4 burning questions as the preseason winds down
Preseason in the NHL.
Players get injured, rookies make first impressions, and fans get bent out of shape over numbers that'll likely have very little impact on the regular season.
However, that doesn't mean there aren't some intriguing queries to be pondered heading into the season.
Here are four burning questions as exhibition play wraps:
Who are the Senators without Karlsson?
Stepping back onto the ice is obviously a positive first step, but it's just that - a first step. And with the regular season set to begin in under a week, the Ottawa Senators will likely do so without their No. 1 defenseman.
Sure, Thomas Chabot seems ready to make the jump, but with only 10 minutes of NHL ice time to his name, it may be a tall ask for the rookie to play top-four-type minutes.
The Sens still employ Dion Phaneuf and Cody Ceci, but Ceci seemed lost in the final two rounds of the playoffs, and Phaneuf could struggle under added pressure and minutes.
While Ottawa will try to get by without EK, the bottom line is that these Senators aren't the Senators without their captain. Anticipate Ottawa struggling out of the gate.
Can the Devils bounce back in a big way?
Expecting New Jersey to bounce back after it finished last in the East isn't exactly a bold prediction.
But the Devils stand to be a much-improved club. The additions of No. 1 pick Nico Hischier and winger Marcus Johansson have quickly transformed New Jersey into a club on the rise.
The Devils finished last season with the third-fewest goals (180), but that number should increase significantly due to the aforementioned players - and a reinvigorated Cory Schneider.
The No. 1 goalie struggled last season, posting his worst save percentage (.908) and goals-against average (2.82) since becoming a NHL regular. However, Schneider's looked sharp across four preseason games, his .921 save percentage in line with his .922 career average.
If Schneider can return to his former self and the Devils can get some more scoring, expect a big rebound season in Jersey.
Can the Oilers score 300?
A team hasn't scored 300 goals in the regular season since the 2009-10 Washington Capitals potted 318. But that could change this year - the Edmonton Oilers are poised to put the puck in the net on the regular.
Edmonton has 31 goals in only seven exhibition games - the most in the league. Before you "@" us, we understand preseason stats aren't to be written home about. So, hold up a minute, there's more to it.
Remember, Edmonton ranked eighth in the league with 248 goals last season, and boasts two of the best offensive young stars in the game in Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid - and those two are only getting warmed up.
In addition, a solid supporting cast can also chip in offensively. The group includes newly-acquired forwards Ryan Strome and Jussi Jokinen, and holdovers Patrick Maroon, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Milan Lucic.
Three hundred's a steep target, but if any club can do it, it's the Oilers.
Will Calgary find consistency in the crease?
It's been more than four years since Miikka Kiprusoff retired, yet Calgary's goaltending situation has been in flux ever since.
The Flames' latest attempt at a fix is Mike Smith, acquired in an offseason trade. But the preseason results have been concerning.
There's no other way to put it: Smith has looked terrible. He's allowed nine goals on 60 shots, resulting in a horrific .850 save percentage.
Despite a mostly rough 2016-17 season with Arizona (forget about the 2.92 GAA and focus on the .914 save percentage) and a poor start to his tenure in Calgary, Smith is still the most viable option the Flames have had since Kipper.
Of course, it's still the preseason and the 35-year-old Smith has a lot of time to figure it out, but that doesn't hide the fact Calgary enters the season with question marks in net - again.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)