The NHL 2023-24 season guide: Key players, teams, stories - ESPN

The NHL is in a torch-passing mood as it enters the 2023-24 season.

The Vegas Golden Knights are the reigning Stanley Cup champions, having earned their first title since coming into the league in 2017 as an expansion team. The Seattle Kraken defeated the 2022 champs, the Colorado Avalanche, for their first playoff series win in their second season of existence.

For the first time in nine seasons, the top 10 scorers in the NHL were all under 30 years old, including Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson and Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, both just 24 years old.

Then there's the rookie class for this season, a remarkably deep collection of talent led by 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard, who has lifted the Chicago Blackhawks back to relevance before ever appearing in a regular-season NHL game.

But not everyone is ready to let go of the torch. Veteran teams like the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins are trying to raise the Cup again after major offseason changes. Meanwhile, the megastars in their prime on the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs are desperate to finally win their first rings.

If you haven't kept up with the NHL in the past few months, don't fret, we've got you covered. Here's a chance to catch up on everything that has happened — the hirings, firings, signings and even a blockbuster trade. It's all in our guide to the 2023-24 season for lapsed fans. Read up before the puck drops on opening night this Tuesday!

How to watch the 2023-24 NHL season on ESPN networks — including 100 exclusive games and the out-of-market package (over 1,050 games).

The biggest surprise about the Golden Knights lifting the Stanley Cup might have been that it wasn't the Bruins doing it instead.

The 2022-23