1 Player on Every NHL Team to Get Excited About Ahead of the 2023-24 Season
Three things about hockey fans: We love to gatekeep our already niche major league sport, we love to be right and we love to live for the hope that one (1) man will emerge and fix everything.
There's no better opportunity than the middle of the preseason to combine all three pastimes. Top prospects are getting their first unofficially official NHL reps in, the rough drafts of a million future line-combination iterations are coming together, and new guys acquired via trade and free agency are coming in hot.
As we indulge in our fantasies about bounce-back seasons and generational prospects, let's burden one player on every NHL team with our highest hopes. No pressure!
The criteria for "most exciting player" will vary from team to team. Is there a veteran primed for a bounce-back year? A young star primed for a breakout? Any prospects looking to make the jump to a permanent role? Any irresistible journeyman storylines?
Whatever the source of the excitement may be, here is one player from every NHL team—save for one off-board, front office exception—to get excited about ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins: Milan Lucic
I know, I know, and trust me: I didn't think Lucic would be my Bruins player to get excited about when they brought the 35-year-old bruiser back this offseason. I found myself questioning why they were doing that, though I ultimately arrived at: "Well, why not?" He's not expected to play a huge role, and the Bruins needed to replace some bottom-six players they had to get rid of, such as Nick Foligno.
I thought that would be that and I wouldn't pay the situation much more thought going forward. But I'm only human, I grew up a Bruins fan, and I'm not afraid to admit something as unexpected as it was feral took over when Lucic donned that spoked B for the Bruins' preseason game Tuesday.
Folks, Milan Lucic is a Boston Bruin. Again. And I, for one, could not be more excited about his incoming 4:13 time on ice average.
Buffalo Sabres: Devon Levi
No pressure, but the Sabres' 21-year-old rookie goalie could be the final piece needed to end Buffalo's league-longest playoff drought. He entered Buffalo's net at the end of last season and immediately impressed with a 5-2-0 record and .905 save percentage.
Levi, who won the Mike Richter Award twice as the nation's best goalie while playing for Northeastern in college, has been consistent throughout his career. He excelled under pressure for team Canada at the 2021 World Juniors with a .964 save percentage through seven games.
It looks like the Sabres are giving him a full vote of confidence as they didn't seek out a proven NHL goalie on the market, and I've enjoyed watching him at Northeastern so much that I'll do the same.
Detroit Red Wings: Alex DeBrincat
Do I think DeBrincat will come in and be the best player on this burgeoning Red Wings roster? No, and that would be a bad sign if he did. It's Moritz Seider szn, with a dash of Lucas Raymond.
Do I think DeBrincat will come in and make Seider szn, along with everything else, a heck of a lot easier? Indeed. Between the cheap-ish hometown deal, the opportunity to play for a team better suited for him and the spunky winger with a million goals still left in him ready to unleash, I'm pumped for this change of scenery. Not to mention the impact he could have on Raymond, should they play on the same line.
Florida Panthers: Spencer Knight
Panthers 2019 first-round pick and potential No. 1 goalie Spencer Knight has been open about his experience entering the NHL Players Association's assistance program and dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
"There's nothing to hide," Knight told the Miami Herald on Monday, after his first live game action since Feb. 18. "I think I'll become a better person and player from it, and hopefully if there's someone out there hearing my story, hopefully it helps them, too."
Not even the Panthers expected Sergei Bobrovsky to go on the tear he did to bring Florida to the Cup Final, and who knows what that means headed into 2023-24. But the Panthers didn't have to make any drastic changes to their roster this offseason, and they're adding a potentially elite goalie who the entire league will root for.
Montreal Canadiens: Future Considerations
I mean, the Alex Newhook signing was low-key stupendous, and the Cole Caufield extension is exciting. But let's keep our eyes on the prize here.
Ottawa Senators: Jake Sanderson
Eight years and $64.4 million later, and it's time for Sanderson to become the player all Senators fans know he can be, the one that will push this team to perennial playoff status.
Ottawa looks well-rounded headed into 2023-24, especially with the injury bug swatted. The team has forward depth led by Brady Tkachuk, Vladimir Tarasenko (remember, he signed there!) and Claude Giroux.
Defense is going to be an even more eventful top-pairing battle, with Jakob Chychrun, Thomas Chabot and Sanderson. What excites me the most about Sanderson is the internal competition on defense and how the contract extension paired with some healthy competition could elevate his game.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Tanner Jeannot
This offseason was a tough pill that can't be sugarcoated for the Lightning, and now you've got public Steven Stamkos contract talk. There's not much exciting newness to go around, here, and that's fine. But Jeannot has much more to give than displayed with the Lightning last season. Him at his best could really spark Tampa.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tyler Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi to the Leafs might be the best need-fulfillment move of the offseason. Not only is Bertuzzi tough and hard to play against, but he's also the type of clutch player the Leafs could never have too many of come playoff time. It'll be so fun to watch him play virtually anywhere in this lineup, but the thought of him and Auston "New Contract" Matthews tearing it up together is especially pleasing.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes: Dmitry Orlov
The Hurricanes signing Orlov had to be the apex of the best-to-most underrated ratio when it comes to offseason moves. When I think about the 2023-24 Hurricanes, I'm most excited about Andrei Svechnikov's comeback season. But when I think about who is going to create the most unexpectedly good moments, Orlov is a no-brainer. GM Don Waddell and his inherent love of defense strike again.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Adam Fantilli
If this season wasn't the Connor Bedard Show, it would be the Adam Fantilli show, no doubt. Fantilli is going to have free rein through the middle of the Blue Jackets' center depth, and it's worth paying attention to. Also loving his personality and his disdain of the air fryer.
New Jersey Devils: Akira Schmid
This is the season for the mysterious rookie Devils goalie who was so great against the Rangers and not so great against the Hurricanes to establish himself. I feel like the things he needs to adjust are so specific and minor, and he was ushered into the NHL so suddenly, that he probably addressed his faults and became the No. 1 goalie we think he could be during the offseason.
New York Islanders: Ilya Sorokin
New York Rangers: Blake Wheeler
Wheeler finally gets to be Bejeweled outside of the Winnipeg City Limits. I just can't wait to see him go from the Jets to the Rangers with something to prove. Am I the only one?
Philadelphia Flyers: Cam York
Now that the Flyers have rid themselves of Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo, it's York O'clock. Wasn't this the whole point of the rebuild? At least it's happening now. Again, the Flyers are still trash, but they are our glittery trash can. And as a Flyers fan pointed out on my last post, it's called a trash can, not a trash cannot.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Reilly Smith
Whoa, you're telling me Erik Karlsson isn't the most exciting Penguin? He probably is, but everyone is talking about the reigning Norris Trophy winner's decision to play for the Penguins.
Besides, Kyle Dubas hit a grand slam too big to just mention Karlsson in his first season in the Penguins front office, and he knew he had to. Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin are entering their 18th season together, Karlsson is seeking his first Stanley Cup, and they need an accessory guy like Smith to take the pressure off and perform for the fun of it. He always does.
Washington Capitals: Alexander Ovechkin
Capitals fans, just be grateful the end of your dynasty is congruent with your franchise legend chasing goal records that will make him the No. 1 goal scorer of all time. He needs 73 to get there. He's going to do it in less than three seasons, and we will all still care about the Capitals right up until then.
Central Division
Arizona Coyotes: Jason Zucker
Yayyyyy! An offseason acquisition that actually improved the Arizona Coyotes' on-ice product.
There were a few directions we could've gone with this one, and Dylan Guenther is a great rookie-ish player to watch if you're into that, but Zucker might captivate interest in the current Coyotes, and if we're being completely honest, that's what we need.
Chicago Blackhawks: Connor Bedard
Love this guy! Hearing others do, too.
Colorado Avalanche: Ross Colton
Colton always succeeded in limited minutes with the Lightning. He can take the heat, play a role, and put up numbers in the playoffs. This is the perfect person to supplement an Avalanche team without Gabriel Landeskog, who will miss the season with a knee injury.
Dallas Stars: Thomas Harley
Tired: Jason Robertson is underrated.
Wired: Thomas Harley is underrated.
Minnesota Wild: Matt Boldy
If the Wild are to finally make it to the second round and beyond, they need their Matt Boldys to Matt Boldy. And Boldy has a world of potential at this exact point in Wild history, as this article articulates better than I ever could.
Nashville Predators: Barry Trotz
Nothing entices me more about the 2023-24 Nashville Predators than their new general Manager—longtime NHL coach Barry Trotz. I absolutely love this hire, and players loved playing for Trotz. I'm so curious to see how he bridges the gap between management and coaching, and how his love of defense might impact this middling roster looking for a shake-up. He obviously isn't a player, but let's be honest: This era of Predators hockey should be about building for the future
St. Louis Blues: Scott Perunovich
Defenseman Scott Perunovich has dealt with the injury bug and the general horror that is being a St. Louis Blues prospect, but for some reason I haven't given up on him. I really think he could be a serviceable second-pairing defenseman on any NHL team, and I will die on his hill.
Winnipeg Jets: Cole Perfetti
One thing I've learned? It's never a bad day to center Nino Niederreiter on one of his notorious hot streaks. Perfetti is going to reap the benefits of the Jets' stars exodus and maybe Winnipeg management will finally be rewarded for its mild approach. The team shouldn't be rewarded for the way it has handled this, to be clear, but it might be if Perfetti goes off.
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks: Mason McTavish
McTavish was a blindingly bright spot in the solar eclipse that was the 2022-23 Ducks. I don't blame you if you looked away entirely and protected yourself, but with the right glasses, you saw 20-year-old McTavish score 17 goals and 43 points as a rookie on one of the worst teams ever assembled in the modern NHL.
And you know what, maybe that horrorshow was his gain in terms of NHL minutes and experience. With the addition of Alex Killorn in tow, it will finally be safe to stare directly at the Ducks. And McTavish would explode on his wing.
Calgary Flames: Jonathan Huberdeau
What are the youths saying these days? You need a flop era to enter your slay era? I'm not going to call Huberdeau's 15 goals and 55 points in 79 games a flop last season, but the pressure was on with the new contract and the Matthew Tkachuk comparisons.
I'm really excited to see this Flames team when Huberdeau and goalie Jacob Markstrom bounce back, and why wouldn't it be next season?
Edmonton Oilers: Evan Bouchard
When we talk about the Oilers scoring, we talk about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl—and rightfully so. We are witnessing a historically consistent duo tear up an almost tear up-proof modern NHL.
But people forget that Evan Bouchard led all defensemen with 17 points in 12 games last postseason. He's coming into 2023-24 facing his second season running Edmonton's power play, and he seems primed for a monster year.
Los Angeles Kings: Pierre-Luc Dubois
It was clear Dubois wanted out of Winnipeg. Now that he's fished his wish—and an eight-year, $68 million extension—and has landed on an enticing, young Kings team, will he bounce back and become the star player many believe he has had potential to be throughout his career?
He's going to get opportunities as he fits into Los Angeles' top six and as Anze Kopitar reaches the twilight of his career. If you're a Kings fan, why not be excited about the possibilities for growth?
San Jose Sharks: Anthony Duclair
It's hard to act like there's a player on the Sharks to get excited about right now, and that's kind of the point. Good job on the rebuild, and you at least acquired Anthony Duclair thanks to the Panthers' cap-space gymnastics. Duclair knows how to play and knows how to dress, and the league is better when we're watching him.
Seattle Kraken: Shane Wright
Wright is the anti-hero of the 2023-24 NHL. Everyone is writing their think pieces about how he can't enter the NHL until he "proves himself." I think this discourse is overblown and way too discoursy. I'd love to see the Kraken just let him rip at some point this season and see what happens.
Vancouver Canucks: Nils Höglander
I finally have something to talk about with the Canucks that isn't just me asking when the misery will stop! New head coach Rick Tocchet has Höglander on the first line during training camp. All my love to Bruce Boudreau, but the—gulp—mishandling of a talent like this might've resulted in a chip on the shoulder a coach like Tocchet can turn into a diamond.
Vegas Golden Knights: Jack Eichel
Yes, Eichel just made his first playoff appearance, and yes, he ran with it all the way to hoisting the Stanley Cup. But does anyone else feel like he's just getting started? And with this crew of Knights returning, why would we have any reason to believe he'd stop?