Every NHL Team's Biggest Question Mark in the 2014-15 Season

A couple of weeks into the 2014-15 NHL season, we have an early glimpse into some of the burning questions surrounding the league's 30 teams.

Are breakout players being born? Are goaltenders performing better than expected or more poorly than planned? Are the coaches in new cities getting along with their new charges? Are any big names destined to move on?

Let's take a look at the biggest question mark for every team this season. Feel free to offer your alternatives in the comments.

The case for: Frederik Andersen has certainly made a nice case for himself as an NHL starter, going 5-0 with a .950 save percentage and 1.38 goals-against average so far this season. He was strong in a smaller sample size as the Ducks backup the previous year—his first in the NHL after the now 25-year-old made the jump from Europe.

The 21-year-old John Gibson is a highly touted prospect who will get plenty of opportunities to make his own impression after a perfect 3-0 start to his NHL career last season and a decent playoff performance.

The argument against: Andersen hasn't played more than 47 games at the pro level in one season in North America and suited up for less than 30 last year. He may not seem so solid as the season progresses and has to show he can handle a heavy workload. Gibson's 2014-15 debut—a tough 6-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the season opener—created some doubt as to whether he's really ready to be a full-time NHLer.

The predicted outcome: The Ducks will get strong enough goaltending from this young platoon to cement their spot among the top teams in the Western Conference.

The case for: Mikkel Boedker has had a nice start to the season with five goals and six points in five games for the Arizona Coyotes. The team has very little in the way of offensive firepower up front, and the 24-year-old who was drafted eighth overall in the 2008 NHL draft will get plenty of ice time and power-play minutes to get on the scoresheet. He had a breakout year last season with 19 goals and 51 points in 82 games.

The argument against: He's already been in the league for seven seasons and has yet to crack the 20-goal mark or 60-point plateau. And his hot start is a bit misleading because three of his goals and four of his points came in one night against the lowly Edmonton Oilers defense.

The predicted outcome: His 33.3 percent shooting percentage will decline sooner than later, and Boedker will have a much tougher time scoring against some of the more defensive-minded Western Conference opponents this year. He should still have a nice campaign and is well on his way to the 20-goal club. He may finally reach 60 points as well while playing with Shane Doan and Antoine Vermette—the most talented forwards on a thin Coyotes club.

The case for: Through their first eight games, the Bruins have just four victories, and the competition in most of those hasn't been all that stiff. They beat the dysfunctional Philadelphia Flyers in the season opener, the Detroit Red Wings in a shootout and then the hapless Buffalo Sabres in a shutout before getting a win over the San Jose Sharks this week.
 

The argument against: It's still really early in the season, and the Bruins lineup hasn't changed all that drastically from the one that has made the B's a top-four team in the Eastern Conference the past four seasons and won the Presidents' Trophy last year.

The predicted outcome: The Bruins will rebound from their rocky start and challenge for the division title, but they will be usurped by either the Montreal Canadiens or Tampa Bay Lightning as conference champs.

The case for: One win in six tries. The league's lowest winning percentage, five-on-five goal differential and shots taken per game. The Sabres still haven't scored a power-play goal for crying out loud. They have some promising forwards on the roster but no chemistry, the defense is terrible and the goaltending may be even worse.

The argument against: There's always hope that the Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers will continue to be equally awful and somehow decide to tank for a shot at one of the elite prospects in next spring's draft.

The predicted outcome: The Sabres are destined to finish dead last in the standings.

The case for: Rookie Johnny Gaudreau finally got his first of the year on the weekend, and former Toronto Maple Leaf Mason Raymond has been on fire out of the gates with five goals in the first seven games. They've also received contributions from the defense, with a third of their goals coming from the back end. They're a middle-of-the-pack team so far in goals scored per game, which is better than being at the bottom of the pack.

The argument against: They ranked 23rd in goals for per game last season and lost top sniper Michael Cammalleri to free agency this summer. Sophomore Sean Monahan has yet to tally, and former 30-goal scorer Devin Setoguchi is sitting out more often than not as a healthy scratch.

The predicted outcome: Monahan will get rolling eventually, but the Flames don't have enough firepower to make a serious run at the playoffs.

The case for: The Hurricanes are clearly in need of a rebuild, and although Staal has been their best player for a decade, he turns 30 this month, has a massive contract and may never be able to help the Hurricanes get back to the Stanley Cup conversation.

According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hurricanes have had talks about Staal's future. That might be one team Staal would waive his no-movement clause to play for.

The argument against: There's that no-movement clause that gives Staal control of his fate, and the fact he plays with younger brother Jordan is another factor against him moving along. The high cap hit of more than $8 million is also a burden not many potential playoff teams could take on. Injury concerns might give some potential suitors pause as well.

The predicted outcome: Staal will stay put for at least another year, and the trade will take place if an extension isn't reached to keep him in Carolina beyond next season.

The case for: The addition of Brad Richards in the offseason was a move made to keep up with the Joneses in Los Angeles and give the Blackhawks another weapon down the middle of the ice. He has started on the third line with Ben Smith and Bryan Bickell but can slide up in between Patrick Kane and Brandon Saad as well and get involved in the power play. His addition gives them more depth and experience at the position.

The argument against: Richards has started slowly and isn't making the impact they'd hoped on one of the top two lines. At 34, he is past his prime as a point producer. He would be a fourth-line center at best as a member of the Kings.

The predicted outcome: Richards will eventually get his opportunity to play more important minutes with Kane on his flank but won't come anywhere near preseason predictions made by many, myself included.

The case for: Varlamov is still young and being coached by a legend at the position in head coach Patrick Roy and noted goalie guru Francois Allaire. Varlamov stopped nearly 93 percent of the pucks he faced a year ago with an even more porous defense.

The argument against: In his previous five seasons, Varlamov has only come close to last year's .927 save percentage once, and that was in a limited role for the Washington Capitals in 2010-11 when he played just 27 games and put together a .924 save percentage as the backup. His career average is .917, and so far this year, he's well below that at .910—27th best among goalies who have played more than one game this season.

The predicted outcome: As has been shown early, the Avalanche will have trouble getting back to the top of the Western Conference with Varlamov unable to be as consistent as he was a year ago while facing the most shots in the league by a wide margin.

The case for: Star center Ryan Johansen is re-signed, newcomer Scott Hartnell is fitting in well and Cam Atkinson and Nick Foligno have become a critical two-thirds of the top line. The Blue Jackets are scoring three goals per game on average, and that might be enough when combined with strong goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky and a balanced group of defensemen bolstered by veterans Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski and Fedor Tyutin.

The argument against: There isn't enough depth behind Johansen, Hartnell, Atkinson, Foligno, Brandon Dubinsky and Artem Anisimov. The bottom-six forwards are either young and inexperienced or in clear checking roles. The Blue Jackets are very top heavy and may not be able to compete with teams rolling out four lines regularly.

The predicted outcome: With a healthy Dubinsky, the Blue Jackets showed a year ago that they are ready to do some damage in the playoffs following a tough opening-round loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. They'll likely need at least another year of that kind of postseason result before making progress into the later rounds.

The case for: The Dallas Stars managed to give the potent Anaheim Ducks a run for their money in the playoffs last season and didn't lose any key blueliners in the offseason. Both Alex Goligoski and Trevor Daley are capable of significant offensive contributions.

The argument against: There is a reason there are only one or two household names in this group. They are a mediocre collection of players, and early numbers this season seem to reflect that, with the Stars among the bottom third in shots allowed and goals against per game.

The predicted outcome: The Stars defense is their Achilles' heel, and the spectacular top line can't compensate for its deficiencies.

The case for: Datsyuk hasn't played all 82 games since 2008 and suited up for the fewest of his career last season with 45. He's 36 years old and has now injured his knee and shoulder seriously just months apart.

The argument against: It's tough to dispute what we're seeing, which is the breaking down of an "older" athlete's body. However, you could suggest that it's not a problem because of how dynamic he is when he is healthy enough to be inserted in the lineup and how last year's absence allowed others like Gustav Nyquist to step into larger roles.

The predicted outcome: Datsyuk will miss significant time again this season but finish with nearly a point per game, and the Red Wings will extend the playoff streak to 24 years in spite of his absence.

The case for: It seems as if the Oilers have been rebuilding since Chris Pronger left town, and very little progress has been made despite the high draft picks that have joined.

The team has tried to change the culture and add more grit but has a hole at center with rookie Leon Draisaitl playing on the second line but looking anything but ready for that role right now. Moving a winger like Jordan Eberle or Nail Yakupov could fetch a stellar return, shoring up the center position and bolstering the defense as well.

The argument against: Maybe they should just wait another year and cash in on another inevitably high first-round pick to see if they can fill the need.

The predicted outcome: Unwilling to cough up a top pick for anything less than a king's ransom, the Oilers will plod through the season hoping the kids will be alright.

The case for: It's hard for them to get any less proficient. The Panthers power play clicked at an embarrassing 10 percent rate last season, and the penalty kill was successful 76 percent of the time—both league worsts. The addition of rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad should help the man advantage, and young players Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau ought to be on the rise offensively.

The argument against: The early returns are even worse than a year ago, albeit over a very limited sample size. Ahead of Tuesday evening's games, the power play was at 8.7 percent and the penalty kill at 75 percent.

The predicted outcome: Bad special teams. Bad team. Hope for a brighter future.

The case for: The Kings have played a heck of a lot of hockey over the past few seasons, reaching the Stanley Cup Final twice—and winning it both times—and the Western Conference Final in the spring that landed in between. Four of their past seven playoff series have gone seven games, including three last spring.

The argument against: With an average age of just over 27, the Kings aren't exactly old and weary. They struggled in the first couple of games this season but have been much stronger after those losses and won four straight games. With Martin Jones, the team has a strong enough backup netminder to rotate in and keep starter Jonathan Quick fresh for later in the year as well.

The predicted outcome: The Kings will be just fine. They have great depth in the NHL lineup and in the system.

The case for: Kuemper was the go-to goalie for the Western Hockey League's Red Deer Rebels in 2010 and 2011, starting 123 games over those two seasons. He posted an impressive .933 save percentage in that second season as a 60-game starter. His numbers in a limited role in the NHL so far are strong—a .919 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against average over 35 games with the Minnesota Wild.

The argument against: There's a real lack of a big single-season workload on the resume at the professional level. He's never played more than the 26 games he got with the Minnesota Wild last season.

The predicted outcome: Whether he can handle it or not, Kuemper will be forced to play a lot given the uncertainty of Josh Harding's health and the quality, or lack thereof, of backup Nicklas Backstrom. If his back-to-back season-opening shutouts against the Colorado Avalanche are any indication, Kuemper should do well with the larger role.

The case for: He's on a point-per-game pace so far, with three goals and four assists through seven games. The 20-year-old in his third NHL season has really clicked with linemates P.A. Parenteau and Tomas Plekanec.

The argument against: His 17.6 shooting percentage is well above his usual 11-plus percent and will likely come down a little. If the team eventually converts him to center, his natural position, he will sacrifice valuable minutes of ice time for the sake of depth.

The predicted outcome: For now, it behooves the Montreal Canadiens to keep Galchenyuk at wing and let him do some damage offensively. He may not maintain the pace but should shatter his career highs of 13 goals and 31 points.

The case for: Only able to get into 24 games last year because of a bad hip that required surgery, Rinne's absence hurt the Nashville Predators something fierce. The team finished 23rd in goals allowed per game. They were top 10 in 2011-12 when Rinne posted a .923 save percentage through 73 games.

The argument against: The Predators don't have to worry about goaltending numbers; it's goals for that will make or break their chances of making it into the postseason again. The Preds hired an offensive-minded coach in the offseason in order to revamp the team's philosophy and take advantage of the addition of forwards Mike Ribeiro, Derek Roy and Olli Jokinen.

The predicted outcome: Rinne is the kind of elite goaltender who can steal games and critical points to make the difference in the standings at the end of the year. He'll help the Preds get back into the top eight in the tough Western Conference.

The case for: With Martin Brodeur gone and no one to share time with, Cory Schneider can finally prove he was worth bringing in as the New Jersey Devils' next franchise goalie.

His numbers in split starting situations in Vancouver and last year with the Devils were strong. He put up a .923 save percentage last season in 45 games in his first year with the Devils. In the three previous years with the Canucks, he was never under .927 while playing between 25 and 33 games a season as Roberto Luongo's backup.

The argument against: Without that internal push, and with a hefty long-term contract signed and delivered, Schneider is in danger of a letdown mentally. He hasn't had a very good start to the year, going 3-2-1 so far with a .898 save percentage and 3.13 goals-against average.

The predicted outcome: Schneider will be a suitable starter for the Devils but not one of the top 10 netminders in the league statistically.

The case for: John Tavares, Brock Nelson and Kyle Okposo are all among the top 10 scorers in the league at the moment, with Tavares leading all players with 10 points through six games. Nelson isn't even a regular on the top line, doing much of his damage on the power play and with second-liners Ryan Strome and Mikhail Grabovski. Strome and defenseman Johnny Boychuk are also at point-per-game averages, and fellow blueliner Nick Leddy has three goals from the back end.

The argument against: The team's first two games were against a hapless Carolina Hurricanes squad, and a larger sample size is needed to determine just how deep and consistent the Islanders will be this season behind the top line.

The predicted outcome: The Islanders are legitimate and will give many Eastern Conference teams fits with their top nine up front.

The case for: Martin St. Louis and Rick Nash have massive roles to play this season with the departure of Brad Richards, Brian Boyle and Benoit Pouliot—especially with the absence of Derek Stepan for the foreseeable future because of his fractured fibia.

St. Louis shifted to center and has performed admirably despite playing his entire NHL career on the wing. He's got Nash on his flank, and the sniper has eight goals and nine points through seven games as a result. St. Louis has a goal and five assists.

The argument against: The lineup isn't nearly as deep as last year's squad, and St. Louis is playing out of position. The success can't last without big efforts from goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers are allowing 3.29 shots against per game thus far.

The predicted outcome: The dynamic duo will continue to lead by example, but it will be Lundqvist's performance this season that determines whether the Stanley Cup finalists gets back to the playoffs.

The case for: Kyle Turris is averaging more than 18 minutes a night and has points in all but one of the Ottawa Senators' games so far.

The argument against: Turris isn't even playing with the team's top winger. That honor belongs to Mika Zibanejad, who is on a line with Bobby Ryan. Neither Turris nor Zibanejad has the pedigree or experience of a real No. 1 center, however, with Zibanejad going pointless through the first five.

The predicted outcome: The guys left to pick up the slack will struggle to adjust to the bigger roles, and the Senators will struggle to score throughout the season.

The case for: Mason was a huge factor in the Philadelphia Flyers making the playoffs last season, putting together a 33-win season with a .917 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against average.

The argument against: He's winless in five starts this season, seemingly reverting back to form from his Columbus Blue Jackets days. Mason has a whopping 3.83 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage to start the 2014-15 campaign.

The predicted outcome: Just like the follow-up to his stellar rookie season, Mason is going to regress back to career-average numbers or worse, and the rabid Flyers fanbase will be ready to chase another goalie out of town.

The case for: The Penguins lacked the ability to roll four lines last season, and it cost them in the playoffs. With that in mind, they brought in the likes of Blake Comeau, Steve Downie and Nick Spaling in the hopes that their third and fourth lines would be able to take shifts and keep the studs fresh.

It's worked well so far, with Spaling teaming up with Craig Adams and Zach Sill playing grinding minutes, and Comeau, Downie and Marcel Goc, last season's trade-deadline acquisition, creating a speedy and physical third line. Only two players are averaging fewer than 10 minutes per game.

The argument against: The scoring is still heavily skewed in favor of the top two lines, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin manufacturing nearly all of the offense. They'll need their grinders to contribute a little on the scoresheet throughout the season as well.

The predicted outcome: The bottom six are serviceable and the defense is strong, which will give the stars just enough of a breather throughout the game to be relatively fresh in tight games and in the postseason when their play matters most.

The case for: Things haven't gone Joe Thornton's way in recent months. After the collapse in the playoffs last spring, he found himself losing his letter and then being given a lesser role as an associate captain when the season began. He's been the subject of what ESPN's Craig Custance calls unfounded trade rumors since being "demoted," and in training camp, he argued against general manager Doug Wilson's suggestion that the team was rebuilding.

The argument against: Just look at Joe's numbers so far. He has two goals and seven points in seven games and is averaging just under 20 minutes a night. If the moves are bothering him, he's pretty good at hiding it on the ice.

The predicted outcome: Thornton will be among the league leaders in assists, the Sharks will have a great regular season and then they will lose in the first or second round of the playoffs and start all the nasty talk of rebuilding and trading him or Patrick Marleau all over again. Easy.

The case for: Not only did the St. Louis Blues add a top-notch center who had 25 goals and 60 points in 71 games last year, but they created a trickle-down effect that should mean balanced scoring from the top three lines. Stastny was a huge coup in free agency, inking a four-year, $28 million deal on July 1. That added depth down the middle puts them in a great position to compete with the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and Anaheim Ducks.

The argument against: Stastny doesn't play goal, and that's the position that ultimately led to disappointment for the Blues down the stretch and into the playoffs.

The predicted outcome: Despite a shoulder injury that could keep him out for a few games, per NHL.com, Stastny will be among the Blues' key players and leading scorers by season's end.

The case for: Um, he couldn't stop Taylor Hall on a penalty shot in Edmonton this week? That aside, I'm sure no one is counting on the big Bolts goalie suddenly stinking it up this year. However, he has only been a starter for one season, so while a regression isn't likely, it is at least possible. He also had surgery on his elbow in May, and that could derail his season if it is reaggravated.

The argument against: Bishop has started the season much the way he left off before an injury kept him out of the playoffs last spring. He has three wins, a regulation loss and a shootout defeat in five starts with a .921 save percentage and 1.97 goals-against average.

The predicted outcome: The 6'7" monster will be a stellar backstop for the Lightning and in the hunt for the Vezina Trophy.

The case for: With two goals and an assist through his first seven games, Clarkson is finding his niche in his second year with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's second on the team in hits behind linemate Leo Komarov and is getting some time on the second power-play unit.

The argument against: He was never an elite goal scorer. Clarkson's goals came from getting his hands dirty and from his power-play time in New Jersey when the team wanted a big body in front of the net. The Leafs forward will never be able to live up to his fat $5.25 million-per-season deal.

The predicted outcome: Clarkson will rebound, but not in the way so many Leafs fans would hope. He'll be the gritty, responsible third-line guy who made a living out of that kind of style in New Jersey before his 30-goal season ultimately led to the massive contract.

The case for: Daniel Sedin has a goal and seven points through four games. His brother Henrik has two goals and six points. Not a bad start for the twins, who combined for 97 points a year ago—a total each of them have eclipsed individually in the past. With new coach Willie Desjardins, the Sedins are abandoning the defense-first mindset they adopted under one-year bench boss John Tortorella.

The argument against: Both of them have had injuries in recent seasons, which has messed with their mojo the last couple of years. They are also 34, which is the default criticism when there's no real way to logically suggest they aren't capable of bouncing back after this start.

The predicted outcome: One or both of them will miss some time, but each of them will be at or very near the point-per-game average when the season ends.

The case for: Through five games, Alex Ovechkin has five goals, six points and, maybe most importantly, has a plus rating under Barry Trotz's tutelage. According to Trotz, via Alex Prewitt of The Washington Post, Ovechkin has been the ideal star player, from his heavy hits to his blocked shots.

“I’m having fun watching him, having fun coaching him," Trotz told Prewitt. "I think the group recognizes that Alex Ovechkin is becoming a pretty dynamic, rounded player. It was his choice."

The argument against: The coach has only seen Ovechkin's early-season effort. When he's backchecking or blocking shots in December and January, it will be more meaningful. It's hard to forget that minus-35 rating from a year ago.

The predicted outcome: Ovechkin and Trotz are a good fit, and the Great 8 becomes a more responsible player for the Capitals.

The case for: Although super inconsistent, Pavelec has shown in spurts that he can put up strong numbers and victories. Twice last season he won four straight. In his most impressive span early in 2012-13, he won nine of 12 games. In March of 2013, they were flirting with making the playoffs because of, in large part, Pavelec's performances.

The argument against: It's tough to dispute the overall numbers. He's had just one season with a save percentage of more than .910, and that was with the Atlanta Thrashers back in 2010-11. Since then, he's posted .906, .905, .901 and is currently floating a .906, which is also his career average. With a slight bump up to the league average, the franchise might have been able to earn enough points to make the playoffs after moving over to Winnipeg.

The predicted outcome: Barring a complete turnaround for Pavelec, the Jets are doomed to see bad goals spoil potential victories and will not be making the playoffs. Pavelec's career should have died with the Atlanta Thrashers.