New York Rangers veteran Vincent Trocheck has lofty expectations for his team this coming season after a disappointing first-round exit over the spring.

"No B.S.," Trocheck told NHL.com's Dan Rosen.

"This team has been looked at as a team that can take the next step in the future for a while now. That future is now. We don't have all this time to waste. It's put up or shut up at this point."

The Rangers have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons after only making it once - the qualifying round of the 2020 bubble postseason - in the four years prior.

New York reached the Eastern Conference Final in its return to the playoffs in 2022 but blew a 3-1 series lead to the rival New Jersey Devils in the opening round in 2023, Trocheck's first season with the club. The early elimination led to the firing of head coach Gerard Gallant, who led the team to 110- and 107-point seasons in two years at the helm.

The Rangers were commonly viewed as a young team on the rise under Gallant, but Trocheck believes New York has the necessary experience to be a contender.

"We don't have that 'get to the playoffs and that's success' mentality," he said. "We know how awful it was losing in the first round last year, so we're coming in here, and we mean business. You get sick of losing."

Trocheck managed 64 points in 82 games in his first season on Broadway, then added a single goal in the playoffs. He'll begin his 11th NHL campaign on Oct.12 when the Rangers meet the Buffalo Sabres.

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Sidney Crosby believes Connor McDavid can ascend to even higher heights in the upcoming campaign after seeing what he did last season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain said he wouldn't be surprised to see the Edmonton Oilers dynamo collect more than 170 points in 2023-24, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.

"I didn't think 150 was going to be in the cards for him but he found a way to get there," Crosby said. "So, I don't think anything is out of the question for him as far as numbers are concerned.

"He just finds a way to find another level time and time again, so I would never bet against him."

McDavid led the NHL with 153 points last season, winning the Art Ross Trophy by 25 points over teammate Leon Draisaitl while posting the highest single-season point total since Mario Lemieux's 161 in 1995-96. The Oilers captain also claimed the Hart Trophy for the third time, his fourth Ted Lindsay Award, and his first "Rocket" Richard Trophy after pacing the league with 64 goals.

Crosby's praise for McDavid is nothing new, as the future Hall of Famer has called the Oilers center the NHL's best player since 2018. But no one has reached the 170-point plateau since Lemieux racked up 199 in 1988-89. Crosby hasn't changed his opinion on who's best right now, though.

"Yeah, I think it's (still) hard to argue that one," Crosby said. "I mean, you've got Nate (MacKinnon) and Leon and some other guys who are right there, but I think (McDavid has) proven that."

Crosby and McDavid could finally get to play together for Canada if the NHL and NHLPA follow through on their plan to hold a best-on-best international tournament in February 2025.

"The chance to play with Connor and, for that matter, some other guys would be cool," Crosby said. "It's a pretty amazing honor to play for Team Canada and to be with the best players in the world competing. Just seeing that level of hockey, it's impressive, and it's fun, and it's hockey at its finest.

"Hopefully, we get that opportunity."

As for playing against each other, Crosby and McDavid won't face off this season until March 3, followed by a rematch between the Penguins and Oilers seven days later. That means the first time the two superstars meet in 2023-24 could be in early February at the All-Star festivities in Toronto.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs will explore giving Auston Matthews a role on the penalty kill this coming season, and the two-time "Rocket" Richard winner is all for the new opportunity.

"You're down a man but at the same time, it's hockey, a lot of anticipation, a lot of reads, and I feel like I have a good stick and can break up plays," Matthews said, according to NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. "I'd love to be utilized on it."

Matthews has only logged 24:19 on the kill since entering the league in 2016-17. He does boast some skills that could translate to the role, as he ranks fourth among all forwards in blocks (443) and fifth in takeaways (447) over the past seven seasons.

"I've always thought of it too when you go out against guys like Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand on the penalty kill, it definitely makes you think a little bit more maybe just because not only are they very good defensively, they can knock pucks out of the air and force you to make plays in tough positions and then transition the other way," Matthews said.

"Obviously, you're not trying to score every time you are out there, but there's definitely a lot of opportunity there and something I definitely want to embrace."

Toronto had the NHL's 12th-ranked penalty kill last season at 81.9%, then struggled in the playoffs with a 73.3% clip. The Maple Leafs lost several shorthanded contributors over the offseason, including Noel Acciari, Ryan O'Reilly, and Alex Kerfoot.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe said the roster overhaul has played a part in the decision to give Matthews a look.

"A need and a void perhaps is the best way to describe it," Keefe said. "This will be a longer look for him just to get comfortable and familiar with it. ... Ideally for me, Auston is comfortable to take penalty-kill reps, same with (William Nylander) who has killed more than Auston over the last couple of seasons and will take a bigger step this year as well, but also have others step up so depending on what the game is calling for, we can utilize different people in different situations."

Matthews registered 40 goals and 85 points in 74 games last season, a notable step back from his 2021-22 MVP campaign when he notched 60 tallies and 46 helpers.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will let defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang share the ice on the man advantage.

"The power play is very important to Erik and Kris," head coach Mike Sullivan told ESPN's Greg Wyshynski. "So we'll start with both of them on the top unit. And so we'll see how it goes. We've got a lot of options."

Karlsson's future power-play usage was a notable topic of discussion when Pittsburgh acquired him from the San Jose Sharks over the offseason, as Letang has run the top unit for much of his 17-year career.

There don't appear to be any hard feelings between the two stars, though, with Letang having reportedly endorsed the team's pursuit of the reigning Norris Trophy winner before the deal was struck.

Along with the two veteran defensemen, Pittsburgh's No. 1 power play will likely feature Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jake Guentzel - who may miss some time at the start of the season due to an ankle injury.

The Penguins ranked 14th in the NHL in power-play proficiency last season at 21.7%. Karlsson notched 27 of his 101 points with the man advantage. He has 273 power-play points to his credit through 14 NHL seasons.

Letang contributed 21 power-play points in 2022-23. Since Karlsson broke into the NHL in 2009-10, he and Letang rank first and fifth, respectively, among all blue-liners in power-play production.

Many eyes will be on the new-look Penguins this coming year after they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06. The team underwent significant changes to the front office and roster this offseason.

Pittsburgh's season opener comes Oct. 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks.

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Warning: Story contains coarse language

Toronto Maple Leafs winger Nick Robertson doesn't seem bothered that he's not viewed the same way he used to be in terms of his potential.

"I know my name isn't what it used to be. I don't give a fuck," Robertson told The Athletic's Joshua Kloke with a smile.

Despite enduring numerous injuries and watching the club overhaul its depth chart, the 22-year-old still thinks he can stick in the NHL.

"I believe. I believe in anything," he said.

Robertson became the Maple Leafs' best prospect soon after they drafted him 53rd overall in 2019. He racked up 55 goals and 31 assists over 46 games with the OHL's Peterborough Petes the following season, then debuted with the Leafs in the bubble, scoring a goal in four playoff games.

However, he hurt his knee during his regular-season debut in the abbreviated 2021 campaign, tore his adductor with the AHL's Toronto Marlies later that season, broke his fibula with the farm team early in 2021-22, and then injured his shoulder when Los Angeles Kings defenseman Matt Roy hit him in December 2022.

Robertson opted for surgery on the latter ailment, which ended his season. He's been limited to 31 regular-season contests in the NHL over three campaigns, mustering just three goals and four assists.

Matthew Knies has since usurped Robertson as the Maple Leafs' most tantalizing young forward. The Hobey Baker Award finalist, who'll turn 21 in October, collected an assist in three regular-season games with Toronto last season before adding a goal and three assists in seven playoff appearances.

Knies is expected to play a larger role with the club in 2023-24. He departed the University of Minnesota to sign an entry-level deal with Toronto in April.

Robertson is now fully recovered from his shoulder surgery, and he'll have plenty to prove as he enters the final year of his own entry-level pact.

"In the long run, I know this is an important year for me," he said. "I didn't want to miss training camp. It was a tough decision for me. It really was. But it was something I had to be mature about."

So far in camp, Robertson has played on a line with players like Pontus Holmberg and Nick Abruzzese, who aren't locks to make the team. Robertson is still exempt from waivers, so he can be sent down to the AHL without the risk of being claimed by other NHL squads.

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Clayton Keller couldn't think of a more incredible goal he's witnessed than the one teammate Logan Cooley scored during the Arizona Coyotes' preseason win over the Los Angeles Kings in Australia on Saturday.

"That was one of the best moves I've ever seen," Keller said postgame, according to team reporter Patrick Brown. "The spin-o-rama was one thing, but then to have the patience to pull it to your forehand and then finish it, it's definitely the best I've ever seen."

Cooley flew into the Kings' defensive zone, pulled off the spin-o-rama, and then buried it while falling down, embarrassing multiple L.A. players in the process during the second period in Melbourne.

The 19-year-old forward committed a turnover that led to the Kings' first goal of the game moments before getting redemption. He also didn't realize he scored until he noticed his teammates celebrating.

"After that pizza I threw up the middle, I thought I had to do something," Cooley said with a laugh, according to Brown. "It was just a hockey play, I thought I had some space, and I thought I missed the net, actually, but I saw the guys put their arms up.

"It definitely felt good to get that one, and it was an awesome game to play in."

Cooley was making his preseason debut. His show-stopping tally brought over 13,000 fans at Rod Laver Arena to their feet, but the rookie acknowledged that neither the goal nor the 5-3 victory were regular-season accomplishments.

"It felt good to get that one under my belt, but we'll wait for the real one to be that happy about it," he said.

Puck drop for the second game between the two Western Conference clubs in Australia is scheduled for 12:05 a.m. ET on Sunday. Saturday's tilt was the NHL's first game in the southern hemisphere.

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