Rangers at Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks barely were able to breathe a sigh of relief after capturing their third Stanley Cup in six years before a busy offseason took their breath away. The Blackhawks look to get back to the business at hand when they open the 2015-16 season against the visiting New York Rangers on Wednesday.
Shortly after defeating Tampa Bay in six games to win the championship, Chicago sent forward Brandon Saad to Columbus as part of a blockbuster deal and alternate captain Patrick Sharp to Dallas while veterans Brad Richards and Antoine Vermette left the Windy City via free agency. The bombshell occurred later in the summer as superstar Patrick Kane became the subject of an ongoing sexual assault investigation that has continued into the season. Kane, who has not been charged with a crime, will join his teammates on the ice to watch the Stanley Cup banner be raised to the rafters at the United Center. On the opposing blue line will reside the Rangers, who won the Presidents' Trophy last season before falling to the Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN
ABOUT THE RANGERS (2014-15: 53-22-7, 1ST IN METROPOLITAN): While Chicago encountered plenty of change in the offseason, New York made minimal moves and returns a team with great expectations. Rick Nash's 42 goals last season doubled the total of his closest teammates - the now-retired Martin St. Louis (21) and Chris Kreider (21) - while his 69 points led the club as well. Captain Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi headline a deep corps of defensemen in front of veteran goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who is entering his 11th NHL season.
ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (2014-15: 48-28-6, 3RD IN CENTRAL): Despite a bevy of change, coach Joel Quenneville's club remains top-heavy at both forward and defense. Top-line representatives Marian Hossa (club-best 39 assists) and captain Jonathan Toews (team-leading 28 goals and 66 points) will be paired with promising 21-year-old Teuvo Teravainen, who takes the place of the departed Saad following the seven-player deal in the summer. Reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Duncan Keith joins fellow blue-liners Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson on the back end in front of two-time Jennings Trophy winner Corey Crawford.
OVERTIME
1. New York's Antti Raanta, who was acquired from Chicago in June, could be in for a rude greeting from the United Center faithful on Wednesday. Angered after being demoted, the backup goaltender reportedly told a Finnish newspaper over the summer that he wished the Blackhawks would have lost their first-round series versus Nashville.
2. Chicago C Artem Anisimov, who began his career with the Rangers and was acquired in the Saad deal, has collected three goals and two assists in seven career games versus his former team.
3. New York finished third in the league in goals per game last season (3.02) but just 21st in power-play efficiency (16.8 percent).