The NHL regular season has just begun and there are some teams that are worthy to have an eye kept on. Let’s get right to it.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Yes, the Pittsburgh Penguins. After winning the Stanley Cup for the second season in a row, the Penguins are definitely looking to make it a three-peat. The last team to do this? The New York Islanders (1980-1982). With Captain Sidney Crosby playing with teammates such as Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Jake Guentzel, the Penguins look to score many goals and save goals with star goalie Matt Murray in net.

Chicago Blackhawks

After being swept in the first round last year by the Western Conference Champion Nashville Predators, the Blackhawks look to have a bounce-back season. With the addition of former Blackhawks Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp, the Blackhawks look to find the right players they need to be that team that won three cups in six years once again.

Arizona Coyotes

The Arizona Coyotes have not been the greatest team in the NHL for quite some time. In fact, the closest they have come to finishing in the top three in the Pacific division is when they finished 3rd in the 2011-2012 season and were eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Finals. However, the lack of success can be attributed to the success of teams like the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, and Edmonton Oilers. The Coyotes hope to change that this season with the key additions of star center Derek Stepan and goaltender Antti Raanta. Mike Smith clearly wasn’t the goaltender the Coyotes have been looking for, and are showing hope in Raanta to make them a playoff contending team.

Dallas Stars

There was one player that was added to the Stars roster that will change everything, Ben Bishop. The Dallas Stars finally have the goaltender they need to become a better team. With goal scorers Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, and Ben Bishop between the pipes, the Dallas Stars could definitely be a team that makes it to the Western Conference Finals this year.

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils have never been considered a bad team, but at the same time they’ve never been considered a good team. This season, they just might be able to be considered a good team. With the number one overall draft pick, Nico Hischier, and the addition of players Brian Boyle and Marcus Johansson to play with Taylor Hall, the Devils do look like a team that can play better than they have in years past.

Edmonton Oilers

There are two words that will lead the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Playoffs again, Connor McDavid. With the season he had last year; 30 Goals, 70 Assists and 100 Points, along with teammate Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers are a team that will stand out in a positive way this season.

Vegas Golden Knights

Although this is the the Knights’ first season in the NHL, they have a roster that should not be overlooked. With goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, forwards James Neal, Jonathan Marchessault, and defenseman Nate Schmidt, the Golden Knights look like they could possibly finish in the top 5 out of the 8 teams in the Pacific Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs

With the forwards that the Toronto Maple Leafs have, it’s not a surprise that many believe that they are a playoff contending team. With forwards like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander playing with defenseman Morgan Rielly and goaltender Frederick Anderson, the Toronto Maple Leafs look to have a good season ahead of them.

New York Rangers

One big move that the Rangers made this past offseason was the signing of defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk. He will be playing alongside Captain Ryan McDonagh on the first defensive pairing. It is not only this that will most likely lead them to the playoffs again, but if players like Mika Zibanejad and Mats Zuccarello can stay healthy all season, and Henrik Lundqvist plays well in net, not much is stopping them from being called a Stanley Cup contending team.

Tampa Bay Lightning

One thing that really hurt the Tampa Bay Lightning last season was the loss of Captain Steven Stamkos due to injury. But, the Lightning look to come back better than ever, and their roster proves it. With great forwards such as Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, Vladislav Namestnikov, Ondrej Palat, and Chris Kunitz, putting goals in the back of the net clearly won’t be a problem for them this season. Keeping pucks from going in won’t be a problem for the Lightning either. With Victor Hedman and Anton Stralman on the defense with a young goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pies, the Lightning look like a team that will make it the the Stanley Cup Final.