Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

With not too much in the way of playoff seasoning, will a team take a shot at Ilya Kovalchuk?

Too old? Too expensive? Underrated? Overrated? The free agent questions will soon have answers.

So how did you enjoy the time off?

The new NHL season kicks off Thursday when teams start looking for answers through free agency.

But on the eve of the frenzy, I still have more questions than answers:

1. The Toronto Maple Leafs named Dion Phaneuf as its new captain, but does this team have the leadership required to make the playoffs for the first time in six seasons?

2. Did Ilya Kovalchuk make a huge mistake by not accepting the mega contract extension offered to him last season by the Atlanta Thrashers?

3. Speaking of Kovalchuk, will the Los Angeles Kings, who have taken huge strides the past few seasons, try to accelerate the process by signing this unproven playoff performer?

4. Is Dan Hamhuis this year's Brian Campbell…the best young defenceman available as a UFA that some team will drastically overpay to get him to sign on the dotted line?

5. With a wealth of young talent and a very bright future, who will the Edmonton Oilers lean on next season for leadership?

6. Now that the Dallas Stars have set him free, have we seen the last of one of the greatest American-born players ever in Mike Modano?

7. Will veteran defenceman Sheldon Souray and the Oilers kiss and make up if Edmonton is unable to move him, as per his request, in the off-season?

8. Do the Calgary Flames seriously believe they can make the playoffs with Matt Stajan as their No. 1 centre?

9. Who will provide the toughness for the Detroit Red Wings the way Darren McCarty did in their recent championship seasons?

10. Will the Red Wings make a pitch to UFA Arron Asham to fill that role based on his excellent playoff last season with the Philadelphia Flyers?

11. Can new Lightning GM Steve Yzerman inspire Vinny Lecavalier to soar to the heights he reached prior to signing his long and lucrative contact extension prior to last season?

12. Which team will be fooled by Lee Stempniak's 14 goals in 18 games with the Phoenix Coyotes last season and actually believe him to be a productive winger?

13. Will Toronto GM Brian Burke be able to convert veteran scoring defenceman Tomas Kaberle into a legitimate top-6 forward via trade?

14. Now that the Nashville Predators have lost Jason Arnott, Denis Grebeshkov and Hamhuis, how can they possibly make the playoffs in the very tough and competitive Western Conference?

15. Which team will overpay good, but not great defenceman Anton Volchenkov who does not provide much in the way of offence?

16. Does the fact the Philadelphia Flyers re-signed Michael Leighton mean they have given up their search for a No. 1 goalie or is this just the beginning of the Flyers addressing its goaltending woes?

	Michael Leighton helped Philly to the Cup, but ran in to a high-scoring 'Hawks team.

17. Having lost Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer on defence in back-to-back years, how can the Anaheim Ducks expect to remain competitive?

18. How long until the New York Rangers buy out defenceman Wade Redden, or do they simply send him to the minors to get rid of his $6.5 million cap hit?

19. Will the Rangers acquire somebody capable of playing with Marian Gaborik or do they expect him to keep doing it all on his own?

20. Will the New Jersey Devils continue to overwork Martin Brodeur or will they finally get him a decent backup capable of playing 20 or so games so he is fresh for the playoffs next season?

21. Will success go to Dustin Byfuglien's stomach or will he arrive in Atlanta in shape and ready to help the Thrashers get into the pots-season?

22. Will Dan Ellis simply be the backup in Montreal or is he capable of becoming the No. 1 stopper with Carey Price serving as his understudy?

23. If Hamhuis doesn't sign with the Canucks, as some expect he will, what will Vancouver GM Mike Gillis do to bolster his otherwise thin blueline?

24. Will Jason Spezza get a warm welcome from the same Ottawa senators fans that booed him during the playoffs if he remains with the team?