Taking a look at the major question marks around the NHL as training camp approaches.
How is Sidney Crosby doing?
With the 2011-12 season drawing nearer by the day, it seems like everybody wants to know if Sid the Kid will be at the Pittsburgh Penguins training camp and will he be able to play at the same high level he did before the concussion?
That seems to be the No. 1 burning question most hockey fans have as summer comes to a conclusion. It is not, however, the only question. Here are some others:
Will Alex Ovechkin regain his scoring touch and finally lead the Washington Capitals to glory?
Can Duncan Keith rebound and get his game back to Norris Trophy form?
Can the much-traveled Ian White be a suitable replacement for the retired-too-soon Brian Rafalski?
Can Smilin' James Reimer build on his wonderful put-of-the-blue rookie campaign with the Toronto Maple Leafs and be a true blue (and white) No. 1 goalie?
Did the Philadelphia Flyers, once and for all, solve their goaltending concerns with the acquisition of Ilya Bryzgalov?
Is 39-year-old Owen Nolan, who played overseas last season, the answer for the Vancouver Canucks?
Can Joe Thornton, who had a pretty good playoff last season, finally lead the San Jose Sharks to the Stanley Cup -- or, at the very least, the Stanley Cup final?
Will Ilya Kovalchuk find his lost scoring touch playing for a team that doesn't particularly place a huge emphasis on offence?
Can Zach Parise return to being one of the NHL's top 10 forwards after missing most of last season with a serious knee injury?
Is the Jimmy Howard-Ty Conklin tandem really the goaltending duo you can win a Stanley Cup with?
Does 41-year-old goalie Dwayne Roloson have enough left in the tank to backstop the Tampa Bay Lightning through four grueling rounds of the playoffs?
Will the Oilers' kids take their next step towards making the playoffs for the first time in six years?
Now that they have established themselves as regular season stars, can the Sedins find playoff credibility?
Will the NHL's new sheriff, Brendan Shanahan, come down harder on the league's rule breakers than his predecessor Colin Campbell did?
Who will be the first victim of Shanahan's attempt to clean up the game?
Will Rick Nash forever be a big fish in a small pond or will he get the supporting cast to lead a team in a non-traditional market to success?
Will the hard-nosed Nashville Predators ever enjoy a long playoff run?
Will sniper Phil Kessel find the consistency he has lacked to make him a legitimate Rocket Richard Trophy candidate or is he nothing more than a 35-goal scorer?
Does Nicklas Lidstrom have one more Norris Trophy season in him?
Can Chris Pronger bounce back from an injury-plagued season and assume the role of leader of the new-look Philadelphia Flyers?
Will the Calgary Flames find a centre that will once and for all make aging Jarome Iginla's life easier?
Will Jason Spezza return to form and thrive on a rebuilding Ottawa Senators team without proven scorers to dish the puck to?
Will Mike Richards and Jeff Carter answer their critics by dedicating themselves on and off the ice to their new teams?
Will the many new (and expensive) faces on the Florida Panthers be enough to get the team off the beaches and golf courses into the playoffs?
What kind of an impact will Captain Canada, Ryan Smyth, make upon his return to Edmonton?
Will Toronto GM Brian Burke play the Ron Wilson card the first time the Maple Leafs go into an extended slump?
Who will become a star first, John Carlson of the Washington Capitals or Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators?
Will the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and the Phoenix Coyotes resolve their ownership woes?
Can Brad Richards pull a Mark Messier and bring the Stanley Cup back to Broadway?
Will the NHL get back to calling obstruction after a significant slip in the standard last season?
Will Corey Perry continue his assent as one of the NHL's best all-around forwards following his Hart Trophy-winning season?
Will dynamic rookie of the year Jeff Skinner play an even bigger role in getting the Carolina Hurricanes back to the post-season after two years on the sidelines?
What will it take for the Colorado Avalanche to rebound after taking a giant step backwards last season?
After failing to catch on with two other teams, was Michael Grabner's 34 goals a fluke or an indication he's a future scoring machine?
Is Anaheim's Lubomir Visnovsky the real deal or was last year's league-leading 68 points among defencemen a one-off?
Will Martin St. Louis continue to be one of the NHL's most underrated players despite the fact he is among its most productive players?
Will the Winnipeg Jets thrive in their new home and will we see a whiteout come playoff time?
Now that the Buffalo Sabres have an enthusiastic new owner and the NHL's highest payroll, will it lead to their first Stanley Cup championship?
Will Carey Price build on his wonderful coming out season and bring the Montreal Canadiens back into Cup contention?
Will Nathan Horton continue to raise the level of his play under the watchful eye of Cam Neely now that the Boston Bruins have Stanley Cup rings?
Will young defenceman Tyler Myers of the Sabres regain the form that made him the NHL's top rookie in 2010?
Will speedy and creative Martin Havlat emerge as the answer in San Jose?
Will David Perron of the St. Louis Blues get his career back on track after missing most of last season with a concussion?
Without question, there are a lot more questions regarding the coming NHL season. But it all starts with Sidney Crosby and will end sometime in June when a champion is crowned.
