READY TO BREAK OUT: PACIFIC DIVISION

The Ducks would love to see another Troy Terry-style breakout from any of high draft picks Max Jones, Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom or Benoit-Olivier Groulx. But each is at least 23 now, and each looks to have plateaued as a fringe NHLer. The best bet to bust out in 2023-24 is MASON MCTAVISH, the 20-year-old center who was third in NHL rookie scoring with 17 goals and 43 points in 80 games. McTavish will surely improve upon his 42.3-percent faceoff win rate and minus-19 plus-minus rating. WALKER DUEHR played 27 NHL games this season, wiping out his rookie status but making a powerful impression on the Flames. The 2021 free-agent signing out of Minnesota State scored at a 20-goal pace from the fourth line. He’s a swift-skating grinder who’s efficient on…

A COLLECTING EVOLUTION

WHILE THE NBA, NFL and MLB all entered the NFT game early, the NHL remained on the sidelines. But that’s about to change with two lines of hockey NFTs launching soon. An NFT, short for non-fungible token, is a type of digital collectible that peaked in popularity during the early days of the pandemic. NFTs usually depict celebrities, athletes or original artwork, and they contain motion, animation and sometimes video clips. They use blockchain technology, a type of encrypted digital ledger that certifies the item’s uniqueness and tracks its ownership history and sales data. These collectibles can initially sell for anywhere from a few dollars to tens of thousands of dollars, and resale prices can be much higher. One advantage NFTs have is that the licensor – such as a player,…

JERSEY HOUND

THERE’S A NEW NCAA program coming to Div. I, and it’s the first from South Dakota. The Augustana Vikings will play out of Sioux Falls as members of the CCHA and bring with them an excellent uniform in the process. First and foremost, that’s a great Viking, so while the baseball-style lettering across the front of the dark sweater is cool, the addition of the smaller logo beneath really takes things up a notch. And going with the full viking on the white version is just sweet. The big, bold gold stripe with two thinner white stripes on the arms and jersey bottom is also interesting, framing the powerful navy-blue base.…

CUP IN PHOTOS: GAME 1