What are the ABCs of the NHL season as puck drop awaits?

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Curious about changes and chatter for the new NHL season? 

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Let Postmedia spell it out for you: 

A is for Alex Ovechkin. Having passed one Canadian icon, Wayne Gretzky, in career goals, the 41-year-old needs 37 points to edge Mario Lemieux for ninth overall, though he is unlikely to catch his frenemy Sidney Crosby. In any case, let’s see more video of him puttin’ in the goals and less viral political appearances with Vladimir Putin. 

B is for “Babs.” Once again, Mike Babcock’s got his critics in a knot before coaching one game for his new team, but let’s see if his heavy hand is what the wayward Oilers need in the wheelhouse. 

C is for the cap ceiling. It rises to $104 million US this year, $113.5 million next season and a new projection having it hit as high as $127.5 million by 2028-29. That supports a slew of multi-year signings for a lot of players just breaking in today, while the flat cap will soon be taught in ancient history class.     

D is for Detroit and Dylan Larkin: “Take these broken wings,” as Mr. Mister sang. They have no GM with Steve Yzerman kicked upstairs, no Larkin in their future and maybe 11 straight years out of the playoffs. 

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E is for EBUG: The emergency backup goalie — perish the thought two will ever go down again in one game — is now a select stopper who’ll travel with the team. No more itinerant labourers, part-time accountants or the EBUG’s most famous incarnation in 42-year-old Zamboni driver David Ayres.    

Beware the Panthers

F is for Florida: The Panthers could take a promotional page from Slap Shot’s Charleston Chiefs with “aggressive hockey’s back in town.” Except it never really left. Miscreant Brady Tkachuk brings skill as well as snarl and Aleksander Barkov is healthy along with Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Radko Gudas returning on defence. Making up 10 points to get back in playoffs should be easy for the recent two-time Cup champs.  

G is for Gavin McKenna: He’s living with John Tavares, playing with William Nylander and on the power play with Auston Matthews. Talk about great insulation for a No. 1 overall draft pick in a pressure-packed Toronto market. 

H is for Houston: While commissioner Gary Bettman has pulled back the reins a bit on Texas being guaranteed another team, details could be finalized in the coming months with the state capital Austin as Plan B. Note: It cost $1 million for expansion clubs to join the NHL in 1967, where the Houston entry fee and new arena would be around $3.5 billion US. 

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I is for injuries: Get well soon Connor Bedard, Nick Bjugstad, Brad Marchand, Max Domi, Kevin Fiala, Yanni Gourde, Filip Gustavsson, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ben Kindel, Elvis Merzlikins, Adam Sykora and Troy Terry 

J is for junior hockey: Brendan Shanahan just sent 11 recommendations from his report on junior hockey in Ontario to a group that includes Hockey Canada’s hierarchy. They include requiring all junior men’s hockey leagues to provide education consultants, a standard provincial billeting policy, a player pathway hotline for real-time support and an expansion of post-playing career programs. 

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Will someone release the Kraken already?

K is for the Kraken: Show these sea creatures some love. While drawing well, they’ve yet to play well as playoff contenders. That’s kept top players from signing there, creating a rare expansion team struggle for the 21st-century NHL. 

L is for length and load management: The schedule is now 84 games and while everyone loves fewer exhibition tilts and a September start, each team still has to budget for wear and tear, two extra dates and potentially two months of playoffs. But last time 84 games were on tap, two Canadian teams made the final four: Vancouver and Toronto. 

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M is for Montreal: Ole, ole, ole! This could be the year the methodically built Habs get back in the Cup final. While not landing a big free agent this summer, the market could improve for them at the trade deadline. 

N is for new numbers: A potential showdown to wear No. 72 in Toronto between McKenna and senior citizen Sergei Bobrovsky ended with the kid respecting his elder and taking No. 92. Ivar Stenberg, chosen second overall to McKenna, will be No. 41 in San Jose. J.J. Peterka, the big summer swap-out for Boston, had to drop his familiar No. 77, sacrosanct to Ray Bourque, and take No. 10 instead. That’s the digit J.T. Miller has reclaimed with the Rangers after others wore it in his absence.  

O is for outdoors: Pass the hot chocolate on Oct. 25 with Montreal at Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium and New Year’s Eve featuring Colorado at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Utah. Let’s see if the roof needs closing at AT&T Stadium in Dallas for the Stars and Golden Knights on Feb. 20. 

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Hall of an induction ceremony

P is for Price, Patrice and Pekka: Hockey Hall of Fame induction night is Nov. 9, featuring Carey Price, Patrice Bergeron and Pekka Rinne. 

Q is for Quinn Hughes: He’s already turned down Cale Makar money to ride the cap wave as worried Wild fans keep an eye on July 1. 

R is for the Rocket Richard Trophy: Any one of its four most recent most-goals winners, Nathan MacKinnon, Matthews, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, could do it again. Or does it change hands to new contenders Cole Caulfield or Kirill Kaprisov? 

S is for Sportsnet: Sadly, Hockey Night in Canada has gone dark. Now it’s a Sportsnet world and we just live in it. More streaming prices, but less blackouts.              

T is for trade deadline day: It’s March 1 this year — if a bigger trade war doesn’t lead to a critical shortage of tariffed hockey sticks. 

U is for underdogs: Let’s hear it for the Jets, Canucks and Flames to at least make the playoff races interesting north of the border. 

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V is for victories: Three active coaches now rank second, third and fourth in wins behind the great Scotty Bowman — Joel Quenneville (1,139), Paul Maurice (1,042) and Lindy Ruff (1,028). Were he to better last year’s Oilers by one win to 42, Babcock would break in the top 10 with 832, joining Peter Laviolette, who is now at 934. 

W is for women’s hockey: Four new PWHL teams launch in Hamilton, Detroit, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the shadow of legal battles for billionaire league owner Mark Walter in his other business interests. Nothing so see here, insists the league, preferring to promote its first all-star event in Toronto next March. 

X is for X posts: “I don’t pay attention to social media,” is a common refrain from players when asked about viral hockey stories of the day. They must have big ears under those helmets. 

Y is for youth: Calder Trophy odds favour McKenna, Stenberg, Porter Martone in Philly, Washington’s Cole Hutson and Blackhawk Anton Frondell. Matthew Schaefer made it easy for voters last year, but this race should be tighter.         

Z is for zebras: Long-serving Chris Lee and Steve Kozari joined the retired referees; Steve Barton, Brad Kovachik and Brian Pancich leave the lines. Four promotions and six hires come on stage to monitor some new rules. 

Welcome to the NHL gentlemen – and make sure to keep those sweaters tucked in. 

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby

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