Training camps will open Sept. 17, thus beginning the inexorable journey toward a Stanley Cup champion next June. Such a long journey. So many questions as yet unanswerable. Here's a look at some burning questions for the Atlantic Division.

Claude Julien's seat could get hot if the Bruins stumble early in the season. Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports

Boston Bruins

What the heck is Don Sweeney thinking?

Actually, that's sort of a rhetorical question, but what seemed like moments after taking over for the deposed Peter Chiarelli, Sweeney sent four every-day players packing -- Milan Lucic, Carl Soderberg, Reilly Smith and Dougie Hamilton -- and replaced them with marginal player Zac Rinaldo, hulking local boy Jimmy Hayes and streaky scorer Matt Beleskey. Sweeney also made Marc Savard's contract disappear, sending it to Florida with Smith in return for Hayes. It was the Hamilton deal, though, that really confounded Bruins fans. The former ninth overall pick has all kinds of upside, but Sweeney didn't think he could get the restricted free agent under contract and so dealt him to the Calgary Flames. Regardless of how the rest of the wheeling and dealing turns out, it's hard to imagine the Hamilton deal won't come back to haunt the defensively-thin Bruins, both sooner and later.

Rebuilding or just resting?

Some of the criticism of the Hamilton trade was born of the Bruins' sudden defensive vulnerability. Captain Zdeno Chara is 38 years old and has a Hall of Fame career's worth of tough miles on his body. Dennis Seidenberg is 34, and last fall the Bruins had to get rid of Johnny Boychuk because of cap issues. Is Torey Krug ready to continue his evolution into a top-four defender, as opposed to being a one-dimensional offensive weapon? Who else is coming to help restore the Bruins to the kind of imposing defensive squad that won a Stanley Cup in 2011 and was back to the finals two years later? Up front, the young blood is promising in the form of David Pastrnak, Ryan Spooner, Hayes and even Brett Connolly, 23, who was picked up at the trade deadline last March but was injured. But is it enough to send the Bruins back to the postseason after an unexpected dip below the playoff Mendoza Line last spring?

Is another shoe waiting to drop?

When the decision was made to fire Chiarelli, the man who built the Bruins into an Eastern Conference power, there was much speculation that head coach Claude Julien would go as well. It took Sweeney and others some time to make a decision, and they opted to keep Julien behind the bench. But what kind of leash will the former Jack Adams Award winner have, especially if the Bruins falter early? Fair or not (and we're on the "not" side of the equation), our guess is the answer is shorter rather than longer.

Jack Eichel showed over the summer that he can handle the highest levels of competition. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Buffalo Sabres

How soon does Jack Eichel have an impact?

How about Oct. 8, when the Sabres open the season against Ottawa? One of two generational players in last June's draft (Connor McDavid, the other, went first overall to the Edmonton Oilers), Eichel carries the weight of the franchise on his broad shoulders. He is, by all accounts, ready for such a burden, and given his play as the U.S. won a surprise bronze medal at the world championships, he's not going to be out of place as a first-year NHL player. Look for new head coach Dan Bylsma to shield Eichel, at least in the early going, with Ryan O'Reilly taking on first-line center duties. Eichel is going to make his presence known, though, and it's just a question of how far up the NHL ladder he can help the beleaguered Sabres climb.

Speaking of O'Reilly, how will he respond to off-ice trouble?

Not long after inking what was the most lucrative contract in Sabres history, O'Reilly, 24, responded by allegedly driving his vintage pickup truck into a Tim Hortons outside London, Ontario, in the middle of the night and then fleeing the scene. Projected as the team's top-line center, O'Reilly was charged with impaired driving and leaving the scene of an accident. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident, but it was not the kind of news the Sabres were expecting from a player they're counting on to be a cornerstone of a new era in town.

Is Robin Lehner the guy?

General manager Tim Murray needed a franchise goalie and went to a player he knew well from his days working with his uncle, Bryan Murray, in Ottawa. The Sabres acquired the 6-foot-4 Swede (along with veteran center David Legwand) in exchange for the 21st overall pick in last June's draft. Lehner has a small body of work in the NHL -- he's played in just 86 games since being selected 46th overall in 2009 -- so is he ready to be "the guy" for a team that's looking to quickly go from tanking to contending? He'd better be.

Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek hold the key to the Red Wings' playoff chances. Getty Images

Detroit Red Wings

How does Jeff Blashill replace Mike Babcock?

The short answer is that Blashill can't -- not really. Babcock, now the head coach in Toronto (more on that later), is considered one of the finest coaches of his generation. He won a Cup in Detroit and advanced to the finals in 2008-09, and his team made the playoffs every season he was behind the Red Wings' bench. He also guided Canada to back-to-back Olympic gold medals. And like the void that was felt after Scotty Bowman retired after winning the Cup in 2002, there will be a void that Blashill, the highly regarded minor-league head coach (and onetime Babcock assistant), will have to deal with. But Blashill, in spite of sounding like Babcock, is very much his own man, and his knowledge of important young players Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Riley Sheahan (all of whom played for Blashill in the American Hockey League) should help him make a seamless transition to the NHL game.

Mrazek or Howard?

Among the decisions facing Blashill this season will be how to handle his goaltending tandem of Petr Mrazek and Jimmy Howard. It's not a cut-and-dried kind of thing. Howard is the incumbent with the big contract, but he has struggled the past couple of years, both with injury and with consistency. Mrazek took over as the starter in the playoffs and was solid, turning in a .925 save percentage as the Wings were edged by eventual Stanley Cup finalists Tampa Bay in seven games in the first round. Is the 23-year-old ready to shoulder a starter's workload at the NHL level? If he can't, where is Howard psychologically, having been supplanted as the team's go-to guy? The answer to these questions will say much about whether the Wings are once again invited to the playoff ball next April.

How big will Mike Green's impact be?

Last season, Niklas Kronwall led all Detroit defensemen with nine goals, while no other Wings blueliner had more than five. Green, who twice topped the 70-point plateau while in Washington, has the potential to change the complexion of the Red Wings' attack from the back end. Consider that the Wings scored just 15 goals in their seven-game first-round loss to Tampa and you get why the Wings are excited at having signed Green to a three-year deal this past summer, at an annual cost of $6 million. Now, Green does come with some defensive liabilities, and his role with Washington was significantly reduced last season in large part because of those deficiencies. But the Wings are willing to put up with those warts given their longstanding search for a high-skill, right-handed shot on the blue line.

At 43, Jaromir Jagr brought energy and experience to the Panthers. James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports

Florida Panthers

Is this the year the talent stockpile pays off?

The Panthers made a late-season run at a playoff berth last season, but ultimately fell back and finished 10th in the Eastern Conference. But there remains optimism that players such as defending rookie of the year (Calder Trophy) Aaron Ekblad, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad, Aleksander Barkov, former rookie of the year Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trochek and perhaps hulking Lawson Crouse, the 11th overall pick in June's draft, are ready to take this young team not just forward, but into the postseason for just the second time since 2000. Well, are they?

Is this finally it for Jaromir Jagr?

Jagr was acquired by the Panthers at the trade deadline and promptly produced 18 points in 20 games, earning the 43-year-old wonder and Hall of Famer-in-waiting a one-year deal. Jagr's work ethic and his seeming inextinguishable joy for the game should be a boon to a young team that needs to learn how to win on the fly. As befits any 40-something, especially a skilled forward like Jagr, there are going to be ongoing questions about his ability to keep pace and not slow down his talented linemates, but so far the five-time NHL scoring champ seems more or less immune to the ravages of time.

What is the over/under on "relocation" references this season?

Well, how about 11,265, and take the over. That's what happens when you are dead last in paid attendance with an average crowd of just 11,265 (and you thought that number came out of thin air) and have made the playoffs just once since 2000, and haven't won a playoff round since 1996. Yes, new ownership is trying to do things the right way and has pledged patience and the long view. And, yes, commissioner Gary Bettman has insisted 11,265 times (give or take) that the Panthers aren't going anywhere. But with Quebec City well into the expansion process and a new rink there nearing readiness, talk of relocating the Panthers won't end until the team turns a corner on the ice, sparking a turning of the corner at the turnstiles.

Carey Price had a historic season in 2014-15, and will need to be close to the same level this season. Francois Lacasse/Getty Images

Montreal Canadiens

What does Carey Price do for an encore?

Last season was one for the ages for Carey Price -- earning him the Hart, Vezina, William M. Jennings and Ted Lindsay trophies -- so it will be more than a little interesting to see what Price has in store this season. The cynic will suggest that a drop-off from a league-leading 1.96 GAA and .933 save percentage is inevitable. And maybe it is. Or maybe that's just the standard, more or less, that Price is going to set as the greatest goaltender on the planet. Still, it is worth pointing out that Price could use a little more help from his teammates if the Habs are going to fulfill what used to be their manifest destiny as a perennial Stanley Cup contender. The Habs were 20th in goals per game and 23rd with the man advantage last season. Those numbers will have to improve, especially if Price proves to be even slightly mortal this season.

How will the Alexander Semin experiment work out?

Of all the free-agent signings this summer, perhaps none came with as many arched eyebrows as the one-year deal bestowed on Semin after the gifted Russian winger was bought out of his ill-advised contract by the Carolina Hurricanes. Now, when a team like Carolina, which has nary a penny to waste anywhere in the team budget, pays a player like Semin to go away, you understand how unpopular he was. On the surface, the fit between uncompromising head coach Michel Therrien and the sometimes-uninterested Semin seems right out of the oil-and-water manual. But who knows? Semin will get a chance to play top-six minutes and has the tools to put up 25 to 30 goals, maybe more. If Semin hits those targets, his signing at a modest $1.1 million will add to the case being made for GM Marc Bergevin's genius. If not, little harm, little foul for the Habs.

Is Alex Galchenyuk the answer down the middle?

It's clear Bergevin isn't convinced the answer is "yes," given his tepid comments on the topic at his end-of-season media session. But does the trio of Tomas Plekanec, David Desharnais and Lars Eller sound like the kind of centers who will be bringing home the team's first Stanley Cup since 1993? The short answer is "no." If Galchenyuk can evolve into an everyday pivot, he gives the Habs that key element of size and skill down the middle around whom to build a potent, balanced offense. If he isn't that guy, Bergevin will have to keep hunting, because until the Habs are deeper and more talented at center, it's hard to imagine them making a deep dent in the playoffs.

Craig Anderson can be a quality goalie, but if he falters the Senators have a backup plan. AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Ottawa Senators

Did Bryan Murray make the right choice in goal?

The veteran Ottawa GM rolled the dice and dealt Lehner to the Sabres at the draft after signing rookie phenom Andrew Hammond to a three-year deal and deciding not to move veteran Craig Anderson. Hammond saved the Senators' season with his extraordinary run after being called up from Binghamton of the AHL, but gave way to Anderson in the latter stages of the Senators' opening-round playoff loss to Montreal. If he's healthy, Anderson is a top-end goaltender. If he's not healthy, Hammond will have to prove the last half of last season was no fluke.

Is this team ready to display an identity?

The Senators made the playoffs in 2012 and 2013 when no one expected them to. Then they folded in 2014 when they were healthy and everyone expected them to. Last season, they started like a team destined for the dustbin again, costing head coach Paul MacLean his job. Dave Cameron turned things around and got the Senators to yet another unexpected playoff berth, but that has set the bar higher for the coming season. Is this team ready to meet expectations, or will we see another step back in part because of those expectations?

Can Bobby Ryan bounce back?

At one point late last season Ryan was asked if he was hurt, but rather than allow some sort of mystery ailment to be used as an explanation for a drop-off in production, Ryan simply said he wasn't playing very well. "I just suck right now," he said. Good on the former second overall pick, who saw his production drop to 18 goals last season, down significantly from his days as a four-time 30-goal scorer with Anaheim. Ryan scored twice as the Sens were eliminated in the first round and saw his ice time and use in pivotal situations reduced. What is problematic, other than the obvious drop in numbers, is that he has five long years left on his current contract with an annual cap hit of $7.25 million. If Ryan gets back to the 30-goal level, the Senators should be a playoff team. If he can't, well, there'll be much talk about how the Senators might best cut their losses.

All other questions for the Lightning are secondary to the contract situation of captain Steven Stamkos. Scott Audette/NHLI/Getty Images

Tampa Bay Lightning

So, how about that Stamkos deal?

We're sure that at some point GM Steve Yzerman and representatives for Steven Stamkos will settle in and get a contract extension done, one that will keep the Lightning captain in Tampa for the better part of the next decade. Aren't we? The longer a deal takes to get done, the greater the speculation that Stamkos is somehow dissatisfied with his lot in life in Tampa and will explore free agency next July, and the greater the potential for distraction the team can do without. Can't imagine Stamkos in another jersey, especially given the Lightning's standing as Eastern Conference champs with a bright future and a deep-pocketed owner (Jeff Vinik), but until he puts pen to paper, that shadow of doubt will be cast on Stamkos and the Lightning.

Will there be a Cup finals hangover?

Never mind the hangover the comes from actually winning the Stanley Cup (Detroit was the last team to win back-to-back Cups in 1997-98). It's virtually impossible for a team that loses in the finals to return the following season. Pittsburgh did it in 2009, winning a championship after losing the year before, but then you have to go back to the early 1980s and the Oilers, who bounced back in 1984 to win a Cup after losing the previous season. The Lightning have a lineup blessed with top-end young talent at every position with which they'll try to avoid the finals hangover. Still, are they appreciably better than a year ago? Are they any better? The answer has to be "yes" if you're thinking of a return trip to Tampa next June.

What will we say about Victor Hedman's season?

Well, how about, "Here's your Norris Trophy, Mr. Hedman"? Or, "Holy cow, he's really good"? If there was one player that saw his profile rise exponentially last playoff season it was the big Swedish defenseman. If he can stay healthy -- and that might be the only question mark surrounding Hedman at this stage of his career -- he should be among the finalists for the Norris Trophy, and as long as the Bolts don't take a huge step back he might well be the odds-on favorite to take home the hardware.

The kind of adversity Mike Babcock will face this season is unlike any he's seen before. Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images

Toronto Maple Leafs

Will Mike Babcock lose his mind?

The last time a Babcock-coached team missed the playoffs was in 2004. In fact, since he became an NHL head coach, in 2002-03, Babcock has missed the playoffs just once. He'd better get reacquainted with the feeling of spring golf thanks to a team that traded away its most talented forward in Phil Kessel and appears, on paper at least, to be a country mile from contending for a playoff spot. Throw in the throngs of media covering the team on a daily basis and it will be fascinating to see how Babcock, who got a pretty easy ride in Detroit, responds to the daily natterings in Toronto.

How many big brains does a turnaround require?

So, you've got Babcock, a Cup winner, two-time Olympic gold medal-winner and likely Hall of Famer. There's also new GM Lou Lamoriello, special-assignment coach Jacques Lemaire and president Brendan Shanahan, all of whom are already enshrined in the Hall. You've got fancy stats guys and former NHLer Mark Hunter all weighing in on the rebuilding process. And this is supposed to work how, exactly? History shows the larger the group of smart hockey people assembled in one place, working toward one goal, the better it is for a team. Ask the Los Angeles Kings or the Chicago Blackhawks. Will it work in Toronto? Maybe the better question is, when will it work in Toronto?

Was Kessel really the problem?

Have to admit the "overhaul" of the Leafs' roster has left us a little cold. Was Kessel really the black hole that ate a team that embarrassed itself on an almost nightly basis over the last half of the season? Guess we'll find out. But if that was really the case, we'll be expecting a whole lot more from Nazem Kadri, who was suspended by the team last season for not behaving like an adult; Tyler Bozak, who might or might not be the team's No. 1 center; and the brittle Joffrey Lupul.