Dahlin's debut, Kovalchuk's return among preseason storylines

The 2018-19 NHL preseason features 110 games that will be played in five countries on three continents.
Here are a few people and teams to keep an eye on:

NHL China Games

The second game of the 2018 O.R.G. NHL China Games between the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames will be at Cadillac Arena in Beijing on Wednesday (7:30 a.m. ET; NBCSN, SN). The teams also played at Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen on Saturday, with the Bruins winning 4-3 in a shootout.
The games could include a preview of the Flames' new-look top line, with free agent signee James Neal shifting to right wing to play with center Sean Monahan and left wing Johnny Gaudreau. The games are the first for Bill Peters as Flames coach.

Global Series preview

The New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers each will have a rehearsal for their season-opening 2018 NHL Global Series at Scandanavium in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Oct. 6.
The Devils will play SC Bern at PostFinance Arena in Bern, Switzerland, on Oct. 1 (1:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN). New Jersey center Nico Hischier played 15 games with Bern in National League A, Switzerland's top pro league, in 2015-16, prior to coming to North America.
The Oilers will play German club Kolner Haie at Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, the birthplace of Edmonton forward Leon Draisaitl, on Oct. 3 (10 a.m. ET; SN, NHLN).

Tavares comes to Hockeyville

John Tavares' first "home" game with the Toronto Maple Leafs will come about 120 miles west of Toronto at Lucan Community Memorial Centre in Lucan, Ontario, for the 2018 Kraft Hockeyville Canada game. The Maple Leafs are designated as the home team against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS).

Tavares signed a seven-year, $77 million contract with the Maple Leafs on July 1.

Dahlin's debut

Sabres fans could get their first look at defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Monday. The Sabres will play their first home preseason game, against the Pittsburgh Penguins, one night later.
Dahlin's first nationally televised game could be the Kraft Hockeyville USA game against the Blue Jackets at Clinton Arena, in Clinton, New York, on Sept. 25 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN), about 200 miles east of Buffalo.

Kovalchuk returns

Ilya Kovalchuk could play a game in an NHL uniform for the first time in 1,970 days when the Los Angeles Kings start their preseason with split-squad games against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday. One game will be at Staples Center, the other at Gila River Arena.
Kovalchuk, who last played in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils on April 27, 2013, spent five seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League. He signed a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Kings on July 1.

The champs are back

The Washington Capitals begin getting ready to defend their Stanley Cup championship when they opened the preseason at the Boston Bruins on Sunday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN).
The game marks the debut of coach Todd Reirden, who was promoted from assistant to replace Barry Trotz, who left to coach the New York Islanders.

Two teams, three days, three arenas

The Philadelphia Flyers and the Islanders will have an interesting start to the preseason. After their game at Nassau Coliseum, the original home of the Islanders, on Sunday, they'll play again at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Monday, then face off Tuesday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where they Islanders have played their home games since the 2015-16 season.
The games will be the first behind the Islanders bench for Trotz, who was hired June 21, three days after resigning as coach of the Capitals.

NHL hockey in non-NHL cities

It won't just be the 31 NHL teams and a few international cities hosting preseason games.
Some teams will play games in the home buildings of their American Hockey League affiliates. The Minnesota Wild will play the St. Louis Blues at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, home of their AHL team, the Iowa Wild, on Sept. 19. The Flyers and Islanders will play at PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, home of the Flyers' AHL team, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, on Sept. 21. The Islanders will play the New York Rangers at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, home of the Islanders' AHL team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, on Sept. 22.
There will be two games in non-NHL cities in Canada. The Capitals and Montreal Canadiens play at Videotron Centre in Quebec City on Sept. 20, and the Vancouver Canucks and Coyotes play at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, on Sept. 29 (10 p.m. ET; SN).
The first battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers will take place at Amway Arena in Orlando on Sept. 27.
There will be an NHL game in Utah for the first time since 2008 when the Kings and Canucks play at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Sept. 24 (9:30 p.m. ET, NHLN). Also, the Dallas Stars will play the Panthers at BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Sept. 22.