Failing to qualify for the postseason for the first time in eight seasons led to some sweeping changes for the Boston Bruins, who will be missing some familiar faces when they kick off the 2015-16 season against the visiting Winnipeg Jets on Thursday night. Boston already has a huge question mark for the opener with the status of towering defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara uncertain.

The Buffalo Sabres will usher in the Jack Eichel Era on Thursday when they open the 2015-16 season at home against the Atlantic Division-rival Ottawa Senators. Eichel capped a scintillating freshman year at Boston University by winning the 2015 Hobey Baker Award in April before being selected with the second overall pick of the NHL draft two months later.

The Tampa Bay Lightning begin their quest for a return trip to the Stanley Cup Final with a narrowed focus as they host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday in the season opener for both teams. “We have to realize how hard it was to reach where we were at the end of the season,” Lightning forward Ryan Callahan told the Tampa Tribune. “It’s important for us not to look at the big picture.”

Expectations are sky high for Connor McDavid as the top overall pick of the 2015 draft makes his NHL debut on Thursday when the Edmonton Oilers visit the St. Louis Blues. How high is the bar set for McDavid? Well, consider the lofty praise heaped on the shoulders of the 18-year-old phenom by none other than Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky.

The Nashville Predators enter the season with high hopes following a successful 2014-15 campaign that ended with a six-game playoff loss to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. With all the key players back from a 104-point season, the Predators kick off the new campaign when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

The Pittsburgh Penguins wasted little time creating the biggest splash of the offseason by acquiring five-time 30-goal scorer Phil Kessel. The 28-year-old forward will make his debut with two-time Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby and company when the Penguins play their season opener against the host Dallas Stars on Thursday.

After going from first to worst in the Central Division, the Colorado Avalanche look to begin their climb back to the top when they host the Minnesota Wild on Thursday in the 2015-16 season opener for both teams. Colorado captured its first division title in 10 seasons in 2013-14 behind first-year coach Patrick Roy but was unable to stay afloat last campaign, plummeting to the bottom of arguably the best division in the league despite recording 90 points.