from Michael Traikos at the Toronto Sun,

Last season, not one Canadian team made the playoffs. It was an awful time to be a hockey fan. But where there was pain, there is now promise.

The good thing about finishing last, as Oilers fans know all too well, is that you get a chance to draft some very, very good players. Today, thanks to years of ineptitude and mismanagement, some of the best young players are playing north of the border.

Toronto was already going to enter the season with Nylander (eighth overall, 2014) and Mitch Marner (fourth overall, 2015) — ranked second and third, respectively, amongst The Hockey News’ top prospects — as Calder Trophy-worthy rookies. But after drafting Matthews with the No. 1 pick, the team also (finally) has a franchise centre to build around.

The Winnipeg Jets, who moved up four spots in the draft lottery to the No. 2 pick, “really did win the lottery” said GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, “in being able to add Patrik Laine” to a young team that includes Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor and Jacob Trouba, if he stays put and re-signs.

Over in Edmonton, no one would be surprised if new captain Connor McDavid challenges for the Art Ross Trophy as a 20-year-old sophomore.

The same goes for Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau, who finished sixth in scoring last season, and has a strong supporting cast in Sean Monahan (sixth overall, 2013), Sam Bennett (fourth overall, 2014) and Matthew Tkachuk (sixth overall, 2016). Then there’s Montreal, with defenceman Mikhail Sergachev (ninth overall, 2016) threatening to make the team.

Has there ever been more excitement heading into a season for Canadian fans?

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