from Katie Strang of ESPN,

Five players in particular will be feeling the heat of the spotlight this season. Here's why:

4. Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes -- The Hurricanes are already limping into the season with the devastating news that Jordan Staal is out for 3-4 months because of a broken leg. They can't afford to have questions in goal, that's for sure. And the way Anton Khudobin acquitted himself last season, Cam Ward does not have a long leash to prove he is the guy in Carolina. Though Ward's NHL career began in stunning fashion -- he led the Canes to a Stanley Cup as a rookie in 2006 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the process -- it has cooled off considerably....

5. Mike Smith, Arizona Coyotes -- Ward's not the only goaltender feeling the heat. After a stunning 2011-12 campaign in which he posted a 38-18-10 record, .930 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average and helped lead the Coyotes to the Western Conference finals, Smith has posted rather pedestrian numbers since then. The Coyotes have stuck with him, though, making this a critical season for both him and the team. Failing to make the playoffs for two straight years, the Coyotes need Smith to be at his absolute best for the team to hang with the big boys in the Western Conference.

more on each plus the Top 3 players under pressure...