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Wild Draft Recap and Free Agent Predictions

Reviewing the Wild's Draft Selections as well as predicting the Free Agent decisions

By Howard Hull | @Howard_Hull09 | Jun 25, 2023 | 15 Comments

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft has passed and now all eyes turn towards NHL Free Agency. For the Minnesota Wild, they can pat themselves on the back for a solid draft but now must focus their attention on their free agents. Before we get into that, lets do a quick overview of who the Wild selected:

Round 1, Pick 8th - Brayden Yager

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	Brayden Yager | Center Moose Jaw Warriors
	Height: 6'2	Shoots: R
	Weight: 177	Age: 18 years old
	Season GP G A PTS +/- PIM S S% TOI FO% 2022-23 71 56 71 127 15 30 334 16.8% 21:13 46.1% 2021-22 64 29 45 74 0 52 282 10.3% 19:59 46.9%

Background: Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2005, Yager played minor hockey in Prince Albert. The only other NHLers to come out of there are Braden Schneider of the Rangers and former NHLer Adam Cracknell. Yager was drafted 3rd overall by the Moose Jaw Warriors in 2020 and has played for them since the 2021 Season.

Analysis: Yager was an offensive dynamo in the Western Hockey League this season, completely tearing it up an scoring 56 goals along with 127 points. That was more than Connor Bedard. Impressive to say the least. What intrigues me the most about him is that his defensive game isn't great but isn't bad. With those point totals you would assume his effort defensively would be non existent. Bob McKenzie sure seems to be convinced this kid will be future stud and I'm beginning to think so as well.

Thoughts on the pick: Trading Foligno hurt. It did. But he would have been passed on the depth chart for this upcoming season. Plus, when you add the upside of a player like Yager who was available at the 8th spot, you see why Billy Guerin made this move. Let's hope he ends up panning out for the Wild.

Round 1, Pick 26th - Gene Sabourin

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	Gene Sabourin | Center Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
	Height: 6'2	Shoots: R
	Weight: 197	Age: 17 years old
	Season GP G A PTS +/- PIM S S% TOI FO% 2022-23 46 11 4 15 -4 11 53 20.8% 15:49 42.4%

Background: The son of former NHL Goalie Dany Sabourin, Gene was born in the United States but moved to Europe with his dad in 2013 when Dany played for Graz EZ in Austria. Once Dany retired they moved to Switzerland where Gene started to really turn heads as a player himself. Unlike his dad, Gene decided his calling was at forward rather than goalie. Gene would move up the ranks in Switzerland before finding himself playing for the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in the NLA this season. Gene holds dual citizenship for both the United States and Switzerland.

Analysis: From the video I've seen, Sabourin is a pass first player who can and should use his shot more often (as showcased by the 11 goals he had last season). His skating is very good for his size, using a fluid skating stride with good speed. Like most prospects, his defensive game could use some work along with his physical contributions.

Thoughts on the pick: I'll be honest, I'm not exactly the most active fan of Switzerland's National League but everything I've heard about this kid has been positive. He has an NHL bloodline, that is if you can count 57 games as being enough for that title. Regardless, he's already got the build for the NHL and another year in the Swiss league could really help his development.

Round 7, Pick 218th - Ryan Bloodoff

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	Ryan Bloodoff | Left Defense St. Cloud State Huskies
	Height: 6'6	Shoots: L
	Weight: 212	Age: 19 years old
	Season GP G A PTS +/- PIM S S% TOI 2022-23 26 0 1 1 0 24 10 0.0% 15:00 2021-22 61 2 5 7 5 52 80 2.5% 21:53

Background: Playing at St. Cloud State, Bloodoff hasn't seen a whole ton of minutes but isn't really expected too. He has gotten into a fair amount of games with 26, although just a singular point. The year prior he played for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL. With Waterloo he saw lots of ice time as a shutdown defenseman

Analysis: Bloodoff's defensive play is the key to his game. He reads the incoming rush well and boxes out in front of the net efficiently. For someone as big as he is, he doesn't throw enough hits. Sometimes he looks almost awkward trying to take out opposing attackers with his body. His shot has real power behind it from the point but, problem is, he rarely let's it fly.

Thoughts on the pick: Just looking at his numbers, their really not impressive. I understand he's a 6'6 shutdown defenseman but the kid really didn't produce even in the USHL in 2022. Hopefully he can continue to grow his game with St. Cloud but if he ever sees NHL action I would be very surprised. Although, what more can you really expect from a 7th rounder.

Round 7, Pick 220th - Aleksander Solovyov

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	Aleksander Solovyov | Center Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
	Height: 6'3	Shoots: R
	Weight: 208	Age: 19 years old
	Season GP G A PTS +/- PIM S S% TOI FO% 2022-23 16 0 0 0 1 10 6 0.0% 12:00 40.0% 2021-22 17 0 0 0 1 12 6 0.0% 12:00 22.2%

Background: This year he's battled with injuries but Solovyov has played 16 games this season with the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. Head Coach Igor Larionov has spoke highly of the power forward, saying he believes he'll be a key player in this league (as in the KHL) one day.

Analysis: Aleksander is a big boy who likes to throw the body around often. He uses his strength to his advantage but sometimes relies on it too much. His shot is powerful but the accuracy and quickness of it could use some work. His defense is what really hurts him, showing a lack of Hockey I.Q. when in his own zone

Thoughts on the pick: Similar to Bloodoff, if Solovyov ever makes the NHL I would be pleasantly surprised. He'll likely spend all of his hockey career in the KHL. Nothing wrong with that.


With the Draft now behind us, let's get into how the Wild will handle their Free Agents in the following week before Free Agency hits. In total, the Wild have 23 expiring contracts between the NHL and AHL, as well as players still eligible for Entry Level Contracts. Within those 23 are 9 RFA's and 14 UFA's. Bill Guerin will have just under $13 million in cap space to resign his players. Let's take a look at which players he should sign, let go or flip a coin on. We'll start with the two goalies

Goalies

Marc-Andre Fleury (UFA)
Age - 38
Statline - 46 GP 27-15-3 .894 SV% 3.11 GAA 2 SO
Current Salary - $3.500M
Decision - Don't Resign
It's the end of the Flower era in Minnesota. Fleury is closer to 45 than 30 and lost his starter job to the rookie Tarasov this season. He had a rough season in the 46 games he played, sporting a .894 SV%. It was a pleasure watching him tend the goal here with the Wild but it's time to move on from him. If the Wild are unable to find any better options during Free Agency they could potentially go back with Fleury as a backup, that is if he doesn't receive interest from other teams


Hunter Jones (RFA)
Age - 22
Statline - (AHL) 40 GP 19-13-4 .906 SV% 2.59 GAA 3 SO
Current Salary - $0.825M
Decision - Resign
In his third AHL season Hunter Jones continued his solid performance with a .906 SV% in 40 games. With the way he's been playing down in Iowa, I don't see any reason not to resign the 6'4 22 year old. Him and Wallstedt will be able to battle for playing time next season, giving each other some competition.


Defenseman

Dmitry Kulikov (UFA)
Age - 32
Statline - 73 GP 3G 8A 11PTS +9 14:54 TOI
Current Salary - $2.250M
Decision - Don't Resign
Kulikov has been a key shutdown defenseman for the past two seasons in Minnesota but those types of players don't come cheap. He's a top four defenseman for a top 10 team in the NHL. He's in a position to get paid in Free Agency and the Wild don't have the cap space to give him the money he wants. It'll be interesting to see what Minnesota does this offseason to replace him.


Jacob Middleton (UFA)
Age - 27
Statline - 17 GP 0G 4A 4PTS +2 14:46 TOI
Current Salary - $0.725M
Decision - Don't Resign
I don't know a Minnesota fan that doesn't love Jake and his glorious moustache. With that being said, Middleton's playing ability just isn't good enough to crack the Wild lineup. He's done alright in limited minutes (including minutes at forward two seasons ago) but moving on from the 27 year old is the tough, but right, choice.


Ryan Merkley (RFA)
Age - 22
Statline - (AHL) 20 GP 3G 12A 15PTS +5 25:55 TOI
Current Salary - $0.865M
Decision - Resign
Acquired in the Matt Dumba trade at the Deadline, Merkley played way above expectations down in Iowa. He had a .75 point per game pace and was leading the defenseman in ice time with close to 26 minutes. He'll most certainly look to certify himself as an NHL defenseman next season. Expect a "prove it deal" for his new contract.


Fedor Gordeev (RFA)
Age - 24
Statline - (AHL) 25 GP 0G 2A 2PTS -4 15:30 TOI
Current Salary - $0.790M
Decision - Don't Resign
Gordeev just hasn't had success with the baby Wild and it's going to be especially hard to give him ice time next season with Peart and Masters likely joining the D-Core. He's a big physical defenseman but there is better players above him on the depth chart.


Dakota Mermis (UFA)
Age - 29
Statline - (AHL) 22 GP 1G 9A 10PTS +7 19:38 TOI
Current Salary - $0.750M
Decision - Don't Resign
He brings a veteran presence down their on the farm but with so many young defenseman needing ice time, Mermis will likely not be resigned. Hopefully he finds another team looking for his services.


Jack Peart (UFA)
Age - 20
Statline - (OHL) 65 GP 11G 47A 58PTS +25 25:06
Current Salary - N/A
Decision - Sign
And then we come to the two guys looking for their ELC's. With Jack Peart, he was the Wild's second round pick in 2021 and has been playing great hockey for the competitive Brampton Battalion. Plain and simple, he'll be signed by the deadline.


Kyle Masters (UFA)
Age - 19
Statline - (WHL) 72 GP 14G 61A 75PTS +10 25:00
Current Salary - N/A
Decision - Sign
In the same boat as Peart, Masters had a significant season in Moose Jaw, producing at a point a game clip while being the #1 defenseman. He's still only 19 years of age so he will also be signed to his ELC.


Forwards

Matt Boldy (RFA)
Age - 22
Statline - 82 GP 21G 30A 51PTS -6 15:09 TOI
Current Salary - $0.880M
Decision - RESIGN
Easily the biggest no brainer on this list, Matt Boldy must be resigned by the Wild, and more preferably before arbitration. If Boldy heads to Restricted Free Agency, teams that have enough cap space will be salivating at the prospect of adding the sniper. The real question here is how much will Boldy get. Reports say he's looking for anywhere between 6.5 and 8 million dollars. Let's hope Guerin works his magic and convinces Matthew to settle for the lower half of that.


Derek Ryan (UFA)
Age - 36
Statline - 55 GP 2G 8A 10PTS -5 10:42 TOI
Current Salary - $1.250M
Decision - Don't Resign
His legendary run in the 2022 Finals run will go down in Minnesota Wild history. Since then however, Derek Ryan has just not been good enough. He went supernova in those playoffs with 17 points in 22 games, 3rd in scoring on the team behind just Hartman and Fiala. After being eliminated in Game 7 versus Florida, Ryan has just 11 points and a -7 through 64 games, including Playoffs. It's time to move on from the aging veteran


Nick Paul (UFA)
Age - 28
Statline - 2 GP 0G 0A 0PTS 0 9:22 TOI
Current Salary - $1.350M
Decision - Don't Resign
It's hard to tell how well a player fits with a team when he only suits up for two games with said team. Nick Paul came over from Buffalo at the Trade Deadline as a depth forward but Minnesota avoided injuries for most of the last half of the season. With younger guys looking to snag roster spots, it seems like Paul will not be coming back for 2024


Darren Helm (UFA)
Age - 36
Statline - 14 GP 3G 3A 6PTS +4 9:36 TOI
Current Salary - $1.000M
Decision - 50 / 50
Helm was a depth option this season who only got into 14 games but made the most of it with 6 points in those appearances. If Helm is willing to come back knowing he'll play the same type of role for the team than I don't see why we can't bring him back to Minnesota. However, there is the fact that the Wild have a lot of young guys coming up from the farm system that could or should earn roster spots. Where does that leave the veteran in the mix? Likely the AHL. I'd say it's a coin flip on whether Helm is in a Wild jersey next season


Brandon Duhaime (RFA)
Age - 26
Statline - 58 GP 4G 5A 9PTS +2 9:09 TOI
Current Salary - $0.750M
Decision - Resign or Qualify
Duhaime is a typical grinder type that found himself in the AHL after the trade deadline. He's a fringe NHL player that likes to throw his weight around. He's still useful as a 4th line energy player but will he want to settle for another two way contract? I doubt it. My guess is he gets a 1 year one way contract. It would set himself up for a possible waiver claim next year if the Wild try to send him down.


Alexander Khovanov (RFA)
Age - 23
Statline - (AHL) 82 GP 35G 49A 84 PTS +16 17:09 TOI
Current Salary - $0.810M
Decision - Resign
The most recent winner of the John B. Sollenberger Trophy (Most points in the AHL) needs a new contract and will get one. Khovanov will have a very good chance of cracking the lineup next season after the year he had in Iowa. A short term prove it deal would suffice for the Russian


Lias Andersson (RFA)
Age - 24
Statline - (AHL) 82 GP 18G 44A 62PTS +3 18:11 TOI
Current Salary - $0.875M
Decision - Resign or Qualify
The 2017 7th overall pick produced for Iowa last season and will have a chance for one of the Wild roster spots next season. Similar to Ryan Merkley, I see a one year prove it deal in his future.


Caedan Bankier (UFA)
Age - 20
Statline - (WHL) 69 GP 42G 61A 103PTS 0 21:14 TOI
Current Salary - N/A
Decision - Sign
Bankier was one of the dozen players to hit 100 points in the WHL this season, as well as one of the best players on the Kamloops Blazers. He's a 3rd round pick of the Wild in 2021 and will probably find himself in the AHL next season.


Josh Pillar (UFA)
Age - 21
Statline - (WHL) 71 GP 43G 70A 113PTS +23 21:09 TOI
Current Salary - N/A
Decision - Sign
Teammates with Bankier in Kamloops, the duo of Josh and Caedan led the Blazers to the WHL Final before coming up short. After the chemistry these two players showcased all season, I don't see why both won't be given contracts


Nick Swaney and Mitchell Chaffee
Decision - 50/50
These guys could either stay as AHL Top Six forwards and NHL call up options or could be released. Iowa needs room for young forwards and, like the three guys we'll get to next, these two take up those spots. Up to Guerin on these two


Damien Giroux, Joseph Cramarossa, and Nic Deslauriers
Decision - Don't Resign
Not much needs to be said about these guys. Giroux and Cramarossa are all aging AHL veterans that are taking up spots for young players. Deslauriers was with the Wild for their run to the Finals in 2022 but has toiled in the AHL since. Sad to see him leave the organization, but necessary.

[JurassicPuck]

NHL Free Agency 2023: Latest news, deals and reports from around the league

ESPN.com

NHL Free Agent Frenzy has begun and all sorts of news, reported deals and rumors will be coming out about anything and everything involving the NHL. This is the place to find the key information you need to know about this years rendition of craziness. We'll give you a full live tracker throughout the day about signings and news that include the biggest free agents. Speaking of that, let's take a look at the top UFA's and RFA's heading into July 1st.

UFA's

David Pastrnak, RW, 27 years old
Previous Team - Boston Bruins
1
The Bruins have done it once again. Like Bergeron before him, Boston was unable to come to terms on a contract with Pastrnak before July 1st. Has Pasta decided Boston is maybe not where he want's to continue his hockey career? He'll be the biggest name on the market by far, and he'll receive a huge payday by the end of it, wherever he ends up

Patrice Bergeron, C, 37 years old
Previous Team - New York Islanders
1
He left Boston for New York last year and after being a Selke finalist, Bergeron could find himself on a different team once again. The Islanders have said they will still be interested in bringing Bergeron back but they are in dire need of a defenseman, especially because Scott Mayfield will be leaving in free agency.

Max Pacioretty, LW, 34 years old
Previous Team - Vegas Golden Knights
1
Coming off a career high 52 goal season, Max Pacioretty has to be heading into free agency looking for a big payday. He was a point a game player for the first time in his career and looks like he may have his best hockey ahead of him at 34 years old.

Travis Sanheim, D, 27 years old
Previous Team - Philadelphia Flyers
1
At 27 years old and coming off a 39 point season, Travis Sanheim is looking for greener pastures after 6 seasons in Philadelphia. He's an elite two-way defenseman that would be a top pairing defenseman on almost any team in the league.

Frederik Andersen, G, 33 years old
Previous Team - Carolina Hurricanes
1
The top goalie on the market is the Danish Andersen. He's 33 years old but had a .911 SV% last season on a poor performing Hurricanes squad. He'll get a nice payday in Free Agency on whatever team he joins


RFA's

Timo Meier, W, 26 years old
Team - San Jose Sharks

Matthew Tkachuk, W, 25 years old
Team - Calgary Flames

Erik Černák, D, 26 years old
Team - Tampa Bay Lightning


July 1st Updates
(Signings can first be made at 12:00 ET)

8:23 a.m. ET: David Pastrnak (RW, 93) will have many suitors around the NHL. The leading candidates seem to be Detroit, Vegas, Arizona and Pittsburgh. The Bruins are still the favourites to resign the Czech star. He's rumored to be looking for an AAV between 11 to 13 million dollars. What kind of term he wants is unknown at this point. What we do know is that he won't be afraid to take his time with making his decision. That could have a domino effect throughout the league if he decides to prolong making his choice.

9:13 a.m. ET: Patrice Bergeron (C, 93) is very set on returning to the Islanders but isn't ruling out a possible return to Beantown either. If the Bruins do somehow end up losing Pastrnak then Bergeron will be one of their top options to bring in.

9:56 a.m. ET: The best defenseman available, Travis Sanheim (D, 89) has no intentions of returning to Philadelphia and has three teams in mind he would like to play for. One of them is confirmed to be the Islanders. The other two can't be confirmed at this point.

Based off this news, we should assume the Islanders will likely be gunning for Sanheim but fall back to signing Bergeron if talks fall through with the former Flyer.

10:34 a.m. ET: For the big RFA's (Meier, Tkachuk and Cernak) it's hard to see any teams willing to give up the draft picks needed to acquire any of these three players. The cost for any of them would at least be their 1st, 2nd and 3rd round picks in the 2024 Draft.

11:25 a.m. ET: For Max Pacioretty (LW, 89), it's reported that teams around the league are hesitant to give him anything more than a one year deal due to his sudden career year and, more importantly, his injury history.

One NHL executive said "With the concussion problems he's had and the fact he's almost 35 coming off a career year in goals... He's clearly due for a decline. It's gonna scare a lot of teams off despite what many may think"

We'll monitor if the American sees a lack of interest from teams in the coming days.

12:00 p.m. ET: NHL Free Agency has officially begun

12:05 p.m. ET: The first signing of the day comes out of Tampa, Florida as Jordan Staal (C, 83) signs a 2 year deal. Contract is reportedly worth almost $5.5 Million. Lightning add a defensive veteran center. Seems like a perfect fit for him in Tampa Bay. This signing likely means the Lightning have accepted that Alex Killorn (LW, 85) will be moving on to another team this offseason.

12:13 p.m. ET: Two free agents have been busy setting up meetings and calls with multiple teams before making their decisions. Vladislav Gavrikov (D, 87) and Tyler Bertuzzi (W, 87) both will have talks with a handful of teams today and tomorrow.

Bertuzzi will be meeting with Arizona, Winnipeg and Seattle. It's expected he'll meet with Detroit tomorrow if he doesn't sign today. Gavrikov will meet with the Sharks, Ducks and Sabres.

12:18 p.m. ET: Sources tell ESPN, Vincent Trocheck (C/RW, 83) has signed a one year deal with the Dallas Stars worth $2.950M. This will be Trocheck's third team in as many years after signing with the Predators last offseason. With the Preds he had a 32 point season but did it with a -13 plus/minus, tied for the worst of his career

12:36 p.m. ET: Vegas has signed Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews (C, 85) and a one year deal. Toews will make around $3.1 Million next season. The Golden Knights add a two time Stanley Cup winner and add a quality center down the middle.

1:07 p.m. ET: Andrew Copp (C/LW, 85) has been approached by the Devils and it reportedly went "very well". The 29 year old will have a meeting with the Blue Jackets later this afternoon to give them one last chance to resign him.

1:07 p.m. ET: The St. Louis Blues are reportedly out on Gavrikov and will look to the rest of the market for a defenseman. They're reportedly looking for two D-men for their lineup. They've been linked to Nick Jensen (D, 86), Shayne Ghostisbehere (D, 83) and Scott Mayfield (D, 83) thus far.

1:41 p.m. ET: Jonathan Drouin (LW, 84) has interest from the Flyers, Ducks and Red Wings. He's leading towards the Wings at this point but Detroit wants to wait for Bertuzzi to make his decision before signing Drouin. The former Halifax Moosehead was traded to the Oilers at the Trade Deadline but was injured for the rest of the season in his first game with the team. Edmonton gave up their 2021 22nd overall pick Xavier Bourgault (C, 76) and a 2024 4th round pick in the trade with Montreal

2:16 p.m. ET: The Vancouver Canucks have taken a flyer on 24 year old Cody Glass (C, 77) with a two year deal worth $1.5 Million. Glass has struggled to find his footing in the NHL after being drafted 6th Overall in 2017 by the Golden Knights.

2:50 p.m. ET: Ryan O'Reilly (C, 87) is expected to sign with a team by the end of the day. The Stanley Cup Champion hasn't been happy on a poor St. Louis team and will definitely be looking for a contending team to sign with. Teams interested include PIT, DET and CAR

3:33 p.m. ET: The Minnesota Wild are reportedly looking to make some moves to try and free up enough cap space to sign a certain free agent. It's not known who this player is as of now. Players that could potentially be moved out that have a sizeable cap hit are Jordan Greenway (LW, 78), Jon Merrill (D, 83) or Alex Goligoski (D, 82)

4:29 p.m. ET: Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield has signed a hefty contract with St. Louis for 3 years at close to $20 Million Total. He'll make about $6.6 Million per season. A BIG signing by the Blues

6:38 p.m. ET: David Pastrnak has meet with the Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes today. It's believed both teams pulled out all the stops to try and persuade Pasta to sign with them. Pittsburgh, Detroit and Boston all have meetings scheduled tomorrow with him

8:57 p.m. ET: Connor Clifton (D, 82) has significant interest from both the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild. Both teams are looking for a quality defensive defenseman. Could Clifton be the reason Minnesota is looking to clear up cap space?

9:49 p.m. ET: O'Reilly has narrowed down his teams to the Red Wings and Hurricanes. Hurricanes are keen on signing the 32 year old but the Red Wings want to wait for Bertuzzi's decision before moving on with the signing. We'll know by tomorrow morning where he ends up.



July 2nd Updates

8:45 a.m. ET: Andrew Copp announces he will be joining the New Jersey Devils on a big 5 year contract worth $24.725 Million ($4.945 Million per year). This likely means Tomas Tatar (W, 85) will not be returning as a Devil next season. Copp has been on New Jersey's radar since last offseason when he signed with the Red Wings. He'll be one of the best third line centers in the league behind Hughes and Hischier.

9:26 a.m. ET: The Minnesota Wild have pulled the trigger and Jordan Greenway has been traded to the St. Louis Blues. A 2025 6th and 7th round pick will also go to the Blues and the Wild will get a 2025 4th in return. This was obviously that camp dump move that was reported earlier. The Blues had a lot of cap space and were severely lacking on the left side. Trade helps both teams. Now let's see who Minny is shedding cap space for.

10:02 a.m. ET: The Carolina Hurricanes have signed two of the top free agents available in Ryan O'Reilly and Nick Jensen. O'Reilly got two years at $4.580M per. Jensen was at $5.185M per over 4 years. GM Don Waddell adds two very good players to try and turn around the sinking ship in Carolina.

10:24 a.m. ET: Reports out of Pastrnak's camp say meetings with Vegas and Arizona both went well. He's enticed by the opportunity to live in Vegas and playing with Eichel. He also likes the makeup of the Arizona roster and he's familiar with Patrick Kane from working with Bauer. He has a meeting upcoming with Detroit soon and ones with PIT and BOS later today

10:37 a.m. ET: Connor Clifton is heading to the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Avalanche. It's a one year deal worth almost $3 Million. Great addition on the backend for Colorado.

10:58 a.m. ET: After seeing the success they almost had in Round one against the Oilers, the Coyotes have gone out and added Tyler Bertuzzi to the roster. It didn't come cheap with a AAV of $7.615 Million over 4 years. Will the former Red Wing be enough to get the Yotes over the hump?

11:14 a.m. ET: They lost Nick Jensen just hours ago but already the Capitals have gone out and got a replacement in Troy Stecher (D, 83). He played with the Kraken last season and got a big payday here with a 3 year contract worth $12.3 Million.

11:50 a.m. ET: Arguably the biggest news of Free Agency thus far, Travis Sanheim has signed a 5 year deal worth $35.5 Million with the Minnesota Wild! We know the three teams Sanheim was interested in were the Islanders, Capitals and Wild. Ultimately after the Wild freed up enough cap space, Sanheim was keen to sign with them, even taking slight paycut to join the team. He'll form a stellar trio on defence with Jared Spurgeon (D, 88) and Jonas Brodin (D, 88).

12:47 p.m. ET: At 38 years young, the "Flower" Marc-Andre Fleury (G, 83) has signed a one year deal with the Los Angeles Kings to become their new starting goaltender. The deal is worth around $2.3 Million.

Minnesota is reportedly "very surprised" Fleury chose to sign a contract so soon. They were expecting him to last at least a week in free agency but the Kings had different plans. A backup goalie will now be on the check list for the Wild for this offseason.

1:34 p.m. ET: Pasta's meeting with Detroit was "so-so" and didn't top Vegas and Arizona. His meeting with Pittsburgh is reportedly upcoming before one last meeting with Boston. Could you imagine a Penguins lineup with David Pastrnak. Absolutely belligerent

2:37 p.m. ET: The Pittsburgh Penguins have not had talks with Tristan Jarry (G, 85), sources tell ESPN. Their starting goaltender last year had a .906 SV% and a 35-21-6 record. At this point, Jarry returning to PIT seems like a pipe dream.

4:49 p.m. ET: James van Riemsdyk (LW, 83) is staying in Canada as he joins the Calgary Flames on a 2 year deal worth $7.1 Million. The 34 year old left winger was acquired by the Senators at the Trade Deadline, scoring 11 points through 18 games.

6:08 p.m. ET: Jason Spezza (C, 81) is about "50/50" on him retiring this offseason. The 40 year old just completed his 20th NHL season and had a 20 goal, 42 point season with the New York Rangers. He'll only accept a deal if the team is "perfect for him and his family".

8:31 p.m. ET: Pasta had his final scheduled meeting of Free Agency with the Bruins. Unfortunately for Boston, they are reportedly not his number one destination at this point. It will be a massive blow to their roster if they lose him for nothing. Vegas, Pittsburgh and Arizona are allegedly his top three spots. Insanity

10:59 p.m. ET: In what is likely the last signing of the day, the Anaheim Ducks have swooped in and signed 27 year old Vladislav Gavrikov to a 6 year $46.95 Million dollar deal. That's $7.825M per year for the Russian. Considering Sanheim was signed for almost 700K less, did Anaheim overpay for him?

[JurassicPuck]

NHL Free Agency 2023: Latest news, deals and reports from around the league

ESPN.com

NHL Free Agent Frenzy has begun and all sorts of news, reported deals and rumors will be coming out about anything and everything involving the NHL. This is the place to find the key information you need to know about this years rendition of craziness. We'll give you a full live tracker throughout the day about signings and news that include the biggest free agents.

In Case You Missed It - July 1-2

• David Pastrnak (RW, 93) has taken meetings with Detroit, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Vegas and Boston so far since Free Agency. It's believed the Czech native will be making his choice within the next two days. Boston and Detroit are believed to not be in the running anymore.

• The Carolina Hurricanes have scooped up both Ryan O'Reilly (C, 87) and Nick Jensen (D, 86) to contracts. The Hurricanes are really looking to compete next season after disappointing in recent years

• Tyler Bertuzzi (W, 87) has elected to head to the desert and sign with the Arizona Coyotes. After 7 seasons in Detroit, Bertuzzi will head to a different city for the first time in his career

• After freeing up enough cap space in a trade with the Blues, the Minnesota Wild locked up defenseman Travis Sanheim (D, 89) to a 5 year contract

• With the last signing of Day 2 of Free Agency, Vladislav Gavrikov (D, 87) put pen to paper with the Anaheim Ducks

July 3rd Updates

8:15 a.m. ET: Matt Dumba (D, 83) and the St. Louis Blues have reached an agreement on a 3 year deal worth $15.5 Million. The Blues have revamped their defense core with Mayfield and now Dumba. It will cost them however, the duo will take up a combined $11.78M next season.

8:56 a.m. ET: Both Timo Meier and Matthew Tkachuk have announced in the past 40 minutes that both will be returning to their respective teams, the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames. Both were expected to return and now leave Cernak as the only major RFA remaining

9:32 a.m. ET: The Edmonton Oilers will lose another top six winger with Michael Bunting (W, 84) heading to Nashville on a 3 year deal at $4.76 Million per year. With Drouin and Bunting leaving, the Oilers could be scrambling to fill their top nine forwards with good enough players.

10:06 a.m. ET: With Boston out on Pastrnak, they have had conversations with Bergeron about returning to the Bruins. The Islanders are the only other team in the running for the 37 year old.

11:54 a.m. ET: Alex Killorn (LW, 85) will make the trip north as the 33 year old inks a 4 year deal with the Winnipeg Jets. The AAV is rumored to be around $5 Million.

12:41 p.m. ET: In what is probably the most... confusing deal of free agency, Freddy Andersen (G, 86) is heading back to the Toronto Maple Leafs on a one year contract. GM Kyle Dubas paid a steep price to get him back, handing over $7.795 Million to the 33 year old. Keep in mind that the Leafs still have Vezina finalist Petr Mrazek under contract. Difficult to see the direction Toronto is going with on this signing

2:12 p.m. ET: Patrice Bergeron (C, 93) is officially returning to the New York Islanders on a two year contract for $8.5 Million per year. The 38 year old was reportedly "so close" to signing with the Bruins and heading back to Boston, but the Islanders swooped in with one final offer to win the sweepstakes. Just gut punch after gut punch for the Bruins faithful.

4:03 p.m. ET: Shayne Ghostisbehere (D, 83) is leaving the desert and heading back to the city of brotherly love as he signs with the Flyers. The deal is for one season but worth an estimated $4.5 Million. He'll have to do as a replacement for the departed Travis Sanheim.

5:18 p.m. ET: A big signing out of Seattle as Tristan Jarry (G, 85) will join the Kraken for the next 4 years for just under $5 Million per season. Rumors out of Jarry's camp say the Penguins were unable to commit money to the netminder before signing a different free agent, obviously talking about Pastrnak. Pittsburgh better hope Pasta does sign with them because the ongoing negotiations with him have just cost them their starting goalie.

8:30p.m. ET: The news we have all been waiting for, David Pastrnak has made his decision and he will be taking his talents to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania! Twitter shattering news as Pasta will join a lethal forward core of Crosby, Malkin and Guentzel. I send my condolences to all the defenseman around the NHL that will have to go up against that monster of a forward corps.



July 4th Updates

9:00 a.m. ET: Outside of Pacioretty and Pavelski, there's not many big name free agents still available. How long will these two have to wait until they are signed to contracts?

9:00 a.m. ET: Erik Cernak will be heading back to Tampa, Florida after re-signing with the Lightning. It's big for them to get a deal done with the top four defenseman who has made big strides in the past two years.

10:21 a.m. ET: Semyon Varlamov (G, 84) finds a new home after the Kings replaced him with Marc-Andre Fleury. The Russian goaltender will continue the goalie carousel and head to Carolina to join the Hurricanes. Props to the Canes for really putting in the work this offseason and acquiring three veteran players who will help their team greatly.

10:21 a.m. ET: Tomas Tatar (W, 85) will be heading to Sin City on a one year deal worth $4.6 Million. The choice to sign both Tatar and Toews over Pacioretty is a perplexing one but it seems Vegas likes their depth over star power. Will the two be enough to replace the 50 goals lost, next season?

1:38 p.m. ET: Joining Cam Talbot in the Arizona crease is James Reimer (G, 83) who will come on over from San Jose on a 2 year deal worth $5.5 Million. The veteran netminder is turning 36 and will look to help the Yotes get back to the playoffs for the second year in a row.

5:08 p.m. ET: Two veterans have signed in Jason Spezza (C, 81), who was contemplating retirement, heading to Boston and Paul Stastny (C, 84) returning to the Penguins. Both will be on one year contracts in what could be the final seasons of their careers.

*Fast Forward 3 weeks*

July 28 Updates

1:00 p.m. ET: Joe Pavelski (C/RW, 86) has finally found a home and it's a new one as the Boston Bruins sign the 39 year old forward to a one year, $5.335 million deal. The Bruins needed a spot on the wing after the departure of Pasta and they've filled it for the short term.

August 3 Updates

11:51 a.m. ET: It took until August but Max Pacioretty (LW, 89) has finally signed a contract and it's with the Philadelphia Flyers. It's just a one year deal worth under $6 Million. It was said that "Patches" was looking for around $9 Million at the start of free agency. The market just wasn't as big for him as expected but hopefully he can prove the doubters wrong in Philly.

[SENS_AK27]

Man, I'm so disappointed that Vegas lost out on Pasta. Would have paired nicely with Eichel. Even adding Tatar is kind of overwhelming for them.

Great write up, as always.

[JurassicPuck]

2023-24 NHL Preview: Team Rankings
In our annual season preview article, we take a look at all 32 teams and predict how their seasons will play out

Jeremy Evans - OCTOBER 7, 2023

The craziness of the NHL Summer has come and gone and fans are chomping at the bit for the upcoming season. With the start of the season imminent, it was time for the The Hockey News annual season predictions article. Before we take a look at how I did last season with my predictions, let's take a look at the tiers the teams will be separated by

Tier 1: Title Contenders - Teams that are Title or Bust this season
Tier 2: Fringe Title Contenders - Teams that aren't quite Title Contenders but are just a player breaking out or some luck away from a Stanley Cup
Tier 3: Outside the Cup Bubble - Teams that are good enough to make the playoffs but aren't expected to win the Cup
Tier 4: Playoff Bound - Teams expected to be in the playoffs but are likely to be knocked out early on
Tier 5: Fringe Playoff Teams - Teams that will be battling for the last playoff spots at the end of the season but will probably be on the outside looking in
Tier 6: Lottery Locks - Teams that are rebuilding that won't be in the playoff hunt and are locks for the lottery
Tier 7: Basement Dwellers - The worst teams in the league that will be competing for a Top 5 Pick in the upcoming Draft

Now that you've had a look at the different tiers, let's look at how I did last year with my picks

With all that out of the way, let's get into the 2023-24 NHL team rankings.

Tier 1 - Title Contenders

Colorado Avalanche

Additions - Connor Clifton (BOS), Braden Holtby (WSH), Mathieu Joseph (OTT), Henrik Borgstrom (CHI), Niko Mikkola (EDM)
Subtractions - J.T. Compher (DAL)

You know Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche aren't satisfied with one Stanley Cup. They'll be back for their second this season and they clearly have the team to do it

Pittsburgh Penguins

Additions - David Pastrnak (BOS), Zemgus Girgensons (BUF), Casey DeSmith (PHI), Mason Appleton (STL)
Subtractions - Tristan Jarry (SEA), Jason Zucker (STL), Teddy Blueger (PHI)

Acquiring as great as a player as David Pastrnak immediately catapults the Penguins into title contention. Pittsburgh is going all out for their last competitive seasons with Crosby and Malkin. With the loss of Tristan Jarry, goaltending is the only question mark for this team.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Additions - Frederik Andersen (CAR), Roman Zidlicky (DRAFT)
Subtractions - Justin Holl (BOS)

With the chance to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967, the Game 7 loss hurt that much more. On the bright side, this team beat the first round curse and did it against the rival Bruins. They'll be back for vengeance this season with a young roster that features five rookies.

Tier 2 - Fringe Title Contenders

Minnesota Wild

Additions - Travis Sanheim (PHI), Antti Raanta (ARI)
Subtractions - Marcus Foligno (CGY), Marc-Andre Fleury (LA), Dmitry Kulikov (VGK), Jordan Greenway (STL), Derek Ryan (FLA), Jacob Middleton (WPG)

For the second straight season the Wild lost to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion. Minnesota needed something to just get over the hump and I think they found it in Travis Sanheim. He's an elite defenseman that forms a scary trio on the backend with Jared Surgeon and Jonas Brodin. I think Minnesota is due for a long playoff run in 2024.

New York Islanders

Additions - N/A
Subtractions - Scott Mayfield (STL), Zach Parise (DAL)

They didn't add anyone major to the roster but were able to resign Patrice Bergeron, albeit at the expense of defender Scott Mayfield. They'll remain a competitive team this season but have an aging roster that won't be able to make playoff runs for much longer. They'd better capitalize now while they still can

Florida Panthers

Additions - Cal Foote (TB), Paul Byron (MTL), Derek Ryan (MIN), Victor Olofsson (SJ), Adam Erne (DET)
Subtractions - Patric Hornqvist (WPG), Joachim Blichfeld (DAL)

They had a great regular season before floundering in the playoffs, leaving a bad taste in the Panthers mouths. They didn't lose anyone major in the offseason and will try and make their way back to the Stanley Cup Finals this season.

Edmonton Oilers

Additions - Olli Maatta (OTT), Mark Borowiecki (DET)
Subtractions - Michael Bunting (NSH), Jonathan Drouin (PHI), Noel Acciari (WSH), Niko Mikkola (COL)

The Oilers were a Game 7 win away from beating the eventual Cup winning Avalanche. They were also a Game 7 loss away from losing to the Coyotes in round one. That sums up Edmonton in a nutshell. They're a wildcard team that may not deserve to be in this tier, but I'm not going to be the dummy that bets against McDavid and Draisaitl.

Tier 3 - Outside the Cup Bubble

New York Rangers

Additions - N/A
Subtractions - Jason Spezza (BOS), Vitali Kravtsov (NSH), Lauri Pajuniemi (VAN)

They went from 88 points in 2022 to leading the East in 2023 with 107 points. Despite going out in round one to the Lightning, this Rangers team is no pushover. The young kids (Lafreniere, Kakko, Miller) are growing into their own and they still have top end players in Panarin, Shesterkin and Fox. They'll just need to bear down come playoff time

Tampa Bay Lightning

Additions - Jordan Staal (CAR)
Subtractions - Alex Killorn (WPG), Cal Foote (FLA), Ross Colton (DET), Brian Elliot (RETIRED)

The Lightning really struggled in the regular season last year. They were the last team in the East to make the playoffs and won 7 less games than the year prior. A lot of it falls on Vasi struggling last season but kudos to him, he brought his "A" game in the playoffs. I think last year was a one off and they'll be back to the top of the table in 2023-24.

Vegas Golden Knights

Additions - Jonathan Toews (CHI), Tomas Tatar (NJ), Dmitry Kulikov (MIN), Jesper Fast (CAR), Garnet Hathaway (WSH),
Subtractions - Max Pacioretty (PHI), Dylan Coghlan (CGY), Laurent Brossoit (CAR)

Choosing to bring in Jonathan Toews and Tomas Tatar instead of resigning Max Pacioretty was a bold one. I think it gives more depth to the Golden Knights forward core which will be key come playoff time. Kulikov is a sneaky good addition on the backend after he was a shutdown defenseman in Minnesota for the past few seasons. They'll be a tough team to eliminate in a best of seven series

Tier 4 - Playoff Bound

Vancouver Canucks

Additions - Alex Nedeljkovic (DET), Cody Glass (NSH), Riley Nash (WSH), Lauri Pajuniemi (NYR), Nick Blankenburg (CBJ),
Subtractions - N/A

The Canucks were the team I was most wrong on last season in my predictions. I had them in the lottery tier before the season and they went out and had 47 wins and 100 points. Can't win 'em all am I right? They don't have a star player that can take over games but get wins by committee. The Hughes and Burns D-Pairing has surprisingly been successful and Vancouver is trusting their roster to get them back to the Playoffs this season

Carolina Hurricanes

Additions - Ryan O'Reilly (STL), Nick Jensen (WSH), Junior MacLeod (DRAFT), Semyon Varlamov (LA), Laurent Brossoit (VGK)
Subtractions - Frederik Andersen (TOR), Jordan Staal (TB), Jesper Fast (VGK), Jake Gardiner (BUF)

Plain and simple, GM Don Waddell's job is on the line this season. The team has faltered for two straight seasons with a roster that should most definitely be competitive. They added two huge free agents in Ryan O'Reilly and Nick Jensen. Both will give the Hurricanes veteran experience and leadership in the locker room. They decided not to bring back Andersen and signed Varlamov. Will he be able to hold down the fort in net this season?

Calgary Flames

Additions - Marcus Foligno (MIN), James van Riemsdyk (OTT), Jeffery Bendahan (DRAFT), Carl Grundstrom (LA), Dylan Coghlan (VGK), Kyle Capobianoc (ARI), Sami Niku (DET)
Subtractions - Dmitrij Jaskin (WSH), Andrew Cogliano (RETIRED)

In 2021, Calgary had the #2 Defense in the NHL. It was the main reason for their success that season. When that defense fell to #16 last season, the Flames found themselves as the 7th worst team in the League. They didn't make any major defensive changes in the offseason but acquired a physical two-way forward in Foligno and brought some offensive firepower with JVR and Rookie Bendahan. They should find themselves back in the Playoffs this season

Winnipeg Jets

Additions - Alex Killorn (TB), Patric Hornqvist (FLA), Jonathan Bernier (NJ), Jacob Middleton (MIN)
Subtractions - Pierre Engvall (STL)

If this team can just not run into the Minnesota Wild in the Playoffs, they should be set to make a decent playoff run. Minny just seems to be Winnipeg's kryptonite. They better hope for success this season because they got some big expiring contracts after the year. Scheifele, Hellebuyck will be UFA's while Perfetti will be an RFA. If I had to guess, at least one of those players will not be returning to the 'Peg after the season.

Arizona Coyotes

Additions - Tyler Bertuzzi (DET), Tanner Jeannot (NSH), James Reimer (SJ)
Subtractions - Shayne Gostisbehere (PHI), Antti Raanta (MIN), Kyle Capobianoc (CGY), Nick Ritchie (WSH) Nick Cousins (PHI)

They were oh so close to beating the Oilers in round one but Patrick Kane and company just couldn't quite get it done. On the bright side, the Coyotes have their best team since 2012 when they went to the Conference Finals. Adding Bertuzzi in free agency is a savvy signing and Jeannot is a young power winger that will create havoc in the bottom six. They'll be a fun team to watch in the desert

Anaheim Ducks

Additions - Vladislav Gavrikov (CBJ)
Subtractions - Zach Sanford (WSH)

Make it two years in a row that the Ducks have been the best team in the West to not make the playoffs. Last year was supposed to be the year they broke out as a competitor at the top of the Pacific. That wasn't the case. Adding Gavrikov can help them do that and I believe they will finally take that next step.

Tier 5 - Fringe Playoff Teams

Washington Capitals

Additions - Troy Stecher (SEA), Nikita Zadorov (NSH), Zach Sanford (ANA), Dmitrij Jaskin (CGY), Nick Ritchie (ARI), Nick Holden (OTT), Taylor Gauthier (FA), Noel Acciari (EDM)
Subtractions - Nick Jensen (CAR), Conor Sheary (STL), Braden Holtby (COL), Lars Eller (BOS), Zdeno Chara (RETIRED), Garnet Hathaway (VGK), Riley Nash (VAN), Trevor van Riemsdyk (SJ), Dennis Cholowski (SJ)

It might be surprising to see Washington in the "Fringe Playoff Teams" tier. The Capitals had a lot of roster turnover this offseason. 8 roster players moved on this offseason and 9 more came in. With such a different group, Washington will need to create chemistry with each other. It might set them back to start to the season. With how many good teams are out East, some really good teams are going to miss. The Caps could be one of them. Another thing worth mentioning, Ovechkin is 66 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky's goal record of 894. It won't happen this season but 2024-25 could be a possibility.

Ottawa Senators

Additions - Nico Sturm (PHI), Gustav Lindstrom (DET),
Subtractions - Connor Brown (NJ), James van Riemsdyk (CGY), Olli Maatta (EDM), Mathieu Joseph (COL), Michael Del Zotto (SEA), Nick Holden (WSH)

The fruits of their rebuilds labor is starting to really come together and the Senators are on the cusp of being a playoff team. They seemed certain to make it last season before collapsing down the stretch. It's unfortunate they're in a tough Eastern Conference because they would be a playoff team out West. If the young guys can continue to grow they'll be a force in no time

New Jersey Devils

Additions - Andrew Copp (CBJ), Connor Brown (OTT),
Subtractions - Tomas Tatar (VGK), Yegor Sharangovich (DET), Miles Wood (DAL), Andreas Johnsson (SEA), Ryan Graves (MTL), Jonathan Bernier (WPG)

On paper, the Devils should be playoff bound. The results however just haven't been there. They'll have Liam Samuelsson as a rookie, a full season of Luke Hughes and free agents Copp and Brown in their first seasons as New Jersey Devils. As I've said before, the East is just so deep this year which may leave the Devils out of the playoff picture.

Montreal Canadiens

Additions - Ryan Graves (NJ)
Subtractions - Paul Byron (FLA)

You may notice five out of the six teams in this tier are from the East. With all these good teams in one conference, it makes it difficult to see how Montreal will fall into the fold. They didn't make any big moves and missed the playoffs by 5 points the year prior. They'll need big progression from Caufield and Suzuki this season to see playoff action

Philadelphia Flyers

Additions - Max Pacioretty (VGK), Jonathan Drouin (EDM), Shayne Gostisbehere (ARI), Hampus Lindholm (BOS), Sergey Afinogenov (DRAFT), Teddy Blueger (PIT), Ondrej Kase (BUF), Nick Cousins (ARI)
Subtractions - Travis Sanheim (MIN), Joel Farabee (BOS), Casey DeSmith (PIT), Andreas Athanasiou (DET), Calle Jarnkrok (SJ), Nico Sturm (OTT)

If you told the Flyers at the end of last season that Max Pacioretty would join their team for next season, they wouldn't believe you. The 50 goal scorer will put on a Flyers uniform and, along with other big additions, will give the team the possibility of a playoff appearance. After two years in the bottom two spots of the Eastern Conference, Flyers fans have something to cheer for.

Seattle Kraken

Additions - Tristan Jarry (PIT), Brett Wolf (DRAFT), Andreas Johnsson (NJ), Alexander Radulov (LA), Linus Weissbach (BUF), Michael Del Zotto (OTT),
Subtractions - Troy Stecher (WSH), Joonas Donskoi (DAL), Carson Soucy (SJ), Daniel Sprong (STL)

Drafting Wolf and signing Jarry were key moves by the Kraken this offseason and should be able to push them out of the basement of the NHL. GM Ron Francis believes it as well, showcased by his signings of Radulov, Johnsson and Del Zotto. They'll be looking to make their first playoff appearance this season

Tier 6 - Lottery Locks

Boston Bruins

Additions - Joe Pavelski (DAL), Joel Farabee (PHI), Jason Spezza (NYR), Jacob Peterson (DAL), Justin Holl (TOR), Lars Eller (WSH)
Subtractions - David Pastrnak (PIT), Hampus Lindholm (PHI), Connor Clifton (COL), Erik Haula (STL)

Talk about a tough couple of years for Bruins fans. First they lost their longtime captain Bergeron. Then to pour salt in the wound they lost their superstar right winger David Pastrnak. Fans are calling for GM Don Sweeney's head and it's not without merit. He added Pavelski in free agency and Farabee via trade to soften the blow of Pasta's exit. It's hard to not see them fall big time in the standings compared to last season

San Jose Sharks

Additions - Matvei Michkov (DRAFT), Calle Jarnkrok (PHI), Carson Soucy (SEA), Markus Nutivaara (CHI), Joel Hanley (DAL), Trevor van Riemsdyk (WSH), Dennis Cholowski (WSH)
Subtractions - Marc-Edouard Vlasic (RETIRED), Matt Dumba (STL), James Reimer (ARI), Matt Nieto (STL), Victor Olofsson (FLA)

Missing the playoffs by two points was a tough pill to swallow at the time, but it was a blessing in disguise for San Jose. They moved up seven spots in the Draft lottery and were blessed with Matvei Michkov at the second overall pick. He'll battle Bedard for the Calder Trophy while the Sharks will almost certainly miss the playoffs.

Detroit Red Wings

Additions - Yegor Sharangovich (NJ), Andreas Athanasiou (PHI), Ross Colton (TB), Alexandre Carrier (NSH)
Subtractions - Tyler Bertuzzi (ARI), Alex Nedeljkovic (VAN), Pius Suter (BUF), Gustav Lindstrom (OTT), Sami Niku (CGY), Adam Erne (FLA), Mark Borowiecki (EDM)

I'm seeing a pattern here of big free agent signings not leading to success the following year. Detroit severely underperformed to their expectations, albeit in a stacked Eastern Conference. Losing Bertuzzi is a major loss but maybe Sharangovich can soften the blow? Unless Kuemper plays like he did two years ago, the Red Wings will miss the playoffs

Los Angeles Kings

Additions - Marc-Andre Fleury (MIN)
Subtractions - Semyon Varlamov (CAR), Alexander Radulov (SEA), Jonathan Quick (STL), Carl Grundstrom (CGY)

Not unlike the Predators, the flashy signings they had in the offseason baited me into thinking the Kings would be a lock for the playoffs. Ultimately they missed out on the final playoff spot in the West and were listening to offers for Kris Letang by the deadline. They've swapped out 80 year old Jonathan Quick for 81 year old Marc-Andre Fleury. Reuniting "Flower" and "Tanger" is nice to see but this team isn't going to be one we see come playoff time.

Dallas Stars

Additions - Vincent Trocheck (NSH), Brett Connolly (CHI), J.T. Compher (COL), Joachim Blichfeld (FLA), Joonas Donskoi (SEA), Zach Parise (NYI), Miles Wood (NJ)
Subtractions - Joe Pavelski (BOS), Jacob Peterson (BOS), Joel Hanley (SJ)

Besides Robertson and Hintz, the Stars forward core is in a rough spot. They have a TON of money locked up with Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn is no longer a top six player and they lost Joe Pavelski in free agency. They have a young big three of Robertson, Heiskanen and Oetttinger which gives them great building blocks. However, as of this moment the Stars are not a competitive team.

Nashville Predators

Additions - Connor Bedard (DRAFT), Michael Bunting (EDM), Vitali Kravtsov (NYR),
Subtractions - Vincent Trocheck (DAL), Nikita Zadorov (WSH), Alexandre Carrier (DET), Tanner Jeannot (ARI), Cody Glass (VAN)

I was fooled by the their free agenct signings last offseason but the Preds were pretenders. Both Trocheck and Zadorov left after one season but I'd say their in a better spot now than before. Connor Bedard will have Nashville up on their feet this season, just not up in the standings.

Tier 7 - Basement Dwellers

Buffalo Sabres

Additions - Pius Suter (DET), Dalibor Dvorsky (DRAFT), Jake Gardiner (CAR)
Subtractions - Zemgus Girgensons (PIT), Kyle Okposo (CBJ), Ondrej Kase (PHI), Linus Weissbach (SEA)

Dvorsky made the team out of camp and will start the season with the big squad. It still doesn't solve the Sabres problem of way to many young centers. If one of them can't make a move to the wing, one of them will find themselves out of Buffalo. Regardless, they're going to be bad again

Columbus Blue Jackets

Additions - Nick Bjugstad (CHI), Kyle Okposo (BUF)
Subtractions - Vladislav Gavrikov (ANA), Andrew Copp (NJ), Gustav Nyquist (CHI), Nick Blankenburg (VAN)

Man. This Jackets team is bad. Outside of Bjorkstrand and the Werenski and Boqvist D-Pairing, everyone else on the roster is either declining, not good enough or too young to really contribute yet. Laine hasn't been the same player since leaving the Jets. Voracek has become injury prone and isn't reliable. Young guns Sillinger and Chinakhov will be thrown into the deep end. Will they be able to stay afloat or will they drown?

St. Louis Blues

Additions - Scott Mayfield (NYI), Matt Dumba (SJ), Conor Sheary (WSH), Jason Zucker (PIT), Jordan Greenway (MIN), Erik Haula (BOS), Pierre Engvall (WPG), Matt Nieto (SJ), Jonathan Quick (LA), Daniel Sprong (SEA)
Subtractions - Ryan O'Reilly (CAR), Mason Appleton (PIT), Tyler Bozak (RETIRED)

They heavily overpaid for Scott Mayfield and Matt Dumba didn't come cheap. O'Reilly had enough of the losing and jumped ship. They're not going to be competitive anytime soon. They can look forward toward a future surrounded by the newly nicknamed "Matthew Squared", Savoie and Wood.

Chicago Blackhawks

Additions - Adam Fantilli (DRAFT), Gustav Nyquist (CBJ),
Subtractions - Jonathan Toews (VGK), Nick Bjugstad (CBJ), Henrik Borgstrom (COL), Markus Nutivaara (SEA), Brett Connolly (DAL)

Toews was the last piece remaining of those Cup winning Blackhawks and now Chicago enters a new era. One that many hope will be led by recently drafted Adam Fantilli. They'll be bad again this season and will get another top prospect


Predictions

Eastern Conference Finals - New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins

The Rangers young core will really show out with Lafreniere putting his foot through the door of stardom. Shesterkin will give it his all but facing a quartet of Corsby, Malkin, Pasta and Guentzel may be too much for him.

Western Conference Finals - Colorado Avalanche vs Minnesota Wild

With the addition of Sanheim, I think the Wild will be the best competition for the Avs out West. This series the second time around would go longer than the 5 games last postseason.

Stanley Cup Finals - Colorado Avalanche vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Nova Scotia boys Mackinnon and Crosby facing off in the Stanley Cup Final? You can guarantee I'm buying tickets to that game. Sid the Kid going for Cup #4 while Nate Dogg goes for the back-to-back.

[JurassicPuck]

Quote: Originally Posted by SENS_AK27

Man, I'm so disappointed that Vegas lost out on Pasta. Would have paired nicely with Eichel. Even adding Tatar is kind of overwhelming for them. Great write up, as always.

I thought for sure he was going to Vegas and they would straight up just swap Pacioretty for Pastrnak. Would have been fun to see Pasta with Eichel but I'm really excited to see what he can do with Crosby, Malkin and Guentzel. If he doesn't have at least 50 goals I'd be surprised.

Thanks for the kind words my guy

[johnstone1987]

Quote: Originally Posted by JurassicPuck

Stanley Cup Finals - Colorado Avalanche vs Pittsburgh Penguins Nova Scotia boys Mackinnon and Crosby facing off in the Stanley Cup Final? You can guarantee I'm buying tickets to that game. Sid the Kid going for Cup #4 while Nate Dogg goes for the back-to-back.

I would pay to see that.

[JurassicPuck]