Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara isn't certain he'll be in the lineup for the team's first regular-season game on Oct. 3.
"I'm not sure," Chara said, according to The Boston Globe's Matt Porter. "I think I should be, but it's a process of making sure there are no setbacks or any discomfort."
The 42-year-old suffered a broken jaw when he took a deflected puck to the face during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues. Chara had plates and screws inserted in his mouth but, incredibly, didn't miss a game. He also had surgery after the playoffs to remove loose bodies in his elbow.
Chara said his offseason training was postponed by "six, seven weeks, with all the surgeries I had and all the rehab I had to go through."
"I'm still recovering, still working at being full strength," he said.
The towering defenseman is entering his 22nd NHL season and 14th with the Bruins. He contributed five goals and 14 points in 62 contests in 2018-19.
The 2019-20 fantasy hockey season is fast approaching, and after a summer filled with roster moves throughout the NHL, it's important to keep tabs on all the new faces in new places as you gear up for your draft.
With that in mind, here are four players set to excel on their new teams.
P.K. Subban, D, Devils
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One of the more offensive-minded blue-liners in the league should be able to flex those tendencies even more with the burgeoning New Jersey Devils. Subban battled injuries during 2018-19 and finished with his lowest points per game total since 2011-12, a mark he'll surely be hungry to redeem.
The Devils' 21st-ranked power play last season wasn't disastrous for an offensively thin team already without its best player, Taylor Hall, for the majority of the season. In 2019-20, Subban will likely quarterback a man advantage that will feature a combination of talented options, including Hall, Jack Hughes, Wayne Simmonds, Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, and Nikita Gusev.
Subban's always been confident with the puck on his stick, and his ability to move it efficiently is something the Devils' blue line has lacked. The 6-foot rearguard is in the 95th percentile among defensemen in possession zone exits per 60 minutes over the last three campaigns. Combined with the Devils' added speed and skill at forward and a healthy Hall, Subban's ability should help the team's attack off the rush.
Alex Galchenyuk, C/LW, Penguins
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Galchenyuk recorded his poorest statistical output last season since his sophomore campaign. However, he still amassed 19 goals and 41 points for the Arizona Coyotes while playing predominantly with up-and-comer Clayton Keller and rookie winger Conor Garland.
A fresh start with the Pittsburgh Penguins offers the former third overall pick a new world of opportunity.
Nick Bjugstad will likely occupy the third-line center role, which means Galchenyuk should find himself alongside either Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby, two premier-level talents that the 25-year-old has never had the privilege of playing with. Galchenyuk - who's totaled nine power-play goals in three of the last four seasons - should also have an opportunity to play a valuable role on the Penguins' man advantage.
He may not have the ability to drive a line on his own, but when aligned with talented running mates, Galchenyuk possesses the raw talent to be very effective.
Kevin Shattenkirk, D, Lightning
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Shattenkirk was on pace for 41 points in his first campaign with the New York Rangers in 2017-18 before sustaining a season-ending injury in January. The 31-year-old struggled to reinsert himself as a top-pair option the following season, but he also wasn't put in a great position to do so.
In 2018-19, he was most frequently paired with Frederick Claeson, who's at best a bottom-pair rearguard in the NHL. On the Tampa Bay Lightning, Shattenkirk is one of two regular right-shot options on the blue line, and thus could find himself playing alongside Victor Hedman. Veteran Ryan McDonagh, who's still a far stronger overall player than Claeson, could also be a potential partner.
Shattenkirk will also get the opportunity to do some damage on the power play. The 6-foot defenseman possesses a heavy shot and ranks fifth in power-play points and seventh in goals at his position since 2011-12.
The veteran also brings the banger stats. Shattenkirk ranked third on the Rangers last season in blocked shots and hovers right around one hit per game for his career. If you're concerned about plus/minus, no Lightning defenseman finished as a minus last season, and none of their top-four blue-liners finished lower than a plus-12.
James Neal, LW/RW, Oilers
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Sometimes NHL fans and pundits can have an extremely short memory. Neal's been written off by many after a forgettable 2018-19 season with the Calgary Flames, but the 31-year-old hit the 20-goal mark in each of his previous 10 NHL campaigns.
Last season, Neal recorded the fourth-worst shooting percentage among forwards with a minimum of 100 shots on goal with a mark of 5% - less than half his career average of 11.6%. The Ontario native also logged the least amount of average ice time of his career and was limited in power-play opportunities.
The Edmonton Oilers offer Neal a chance at redemption. He'll likely find himself in the team's top-six forward group to start the year and should get a chance to prove himself as a scoring threat playing alongside the world's top talent in Connor McDavid or, at worst, a 69-point man in Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Neal spent most of the 2018-19 season on the Flames' third line paired predominantly with center Mark Jankowski, whose below-average career assist rate of 0.79 per 60 minutes pales in comparison to McDavid's ridiculous mark of 2.37.
Advanced stats courtesy of NaturalStatTrick, A3Z tool by CJ Torturo
Former NHL star Dale Hawerchuk will not be behind the bench for the Barrie Colts to begin the 2019-20 OHL season due to health issues, the team announced Tuesday, according to The Canadian Press.
"We are a tight and close family here and it's difficult to have to make announcements like this," team president Howie Campbell said in a statement. "Dale is facing some health issues and will be taking the time he needs to deal with that situation. Our best wishes and thoughts are with Dale and his family during this difficult time."
Barrie did not provide any further details regarding his condition.
The 56-year-old was entering his 10th season behind the team's bench and is the longest-serving coach in its history. He's helped the Colts reach the postseason six times during his tenure.
Hawerchuk recorded 518 goals and 891 assists over 1,118 contests with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Philadelphia Flyers. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas is optimistic about getting restricted free-agent forward Mitch Marner signed to a new deal before training camp begins Sept. 13.
“We’ve continued to have dialogue with (Marner's agent) Darren (Ferris) as recently as last week," Dubas said in an interview with TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Marner is among several talented restricted free agents that are still without contracts, and the 22-year-old has already said he "probably won't" attend training camp without a new deal.
Dubas said, "I would expect - in looking at it and looking at the history of these things - that some of it will start to shake loose, and we're certainly hopeful and we'll continue to work towards having (Marner) be one of those players that signs in the coming week."
Though the two sides have not been able to come to an agreement, Dubas said there's more incentive to get a deal done as the season approaches.
"I think the realism of the situation begins to near closer and closer, which is that if there is no contract, most players don't attend training camp," Dubas said. He added: "I think when missing time begins to become real, I think it changes the dynamics of the discussion quite a bit."
Last season, negotiations with forward William Nylander extended right to the Dec. 1 deadline, and the 23-year-old struggled to return to form. When asked if he's worried about a similar timetable for Marner, Dubas noted negotiations started much earlier this time and pointed out that Nylander wasn't willing to accept a short-term contract.
"The first discussion that I had with Darren was at the combine in 2018 about Mitch, and William, the first discussion that we had with Lewis (Gross, Nylander's agent), was at the draft a couple of months before ... I just think that they're very different situations," Dubas said.
Marner enjoyed a breakout season in his third NHL campaign, recording 26 goals and 94 points in 82 games. He became the youngest player in franchise history to break the 90-point mark.
Kronwall ranks ninth in franchise history with 953 games played. He sits third all time among Red Wings defensemen in assists (349), fourth in points (432), and fifth in goals (83).
He contributed 47 points in 109 playoff games and helped the club capture the Stanley Cup in 2008.
Kronwall found success at the international level, too, as he won a gold medal with Sweden at both the 2006 Olympic Games and the 2006 World Championships. He also helped the nation win a silver medal at the 2014 Olympics.
Detroit selected the 6-foot rearguard 29th overall in the 2000 NHL Draft and he made his Red Wings debut during the 2003-04 season.
Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella is known for his candor, and the veteran bench boss didn't sugarcoat his frustration entering the 2019-20 campaign after losing multiple core pieces this offseason.
"I'm pissed," Tortorella said according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "I’m pissed for my players. I'm pissed for my organization. And I'm pissed on behalf of my city."
After pulling off one of the greatest upsets in NHL history by sweeping the 62-win Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs, the Blue Jackets saw key forwards Matt Duchene and Artemi Panarin, along with star goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, walk away in free agency.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for all of them. I do," Tortorella said. "But don't talk about goddamn winning, like you want to go somewhere to win. It’s right there in front of you.
"I respect them all. But I don’t want to hear 'I want to win' when it’s right fucking here. I respect them, but I’m really pissed. It was right there, where we were really progressing."
Tortorella also expressed frustration about the status of restricted free agent Zach Werenski, who's yet to sign a new deal with training camp set to begin this month.
"I'd be terribly disappointed," the coach said. "I'm not involved in the business part of it. But for a young man to miss one minute of camp ... it disgusts me."
Tortorella added of Werenski: "He has really grown as a player. I just don’t want him to miss a beat here. I won’t be disappointed, I'll be disgusted."
Despite the roster turnover, Tortorella is still confident in his group and remains focused on maximizing the club's potential this season.
"We feel like we made a really good step last year, although we still don’t get out of the second round," he said. "We still made a step in the right direction. That doesn’t change because we lose some players."
"This is the first time in my life that I've felt unsure of my aspirations with regards to hockey," Williams said. "For as long as I can remember, my whole offseason until this point has been hockey and doing what was necessary to prepare for the upcoming season. Because of my current indecision, and without the type of mental and physical commitment that I'm accustomed to having, I've decided to step away from the game."
Williams is an unrestricted free agent, but he made it clear that he would only re-sign with the Hurricanes if he decided to return for the upcoming campaign.
"We appreciate Justin's honesty and openness throughout this process, and respect his decision," said Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell. "He's been an important part of our team, but we did prepare our roster with the understanding that he might step away. We are confident in the group we've assembled."
The 6-foot-1 winger, who played for Carolina from 2003-09, rejoined the club on a two-year deal ahead of the 2017-18 campaign. Williams tallied 23 goals and 53 points in 2018-19 to help end the Hurricanes' 10-year playoff drought.
The 18-year veteran recorded 312 goals and 786 points over 1,244 career contests between the Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and Washington Capitals. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, Williams also captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP with the Kings in 2014.
The NHL will not exercise its right to reopen the collective bargaining agreement next year, the league announced Friday.
"Based on the current state of the game and the business of the game, the NHL believes it is essential to continue building upon the momentum we have created with our players and, therefore, will not exercise its option to reopen the CBA. Rather, we are prepared to have the current CBA remain in effect for its full term - three more seasons through the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.
"It is our hope that a continued, sustained period of labor peace will enable us to further grow the game and benefit all constituent groups: NHL players, clubs, our business partners, and most important, our fans," commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement.
The NHL had until Sunday to make its decision.
The NHLPA executive board and additional players who wish to attend are scheduled to meet Wednesday in Chicago. The deadline for the NHLPA to reopen CBA discussions is Sept. 15, but both sides could potentially agree to push back the NHLPA's deadline if a deal can't be struck by then, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
If the players opt to reopen negotiations, the current CBA will be terminated, potentially resulting in a work stoppage in September 2020. The current agreement will run through the 2020-21 season should they decline.
The NHL and NHLPA reached a deal for the current CBA in 2013 following a prolonged dispute that shortened the 2012-13 season to 48 games. The league also lost the entire 2004-05 season after the two parties failed to come to terms on an agreement prior to that campaign.
"Last year, I fell off toward the end of the season," the forward said, according to NHL.com. "This summer, I looked at why that happened and at the things that I can change so that it doesn't happen this year. I have to be consistent for 82 games."
Drouin enjoyed a terrific start to the 2018-19 campaign, tallying 37 points over his first 52 contests. The 24-year-old recorded just four goals and 16 points over his final 30 games, however, as the Canadiens missed the playoffs by two points.
"Who knows, if it weren't for those 30 games I had at the end of last year, maybe we're in the playoffs," he said. "For me, it's just to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know that I did something to be able to help our team make the playoffs this year."
This summer, Drouin turned to Canadiens assistant coach Dominique Ducharme - his former coach with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads - to help him analyze video to better understand his strengths and weaknesses. That offseason initiative has impressed head coach Claude Julien.
"A guy who takes charge of his career and his situation is a good sign," Julien said, according to Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "He's still a young player, so that's the exciting part of it. He's a young player that wants to improve, so hopefully, that's what's going to happen. If he does, he's going to make our team that much better.
"He has the ability to be an impact player when he wants to be."
Drouin signed a six-year, $33-million contract with the Canadiens in June 2017 after Montreal acquired him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The NHL Players' Association executive board, comprised of player representatives from all 31 teams, will meet in Chicago on Sept. 4 for a CBA update discussion, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.
Other players will also attend the meeting, LeBrun notes.
The NHLPA has until Sept. 15 to opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement, which is scheduled to run through the 2020-21 season. The NHL has until Sept. 1 to make its own decision on the matter.
The two sides have held multiple meetings throughout the summer, LeBrun adds, but it's unclear how much progress has been made.
Both parties will look to avoid a labor stoppage after failing to do so during each of the previous two negotiations. The NHL lost an entire season in 2004-05 and convened a 48-game campaign in 2012-13 after the league and the NHLPA reached an agreement in January 2013.
