NHL Eastern Conference preview, storylines: Panthers look to make another run with contenders getting closer

The 2024-25 season is just days away, and there’s a large amount of anticipation as a result.

The Florida Panthers had a sour taste in their mouths after losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. As a result, the Panthers were extremely motivated to finish the job during the 2023-24 season, and they did just that by defeating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games. While the Panthers will certainly have a chance to make another deep run, the Eastern Conference has an abundance of talented teams that will be attempting to dethrone the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Here’s a breakdown of the Eastern Conference as the 2024-25 season gets underway.

Atlantic Division

Can the Panthers repeat?

The Panthers captured their first Stanley Cup in franchise history during the 2023-24 campaign. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky was a stable force in net throughout Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup, while the Panthers rode their deep offense and stellar defense to defeat the Oilers.

As is the case with many Stanley Cup-winning teams, the Panthers did have some turnover after winning it all. The Panthers saw defenseman Brandon Montour sign with the Kraken, while veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko landed with the Red Wings. Florida was able to retain star winger Sam Reinhart, who scored a career-high 57 goals last season. Repeating is not an easy task, but assuming the Panthers can stay healthy, this is a team that is capable of being the class of the Eastern Conference once again in 2024-25.

Lightning move into a post-Steven Stamkos era

The Lightning appeared in the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons, including hoisting the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021. Since being defeated by the Avalanche in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning has been ousted in the first round in each of the last two editions of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Now Tampa Bay will move into a new era of its franchise history after star center Steven Stamkos signed with the Nashville Predators in free agency. While Stamkos has left the team, the Lightning did add some firepower on their top line in the former of winger Jake Guentzel. In addition to securing a top-tier talent like Guentzel, the Lightning also still have a very dangerous top six group of forwards that includes Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Brandon Hagel. The Lightning will look to show that they are still one of the top teams in the East after not making much noise in the postseason in each of the last two campaigns.

Bruins challenge for division crown amid Jeremy Swayman contract talks

The Bruins finished just one point behind the Panthers at the top of the Atlantic Division. Boston ended up defeating the Maple Leafs in the opening round before being eliminated by the Panthers for the second straight year in six games.

Over the summer, the Bruins added Elias Lindholm to solidify their top-line center position just one year after franchise icon Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement. The team also improved their defensive core with the signing of defenseman Nikita Zadorov. When it comes to the Bruins, the biggest question mark is the ongoing contract extension talks with goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Swayman is currently a restricted free agent, and the two sides don’t appear to be anywhere close to agreeing to terms on a new deal. After trading Linus Ullmark to the Senators this past offseason, the Bruins definitely need to get Swayman locked up in the near future. If he isn’t signed in the coming days, the Bruins will be operating with a goaltending duo of Joonas Korpisalo and Brandon Bussi. 

Metropolitan Division

Devils looking to produce bounce-back campaign following busy offseason

The Devils possess one of the most talented young cores in all of the NHL. New Jersey won a playoff series in 2022-23, but were hampered by defensive inefficiencies throughout the 2023-24 season. Such more so that the Devils missed the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs all together. 

Throughout the 2023-24 campaign, Devils goaltenders tallied a 3.43 goals-against-average, which was tied for the fifth-highest in the league. It was a revolving door in the crease with the likes of Akira Schmid, Vitek Vanecek, Kaapo Kahkonen, Nico Daws, and Jake Allen all playing in net. The Devils acquired netminder Jacob Markstrom in an offseason trade with the Flames in an effort to stabilize the position. In addition, New Jersey also attempted to solidify their back end with the signing of defensemen Brett Pesce and Brendan Dillon. Considering the talent that the Devils have added, it’s hard to imagine this team not improving quite a bit, and a playoff run certainly isn’t out of the question.

Matvei Michkov arrives in North America

Next to Connor Bedard, Matvei Michkov was arguably the second most talented prospect in the 2023 NHL Draft. However, due to the uncertainty of when Michkov would be freed from his KHL contract, many teams passed on selecting the Russian scoring threat. The Flyers, who were in the midst of a rebuild at the time, gambled and took Michkov with the No. 7 pick. Just over a year later, Michkov has set foot on American soil and will embark on his rookie season in 2024-25.

Since Philadelphia traded Claude Giroux at the 2022 trade deadline, the team has been in search of a superstar to build around. There’s plenty of significant complementary pieces on their roster, but Michkov is the talented goal scorer that the Flyers have been yearning for. Michkov recently compiled 41 points (19 goals & 22 assists) in just 47 games for HC Sochi, and has already showed off his goal-scoring prowess in the NHL preseason. It won’t be a huge surprise if Michkov wins the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie when the dust settles on the 2024-25 season. 

Rangers aim to reach the mountaintop

It’s hard to find a team that has been closer to reaching the Stanley Cup Final in recent years than the Rangers. New York has fallen in the Eastern Conference Final in two of the past three seasons, including being eliminated by the Panthers in the East final last season. 

The Rangers didn’t make a significant amount of changes to their roster this past offseason. The team did add veteran winger Reilly Smith in a trade with the Penguins that provides some scoring acumen to an already dangerous second line. The Rangers will rely on a deep group of top six forwards, while having a world-class goaltender in the form of Igor Shesterkin. Shesterkin did struggle throughout the first half of the 2023-24 campaign, but ultimately produced a solid season to the tune of a 2.58 goals-against-average and .913 save percentage. New York certainly has the pieces to make a run at the Stanley Cup, and will likely be one of the favorites to come out of the East in 2024-25.