With the start of the NHL season upon us, here are five big things to look for this season:

Connor McDavid has the opportunity to establish himself as the league’s next superstar

The future appears bright for the criminally underachieving Edmonton team this year. With new jerseys, a new arena and a new outlook, the Oilers seem relevant for the first time in nearly a decade. At the forefront of this resurgence is 19-year-old Connor McDavid. The sophomore phenom was named the Oilers captain last week, making him the youngest in NHL history. If he can regain the dominant form he showed last season prior to a clavicle injury that cut his rookie season to just 45 games, McDavid has the opportunity to reinvent a league looking for its next big thing.

Concussions continue to impact the league

It is hard to watch a hockey game these days without noticing the impact of head injuries on players. Whether it is a controversial penalty for a big hit, a star player being carted off the ice with an injury or the notable surplus of agitators passing in recent years due to mental health complications linked to their fighting role, there is no denying that the NHL has been hit hard by concussions. A new lawsuit from former players, along with two-time MVP Sidney Crosby being sidelined yet again with a concussion, has again forced the league to crackdown on dangerous play. Five players have already been suspended for high hits in the preseason, but the league must do even more to focus on keeping its players safe.

West runs through San Jose

The San Jose Sharks surprised many last season as they stormed through the loaded Western Conference playoffs with a dominant record on home ice (7-2) and challenged the eventual-champion Penguins in a tough six game series. The Sharks’ Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture established themselves as two of the league’s top players, combining for 53 points in the postseason. The Sharks hope to continue the momentum generated last spring with these two high scorers, helping aging veterans Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau make one last run for the Cup. However, it will not be easy, as usual contenders like the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, along with the St. Louis Blues and reloaded Nashville Predators, are all poised to make deep postseason runs.

Offseason Blockbuster Deals

Way back on June 29, just after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final, the Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators swapped their top defensemen with P.K Subban going to the Predators and their former captain Shea Weber heading north to Montreal. After what Subban described as a “personality based trade,” both teams have renewed optimism that these new stars can help bring them to glory. After pushing the Sharks to seven games last season, the sky’s the limit for Nashville, while Montreal looks to get back to the playoffs after a difficult 2015-2016 season.

Canadian Struggles

Canadian hockey reached what some considered an all-time low last season as none of the seven NHL teams based in Canada qualified for the playoffs. Furthermore, no Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since 1993, and none have even reached the Conference Finals since 2012. Team Canada did dominate the World Cup of Hockey last month, but will this motivate Canadian hockey teams to get back to the playoffs? The playoffs seem like a stretch in Vancouver and Toronto this year as the Canucks and Leafs try to rebuild rosters with young talent and aging cores. Montreal, Ottawa and Winnipeg are all hopeful that getting key players back from injury will allow them to grab a Wild Card spot. The Senators and Canadiens definitely have the talent to do so, but this could be ambitious for the Jets in the Western Conference. Lastly, the Alberta teams feel as though they’ve rebuilt their rosters enough to compete for third place in a weak Pacific division. A postseason berth for Canada wouldn’t be a shocker, but all seven teams still appear to be a few years away from competing for the Cup.

Email Ben Goodkin at [email protected].