Dallas Stars: Matt Duchene signed a one-year contract with the Stars on July 1 after having his contract bought out by the Predators days earlier. The center scored 22 goals in 71 games last season after scoring 43 in 78 games in 2021-22. Dallas would take the average between those two seasons, making Duchene a 30-goal scorer. But where the Stars use him and how much power-play time he gets will have to be determined in training camp and at the start of the season.
Minnesota Wild: The future could be now for the Wild with center Marco Rossi and defenseman Brock Faber each a favorite to make the final roster out of training camp. Rossi, the No. 9 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, had one assist in 19 games with Minnesota last season, and 51 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 53 games with Iowa of the American Hockey League. Faber signed with the Wild out of the University of Minnesota last season and played well in two regular-season games and six playoff games. Watch them in camp; if each progresses the way the Wild hope, each should be in the opening-night lineup against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 12.
Winnipeg Jets: There were big changes in Winnipeg during the offseason with the departures of forwards Blake Wheeler (contract bought out) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (traded to the Los Angeles Kings on June 27). It's a minor reboot for the Jets, who acquired forward Alex Iafallo and centers Rasmus Kupari and Gabriel Vilardi for Dubois. Center Adam Lowry is their new captain. Winnipeg will have to rediscover some chemistry and Lowry has to take over the leadership group in training camp, with the Jets continuing to deal with questions about the futures of goalie Connor Hellebuyck and center Mark Scheifele; each is entering the final season of his current contract.
Nashville Predators: The Predators are different this season and training camp will start to show us how different. Andrew Brunette is the new coach. Barry Trotz is the new general manager. Ryan O'Reilly is the new No. 1 center. They also added center Gustav Nyquist and defenseman Luke Schenn in free agency. Filip Forsberg is back after the forward missed the last two months of last season with an upper-body injury. How it all comes together in camp will help determine the type of start Nashville could have this season.
St. Louis Blues: Center Brayden Schenn was named captain Tuesday, indicating the Blues are ready to hand over the leadership duties to the group of players who spent the past several seasons learning under the Blues' past two captains, defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and O'Reilly. Schenn's ability to galvanize the new leadership group in camp will be among St. Louis' most important tasks heading into the season.
Arizona Coyotes: They're in Australia with the Kings for the 2023 NHL Global Series -- Melbourne, and the Coyotes hope to return home a closer-knit group after the experience, not to mention the two exhibition games they'll play against Los Angeles at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday and Sunday (12 a.m. ET; NHL Network and ESPN+ in the United States; SN and SN+ in Canada; 9Go, 9Now, ESPN, ESPN App in Australia). Arizona will have to manage the jet lag, but it will be worth it if the Coyotes can get off to a good start out of the gate.
Chicago Blackhawks: It's the Connor Bedard show in Chicago. The Blackhawks' training camp will be all about the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The center started strong, with three goals and an assist in a 5-0 win against the Blues in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Saturday. Who will be his linemates? How will he handle the pressure? How many preseason games will he play? It will be all Bedard all the time. He and his teammates better get used to it.