The 2017-18 NHL season is finally upon us. What better way to welcome the new season than with , and ? Oh, and five burning questions to consider as another round of hockey gets underway: 1. Can the overcome a bench transition? The defending -- and repeat -- champions are still stocked with elite scorers, from reigning Conn Smythe winner and longtime teammate to postseason hero and veteran winger . Throw in goaltender , whose clutch outings in the biggest of spotlights make him a safe bet to fill regular-season shoes, and you have an all-around contender -- a 100 percent legitimate candidate to vie for the Stanley Cup. Again. The Penguins will be without Trevor Daley and other key contributors from their Cup campaigns. USATSI But if there's a pre sing question for Pittsburgh to answer (and there is), it's whether the depth will hold up quite as well in the wake of , , and all heading elsewhere. and Matt Hunwick are among those tasked with stepping up. 2. How will the wide-open West unfold? If the Eastern Conference is a stage for the Penguins to defend their title, the West is wide open to interpretation. Sure, the have the defense to make a sixth straight bid for the Pacific Division, the have the forwards to give another shot at playoff redemption and the are everyone's favorite Stanley Cup contenders after magical MVP run last season. But beyond those three, who knows what's in store? Friendly reminder that the , St. Louis , , , , , and the defending conference champion aren't all going to make the playoffs if the Wild, Ducks and Oilers go. And speaking of the latter ... 3. Are the Edmonton Oilers getting too much hype? Is it po sible to both admire the Oilers' star duo of McDavid and and also think the hype that surrounds them might end up disappointing Edmonton? Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have turned Edmonton into a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. USATSI You're talking Matt Dumba Jersey to the guy at season's end, of course, but we all have to be careful in crowning this team. For the most part, is no pushover in net and the offense that McDavid and Draisaitl create on their own is enough to boost the Oilers' ceiling. Still, especially in a league where the champs have yet to be outdone two straight years, it's not easy to predict a new title winner in total confidence. Especially considering the Oilers' blue-line question marks. 4. Which 2016-17 playoff team will mi s out? There's bound to be a drop-off from a handful of contenders, but which one will actually end up without a repeat shot at the Cup? Contrary to anyone who subscribes fully to the title-lo s hangover theory, the Predators should be just fine. In fact, they should enter the playoffs better seeded than a season ago. How about the Blues, though? Their summer said they're hungry for postseason succe s now, but their early-season injury count is awfully daunting and no one is sure if will be his playoff self. The should also be back on the fringe, and it's not out of the question to say both the and , longtime postseason favorites, could be hard pre sed in the East. And that leads to a similar question ... 5. What about the ? Well, it ain't good, whatever it is. OK, so maybe the Caps have enough of a regular-season track record -- you don't earn two Presidents' Trophies for nothing -- and a handful of big-time veterans, including a bound-to-rebound . But everything else about the Capitals isn't promising. The Capitals are in for a decline after a summer of cap-induced pain. USATSI Salary cap constraints finally hit them and hit them hard over the summer, and there is absolutely no question their roster is worse off than when it last took the ice. How much worse, though? Are the lo ses of , , and enough to throw them completely off course? The safe bet is that Washington will be right in the mix for the playoffs, albeit after a significant decline from a season ago. Dino Ciccarelli Jersey