A surprising run to the Eastern Conference final last season has only served to raise expectations for the Montreal Canadiens, who open the 2014-15 campaign with a visit to the archrival Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night. The opposite holds true for the Maple Leafs, who are attempting to erase the memory of a stunning collapse that derailed their postseason hopes.

The Boston Bruins won the Presidents' Trophy last season and were poised for a return trip to the Stanley Cup final before falling victim to a spirited rival. After a premature exit in the second round, the Bruins look to begin the new season on a high when they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday.

Despite their overall struggles last season, the Vancouver Canucks had no problem against the Calgary Flames. Vancouver looks to continue the trend with a new bench boss as it visits its Pacific Division rival Wednesday in the season opener for both teams. The Canucks won all five meetings with the Flames in 2013-14, needing overtime in the first matchup in Calgary and a shootout in their initial contest in Vancouver while outscoring the Flames 16-8 overall.

The Los Angeles Kings made history at the expense of the San Jose Sharks en route to winning their second Stanley Cup title in three years. After rallying from a three-game deficit to shock the Sharks in last season's first-round series, the Kings look to start the 2014-15 campaign on the right foot when they host their Pacific Division rivals on Wednesday.