NHL Preview | New stars, lots of talent and some title contenders

Which player could become the next NHL superstar? The days of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are not over yet, but the two best ice hockey stars of the decade have now faced competition. Above all, Nikita Kucherov and Connor McDavid want to overtake the big two.

Connor McDavid wants to achieve big things with the Edmonton Oilers. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Ethan Miller

They already managed to do this last season - with 128 and 116 scorer points respectively, the Russian and the Canadian clearly led the scorer rankings. However, both Kucherov and McDavid are missing the Stanley Cup. And unless they take the pot, Crosby and Ovechkin will remain No. 1.

What can the rookies do? There are also great expectations for the two best rookies: Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) and the Finn Kaapo Kakko (New York Rangers) could quickly become new favorites. There is still a long way to go there. But the strikers of the same age definitely have the potential to do so. Perhaps the Finn can even be trusted a little more since he has already gained a year of professional experience.

Who is the favorite to win the Stanley Cup? There is no outstanding contender for the big silver cup. Defending champion St. Louis Blues are considered outsiders after the surprising coup in the summer. The St. Louis Blues sensationally won the Stanley Cup last season. © APA/getty / BRUCE BENNETT

The best chances are again given to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team from Florida has the best quality squad, but last year they were considered heavy favorites after an outstanding preliminary round. In the end, the team was quietly eliminated 0-4 in the first round of the playoffs against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Colorado, Calgary, the New Jersey Devils with new signing PK Subban and the Dallas Stars are considered secret favorites. In any case, excitement is guaranteed.

Are there any special NHL games this year? Three regular league matches take place in Europe. The Chicago Blackhawks will host the Philadelphia Flyers in Prague, Czech Republic on Friday. Coach Ralph Krueger and the Buffalo Sabers will face the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 8th and 9th in Stockholm, Sweden.

There are also three games in the open air. The Calgary Flames and the Winnipeg Jets will play against each other on October 26th at the football stadium in Regina, Canada. In the Winter Classic game on January 1, 2020, the stars will face the Nashville Predators at the Dallas football stadium. The Colorado Avalanche will conclude on February 15th with their match in Colorado Springs against the Los Angeles Kings.

It's difficult to answer this question because there's no player in sight yet who could make it that far. But at least Thomas Di Pauli, who grew up in Kaltern, is under contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The hopes of an NHL appearance are not too high - even if he scored for Crosby & Co.'s team in preparation. The 25-year-old will primarily play in the AHL. The waiting continues.

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NHL Preview | New stars, lots of talent and some title contenders

The best ice hockey league in the world starts its 103rd season on Wednesday. SportNews answers the most important questions in advance and explains, among other things, why the upcoming season will probably be one of the most exciting of all time.

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