The Vegas Golden Knights' Stanley Cup journey is well underway as we draw closer to the end of summer, meaning the pre-season is just over a month away. The draft has come and gone -- Connor Bedard is a Chicago Blackhawk and many Free Agents have signed new contracts or locked in their extensions. The "faces In new places" discussion is old news and GMs and head coaches are preparing for the upcoming season.
Every year presents a chance for players to step up and make the impact needed to get their team over the hump. Whether it's getting into the playoffs or helping achieve elite status in the league, certain individuals can rise to become a difference maker. With that being said, let's take a look at a player from each Atlantic Division franchise who I believe will have a positive impact on their team:
Boston Bruins
Milan Lucic
For the first time since the '03-'04 season, the Boston Bruins roster will not include either Patrice Bergeron or David Krejci. This leaves a massive question mark regarding the franchise's leadership core and how they will gel in the 23-24 season. Queue the re-acquisition of former cup Bruins Cup winner Milan Lucic.
A team coming off the best season in NHL history should not take a drastic step backward despite losing key pieces to their lineup and the addition of Lucic keeps a high level of accountability and fierceness. Signing Lucic undoubtedly maintains a high level of accountability on and off the ice. With the Bruins competing in one of the league's toughest divisions, there is very little room for error.
Buffalo Sabres
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
The Sabres have finished in the bottom half of goals against in each of the last six seasons, resulting in zero playoff appearances. A 2.91 GAA in the '19-'20 season resulted in a 19th-place finish in the league; a mark that the Sabres need desperately to surpass to compete in the difficult Atlantic Division. Buffalo has pieced together a strong group on defence which should limit opponents grade A scoring chances and in turn, decrease both shots and goals against. Luukkonen, now entering his second full season at age 24, has a chance to take the reigns as the number one goalie in Buffalo while budding prospect Devon Levi gains NHL experience sharing the crease. Is this the year we finally say the Sabres have their future goalie(s)? It's been some time since Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller departed, Buffalo is due.
Detroit Red Wings
J.T. Compher
One of Detroit's several off-season acquisitions, Compher transitions from the Avalanche to their arch-rival Red Wings -- The mid 90's nostalgia lives on forever. With a chance at a top-six role in Detroit, Compher is expected to live up to his 5 year, $25.5M contract and provide the offensive depth the Red Wings so desperately need. The Red Wings are a potential playoff team if they can generate depth scoring and fend off the big guns of the Atlantic. The Red Wings will need Compher's Stanley Cup-winning experience to translate into the dressing room and help get their young stars to the next level. Coming off of a career-high 52 points last season with Colorado, Compher has another opportunity to top that mark with more ice time and a greater role in Detroit.
Florida Panthers
Anton Lundell
Many players will never have the opportunity to compete in a long playoff run, let alone a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Anton Lundell had the chance to perform during the most pressure-filled situations a young player can have, and doing so in big-time minutes. The young Finish centre averaged 18:04 TOI during the 21-game stretch while often matched against the opposing top lines. Lundell should get a chance in the top six forward group and prove his offensive upside behind fellow countryman Alexander Barkov. The soon-to-be 24-year-old has a solid chance to add depth to the league's 6th best offence of last year. Don't be surprised if Lundell is generating a buzz by the end of the season with his offensive talent and ability to produce.
Montréal Canadiens
Arber Xhekaj
While the Habs remain in rebuild mode, their young superstars are recovering from their injuries of last season. A trend that Montréal's management surely looks to shake this year and into the future. With the addition of Arber Xhekaj, a physical presence on the ice, the team finally felt the protection they had been after. Montréal hopes their homegrown enforcer can police the game to keep his star teammates injury-free in the '23-'24 season. With 103 PIM in his rookie season, Xhekaj has likely proven his toughness which may allow him and his teammates some extra space on the ice. An uptick in ice time could provide the boost he needs to gain confidence on the offensive side of the puck as well. Already a fan favourite of the Habs, Xhekaj looks poised to head into his sophomore season as one of the league's toughest players to match up against.
Ottawa Senators
Josh Norris
The Senators have a dynamic two-way forward occupying a top-six centre role in Josh Norris. With a forward group including Stützle, Tkachuk, Giroux, and newly signed Vladimir Tarasenko, Norris might be overlooked as part of the Senators success. Limited to just 8 games last season, he should be aching to step back onto the ice and compete for a playoff spot. Ottawa's defensive core is the strongest it's been during his tenure which should allow Norris to focus more on his offensive game. When healthy, he was a focal point of the offence with his blistering shooting ability and determination to win puck battles. This is a huge addition for the Senators team who many believe are poised to take the next step and end their playoff drought.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Anthony Cirelli
The puzzle piece getting arguably the least amount of attention for Tampa's success over recent years is Anthony Cirelli. Many say he is somewhat the straw that stirs the drink for the Bolts as he truly can give you all the attributes of a winning player. Cirelli is an effective two-way forward with the ability to shut down the opponent's top players. Plus, at age 26 is entering the prime of his career with a chance to surpass 100 career playoff games. He has a career-high 44 points and the Lightning roster is very capable of scoring with the league's best, so we shouldn't be surprised if he reaches the 60-point plateau for the first time.
With Patrice Bergeron's retirement, would anyone be surprised at season's end if Cirelli is hoisting one of either the Selke Trophy or Stanley Cup .... or both?
Toronto Maple Leafs
William Nylander
There are plenty of options in Leafs land that could fill this position but none more important than the position Nylander finds himself in. Currently without a contract extension, this may be a perfect example of a "bet on yourself" season hoping to increase his value and maximize the term he will ultimately receive. With the proven ability to be amongst the league's better offensive players, Nylander will need to perform better in the defensive end and worry more about the team game and not padding his stats. Leafs fans want to see the aggressive style he plays with during International play for Sweden, and doing so would help bolster Toronto's chances of a playoff run.
However, the main question still stands, if Nylander follows his 40-goal campaign with another strong year, can the Maple Leafs afford to keep him moving forward after the extension of Auston Matthews?
Only time will tell who finishes atop this powerhouse division. If the players listed perform up to expectation and become X-Factors, it should translate into overall team success.
Stay tuned for parts two through four as I discuss the Metropolitan, Central, and Pacific Divisions.