Four Notes From the 2023 NHL Preseason
Harry Scull Jr. / Buffalo News
The NHL preseason has officially come to a close, and the meaningful games are now just three days away. Despite the outcomes of these games being irrelevant, there have been plenty of standout players, head-turning moments, and storylines to watch in the coming future. Below is a comprehensive list of the top four notes from the warm-up tournament:
Battle of the Hudson Continues to Shift In Favor of New Jersey
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers played two preseason games against each other and the Devils came out on top both times, a similar outcome as to how the round one series played out in April. The first ended with a 3-2 score at Madison Square Garden and the second being a 5-2 final score at the Prudential Center. Winger Jesper Bratt tallied a goal in each contest, both Jack and Luke Hughes got on the board, and new addition Tyler Toffoli looked like he did not miss a beat. With the exception of Adam Fox, the Rangers stars struggled to light the lamp and the goaltending was not stellar either. As the Metropolitan Division has a number of contenders in addition to these two, such as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders, it will be an exciting race for the top three and ultimately the Eastern Conference wild card spots this year as well.
Chicago Rookies Are Earning Roster Spots
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP
Over six preseason games, it was quite clear that many Blackhawks who were guaranteed roster spots last season are not in the same position now. With the spot that Chicago is currently in, there is truly not a good reason not to test out some young guns on opening night. Connor Bedard will absolutely be on the October 10th roster, but there will likely be more rookies as well. Defensemen Wyatt Kaiser and Kevin Korchinski looked like stars in the making, Alex Vlasic has a strong chance to make the jump, Colton Dach was given every chance to prove himself, and goaltender Drew Commesso looked solid. Depth players like MacKenzie Entwistle, Boris Katchouk, and Reese Johnson may have had a spot last year, but are in danger of losing that in the next week. The Blackhawks are a team with nothing to lose, so head coach Luke Richardson has plenty of options in front of him. Opening night against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins might look a lot different than what many are expecting.
Zach Benson Is Yet Another Bright Spot For Buffalo
Timothy T. Ludwig - USA TODAY Sports
The 2023 draft pick wasted no time in showing the reason why he was selected 13th overall during the preseason. Benson finished the six games that he played in with six points, made up of four goals and two assists. This point total was good enough to tie Connor McDavid in goals and points, an accomplishment in itself. Benson was by far the strongest player on the Buffalo roster throughout the preseason and has definitely played well enough to deserve to be playing on opening night. The Buffalo Sabres are making an extreme playoff push after last year’s disappointment and the 18-year-old has serious talent that could push the team over the edge.
Vegas Looks Strong And Capable of Going Back-to-Back
Ellen Schmidt / Las Vegas Review-Journal
Despite only winning three out of seven total preseason games, the defending champions already look like a contender. After an quiet offseason, the Golden Knights have a pretty solid chance to repeat the success that they experienced in 2022-23. Vegas’ top guys did not seem to be rusty at all, with Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, Ivan Barbashev, Alex Pietrangelo, and Jonathan Marchessault all tallying multiple points. The Western Conference has gained a lot of talent over the offseason such as Pierre Luc-Dubois, Ryan O’Reilly, and Matt Duchene, but Vegas should have little to worry about. All eyes will be on Sin City as the regular season opens in a few days, but a repeat is more than just a wish, it is quite realistic.
