Sunday Scroll: Hello out there, we’re on the air
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Oh, hey there!
The puck’s already dropped on the NHL’s Global Series in Czechia, but with the league’s North American season openers hitting the ice on Tuesday, today’s newsletter is all about the season setup, the teams to watch, and the major storylines. Let’s do that hockey.
— The late former NHLer and Columbus Blue Jacket Johnny Gaudreau on his relationship with hockey and his family. Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew were tragically killed by a drunk driver in August, the day before their sister’s wedding.
- To honor the legacy of the Gaudreau brothers, all 32 NHL teams will wear special helmet decals from the start of the season through the October 24th games. Johnny Hockey forever.
🏒 How it works
The NHL consists of 32 teams divided between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference. Those conferences are further split into two divisions — the Atlantic and Metropolitan in the East, and Central and Pacific in the West.
- One change this year? The Phoenix Coyotes have officially relocated to Utah, marking the end of their 27-year tenure in Arizona. The team will now be known as the Utah Hockey Club for its inaugural season, bringing NHL action to the Beehive State for the first time.
Each team will play 82 games over the next six months — 41 at home and 41 away — to rack up points in the official standings: two points for a win, one point for an overtime loss, and a big ol’ goose egg for a regulation-time loss.
- The top three teams in each division move on to the postseason, along with the two next-best in each conference, for a total of 16 teams battling it out for the greatest trophy in sports.
🏆 The reigning champs: Florida Panthers
It was a summer to remember for Ariana Grande and Chaminade College Preparatory School alums everywhere as the Florida Panthers took home the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in a winner-takes-all Game 7. It’s one hell of a drug.
The Panthers have been on an absolute tear the last few seasons, making the Stanley Cup Finals in 2023 before bagging last season’s title, but they’ve lost a key piece in defenseman Brandon Montour and some of their signature depth in the offseason shuffle.
- But so long as goalie Sergei “Brick Wall” Bobrovsky is between the pipes and forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk (pronounced kuh-CHUCK) are leading the charge, expect the Cats to skate into their title defense with confidence, starting with Tuesday’s 7 p.m. ET tilt with the Boston Bruins.
🥊 The contenders
💙 Edmonton Oilers: After narrowly losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to Florida, three-time league MVP Connor McDavid and his partner-in-points Leon Draisaitl will try to run it back. They’ll be joined by offseason additions Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, whose offensive impact could be just enough for McDavid to finally hoist his first Cup.
🏔️ Colorado Avalanche: Avs superstar center and reigning league MVP Nathan MacKinnon will be looking to repeat his jaw-dropping 140-point season — a career high — but not his team’s early playoff exit. And with captain Gabriel Landeskog’s long-awaited return from injury on the horizon, this team could get the push they need to make a deep postseason run. Avengers Avalanche assemble.
😈 New Jersey Devils: The Devils have made some key changes this offseason in hopes of reaching the playoffs this time around. The franchise hired head coach Sheldon Keefe (in hopes he has better luck than with the Toronto Maple Leafs) and acquired netminder Jacob Markström.
- And with star defenseman Dougie Hamilton returning after an injury-plagued year, this fiery young team is primed to shake up the East.
🌟 Dallas Stars: The Stars’ top line is poised to shine even brighter with emerging talent Wyatt Johnston likely joining forces with winger Jason Robertson. Add in veteran talent like Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, and Dallas might have just the right mix of skill and experience to put together an impressive season.
🇨🇦 Canadian teams
⚜ Montréal Canadiens: From 2021 Stanley Cup finalists to basement dwellers the last three seasons, the Habs are entering what feels like a make-or-break season. But don’t expect les Habitants to have a different outcome: They’re a young squad that’s lacking depth and a star goaltender.
🔴 Ottawa Senators: Firmly in their rebuild era, it’s unlikely the youthful Sens will miraculously turn things around this season. Their new ownership is committed to growing talent, making smart personnel moves, and moving the Sens to a downtown arena. Patience is a virtue.
🍁 Toronto Maple Leafs: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but it might actually be the Leafs year to hoist the Cup for the first time since 1967, the longest drought in NHL history.
- After firing aforementioned head coach Sheldon Keefe following another first-round playoff exit and naming star center Auston Matthews captain, the Buds seem serious about leveling up.
🛫 Winnipeg Jets: It was a drama-filled, topsy-turvy season for the Jets last season, and after a first-round playoff departure, the Jets will be looking to smooth the airwaves. Mainstay Mark Scheifele (pronounced SHY-flee) remains solid, but the Jets need players around him to perform at their best if they want a shot at a postseason run.
🔥 Calgary Flames: For the second year in a row, the team flamed out and missed the playoffs. And though the team has made some serious personnel changes over the last 12 months, many expect Calgary to be a bottom-five team. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
🧡 Edmonton Oilers:. If any Canadian team is going to bring home the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993, the Oil have the best shot. Why? Well, per our last section, McDavid is a man on a mission and this Oilers roster is talented (and motivated) enough to turn last season’s unfinished business into a championship.
- Adding extra fuel to that fire, the aforementioned Draisaitl signed an eight-year $112M contract extension, the richest extension in the salary cap era. It doesn’t kick in until the 2025–26 season, but if that’s not extra motivation to perform, we don’t know what is.
🐋 Vancouver Canucks: The ’Nucks showed up and showed out last season, winning the Pacific Division before being ousted in the second round of the playoffs by the aforementioned Oilers. Notoriously an inconsistent team, Vancouver will be relying on star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson to keep the train on track.
📺 How to tune in
Settle in for a thrilling season ahead, with regular-season action running from October through April. Check out the full schedule, then don your jersey and tune into Tuesday’s tripleheader starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada. Nothing like the good ol’ hockey game.
Giveaway Alert
What a year it’s been for women’s sports — and we’re not even close to being done. WXV 1, an elite international competition, is entering its final weekend with the grand showdown of Canada vs England (#1 vs #2 in the world) October 12th at BC Place, and we want you to be part of it all.
Together with our friends at Rugby Canada and Gilbert, you can win the following:
🎟️ Four premium tickets to Canada vs England at BC Place
🛍️ Two hoodies
🏉 Two Gilbert rugby balls
What are you waiting for? Enter to win today. It’s going to be a try-mendous time.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
🐙 Who to know
Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell, who, earlier this summer, became the first full-time woman coach in the league. The Canadian spent two years as an assistant for the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds (the Kraken’s minor league affiliate) before being promoted. So cool.
📺 What to watch
Hockey fan Snoop Dogg explaining some of hockey’s most fun (and weird) traditions including the use of catfish, octopi, and rats. An oldie but a goodie.
🛍️ What to check out
PWHL merch, of course. The league’s sophomore season is starting soon and whether you root for the Boston Fleet, Minnesota Frost, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, Ottawa Charge, or Toronto Sceptres, it’s time to stock up on the latest gear. *adds to cart*
Question of the Day
Here’s one more fact for you to close out this NHL season preview. Nine teams have won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and we want to know: do you think the Florida Panthers will repeat as champs?
Today's email was brought to you by Ellen Hyslop, Alexis Allison, Marga Sison, and Lisa Minutillo. Editing by Rachel Fuenzalida. Fact-checking by Molly Potter. Operations by Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster and Alessandra Puccio. Managing edits by Ellen Hyslop.