Alexander Steen is set to play his first game since offseason shoulder surgery.
The St. Louis Blues center, who was forced to miss the World Cup of Hockey due to the injury, has been penciled into the lineup for Wednesday's preseason game against Washington.
Steen was initially expected to be out four-to-six months following the injury announcement back in June, but made a quick recovery.
Mario Lemieux turns 51 today, giving the hockey world good reason to look back at some of his most memorable moments.
Here are five of the best.
1. 5 goals, 5 ways
In a game against New Jersey in 1988, Lemieux scored five goals in five different situations: at even strength, short-handed, on the power play, on a penalty shot, and into an empty net.
2. Super moves
Lemieux's skills were on full display with this goal against Minnesota during the 1991 Stanley Cup Final.
3. Lemieux scores in return from cancer treatment
On the same day as his final radiation treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, Lemieux flew to Philadelphia and scored a goal in his first game in almost two months, even earning a standing ovation from Flyers fans.
4. Final goal before early retirement
Despite still being at the top of his game and leading the league with 122 points, Lemieux announced he would retire following the 1997 playoffs. His final home goal was met with much emotion.
5. The great return
Following a three-year absence during which he purchased the Penguins, Lemieux announced he would return to the ice, becoming the first modern-day player/owner in the NHL.
Of course, he put on a show in his first game back.
Last season the Pacific Division saw a clear divide.
The three teams to clinch a playoff berth from the division were all within five points of one another, while the bottom four were separated by just eight points.
However, as we gear up for the regular season, early indications are that the gap between the seven clubs will not be as severe this time around, and goaltending is to blame.
Some teams have upgraded at the position, others have stripped away, and some are simply facing question marks.
Goaltending no longer Flames' excuse for missing playoffs
The Calgary Flames can largely rest their hats on the fact that having the worst goaltending in the league is the reason they missed the postseason in 2015-16.
The club gave up a league-worst 3.13 goals against per game, and saw four different individuals man the crease at one time or another, with none providing goaltending that could be considered reliable.
Goalie
Games
Wins
GAA
SV%
Karri Ramo
37
17
2.63
.909
Jonas Hiller
26
9
3.51
.879
Joni Ortio
22
7
2.76
.902
Niklas Backstrom
4
2
3.35
.881
However, this offseason the team went on the offensive, and acquiring Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues and signing Chad Johnson in free agency. Elliott led the league with a .930 save percentage during the regular season in 2015-16 and tied for second with a 2.06 goals-against average.
Meanwhile, Johnson played admirably on a poor Buffalo Sabres club, finishing with a .920 save percentage and a 2.36 goals-against average in 45 games.
The Flames still own a blistering offense and a strong defensive core, so the vastly improving their options in net could see the team quickly compete for top spot in the division.
Gibson takes on new role
The Anaheim Ducks chose their main man this offseason.
After splitting the duo of Frederik Andersen and John Gibson, the team rolled the dice, dealing Andersen to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who then inked the 26-year-old to a five-year contract.
In turn, the team has placed its eggs entirely in the basket of the 22-year-old Gibson, who has just 66 games of NHL experience.
Gibson earned the starting role over Andersen last season, but lost his starting job during the playoffs after rocking a lackluster .900 save percentage and 3.08 goals-against average in his first two postseason games.
The Pittsburgh native has never started more than 38 games in a season, but will certainly be expected to going forward. The Ducks did acquire Jonathan Bernier from the Maple Leafs, who should help to fill in as needed, but there's no question the Ducks will certainly be testing uncharted waters in handing the reigns over to the youngster.
Several unknowns
While the Flames looked to have beefed up their goaltending and the Ducks have made a point about clarifying their starter going forward, the rest of the division stood pat with their squads' existing tandems, and in doing so have created several questions of their own to answer.
Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks will enter the season with Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom. The team appears to have Miller pegged as its starter, but as Miller, 36, continues to age and with Markstrom appearing to be coming into his own, the question is: what will it take for the Canucks to hand the keys over to their younger netminder full time?
Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes have been aggressive this offseason in attempting to prove they are preparing for a successful future. But who will be between the pipes when the future arrives?
Louis Domingue showed flashes of brilliance in his first season. Meanwhile, Mike Smith - despite turning in strong numbers in 2015-16 - continues to be very inconsistent from one season to the next. Will this duo be enough, or will the Coyotes be left howling for more?
Oilers
Cam Talbot's .917 save percentage was the best mark an Oilers goaltender has put up since the 2012-13 season.
He is early into what the Oilers hope is a long and successful run for the team as it looks to turn over a new leaf. However, Talbot sits in a position where he could hit the ground running or regress. His value to the Oilers' future could very well be proven this season.
Professional tryouts didn't yield contracts in Columbus.
Forwards Jarret Stoll and Mike Brown, along with defensemen Keith Aulie and Marc-Andre Bergeron were released from their tryout deals Wednesday, as the Blue Jackets announced their latest string of cuts.
Bergeron had been out of the league for three seasons before earning a tryout with Columbus, while Aulie played in Sweden last season after a brief stay with the Arizona Coyotes.
Hendricks has been useful in a checking role, and especially while shorthanded, having logged the second-most minutes among penalty killers last season. But in his absence, the Oilers could choose to dress a more potent lineup.
theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The Buffalo Sabres aren't quite ready to join the ranks of the NHL's elite, but they're headed in the right direction.
A pair of second overall picks made their marks in 2015-16, becoming the first Sabres rookie duo in more than 40 years to score 20 goals apiece, and a new free-agent addition should bolster Buffalo's top line this season.
Here are three Sabres players to keep an eye on in 2016-17:
Jack Eichel
Buffalo's consolation prize in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes proved he was much more than that, notching a team-leading 24 goals and 56 points (second to Ryan O'Reilly) in a memorable rookie campaign.
Eichel's speed, hands, and ability to finish put him on many highlight reels in 2015-16, and that trend should only continue.
The 19-year-old is locked in as the Sabres' second-line center and should see a gradual increase in ice time, which is good news if you're a fan of spectacular plays.
Kyle Okposo
He's not Steven Stamkos, but Okposo was still a significant free-agent splash for Buffalo.
The 28-year-old winger gives the Sabres another playmaker on the top line and the power play, and should produce at a similar clip as he did in parts of nine seasons with the New York Islanders.
His arrival also takes some pressure off Eichel and the other young guns as they continue to develop, and Okposo should be a vital cog in Buffalo's offense for years to come.
Sam Reinhart
Reinhart nearly matched Eichel's scoring prowess in his own rookie season, collecting 23 goals and finishing with 42 points in 2015-16.
The 19-year-old did it while playing about two fewer minutes per game than his teammate, and like Eichel, Reinhart's role should grow in his second go-around.
He's already shown he can find the back of the net at the NHL level, and he also demonstrated that in the WHL and the world juniors before joining the Sabres.
Buffalo could certainly make a playoff push in 2016-17, but even if they fall short, there's no shortage of burgeoning talent on the roster.
You wouldn't know there were nine preseason NHL games by the way many hockey players were tweeting Tuesday night.
The majority of the hockey world's attention was instead focused squarely on the American League wild-card game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles.
When Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning, the celebration was on.
The 24-year-old certainly gave head coach Michelle Therrien something to consider in exhibition play on Tuesday. Carr picked off a Zdeno Chara pass late in the third period, then dangled him and linemate Adam McQuaid before beating Tuukka Rask for a sensational goal to give the Canadiens a 4-3 lead over the Bruins.
Carr dressed in 23 games for the Canadiens last season thanks in large to the team's many injuries, but will be looking to make it on his own merit this season.
