Only one more game separates the Dallas Stars and the rest of the NHL from the beginning of the 2019 offseason. And as soon as the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues determine the winner of the 2019 Stanley Cup, the real fun will begin.
That’s how it is with every summer in the NHL. Once a champion is crowned, all 31 teams fall back to level ground as they begin making preparations for the season ahead. And within those preparations, any number of things can happen.
A team that went deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs may lose a few core pieces of their lineup and regress heavily next season.