One Burning Question for Every NHL Team in 2025 – The Hockey Writers Commentary Latest News, Analysis & More

As the calendar is set to turn to 2025, there are plenty of things to have a look at for the future of each NHL team. While many have their resolutions, traditions, expectations, and more, there is one burning question that every NHL team is facing in the upcoming year.

Anaheim Ducks: What Happens With Zegras?

There have been plenty of rumors surrounding their young center, Trevor Zegras, for a while now. With some believing that Zegras isn’t fit for a team built by a manager like Pat Verbeek, and others believing they would be foolish for giving up on a player with so much potential, there is a lot of contemplating on what to do next.

On one hand, the young crop of players the Ducks have in their system, trading one away who could fetch a decent return isn’t the worst thing in the world. Everybody knows that Zegras has a ton of skill, and if he can put everything together, could lead the way for the forward group in Anaheim, helping them to get out of the rebuild.

The counterpoint would be that between injuries, his contractual hold-out, and his playstyle potentially not being a fit for the Ducks future, it could be a good time to move on. Time will tell where this ends up, but for now, he just needs to stay healthy and look to return to the 60+ points he has had before.

Boston Bruins: Can We Re-Gain Our Offensive Touch?

Through the first half of the 2024-25 season, the Boston Bruins have struggled to score goals. Of course, David Pastrnak is doing well, as expected, and Brad Marchand is doing alright for himself, too. Outside of them, 38 games into the season, the Bruins don’t have any other players who have reached 20 points yet.

To put that into perspective, the San Jose Sharks, who are in second-last in the league, have six players with over 20 points. Yes, the Bruins are doing fine in the standings and play a good defensive game as always, but the inability to score goals needs to be solved.

After signing Elias Lindholm, and moving forward with Charlie Coyle and Pavel Zacha as members of their core, the hope was that they could generate more offense than they have been, and that hasn’t been the case.

Buffalo Sabres: How Long Will Kevyn Adams Be In Control?

The Buffalo Sabres faced a lot of scrutiny over the offseason as they entered the summer with a lot of cap space, and didn’t do much with it. They bought out Jeff Skinner, acquired Ryan MacLeod and Beck Malenstyn, and signed Sam Lafferty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Jason Zucker. A lot of fans were disappointed with the last of change to the roster, and while each of those players can be used well in certain roles, they aren’t solving any of the problems that the Sabres had.

Kevyn Adams has struggled to get the team over the hump, and after a recent 13-game skid, Sabres owner Terry Pegula addressed the team and said that the answer is inside the room, meaning a major move likely isn’t coming. Adams has had a long leash and hasn’t fixed the major issues that the Sabres have, so how long is long enough?

Calgary Flames: To Sell, or Not To Sell?

Getting caught in the murky middle of the NHL is one of the worst places to be. The Calgary Flames are in that area right now. They have too many good players to bottom out and earn a high draft pick, but aren’t good enough to push for the playoffs, and even if they do make the playoffs, they likely aren’t good enough to be a true threat.

Most fans are looking to see the Flames sell off assets and go for a high pick. There are a lot of stipulations to the 2025 first-round pick that the Flames sent to the Montreal Canadiens in the Sean Monahan deal, but if they finish with a top-10 pick, odds are is that they end up keeping it, which is the best-case scenario for them.

Carolina Hurricanes: Can We Make A Cup Run?

There has been a lot of playoff success for the Carolina Hurricanes over the past six seasons, depending on who you ask. Most teams in the NHL would be more than happy to have the amount of series wins as the Hurricanes in that span, but for the club, it hasn’t been enough.

The Hurricanes have been to the second round plenty of times, and the conference final a few times, too. They haven’t been able to get over that hump, but last season, general manager (GM) Don Waddell went all-in for the first time to that extent, and it didn’t work as well as hoped. Now that Eric Tulsky has taken over, will he have a similar mindset of not selling the future for now, or will he see the potential in this roster and reward them by making a big addition prior to the playoffs?

Chicago Blackhawks: What Is Kyle Davidson’s Offseason Plan?

In the 2024 offseason, Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson opted to try and accelerate the rebuild by adding some quality wingers to play alongside his star center, Connor Bedard. With the additions of Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Taylor Hall in the lineup again, there was hope that the offense would take another step. That hasn’t happened, so now what?

The Blackhawks gave out a good amount of money in the offseason, and while most contracts were reasonable, and the Blackhawks could have upwards of $30 million in cap space this offseason, how does Davidson move forward with that?

Colorado Avalanche: Will Mikko Rantanen Return to the Avalanche?

One of the biggest pending unrestricted free agents (UFA) this offseason is superstar winger Mikko Rantanen. With back-to-back 100+-point seasons and is on track for a third one with 53 points in 37 games, he is going to command a lot of money. Some reports suggest that he could look for as high as $14 million, will the Colorado Avalanche be able to figure that out, or will they let him walk and add more depth in lieu of his absence?

Looking at the injuries that they have dealt with this season, the fact that they are as high in the standings as they are is a miracle, and part of that is because of Rantanen. So, do they look at that and say there is no way we let him go, or use it to make the rest of their roster stronger and have better depth in case that happens again?

Columbus Blue Jackets: Is This Just The Beginning for Zach Werenski?

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Weresnki has been one of the best defensemen in the NHL this season. With 11 goals and 39 points in 37 games, Werenksi is second on the team in scoring, and playing over 26 minutes per night. Now, offensive play is certainly what gets your name into the Norris Trophy conversation, but his defensive play has been excellent and he is a huge reason as to how the Blue Jackets have taken a step forward and currently sit just four points out of a playoff spot.

So the question is, is this going to be a regular thing for Weresnki like we all knew was possible, or is he going to go back to his normal, yet still impressive, 45-point self?

Dallas Stars: Who Replaces Tyler Seguin?

Earlier in the season it was announced that Tyler Seguin would miss a significant amount of time, and wouldn’t be back until the playoffs start. He is an important part of the team and was having a great start to the season, but the Stars are doing just fine without him still. When a player misses the rest of the regular season, their salary cap hit goes onto long-term injured reserve, and with that, the Stars have $9.5 million extra to play with this season.

That money can go a very long way in the regular season, and with retention, accrued cap space, and other factors, they can add a ton to their roster. So the question for them is what to do with that money?

Detroit Red Wings: Has The Yzerplan Failed?

Since taking over as the Detroit Red Wings GM, Steve Yzerman has added a lot of young talent to the team, including Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson, and others. He has also brought in Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, and other impactful players. However, none of that seems to be translating to success. In Yzerman’s five full seasons as the GM, the club hasn’t finished higher than fifth in the Atlantic Division and is on track to be a bottom-three team in that group yet again.

They came so close to a playoff spot last season, but close doesn’t matter. It has been eight seasons, soon to be nine, without the playoffs for Detroit, and many fans are losing faith in Yzerman’s Yzerplan. Has the rebuild failed? Is it time to look for a new GM?

Edmonton Oilers: Can We Do Better Than Last Season?

It is hard to do much better than reaching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, but the Edmonton Oilers are gunning to do just that. Now, the Oilers have had their taste of the Stanley Cup, but are still looking to win it. That is the only thing that matters, and with some improvements over the offseason and the early parts of the regular season, there is a strong chance they can make it back, but can they win it this year?

Florida Panthers: Will Ekblad or Bennett Be Re-Signed?

Based on the on-ice performance, there are not many questions to be had for the Florida Panthers. They have made it to the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons and won last year. They are doing great this season, and everything is going just about as well as they could be.

When a team has this much success in a short span, it is hard to keep the team together and repeat the success. We saw the Tampa Bay Lightning, moving on from Yanni Gourde, Barclay Goodrow, Blake Coleman, Ryan McDonough (briefly), and others. With the Panthers, they already lost Brandon Montour, Radko Gudas, and other depth players, and this season, Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett, two key pieces of their lineup, are pending UFA’s and could be elsewhere by next season.

LA Kings: Do We Have To Play The Oilers Again?

As it sits right now, the LA Kings and the Oilers are second and third in the Pacific Division. Anything can happen, but right now they aren’t close to catching first place, though they aren’t far ahead of a wildcard position. There is a strong chance that these two teams will face off for the fourth season in a row in the first round. Of course, the Oilers have won each of the last three, and it is becoming a recurring nightmare for the Kings.

Minnesota Wild: What Could We Do With Even More Cap Space?

The Minnesota Wild are one of the best teams in the NHL. They are getting great goaltending, Kirill Kaprizov is in the running for the Hart Trophy, and the defense is as strong as ever. Imagine a hypothetical world where a team could be this good while having a nearly $15 million disadvantage? Well, it isn’t a hypothetical. The buyout penalty for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are strapping the Wild still, but this offseason, the penalty will be reduced to a combined $1.66 million, which is $13 million more than they have now.

While it won’t help this season, the Wild could be in a fantastic position to add to a great team already. Sure, Kaprizov needs an extension this offseason, and some young players are working their way into big payday territory, but those are all manageable. The Wild could have an extremely interesting offseason.

Montreal Canadiens: Is Patrik Laine Our Savior?

The Montreal Canadiens acquired Patrik Laine in the offseason and was unfortunately injured in the preseason before ever getting to officially lace up for the Canadiens. The Canadiens were struggling heavily to start the season, but with Laine in the lineup, they have a record of 8-4-0, and Laine not only leads his team in goals during that span, but also caught up to the rest of the league in powerplay goals as he is tied for third in the league with eight powerplay goals in just 12 games, roughly 25 games behind the rest of the league.

The Canadiens aren’t used to being a bad team. Having Laine being this impactful and helping turn the team around is great news, though they may not be ready for that big step yet, it will be soon.

Nashville Predators: Can We Go See A U2 Concert Or Something?

Last season, the Nashville Predators were struggling to get close to a playoff spot, but after a disappointing stretch of games, GM Barry Trotz canceled a team event, a trip to a U2 concert while in Vegas. After that, the Predators went on an unreal run and made the playoffs. This year, things have been even more disappointing than the stretch leading up to the concert, even more so because they added some significant pieces in the offseason, like Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos.

While the funny thing to say is that this team needs another U2 concert canceled, they really do need some added motivation. Trotz has been tinkering with the lineup, and making the team different, but the results are staying the same. There is a ton of potential with this team, but they just need to figure out how to play for each other.

New Jersey Devils: Are We The Best Team in the NHL?

At the time of writing, the New Jersey Devils are third in the standings and have one of the most complete lineups in the league. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt have been all playing superstar-caliber hockey, and on the back end, Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce, and Jonathan Kovacevic have complimented the other three defensemen the Devils already had very well. Of course, Jacob Markstrom’s addition has been excellent too.

There isn’t much to complain about with this Devils team, and after missing the playoffs last season, they are so back, and look like they could truly contend for the Stanley Cup.

New York Islanders: Will Lou Lamoriello Ever Retire?

While GM Lou Lamoriello has done a decent job of keeping the New York Islanders in the playoff conversation, and has taken them to the Eastern Conference Final a few times, things are starting to go south for the club, and their 82-year-old GM hasn’t been able to make the changes needed to keep this team above water. They are to the point now that there are serious talks about this team becoming sellers, and with great players like Mat Barzal, Noah Dobson, and Ilya Sorokin, it feels like a waste of potential.

New York Rangers: When Will This Season End?

The biggest question for the New York Rangers is about when the season ends. The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners have had one of the more chaotic seasons in recent memory, which includes trading their captain after threatening to waive him, scratching and having trade talks about one of your top goal-scorers in Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad’s struggles, and so on…

There is still a fair chance the Rangers make it into the playoffs, and could even do well there. Unless they win the Stanley Cup, this will be a season to forget with all of the chaos.

Ottawa Senators: Will We Finally Make The Playoffs?

For the first time since 2016-17, the Ottawa Senators hold a playoff spot in Decemeber. It has been a somber seven years in Ottawa, and after major acquisitions like Alex DeBrincat and Jakob Chychrun failed, new GM Steve Staios seems to have finally brought the right pieces in, which includes head coach Travis Green.

The Senators have been helped by Linus Ullmark’s outstanding performances as of late, and while he is injured for what is expected to be a short time, this team finally looks like they are ready to be the first of the four rebuilds in the Atlantic Division to make the playoffs.

Philadelphia Flyers: Who Will Michkov’s Center Be?

The emergence of Matvei Michkov has been outstanding, and he is in the running for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, but one big question surrounding him, literally and figuratively, will be who is going to be his center partner moving forward?

For most of this season, Michkov has spent time with Sean Couturier as his center. While Couturier was once an elite two-way center, he isn’t the same anymore. His point totals aren’t what they once were and while he is still good defensively, he is much better suited as a second or third-line center. So, will GM Danny Briere go out and get Michkov a true number-one center this offseason?

Pittsburgh Penguins: Can Kyle Dubas Save Sidney Crosby From Misery?

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been slowly heading downhill for a number of years now, but the three core members of the legendary run the Penguins had still remain, being Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, and of course, Sidney Crosby. The extension Crosby signed signified that he isn’t willing to give up on a team that clearly needs to start a teardown, but it seems that GM Kyle Dubas is committed to saving Crosby and the team from a miserable few seasons as bottom-feeders.

The Penguins are in contention for a playoff spot, which is something not everybody had predicted, and Crosby is going to have another chance to push for the playoffs, but will the Penguins be good enough to make any real noise even if they get in?

San Jose Sharks: Can We Take A Big Step Next Season?

The San Jose Sharks have struck gold. With any first-overall pick, you are expecting a great player, but Macklin Celebrini may have advanced the rebuild by a few seasons on his own. He has been much better than anybody had anticipated, and with the strong support from players like Mikael Granlund, William Eklund, Jake Walman, and Tyler Toffoli, there is a good chance that the Sharks GM Mike Grier takes the opportunity to try and take a big step next season by weaponizing the $35+ million in cap space they have for next season.

Seattle Kraken: Can Kaapo Kakko Be Better Here than in New York?

It isn’t often you get to acquire a 23-year-old second-overall pick for a price as low as the Seattle Kraken acquired Kaapo Kakko for. Hindsight always helps when it comes to evaluating draft picks, but Kakko was in serious conversations to be picked first over Jack Hughes. There is talent there, and Kakko has proven to be good on the powerplay when given the chance, and his strong defensive play is already present. A big opportunity for Kakko to turn his career around is here, and Seattle will give him every opportunity to break out into a true star as everyone expected him to be.

St. Louis Blues: Are We Going to See A Rebuild Or What?

After last season, things were pointing toward a rebuild for the St. Louis Blues. Since that was the general idea, GM Doug Armstrong has offer-sheeted Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, and acquired Cam Fowler. Now, Brogerg and Holloway make the team younger and better, which is a good thing, but as mentioned with the Flames, the murky middle is a scary place.

Acquiring Fowler makes sense if the team was good enough to be dangerous, but they are still more likely to miss the playoff than they are to make the playoffs. A rebuild would make sense at this point, but only time will tell which direction Armstrong takes this team in.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Can Nikita Kucherov Win More Hardware?

The Tampa Bay Lightning have had their magic, with two Stanley Cup’s and multiple other Final trips, so wishing for more is just greedy.

Yes, every team always wants more, and players always want more. The same goes with Nikita Kucherov. While he would probably never tell you he would love to win an award based on all of the other media conferences and All-Star appearances he has had, he is in the running for another Art Ross and Hart Trophy. Will he win more?

Toronto Maple Leafs: Which Goalie Starts in Game 1 of the Playoffs?

The Toronto Maple Leafs entered the season with Anthony Stolarz and Joesph Woll as their tandem, and while both goalies have been good over the past few seasons, it was a big ask for the two of them to split the crease. Well, they didn’t take long to establish themselves as one of the best duo’s in the NHL, and the only question now is which one will start the playoffs for the Maple Leafs?

Both goalies have been outstanding. The Leafs seem to play better in front of Woll, while Stolarz faces more shots and high danger chances per game. At this point, neither goalie has taken a step back to make it clear for head coach Craig Berube to choose, but it will be an interesting storyline to follow.

Utah HC: Can We Make the Playoffs in Year 1?

The Utah Hockey Club, who had taken the roster and prospects from the Arizona Coyotes, are in their first year, and while outside of the location, nothing on paper has changed, the vibes around the players and fanbase has greatly improved, and this team is in a position to challenge for a wildcard spot in the playoffs. Their owner, Ryan Smith, has been fantastic at embracing the hockey team and making Utah love the team. Seeing them make the playoffs would be a great thing to see.

Vancouver Canucks: When Will The Drama Ever End?

Over the past few seasons, the Vancouver Canucks have dealt with a lot of drama, probably more than anyone else. From the whole Bruce Boudreau fiasco, to J.T Miller trade rumors, and now the reported tension between Miller and Elias Pettersson. At this point, all Canucks fans want is a few quiet weeks, no drama, no rumors, no issues, just quiet.

Vegas Golden Knights: Can We Win One More Stanley Cup?

There has never been a team with a start to their franchise quite like the Vegas Golden Knights. A Stanley Cup, another Stanley Cup Final appearance, and lots of other playoff success, and the Golden Knights are still starving for another Cup. Most fans that have a strong disliking for the Golden Knights is truthfully out of spite, jealousy, and wish their team had that kind of success.

So, with all of the haters, why not another? The Golden Knights are still a fantastic team and could realistically challenge for another Cup.

Washington Capitals: How Long Until Ovechkin Catches Gretzky?

There was no other question to be had here. As this is written, Alexander Ovechkin is just 24 goals from tying Wayne Gretzky, and 25 away from taking the all-time record for goal-scoring. After missing five weeks with a broken leg, many figured that would end up being next season, but with two goals in his two games back in action, he remains at a ridiculous pace and has 17 goals in 20 games. The countdown is on.

Winnipeg Jets: Can We Be Impactful In The Playoffs Again?

The 2017-18 playoffs was a magical time for Winnipeg Jets fans, and there was some hope that they would be able to see that again last season. Things didn’t work out that way, but this season, the Jets are the top team in the league, and have a very balanced roster and have hopefully learned from their mistakes last season.

With those 32 questions out of the way, what are some others that need to be answered in 2025? Leave a comment down below with the biggest question needing a resolution for your favorite team.