The Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche are still in championship windows, but they aren't as wide open as they were in the past.
Colorado won it all in 2022 and Vegas grabbed the Stanley Cup the following year before both teams made it no further than the second round of the playoffs last season. They now head into the 2024-25 campaign as strong contenders, but not favorites, to go all the way again.
That drive to another Stanley Cup begins on Wednesday night when the Avalanche visit the Golden Knights in Las Vegas for the season opener for both teams.
Colorado is in the championship conversation because it has the reigning Hart Trophy winner in center Nathan MacKinnon and arguably the best defenseman in the NHL in Cale Makar. Both set franchise records for points a season ago: MacKinnon's 140 were the most ever, and Makar had 90, the most by a defenseman.
But not having Valeri Nichushkin, who left the team during the playoffs for the second straight year, or captain Gabriel Landeskog slowed down the Avalanche, who won't have that duo -- or Artturi Lehkonen (shoulder) -- in the lineup on Wednesday.
Nichushkin is suspended until at least November while in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program. Meanwhile, Landeskog, who hasn't played since Colorado's Cup-clinching win in 2022, is working his way back from multiple knee surgeries, and Lehkonen had offseason shoulder surgery.
All should return at some point, but for now, the Avalanche will likely have several rookies taking the ice. Centers Calum Ritchie and Ivan Ivan and winger Nikolai Kovalenko had solid camps and should be in the lineup against Vegas.
"I feel pretty good about it," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said of his team's roster situation. "Ivan's done a heck of a job. Kovalenko's done a heck of a job. Ritchie's really kind of coming into his own. ... Still a work in progress, but I think we're in a good spot to start."
Ritchie's stay could be short, as the team's top pick in 2023 doesn't turn 20 until January. Colorado will have nine games to decide if it wants to keep him on the roster or send him back to his Ontario Hockey League team.
Vegas is also dealing with some roster shuffling at the start of the season. Veteran William Karlsson (undisclosed injury) was placed on injured reserve, while Brendan Brisson was assigned to the AHL. Sportsnet reported Tuesday that the Knights also waived center Raphael Lavoie after having a successful claim on him one day earlier.
Winger Cole Schwindt was also claimed off waivers, and the team signed veteran winger Tanner Pearson to a one-year deal.
Vegas has plenty of talent to make another run at a title, with captain Mark Stone and Jack Eichel leading the way, but the Knights will have to overcome the departure of 2023-24 leading scorer Jonathan Marchessault.
"We need to be dialed in come Wednesday," Stone said. "A lot of times during the season we're going to be defending a goal, two-goal or three-goal lead. We've got to do a better job at staying disciplined all over the ice."
