currently Vegas' third most likely coach to get fired this year. New GM Ron Hextall has taken over for GM turned club President Paul Holmgren.
Tonight will be our first chance to see if Hextall's calmer, steadier hand is going to propel the Flyers to Stanley Cup contention and a glimpse into just how good Boston's chances are to vie for the Cup again.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames
Last year, the Canucks had the Flames' number, winning all five matchups, including a couple of nail-biters, one of which involved a fight between then Vancouver coach John Tortorella and Flames forward Brian McGrattan outside the locker room during a game on January 18th.
But Vancouver didn't find much success beyond the Flames last season. They missed the playoffs, and Tortorella and general manager Mike Gillis were fired. The Canucks will be breaking in a coach - Willie Desjardins - new to the city and new to the NHL, so expectations will be tempered somewhat initially.
But for a team stacked with talent - they added superstar goalie Ryan Miller in the offseason and the Sedin twins, Daniel (47 points) and Henrik (50 points) remain one of the most lethal duos in the game - expectations will eventually grow.
The Flames missed the playoffs as well, the fifth straight season the franchise has done so, but they finished 2013-14 strong going 19-13-0 down the stretch. Young center Sean Monahan, Mikael Backlund and former Canuck Mason Raymond will be counted on to pace the squad offensively.
For the Flames, they need to prove that last season's strong run at the end wasn't a fluke, and for the Canucks, they need to start this hopeful return to glory off on the right foot.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Canadiens took three of five from the Maple Leafs last season on their way to an Eastern Conference Final loss to the New York Rangers.
The Canadiens had something of a tumultuous regular season, with the franchise continually dogged by talk of underachievement and trade speculation. With an 11-3-1 finish to the regular season, they stole a playoff spot and proved that all it takes is getting hot at the right time as they stunned the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins before being knocked off by the Rangers.
In the offseason, veteran center Daniel Briere was shipped to the Colorado Avalanche for P.A. Parenteau, and former captain Brian Gionta and defenseman Josh Gorges were both jettisoned as well, shifting the spotlight and leadership expectations to young star Max Pacioretty and offensively-minded defenseman P.K. Subban. Subban is being talked about as a possible Norris Trophy winner.
Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis and Coach Randy Carlyle stuck around through the change in organizational leadership to President Brendan Shanahan. Stephane Robidas and Roman Polak were added to the blueline, hopefully allowing Captain Dion Phaneuf a breather every now and then.
The Leafs continue to suffer from something of an identity crisis though, with Nonis saying he wants them to be tougher and more "in-your-face" as a team. Depth is an issue, as is finding permanent homes for good young players like center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Jake Gardiner.
The Leafs need to see continued growth from young stars like Kadri and James van Riemsdyk starting tonight, and the Canadiens need to prove that last year's run up to and into the playoffs was no fluke.
San Jose Sharks vs. Los Angeles Kings
This matchup has to be my favorite by far. The Kings, after falling behind 0-3 in the opening round of last year's playoffs to the Sharks, roared back to life, eventually winning the series on their way to a second Stanley Cup in three years.
The Sharks, meanwhile, suffered a massive collapse and apparently went through something of a soul-searching experience after their season ended in disaster - again. They played poorly down the stretch - though they still managed to post a regular season record of 51-22 - and as a result, stripped the captain's 'C' away from Joe Thornton. They stood strong in the offseason, however, and didn't make any panicky moves. GM Doug Wilson stuck to his guns and gave a lot of young guys - Tomas Hertl, Matt Nieto and Mirco Mueller - the opportunity to grow in Coach Todd McLellan's system.
We'll see if tonight gives us any indication as to whether or not the Kings are going to suffer from some type of early season malaise brought on by a Stanley Cup hangover, and whether or not the Sharks did enough on their team-building trip to Lake Tahoe to right the ship and reassert themselves as real contenders.
