Big questions surrounding each Eastern Canadian NHL team heading into season

The offseason is officially in the rearview mirror and puck drop on the 2024-25 NHL season for the Canadian teams is practically here. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button and TSN Hockey analyst Mike Johnson join SC with Jay Onrait to answer the big questions surrounding each of the Eastern Canadian teams heading into the season.

[@labiagargontula]

If Ottawa can stay healthy they're gonna take that last wildcard spot. Ulmark is ready to go off

[@hockeysnipes3656]

Ottawa according to moneypuck was 11th in expected goals their goals saved above expected was deadlast by a margin of over 10 goals as well if I'm not mistaken. According to some of the defensive metrics Ottawa has shown they can play solid defense.

[@Tdawwg18]

I think finally having 3 LHD and 3 RHD will be a huge step in playing good defense. Sanderson-Zub was one of the best defensive pairings last year, metric wise. Top 5 I believe

[@kenjichu320]

Best move was getting rid of Sheldon for a new voice in the locker room. Getting better or worse is still change and that's what this team has not done.

[@MM-ww6yb]

Lol. First round exit this year mate

[@dougbell9543]

Not sure signing a 34 year old injury prone Tanev to a 6 year contract was a wise move. ✔️

[@sensfreak09]

Sens are making playoff! Ulmark is going to be huge for them!

[@demarcdegasol]

Good luck lol

[@Isaias-v3x]

@@demarcdegasolthe sens played good defense just couldn’t get a save. Ullmark changes that.

[@FirewagonHockey]

They have Travis Green. No chance.

[@wainber1]

@@Isaias-v3xUllmark this past preseason put on his inner Thatcher Demko. TBD will be vs a wider variety of opponents Ullmark will get the job done. Also TBD will be whether Forsberg will provide reasonably competent goaltending, something neither he nor Korpisalo last regular season provided nearly often enough.

[@wainber1]

While I believe Ullmark has a chance to help the Sens get closer to a playoff spot, I see them, should they qualify for the 2025 postseason, as a wildcard team.

[@coreyhill681]

How is Senators not enough for playoffs, they added a star goalie, added defense, brought in hot career rookies already, they have deph veterans and added veterans that are hot scorers as well, seriously overlooked, and you are looking at negatives instead of positives,

[@IqueMuniz]

Keep sleeping on the Sens! This team will get there

[@johnpinke784]

Ottawa 2nd in the East and ahead of Toronto. It's called "goalie!"

[@jonathanstewart5269]

🤣

[@jimmyjohns7866]

Welcome back to the Bedard show boys aka the NHL let's gooooo

[@neilsunstrum933]

Senators seem like a different team with a good goalie in net. But I agree I have to see it before, I'll believe it. If they don't make the playoffs this year, there's going to be a big change.

[@wainber1]

Whether, should the Sens not qualify for the 2025 postseason, there are changes remains TBD but I believe pressure will be on management to make big changes if they don’t see playoff action particularly if they come nowhere close to that all important playoff spot.

[@leafsfan71]

Craig Button going full Gino sockless! Christ! 😭😭😭

[@SO-pw2md]

Talking about teams that cant get it done… tsn look in your own yard

[@Miroslaw-rs8ip]

Please don’t compare the former Detroit Red Wings to this current Maple Leafs team, Detroit was the beneficiary of the USSR breaking up and 3 studs from the Red Army came to Detroit. Without Federov and Petisov they wouldn’t have won anything!

[@tomhall4692]

The leaf's are not winning a cup anytime soon get over it

[@solarion9802]

Obviously the Habs will push next year as their Price retirement plan/artificial cap space expansion mechanism runs into its final year.

[@maed204]

I feel Montreal is again unrated by a lot of "experts" 13 games decided by one goal if they just got that point last season they were in the playoffs. Sure it won't be easy in this division to get those points, but I feel a lot of the players have had some growth last season and they should be closer to a playoff spot. I will say a lot is resting on the shoulder of the goalies they have been lukewarm at best if they just lift their game here and there the team will be much better because of those two.

[@thekiatty6953]

Nobody talks about the number of man games lost to injury the Habs have suffered over the last 2 seasons. We really don't know what this team is.

[@muskieman2806]

Imagine that Toronto Sports Network picking the laughs, bunch of homers, might as well join Cutberg and Simmer in the hot tub

[@demarcdegasol]

Out of these three teams obviously the leafs are the far and away clear favourites

[@EdenMallory-j8i]

Hills Meadow

[@StoicNature444]

Button missed his calling being cast in the Sopranos. SMH

[@ShirleyTucker-u3w]

Brown Jennifer Hernandez Donna Lewis Linda

[@steverobinson8771]

Try wearing trousers that fit i.e. are long enough, and then add some socks to go between the feet and the shoes.

[@CalvinBiefeld]

Chris Tanev is not saving the Leafs...He will block some shots and be injured a lot throughout the season.

[@amsro9094]

x Leafs x Boston x Florida x TampaBay x Montreal Detroit Ottawa Buffalo x NewJersey x Carolina x Rangers Islanders Philadelphia Pittsburgh Washington Columbus

[@ED-ks7gt]

Club d'hockey sénateurs 1#⚫️🔴⚪️🟡🏒🥅🚨🏆

[@samueld9102]

ATL 1. BOS x 2. FLO x 3. OTT x 4. TOR x 5. TBL x 6. DET 7. BUF 8. MTL

[@jonathanstewart5269]

🤣

[@mikeymyke]

Leafs same core 4, another first round exit

[@jwp09]

Wow. Hot, riveting take

[@deltagolavista1]

They’re not making the playoffs this year.

[@Veopoz]

Leafs Goaltending average at best

[@senotaur]

Literally 22 games last season Ottawa's goalie allowed a goal on the first 2 shots. They had better 5 on 5 metrics than Boston last season. Goaltending was what sewered them. Ulmark will 100% lead them to the playoffs. Josh Norris return is a cherry on top too *knock on wood*

[@stephaneleblanc-i7m]

Lmao everything thinking Ottawa is good is the biggest joke narrative being pushed by mainstream media lmfao

[@georgemarginean7997]

Another frustrated habs fan 😂

[@robsenz.]

How so if the bookies are saying they are more likely to miss the playoffs than make it?

[@stephaneleblanc-i7m]

not frustrated at all year 4 of a rebuild vs year what like 9 or 10 and you finished what 1 point ahead of us last year just find it funny lmao. Habs arnt good yet I can admit that without hesitation but saying ullmark turns a bottom 6 or 7 whatever it was team into a playoff team is a joke 🤷 if anybody takes a jump this year it'll be Detroit but don't exactly expect that either

[@gimmick7389]

@@stephaneleblanc-i7m didnt montreal draft a sex offender? sit down and shut up.

[@deltagolavista1]

⁠@@stephaneleblanc-i7mlol. You know what speeds up a rebuild? Winning a lottery and you’re talking like you are already out of it. Montreal is also going on 7 years of below .600 winning percentage to Ottawa’s 9. If Montreal gets to that point before the Sens do, then I’ll claim Montreal rebuilt ‘faster’ but still having help winning the lottery.

[@MM-ww6yb]

I predict first round exit for the leafs