And so...

...it begins again.

This is the 39th time a Vancouver Canucks team has waited eagerly for the puck to drop on the start of a new NHL season. The season is a long journey. Thirty-eight times that journey has ended without a Stanley Cup championship. Will this year's trip be just the same?

Of course not!

I wouldn't dare to imply that the team will necessarily win the Cup this year. Every year has its ups, downs, twists and turns. However, this season looks markedly different from the last couple of seasons. New personnel, new styles of play, new physiques for some (yes, I'm talking about you, Steve Bernier and Kyle Wellwood).

Where will this team end up come next spring?

Strap yourselves in, it's going to be a fun ride!