Burning Questions Coming Out of 2014 NHL Training Camps

When it comes to training camps, today's NHL doesn't mess around.

After just a few days of running drills, implementing systems and assessing prospects, exhibition games are already underway. A little more than two weeks from now, the new season will begin.

With the clock ticking down quickly toward the games that matter, here's a look at six burning questions that fans are trying to answer as they assess their teams' prospects for the new season.

How Will Cap-Challenged Teams Become Compliant?

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Top Storylines: As of September 22, CapGeek.com lists four teams that are currently over the $69 million salary cap—the Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins.

They're not the only ones facing challenges: Several other teams are showing rosters under the 23-man limit, with limited funds to sign additional players.

The Issues: The Flyers, Lightning and Bruins will receive cap relief on the first day of the regular season when they move players to long-term injured reserve.

The Blackhawks, however, have nowhere to hide the $2.2 million in excess salary. They'll need to trade at least one player before opening day, but they're not the only ones who need to make moves.

For example, Boston needs to not only get under the cap but also add two more players to its roster—presumably restricted free agents Reilly Smith and Torey Krug. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins have less than $1 million available to fill two roster spots, even though this year's league minimum salary is $550,000.

The Impact: Teams with cap space to spare could get a chance to trade for some quality talent as the cap-strapped teams scramble to make themselves compliant before opening day on October 8.

Which Top Restricted Free Agents Will Come to Terms with Their Teams?

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Top Names Affected: Ryan Johansen and the Columbus Blue Jackets are stealing all the headlines by airing the dirty laundry of their negotiations in public, but a few other key players around the league have yet to ink new deals.

Boston's Krug and Smith, the St. Louis Blues' Jaden Schwartz and the Dallas Stars' Brenden Dillon and Cody Eakin are also missing training camp as they wait for their agents to deliver acceptable new deals.

The Issues: Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com reports that, while there has been some movement in the Johansen negotiations, the to sides remain well apart in their positions.

No further word has emerged on Krug or Smith from the cap-strapped Bruins since training camp opened last week, and St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong has initiated radio silence regarding Schwartz.

"The thing that would be best for the process is to keep (negotiations) between Jaden's representatives and myself from this point forward" said Armstrong, according to Lou Korac of In the Slot. "The next time that I'll talk publicly about Jaden is when we sign him."

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News quotes Dillon and Eakin's agent, Jarrett Bousquet, as saying that "We have an open line of communication" with Stars GM Jim Nill. Heika points out that both Dillon and Eakin have some challenges in their negotiating positions, which means they might have to settle for less money than they'd like.

Likelihood of Resolution: Because all these players are coming off their entry-level contracts, their negotiating power is minimal. They have no arbitration rights, and offer sheets have virtually vanished; the only one that's been issued since the end of the last lockout was Calgary's offer to Ryan O'Reilly in 2013, which was quickly matched by the Colorado Avalanche.

From the team side, salary-cap space offers a firm upper spending limit, especially in Boston.

It's unfortunate to see young players sitting out, but despite the challenges, deals will likely get done by the beginning of the regular season.

Which Training Camp Injuries Will Impact the Regular Season?

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Top Names Affected: ESPN.com offers real-time reporting of injury situations around the NHL during training camp.

In the early going, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Claude Giroux, Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick are among the big names who are missing ice time during training camp.

The Issues: Of the star players listed above, Giroux's injury sounds like it's the most serious. He's expected to miss two weeks with a lower-body injury suffered on the first day of training camp. Quick is practising with some discomfort, Doughty is listed as day-to-day and the Canadian Press (via TSN.com) reports that Crosby and Malkin are being held out of camp for precautionary reasons.

Some other players who have already found themselves on the injured list include the Anaheim Ducks' Kyle Palmieri, the Blue Jackets' Nathan Horton, Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers' Derek Stepan.

Likelihood of Resolution: Injuries are part of the game, and with an emphasis on evaluating young talent through training camp and preseason games, it makes sense to keep the established veterans well rested—and out of harm's way.

Giroux's injury, however, is worrisome. He was slowed during the 2013-14 preseason after suffering a hand injury in mid-August, then underperformed for the first couple of months of the campaign before heating up to become a Hart Trophy finalist. Once again, he might find himself needing extra time to get into gear after the season begins.

Which Prospects Look Ready to Break Through to the NHL?

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Top Names Affected: Class of 2014 rookies like Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart and Leon Draisaitl will be competing alongside older draft picks like Jonathan Drouin and college players like Johnny Gaudreau for the early edge in the Calder Trophy competition.

The Issues: While it's unusual for 18-year-olds to jump to the NHL straight from the draft, five of the top six picks of 2013 made the leap last year. This year's top picks will try to follow in their footsteps, while odd man out from 2013, No. 3 pick Drouin, will try to land on his feet with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Drouin's training camp has been stalled a bit by an upper-body injury that isn't believed to be serious, according to Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times.

Other top prospects who are struggling include Sam Bennett, who was chosen fourth overall in 2014 and is dealing with a groin injury he suffered at Calgary Flames camp, and 2013-14's QMJHL top scorer Anthony Mantha, who suffered a fractured tibia during the Detroit Red Wings' prospect tournament and is expected to miss six to eight weeks.

Likelihood of Impact: It's always a tough call. Some will succeed, though this year's rookie class doesn't look like it will be as successful as last year's group. Ekblad could jump straight into the Florida Panthers' lineup. He was paired with steady veteran Willie Mitchell to open training camp.

How Are the New Coaches Fitting In?

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Top Storylines: Will a kinder, gentler Willie Desjardins get the Vancouver Canucks back on track as the polar opposite of John Tortorella? Can Barry Trotz inspire Alex Ovechkin to play a two-way game in Washington? Is Mike Johnston really going to tase players who dump the puck in for the Pittsburgh Penguins? (Of course not: That was just a Twitter joke that got out of hand.)

The Issues: Hockey's a team game, but the one man most likely to change a team's identity is its coach. In addition to Desjardins, Trotz and Johnston, there's also new bench bosses this season in Florida, Nashville and Carolina.

The Impact: The most drastic culture shifts are taking place in Vancouver and Washington. Canucks players seem to be collectively exhaling thanks to the friendly touch of Desjardins, who's taking time to get to know his players and treating the group in a positive fashion. 

Barry Trotz has moved Ovechkin back to his natural left wing position, with an eye toward teaching him a thing or two defensively. Chuck Gormley of CSN Washington reports that the scoring star is ready to commit to Trotz's teachings. "Oates teach me how to play on the right side and now me and Barry talked and he has his own reasons and I agree with it. If he wants me to play on right side I will. If he wants me to play on the left side I will."

Will Any Tryout Players Earn NHL Contracts?

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Top Storylines: Allan Muir of SI.com reports that more than 30 players with recent NHL experience are at training camps around the league on professional tryout contracts (PTOs).

Top Possibilities: It's not always easy to read a team's intentions when it offers a PTO, but it's a chance for the player to show his stuff and try to grab a toehold on a contract for the new NHL season.

Some players Muir believes have a good chance of sticking with their clubs include Ilya Bryzgalov with the Minnesota Wild, Ruslan Fedotenko with the New Jersey Devils, Dan Carcillo with Pittsburgh and Shane O'Brien in Florida.

The Impact: For inexpensive veterans who offer some depth, the risk for most teams is usually minimal if they think a PTO player can fill a need. Bryzgalov is a perfect example: After watching Minnesota churn through three goaltenders last season, he simply waited until the cycle began anew when Josh Harding's foot injury knocked him out of the lineup, then had his agent make the call to offer up his services.