Burning Questions Entering the 2013-14 NHL Season

The 2013-14 NHL season started Tuesday, and there are still some lingering questions heading into the campaign. For example, many fans are interested in how new rules on goaltending equipment could impact scoring and how various coaching swaps will play out.

Here are the burning questions entering 2013-14.

Will Teams and Players Regress Because of 82-Game Season?

Throughout the 2012-13 playoffs, the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs were dogged with the stigma of whether or not they would make the playoffs in an 82-game season. It was a fair assertion given each team's notable playoff droughts.

However, is there some validity to the statement that certain players and teams overachieved in a truncated season?

Would the Washington Capitals have made the turnaround they did if they faced off against some tough Western Conference teams instead of the lowly Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning?

Would Sergei Bobrovsky have thrived if he had to face Claude Giroux, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby more often? It is easy to say that X happened because of Y, but the first few weeks of the 2013-14 season could help separate the contenders from the pretenders.

How Much Will Stadium Series Success Impact the Salary Cap?

The NHL has a number of outdoor games planned for this season that have been dubbed the Stadium Series. With multiple outdoor games, the NHL will bring in revenue from marked-up seats, concessions and merchandise. The NHL is set to make a killing, but how much will they make?

The salary cap is impacted by hockey-related revenue, and a surge in revenue could cause the salary cap to balloon. If this is the case, it could have a big impact on what teams spend and sell because the 2014 UFA market is set to be one of the largest in recent memory.

How Will New Playoff Format Be Received?

This year divisional play will matter more than ever before, and it will be interesting to see how teams adjust to the new playoff format.

The top three teams in each division—Metropolitan, Atlantic, Central and Pacific—will gain a playoff bid, and the final four spots will wild-card spots. For a more in-depth explanation, check out CBC's breakdown.

This is a change, as previously the top eight teams ranked by most points would make the playoffs.

Under this new format, divisional rivalries will gain new life because divisional matchups will matter more in the standings than ever before. No longer will teams need to simply get enough points to make it.

To make the playoffs this season, each team will need to be one of the top dogs in their division and will need to win a lot of divisional games.

The playoff format change may impact team strategies, because teams may be more willing to go for a win in overtime instead of relying on a shootout victory to pick up an extra point. The new format will take some getting used to, but it will be fun to watch playoff hockey next spring.

Can Pittsburgh's Goaltending Hold Up?

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Pittsburgh may need to re-evaluate their netminding.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a great group of forwards and an emerging defense corps, but will their goaltending hold up this season? It was the instrument of their demise during the 2012-13 playoffs, but management decided to keep Marc-Andre Fleury.

The team's makeup barely changed over the summer, and the Pens are set to be contenders during the regular season once again. However, their goaltending presents and unknown element that could be an X-factor in the 2013-14 playoff picture.

How Will Teams Adjust to Their New Coaches?

There were a number of coaching changes this offseason, and each team will likely react differently. For example, the New York Rangers could benefit from having a laid-back coach while the Vancouver Canucks may falter the first time John Tortorella cracks the whip.

There is no guarantee of this, but it is something that should be considered. The aforementioned teams are playoff contenders, and expectations are very high.

How each team reacts out of the gate will affect their playoff chances. Fortunately they will get an 82-game season as opposed to last year's 48-game schedule, so each can afford to endure a few weeks of slumping.

The numerous coaching changes all will make for some interesting storylines, and it will be neat to see how they each unfold.

How Will Acquisition of Bobby Ryan Impact the Senators?

The Ottawa Senators were embarrassed in the second round of the playoffs by the Pittsburgh Penguins, so they decided to add some skill this summer.

The team lost Daniel Alfredsson, but they added Bobby Ryan to replace him on the roster. They also added Clarke MacArthur and will have a healthy Jason Spezza. As a whole the roster improved, but are the moves enough to make the Sens a legitimate playoff contender?

On paper they appear to have the talent, and it will depend on how well they play within their division. The Boston Bruins could be a tough opponent, but the Senators could give them a run for their money if they get lucky.

Will New Goaltending Rules Have Larger Impact Than Expected?

In the NHL, goal scoring is sexy. Games that end 1-0 can be entertaining, but they don't have the same appeal as high-octane 9-8 affairs. The NHL may not admit it, but the reduction in goaltending equipment is a way for the league to artificially increase scoring.

The introduction of new rules ultimately could become a huge X-factor, and one that impacts even the best of netminders.

For the past few years, goalies had to adjust to a new style of post-lockout hockey, and now they will need to change again. A reduction in equipment size means that each goalie will cover up a smaller part of the net, and they will need to adjust their positioning.

Athletic netminders like Jonathan Quick, Pekka Rinne and Henrik Lundqvist likely won't be impacted as much, but what about goaltenders that use their bigger pads to cover up the bottom of the net?

In due time there will be an adjustment by both shooters and goalies, but the new rules could certainly make the 2013-14 season interesting.

How Will Team Fare in New Divisions?

The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets are the newest members of the Eastern Conference, and both teams are polar opposites. The Blue Jackets are a youthful team with promise, and the Red Wings are a veteran team that is loading up for a meaningful playoff run.

Both are talented in their own way, but they will need to adjust to new opponents and divisional rivals. Goalies will need to adjust to shooter tendencies, and skaters will need to adapt their playing style for Eastern Conference hockey.

The Red Wings will join a division full of Original Six teams, and the Blue Jackets are among three of the new teams joining the Metropolitan Division.

In the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets will enter a tough division with the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, and they will have their own adjustments to make.

The honeymoon period for each team in a new division will be brief, and teams could either sink or swim against their new divisional foes. If anything, new rivalries and moments will be created, and it will be exhilarating to watch this drama unfold.

The Role Buyouts and Non-Buyouts Could Play

A number of players such as Mikhail Grabovski, Ilya Bryzgalov and Vincent Lecavalier were bought out this summer. Brad Richards and Marc-Andre Fleury were spared, but there could implications for teams that decided to use or not use their buyouts.

For example, the Rangers had to wait until the last minute to re-sign Derek Stepan, a key RFA and the team's first-line center. After the Blueshirts re-signed Stepan they were forced to make some quick decisions to become cap-compliant.

The Capitals added Grabovski in free agency after the Maple Leafs bought him out, and the transaction could help Washington be a playoff contender.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Flyers chose to buy out a goaltender who would have benefitted from a stronger defense. They now are putting their faith in two backups. After buying out Bryzgalov they reloaded their lineup with players with equally bad contracts.

There were other situations of teams choosing to save their buyouts for next summer, and the actions and non-actions of teams could make for some interesting outcomes at the end of the season.

Will Rising Cap and Huge UFA Market Impact Contenders Buying or Selling?

The 2014 UFA market is slated to be one of the biggest in recent memory. Thomas Vanek, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and the Sedin twins currently highlight it, and they are just the tip of the iceberg. There are also a number of second-tier players that will be available in droves.

While all these players could likely re-sign with their teams, there is an equal chance of these players getting traded or opting to become free agents.

It is too early to say what teams will be contenders, but there could more trades and transactions than usual when you consider the salary cap should increase as a result of all the outdoor games.

With a number of big players set to become available, teams could become very active before and at the trade deadline.