And so, the 2017-18 National Hockey League season looms, a great, vast expanse unblemished and yearning for stories to be writ large on the canvas.
Heroes? Villains? Disappointments and wonderful surprises? All will be revealed in time.
How will it look? Let us count the ways with the top 10 storylines of the coming season.
NHL preview: Ten storylines to watch in 2017-18
DallasStars.com's Scott Burnside details various talking points around the league heading into the new campaign
© Al Bello