Steve Levy said he is “still on a high” from the last NHL season and can’t wait to see what this season has in store for fans.

The ESPN host and play-by-play broadcast, along with analyst Ray Ferraro and NHL insider and reporter Emily Kaplan, shared their thoughts on the upcoming season Tuesday, which begins with a tripleheader on the network Oct. 7, featuring the Chicago Blackhawks at the Florida Panthers (5 p.m. ET), Pittsburgh Penguins at the New York Rangers (8 p.m. ET), and Colorado Avalanche at the Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. ET).

“I can’t tell you what a great time I had personally last season, the enjoyment was off the charts and it is really hard to imagine this upcoming season being better than the season we had a year ago,” Levy said. “The 4 Nations (Face-Off), the (Alex) Ovechkin chase (for the NHL goal-scoring record), a trade deadline that was unprecedented with player movement and finally getting some new blood in there in the playoffs with Montreal and Ottawa.”

Things have already become interesting heading into opening night this season.

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov signed an eight-year, $136 million contract ($17 million average annual value) on Tuesday, which will make him the highest paid player in NHL history starting next season.

“The NHL has done a really good job of becoming more interesting out of season even with coaching changes, player contracts, the potential for player movement, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, that’s where I sit, I’m just looking forward to it,” Levy said. “The season will find a way to top what we experienced last season, but last season was just epic and personally, I’m still on a high from what we saw last year. ”

The Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup last season, again defeating the Edmonton Oilers in the Final.

Florida goes into this season looking to become the first team to win the Stanley Cup in three consecutive years since the New York Islanders won four straight from 1980-83.

The Panthers will be in a tough spot however, having lost captain Aleksander Barkov for what is expected to be the entire regular season because of a knee injury he sustained in training camp, which required surgery on Sept. 26. Florida is already without forward Matthew Tkachuk, who had surgery Aug. 22 to repair a tore adductor muscle and will be out at least until December.

“For me looking forward, Sash Barkov’s injury really changes everything in Florida,” Ferraro said. “I would have had them as my prohibited favorite again, as crazy as that is to try and win three times in a row. I just can’t do that without Barkov in at least part of the picture.

“Whatever it’s going to be with him coming back is a different story I guess, but the margins of the League are so small now, I see such unpredictability and volatility in it and that’s really what excites me.”

Places in the Stanley Cup Playoffs will again be at a premium this season, and Ferraro expects a number of teams to climb back into postseason contention.

“There is going to be a team this year that we’re not thinking about and they’ll do well,” Ferraro said. “Can Detroit finally pop their way back in? Columbus was right on the cusp last year, could they get in?”

Kaplan believes the New York Rangers will have success under new coach Mike Sullivan and challenge for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division after missing the playoffs last season.

Sullivan was hired on May 2 to replace Peter Laviolette, who was fired on April 19 after two seasons. Prior to being hired by the Rangers, Sullivan coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 seasons, including winning the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017.

“Ray and I have covered so much of Mike Sullivan and Mike Sullivan’s teams over the years, both with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Team USA at 4 Nations and we know what he’s about,” Kaplan said. “He’s a coach that demands a lot from his players in terms of structure, accountability and just a commitment to the full 200-foot game, and I think the Rangers are going to buy in, in a big way because they were embarrassed by the way last season unravelled.

“And as long as (goalie) Igor Shesterkin looks like Igor Shesterkin, I see no reason why they can’t be one of the top teams in the League.”

The Rangers (39-36-7) were fifth in the Metropolitan last season and missed the playoffs, a year removed from winning the Presidents’ Trophy and getting to the Eastern Conference Final.

“I think there’s real pressure on the Rangers and I think they’re a real wild card too,” Levy said. “A new coach, new captain (J.T. Miller), which seems to be a big deal in New York, especially when you sit next to Mark Messier. You talk about how heavy that ‘C’ is on that Rangers sweater, and I think there is a lot of pressure right at the top with (general manager) Chris Drury too.”