Inside the NHL: A celebration of the return of hockey

A new season. A big break. One more chance. Come fall, the perfect promise of hockey speaks to all Canadians.

Will this be the year the Cup finally comes home? Can Crosby score 50? Will the Leafs win—or break—hearts?

Maclean’s celebrates the return of the NHL with a special issue that profiles those who will give their all—on and off the ice—when the puck drops Oct. 8. In it, you’ll find:

• Phaneuf’s time: The Leafs captain’s reckoning

• Challenging all comers: Manny Malhotra’s comeback

• Fuel to the Flames: Sam Bennett defies expectations

• What’s in a name? Max Domi sheds his father’s bruiser image

• Willie Desjardins: A journeyman coach comes home

• The whistle-blower: Ref Graham Skilliter joins an exclusive club

• By the numbers: Why is pro hockey going Moneyball?

You’ll find these stories and more in our latest issue, available today in our tablet edition, on newsstands tomorrow, and online in the days ahead. Check out the video below for a preview of our full coverage: