The free agent market is nearly completely dry—though there remains a few bargain additions who could provide some value on defense—and many teams have already blown their cap space for next season. The trade market has already seen most of its action, and though Erik Karlsson and Max Pacioretty are still expected to be moved there may not be many improvements left to be made for the majority of the league.
Yesterday we asked which team had improved the most through the first part of the offseason, and the answer was clear among our readers. More than 31% of the vote went to the St. Louis Blues, with the Toronto Maple Leafs coming in with 24% as well. No other team registered even 7%, while Nashville was the only team who didn’t receive a single vote. Today we ask the opposite: who has had the worst offseason so far?
The first reaction may be to look at where the Blues and Maple Leafs acquired their biggest additions. St. Louis signed David Perron and Tyler Bozak out of Vegas and Toronto respectively, but made the most significant change by trading for Ryan O’Reilly from the Buffalo Sabres. The Blues clearly improved for next season in the deal, but it’s hard to write off what the Sabres got in return. The two franchises are at very different stages in their competitive windows, and while Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka were overpaid, underperforming players for St. Louis, they are also substantial improvements to the bottom-six for the Sabres.
For Toronto, their only real big move has come at the hands of the New York Islanders. John Tavares left the only team he’s ever known to return to the place he grew up, and no franchise would be able to immediately fill the hole left by a franchise center. The Islanders though have tried to fill it with several players, inking a number of depth forwards in an attempt to spread out some of the load next season. Toronto themselves lost a lot in free agency, seeing Bozak and James van Riemsdyk head to new locales. They’ll be just fine with their summer thanks to the addition of Tavares, but it didn’t come without a cost.
There are plenty of teams who made almost no splash at all when free agency opened. The New Jersey Devils tried but failed to add to their forward group, while the San Jose Sharks didn’t add a single unrestricted free agent outside of Joe Thornton and Dylan DeMelo, both of whom are returning to the team they’ve played on for years. Then there are the teams who found themselves selling instead of buying. The Ottawa Senators have dealt with scandal after scandal the past few months, and ended up having to move out Mike Hoffman at a discount and now may move their franchise defenseman before the season begins. The Montreal Canadiens swapped out Alex Galchenyuk for Max Domi, but were also told that Paul Byron, Andrew Shaw and Shea Weber would all likely miss the start of the season—the latter in danger of missing much more.
Cast your vote below on who you believe has had the worst offseason so far, taking into account all that has happened since the Stanley Cup was awarded to the Washington Capitals. Make sure to explain your reasoning in the comment section below.
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If the Sharks can’t land Karlsson or a big name, they had the worst. Montreal is a close 2nd.
All my Rangers did was re sign Namestnikov and sign Frederick Claesson
The rangers are sticking to their game plan of infusing young talent and avoiding high end free agents.I look forward to 2018/19 with this new approach.Hopefully,they can be playoff bound in the near future.
I know what the plan is, it’s just kinda depressing to see how things have changed for us
It’s needed, but I’d like to see them do it to the full extent – no FA’s (unless it’s Karlsson next year), load up on 1st round picks, and most of all – no stupid contracts (Girardi, Staal…).
Tampa is a good blueprint for a rebuild that didn’t take forever, yet took its proper course.
Can’t get any worse than Ottawa. How far they have fallen on 1+ year.
Agreed, seems like their plan is to stay above the cap floor and not lose any money.
They’re in a bad situation but I’m happy with the offseason. Karlsson is still on the team. That’s all that’s important.
He’s not there for long.
If you move out one of your best scoring forwards, let another take you to arbitration rather than getting him extended, and are marketing your starting goalie for trade, writing is on the wall.
Karlsson won’t be playing with the Sens when the season starts, he’ll be out West somewhere, probably SJ, VK, or DAL.
I’m just praying Dorion is embracing a rebuild is coming and stops trying to move the Ryan contract out with Karlsson to lessen the prospect return.
Sharks signed Kane so that’s something
Montreal probably. Maybe Edmonton?
Blackhawks…did nothing for a team that is aging and up against the cap and the West/Central Division itself is loaded again…But as a Blues fan I’d take their situation now with all the Cups won over the last few years!
Exactly correct the Hawks. Bowman is crap and needs to go ASAP
Bowman is crap, just ask the 3 Cups he helped deliver while maneuvering through strict salary cap rules.
With almost all the players he inherited from Talon. As for the Cap you need to understand he gave those extensions to Toews, Kane, Seabrook, Keith and Hossa. Plus those great trades like getting rid of Leddy and Halmerson. So next time you want to comment get your facts in order.
Again I reiterate Bowman stinks
Sens and Isles.
The Isles are a car whose engine has been removed and the Sens are a car doused in gas and lit on fire while they try to pry the engine out so they can sell it.
Amazing how many teams get votes for the worst off-season…
Carolina Hurricanes fan here.
While I wish we had picked up a center and a starting goalie, I literally LMAO at 17 votes for the worst off-season.
Seems like 17 Eeyores walking past about 50 dumpster fires, and moaning because it looks like rain….
Nice analogy. Made me lol.
But it is an odd choice, especially considering they likely aren’t done with Faulk still to be moved for something and lots of goaltending options still out there.
Canadians, Islanders, Rangers, and Senators.
Islanders may feel it the most because they lost their identity with Tavaras’ departure, but they get to start over with Lou L.