After the Chicago Blackhawks raised the Stanley Cup on home ice in June to celebrate their third title in six years, they spent the summer figuring out how to pay for it.
That meant making significant changes, including the departures of several key players.
That also left the Stanley Cup race remarkably wide-open.
The league has no overwhelming favorite when play begins Wednesday with four games. Seemingly half of the NHL’s teams have legitimate hopes of being the next to raise the Cup in a league that’s financially healthy, remarkably competitive and ready for a busy winter.