5 reasons the 2016-17 season was one to remember

The 2016-17 season will be one tough act to follow.

As we get ready to embark on a new campaign, looking back on the previous season it's quite clear to see that hockey fans were pretty spoiled. We were treated to the most epic rookie class in years, while Connor McDavid proved that he is the present and the future of the NHL.

Here are five reasons the 2017 season was one to remember:

Mighty rookie class

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Speaking of being spoiled, the 2016-17 rookie class was something the likes of which we haven't seen in nearly a decade - though the McDavid and Jack Eichel class the year previous to that wasn't too bad either.

Headlined by Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Zach Werenski, many first-year players not only made immediate impacts, but ranked among the game's elite in many statistical categories.

Matthews finished tied for second in goals with 40, becoming the first rookie to hit the mark since Alex Ovechkin tallied 52 in 2005-06, while Laine put up a respectable 36 himself.

Of course, there was also Mitch Marner, William Nylander, Sebastian Aho, and Matt Murray to name a few more. The league is trending toward younger players and this season we were shown just how quickly that change can happen.

The emergence of McDavid

It wasn't his first taste of the NHL, but after a rookie campaign that was limited to just 45 games, McDavid got his first full season under his belt and he didn't disappoint.

McDavid paced the league as the only player to hit the 100-point plateau, capturing his first Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Ted Lindsay Award. He also helped end the playoff drought in Edmonton after the Oilers went 10 years without a playoff berth.

He was a non-stop highlight reel in 2016-17 and has quickly entered the race - and may be leading it - as the most talented player in the league.

Smashville was a riot

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Let's face it, the city of Nashville was the story of the playoffs.

Fans came out in droves during the Predators' Stanley Cup run, piling into the streets to party and cheer on their beloved team. The club brought out every country singer and their brother to sing the anthems, local celebrities made tons of appearances, and of course there were a couple catfish tossed on the ice.

It was fantastic to see a market that years ago many questioned but is now thriving and the envy of many NHL cities. With a fairly young squad and arguably the strongest defense corps in the league, playoff parties in Nashville could become a regular occurrence and that's great news for hockey.

Avalanche were incredibly terrible

There were tons of great team and individual performances in 2017, but in the same token, there were also some downright atrocious displays.

Look no further than the Colorado Avalanche.

The club finished with a record of 22-56-4 for a total of 48 points and the lowest point percentage in the shootout era. In turn, the club largely became the laughing stock of the league - warranted or not.

The Avalanche are just four seasons removed from a 2013-14 campaign that saw them capture the Central Division. A couple trades might still be in order, cough, cough ... Matt Duchene, but one way or another it would be hard to replicate such a brutal display again.

Penguins repeat

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For the first time since the 1997 and 1998 Detroit Red Wings, the Pittsburgh Penguins captured the Stanley Cup for the second straight season this spring.

The Penguins ousted the Predators in six games, with captain Sidney Crosby leading the way, capturing his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy.

The Penguins have proved to be a true dynasty and now head into the season with the prospect of becoming the first team since the New York Islanders to win three Cups in a row when they captured four straight between 1980 and 1983.