Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

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Niklas Kronwall has over 12 NHL seasons under his belt, but he enters the 2018-19 campaign knowing it could be his last.

The 37-year-old Kronwall is among the oldest players on the Detroit Red Wings roster and with teams now favoring younger stars over seasoned veterans, he's realistic about where he stands.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at," Kronwall said, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

Kronwall is entering the final season of a seven-year, $33.25-million contract. While he'd love to sign on for another tour of duty, if this is the end for the native of Stockholm, Sweden, he's appreciative of what the Red Wings organization has done for him.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, said. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall won a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008 and ranks fourth in franchise scoring by a defenseman.

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Leon Draisaitl doesn't think the Edmonton Oilers are going to replicate last season's subpar result.

"I think we're too good of a team where we're not at least competing in the playoffs or not in the race," the Oilers forward told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger on Thursday. "And even if we are, that's probably not good enough. We want to make the playoffs and I think we have the team to do it. Now it's up to the players to show it."

The Oilers finished with the NHL's ninth-worst record in 2017-18 after qualifying for the postseason for the first time in 11 years and advancing to the second round in the prior campaign.

Edmonton won only 36 games last season, but Draisaitl appears motivated to ensure the club gets back in the playoff hunt.

"We, as players, need to take ownership and be the best team we can be," he said. "I think that last year we weren't the team that we are, or that we want to be. Seasons like that happen, but we have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

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The New York Rangers are in no rush to name a new leader.

After dealing Ryan McDonagh to the Tampa Bay Lightning at last year's trade deadline, the Rangers finished the 2017-18 campaign without a captain.

Yet the historic franchise is ready to wait to name a new leader until someone distinguishes himself from the rest of the pack, according to new head coach David Quinn.

"We've talked about it as an organization. I think a captain emerges," Quinn told NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "You don't want to put a burden on somebody that isn't ready for it. So I think that will just happen one way or the other.

"It either will happen that someone will emerge and separate themselves as someone who is clearly going to be the captain, or it won't happen. I think that will take care of itself."

McDonagh had worn the "C" since the start of the 2014-15 season, assuming the vacancy from departed captain Ryan Callahan.

Forwards Chris Kreider, Mats Zuccarello, and defenseman Marc Staal were alternate captains with the Rangers last season, and all three could be candidates to take on the top duty this year.

The Rangers have had 27 captains in the team's history, including two stints by Mark Messier, who wore the "C" from 1991 to 1997, and again from 2000 to 2004.

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Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid is a near lock to be chosen first overall in fantasy hockey leagues with standard scoring. After him, though, it gets interesting. With the second overall pick, there are many ways fantasy owners could go.

To assist owners picking in the No. 2 slot, theScore's Josh Wegman, Esten McLaren, and Sean O'Leary make their case for who they believe should be chosen after McDavid.

Wegman: Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Kucherov was the only player in the NHL last season to finish top 10 in goals, assists, shots on goal, and power-play points. That's four of the six standard fantasy categories where he dominated. He recorded a plus-15 rating and 42 penalty minutes as well.

With the Lightning once again projected to be an offensive juggernaut, the likelihood of Kucherov repeating his career-best 100-point season is high.

What separates Kucherov from other contenders is his position. Center is by far the deepest position in fantasy, so drafting a right-winger in Kucherov will allow you to wait on centers, thus building a deeper team.

O'Leary: Sidney Crosby

For the first time since 2015, Crosby and the Penguins didn't play deep into the heart of June. The extra rest should do wonders for No. 87 as he looks to improve on his 89-point campaign from 2017-18.

One season after claiming the Rocket Richard Trophy with 44 tallies, Crosby regressed to 29 goals this past season, despite directing only eight fewer shots on net. Sid's shooting percentage was just 11.7 last year. He should be expected to bounce back to his career average of 14.5 in 2018-19.

Crosby also holds extra value for his role as a distributor on Pittsburgh's deadly power play - which ranked first in the NHL with a 26.2 percent success rate in 2017-18. He ranked third in the league with 38 power-play points and if he's sharing a top unit with Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, and Kris Letang again, the sky's the limit for Crosby's production on the man advantage.

McLaren: Steven Stamkos

A fully healthy Steven Stamkos scored 27 goals in 2017-18. His shooting percentage of 12.7 ranked 165th in the league and was well below his career average of 16.7 percent. He set career highs in assists and plus-minus while nearing his personal-best mark in penalty minutes and chipping in 33 power-play points - the third-best total of his career.

He was one of just three players in the league with more than 70 penalty minutes to also have at least 27 goals and more than 60 points, making him one of the top targets for addressing a largely foregone category.

Stamkos shot the puck less but also finished with a career-high 59 assists. He also saw a slight reduction to his time on ice per game after being limited to just 17 contests the previous season. He certainly has the supporting cast to help him achieve his first 100-point campaign and produce 50 goals for the third time in his career.

Though Stamkos was limited to center eligibility last season, he has been granted dual status as a right wing in the past. An injury to the team's thinner wing group could again force Stamkos to the outside, further elevating his fantasy value.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

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