from NHL.com,

With the 2019-20 season opener on Oct. 2 one month away, we interrupted the holiday plans of our writers to ask them to provide the storyline that most excites them about the upcoming season.

Here are their answers:

Tim Campbell, staff writer

The relevancy of Canada-based teams: The yearning for a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 must be satisfied at some point. Can this be the season? Chances look like they're increasing. The Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets each made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season, and there seems to be some foundation for hope for a return to the playoffs in Montreal and maybe even for the Vancouver Canucks. There's always debate about windows opening and closing, but there appear to be more opportunities north of the border this season.

Nick Cotsonika, columnist

The rise of the Florida Panthers: With Joel Quenneville in as coach and Sergei Bobrovsky in goal, the Panthers have a chance to take a huge step forward. Will Quenneville and Bobrovsky bring out the best in the talented core? Can the Panthers become contenders in the stacked Atlantic Division? Can they make the playoffs for the third time in 19 seasons?

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