2015 NHL Draft
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NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Blackhawks counting on new players to defend Cup

Sunday, 08.30.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent

NHL.com continues its preview of the 2015-16 season, which will include in-depth looks at all 30 teams throughout August.

CHICAGO -- The more things change with the Chicago Blackhawks, the harder their front office works to attain the same results.

The Blackhawks have proven during the past seven seasons that sustained success is possible in a salary-cap system, but only for teams that continually prepare for offseason roster turnover.

It helps to have a core group of elite players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith to build around, as Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman does in Chicago, but that alone won't win anything. Bowman has built the Blackhawks' past two championship teams after parting with established role players and replacing them with players who have thrived in those supporting roles.

"I think change is good, and I think we've embraced that in the past and been able to bring in some players that now are household names … but at one point they were new," Bowman said. "It's going to be the same thing for some of the new guys that are part of this group next year. They might be new to the fans and media, but as you'll see in time, I think we're really going to fall in love with some of these guys."

Core veterans, new talent keep Blackhawks optimistic

Sunday, 08.30.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks once again will defend their Stanley Cup championship without several of the key players who helped them win it.

It will be the third time they go through this scenario, though the challenge looks even more daunting this season. They've lost a lot of talent and championship experience in their latest effort to negotiate the NHL salary cap. However, recent history alone suggests the Blackhawks have a solid chance to repeat as champions.

Here are four reasons for the Blackhawks to be optimistic:

Blackhawks face questions about top line, salary cap

Sunday, 08.30.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent

CHICAGO -- It's been another offseason of change for the Chicago Blackhawks following a Stanley Cup championship.

As was the case in the summer of 2010, the NHL salary cap has forced the Blackhawks to overhaul their roster. Chicago's talent and leadership have been pared through trades and departures in free agency, and more losses could happen before the start of the season.

Here are three questions facing the Blackhawks:

Panarin, Dano among Blackhawks' top five prospects

Sunday, 08.30.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Brian Hedger - NHL.com Correspondent

CHICAGO -- Knowing a salary-cap crunch was coming in the offseason, the Chicago Blackhawks signed several free agent prospects in the spring to add some depth to their system.

They tapped into the international and collegiate markets to bring in young talent, and the end result is a prospect base that's expected to help Chicago move past the departures of Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Johnny Oduya, Brad Richards and others this summer.

Here is a look at the Blackhawks' top five prospects, according to NHL.com:

Lightning return same group after reaching Final

Saturday, 08.29.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Corey Long - NHL.com Correspondent

NHL.com continues its preview of the 2015-16 season, which will include in-depth looks at all 30 teams throughout August.

TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Lightning were two victories from winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in their history last season.

Many of the same players will return this season to try to finish the job, including leading scorer and captain Steven Stamkos, who is entering the final season of his five-year contract.

After a postseason run that included a Game 7 win against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Final, the Lightning's season ended with a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. Shortly after, general manager Steve Yzerman began the process of making slight adjustments to the roster while pledging to keep his focus on signing Stamkos to a new contract. Stamkos can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2016.

"I'd like to get Steven Stamkos signed to an extension," Yzerman said June 17. "That's my No. 1 priority. We've got some other restricted free agents, a couple of other contracts and things we've got to do, but [Stamkos is] the No. 1 priority."

New contract for Stamkos big question for Lightning

Saturday, 08.29.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Corey Long - NHL.com Correspondent

TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Lightning have their entire core group back after advancing to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, but that doesn't mean they don't have questions entering this season.

The Lightning's top concern is signing captain Steven Stamkos to a new contract; the 2015-16 season is the final one of the five-year contract he signed July 19, 2011, and he can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2016.

Here are three questions facing the Lightning:

Gudlevskis, Point among Lightning's top 5 prospects

Saturday, 08.29.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Corey Long - NHL.com Correspondent

TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Lightning stockpiled young talent at the start of the decade and saw many of their top prospects graduate to the NHL over the past two years.

But with nine picks at the 2015 NHL Draft and good reports on players drafted in 2013 and 2014, there's plenty of high-end talent coming through the system, including 2015 third-round pick Dennis Yan (No. 64).

Jonathan Marchessault, 24, and Matthew Peca, 22, who are hoping to make the Lightning roster out of training camp, didn't make the top prospects list this year. That alone should speak to the strength of the young players in the organization.

Here is a look at the Lightning's top five prospects, according to NHL.com:

'Triplets' line, Yzerman have Lightning optimistic

Saturday, 08.29.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Corey Long - NHL.com Correspondent

TAMPA -- The Tampa Bay Lightning were close to winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in their history last season, but a combination of injuries, exhaustion and the dynasty of the Chicago Blackhawks kept them from their ultimate goal.

With strong goaltending, a skilled young core and effective leadership in the front office, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for 2015-16, especially if captain Steven Stamkos signs a contract extension before the season gets underway Oct. 8 against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Here are four reasons for the Lightning to be optimistic:

With deep core, Rangers believe window stays open

Friday, 08.28.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer

NHL.com continues its preview of the 2015-16 season, which will include in-depth looks at all 30 teams throughout August.

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers coach Alain Vigneault knows how quickly the window can close for a team with championship potential. He experienced it with the Vancouver Canucks.

Vancouver reached the Western Conference Semifinals in 2009 and 2010 before going to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011, when it lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games. The Canucks didn't win another playoff round under Vigneault, who was fired after the 2012-13 season.

Vigneault has since coached the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014 and Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final last season after finishing atop the NHL standings with 113 points. Those resulted in two banners for Madison Square Garden, neither of which represent a Stanley Cup championship. Instead they're for an Eastern Conference championship and a Presidents' Trophy, better known as consolation prizes.

Skjei, Buchnevich among Rangers' top five prospects

Friday, 08.28.2015 / 3:00 AM / NHL.com's 30 in 30 package: 2015-16

Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer

NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers are trying to pull off the difficult task of winning now while maintaining a strong prospect pool. The Rangers haven't had a first-round draft pick for the past three seasons and don't have one in the 2016 NHL Draft.

They do have a handful of prospects who might be ready to make an impact in the NHL.

Here is a look at the Rangers' top five prospects, according to NHL.com:

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