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Offseason Checklist 2021

Offseason Checklist: Montreal Canadiens

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The offseason is in full flight with free agency almost here.  We continue our series which examines what each team needs to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Montreal.

The 2020-21 season was a strange one for the Canadiens.  They were one of the top teams early on before things started to go off the rails.  The end result was head coach Claude Julien, associate coach Kirk Muller, and goalie coach Stephane Waite being let go with Dominique Ducharme taking over on an interim basis.  They continued to struggle in the second half but once the playoffs came, they were much better, making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final despite only winning 24 of 56 games during the regular season.  Ducharme had his interim tag quickly removed but GM Marc Bergevin has plenty of other work to do this summer.

Add Scoring Help

Last fall, the Canadiens added Tyler Toffoli in free agency and he responded with the best season of his career with 28 goals in 52 games.  They added Josh Anderson in a trade with Columbus and he was second on the team in goals.  They signed Cole Caufield late in the season and he gave their attack a boost down the stretch.

And yet, even with those moves, Montreal is still not a particularly strong offensive team.  They were hovering near four goals a game early on but by the end of the year, they were in the bottom half of the league and were struggling to score more than two per night late in the season.  A lack of reliable scoring also hurt them in the Final against Tampa Bay.  They’re about to lose one of their better regular season offensive players in Tomas Tatar to free agency and Shea Weber, one of the bigger offensive threats from the back end, is done for at least the year and his career may very well be over.

Even with a full season of Caufield who is an early Calder Trophy candidate, this is an attack that remains decidedly mediocre.  While they hope the return of Jonathan Drouin will help, he only scored twice in 44 games so they can’t count on him to be a difference-maker at this point.  While there are other holes to fill, Bergevin will be looking for a top-six piece to deepen his attack.

Replace Weber

This is one of those tasks that sounds simple enough on paper but is going to be quite difficult to accomplish.  While Montreal’s captain was undoubtedly starting to decline compared to his level of play in his prime, he was still a key cog on their back end last season.  Weber logged nearly 23 minutes per game and was only two seconds behind Jeff Petry for the team lead in ATOI, finished tied for third in power play goals, played more than anyone shorthanded, and was his usual physical presence.  Finding a player that can check off all of those boxes is a nearly impossible task for Bergevin; even if he was to sign the top UFA defenseman in Dougie Hamilton, there are elements that Weber provides that he can’t (and vice-versa).

It appears that the Canadiens will instead have to try to fill that void by committee.  They’ve been linked to David Savard and Chris Wideman as potential free agent signings and each of them could replace a part of what Weber has given them – Savard can play a physical shutdown role while Wideman is coming off a strong season offensively in the KHL and it appears their hope is that he could help on the offensive side of things.

Is there room for another impact addition?  Montreal’s back end wasn’t the most mobile to begin with and bringing Savard or a similar player in for Weber doesn’t really change that.  How much can Wideman be relied on considering he has been out of the NHL the last two years?  If the Canadiens are opting to replace Weber with a by-committee approach, the committee coming in to replace him is going to need to be a big one.  Weber will be eligible for LTIR, giving them up to $7.857MM in space to work with to replace him.

Center Decisions

This one is three-fold.  First, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a restricted free agent this summer and will need a new contract.  The third-overall pick in 2018 has shown flashes of top-six upside but has been inconsistent as well to the point where he was a healthy scratch at both the start and the end of their playoff run.  While they’re still hoping that he can be a core player for them down the road, he isn’t quite there yet and accordingly, a short-term bridge contract makes sense for both sides.

The second pertains to their other young center in Nick Suzuki.  He is eligible to sign a contract extension as of Wednesday and while Kotkaniemi’s development has been spotty, that isn’t the case for Suzuki.  He played well during the regular season and stepped up in the playoffs for the second straight year while showing some chemistry with their top prospect in Caufield.  If Bergevin believes the best is yet to come from the 21-year-old, working to get a contract extension done now before it gets more expensive would be a wise course of action.

The final element pertains to Phillip Danault.  He has been a fixture down the middle for them for the past five seasons and has become one of the stronger defensive forwards in the league along the way.  He’s coming off a strong playoff showing in terms of shutting down top opponents (though he only scored once in 22 games) and between that and his age (28), he’s likely to be the most sought-after center on the open market.  A long-term extension was rejected last offseason and there have been no contract talks since.  Assuming he’s leaving, how will they replace him?  Jake Evans and Ryan Poehling are both young pivots but are they ready to step into a bigger role?  If not, Bergevin will have to add a veteran center to his shopping list as well.

The Canadiens are coming off an improbable playoff run but as it stands, the roster will look quite a bit different next season.  Finding the right mix of returnees and newcomers will be the key task for Bergevin this summer as Montreal moves back into the Atlantic Division.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: New York Islanders

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft now complete and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what each team needs to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at the Islanders.

For the third straight season, the Isles made it to the third round of the playoffs.  Also for the third straight season, they lost to the eventual Cup champion in Tampa Bay.  With cap constraints fast approaching, GM Lou Lamoriello has freed up some cap space with the trade of Nick Leddy to Detroit and losing Jordan Eberle to Seattle in expansion.  Now that he has some room to work with, his offseason checklist revolves around the reshaping of his roster.

Secure Defensive Certainty

There are several teams with multiple long-term commitments on the back end where their core is locked up.  The Islanders are not one of those teams.  Instead, they have just one blueliner signed beyond next season and that’s Scott Mayfield while Noah Dobson will be an RFA for the first time.  Maybe Sebastian Aho is a regular by then as well but otherwise, there aren’t many players guaranteed to be on the roster this time a year from now.

Ryan Pulock is entering the second and final year of his contract and looks to be one of the more prominent blueliners in the 2022 UFA class.  He has quietly emerged as a capable defender that can log big minutes on a top pairing, be reliable defensively, and contribute offensively with three straight seasons over 30 points before 2020-21.  He’s looking at a raise from his $5MM AAV if he gets to the open market but Lamoriello would be wise to have some discussions about an extension before then.

Then there’s Adam Pelech.  He’s set to hit restricted free agency for the final time this summer as he will also be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2022 if he doesn’t sign a multi-year agreement in the coming months.  That gives him a bit of extra leverage heading into negotiations although his next deal shouldn’t be a highly expensive one.  Getting a multi-year deal in place would certainly by ideal for the Isles.

Otherwise, it’s possible that they enter next summer with $1.45MM in commitments on the back end.  While that’s plenty of spending flexibility at that position (that low of committed money on defense is basically unheard of), it would also put them under a lot of pressure a year from now.  Whether it’s getting Pulock and Pelech on multi-year deals, adding a veteran on a multi-year contract, or both, having some more certainty on the blueline is something Lamoriello needs to be working on.

Re-Sign Palmieri

The decision to protect two veteran fourth liners while leaving Eberle and Josh Bailey unprotected was largely for financial reasons.  New York clearly wanted to free up some cap space with an eye on retaining Kyle Palmieri and Eberle’s selection did just that, opening up $5.5MM in the process.

Now that they’ve freed up the money to keep Palmieri, they need to sign him.  The 30-year-old was acquired at the trade deadline from New Jersey (although with veteran Travis Zajac, another pending UFA) in exchange for a first-round pick (used on Chase Stillman).  He’s coming off a quiet year with just 10 goals in 51 games between two teams but before this past season, he had five straight seasons of 24 goals or more.

Chances are that Palmieri’s new deal will be close to what Eberle was making but assuming an agreement can be reached, it will basically be a trade, Eberle for Palmieri.  Now they just need to make sure both don’t leave for nothing but cap flexibility in return.

Add Scoring Help

There’s a reason that the Islanders are known as a defense-first team.  They play a stifling defensive system that they certainly get the most out of but part of that is by necessity as they are not a particularly talented team offensively.  The last time they finished higher than 20th in goals scored was 2017-18 back when Doug Weight was coaching and the team played a whole lot different than they do now.

Now consider that Eberle is gone; he tied for third in team scoring this past season.  Yes, Palmieri will effectively replace him assuming he re-signs but they’re basically only breaking even with that ‘trade’.  Leddy had more points than any other Islander blueliner so there’s another hole that needs to be filled.

The hope is that there is room for some internal improvements.  Dobson should be able to produce more and expectations will be high on RFA winger Anthony Beauvillier for him to step up into a bigger role and score with more consistency.  That will certainly help but they will still a below-average team at the offensive end.  Bringing in another top-six forward and even a blueliner that can help offensively would be a huge boost for them.

Of course, that’s easier said than done.  New York has about $17MM in cap room (that can be extended by up to $6MM with Johnny Boychuk on LTIR with their cap situation at the time of placement determining how much extra room is opened up) but a lot of free agents to contend with.  We’ve covered Palmieri, Pelech, and Beauvillier already but goaltender Ilya Sorokin (RFA) and center Casey Cizikas (UFA) also need new deals.  By the time all of those are done, they won’t have a whole lot of room left.  Accordingly, Lamoriello may still need to free up even more cap space over the coming days if he wants to add some scoring punch to his roster.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Vegas Golden Knights

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what each team needs to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Vegas.

It was another deep playoff run for the Golden Knights as they made their way to the third round before falling to Montreal.  With most of the core already under contract, GM Kelly McCrimmon will have some work to do if he wants to shake up his group and add some missing pieces.

Free Up Cap Space

With over $76MM in commitments for next season already and a prominent unrestricted free agent (who will be addressed later), there isn’t much in the way of financial wiggle room for Vegas.  It’s not necessarily a situation where they have to exactly match money but if they want to add a significant piece, they probably will need to send a notable contract the other way.  Even if they don’t make any big moves, keeping some wiggle room so that they don’t have to dress less than 18 skaters for multiple games would be worthwhile.

Add Impact Center

Vegas has done well putting together a capable group of centers despite not really adding one in their expansion draft or in free agency.  It’s not the best group in the league by any stretch but it has been effective so far.  William Karlsson hasn’t quite been able to repeat his numbers from his first season with the Golden Knights but at the very least, he’s a capable second option.  Chandler Stephenson has gone from a role player with Washington to a strong two-way presence with Vegas.  Again, he’s not a top option but he’s a solid piece.  That’s a decent core.

But is decent good enough?  A legitimate number one center would put those two in more optimal spots and really deepen the lineup.  That’s a tough ask considering there really is only one available in Jack Eichel and bringing in someone with a $10MM cap hit would be difficult to fit in.  But another second liner would certainly bolster their fortunes.  With Cody Glass not working out on the third line, the production from that trio suffered.  If they effectively had three second line centers, they’d be closer to where they were when Paul Stastny was on the team.  That would be a more realistic goal for McCrimmon to aim for.

Vegas made a pair of moves before the transaction freeze to add a pair of players who they hope could become useful pieces in Nolan Patrick and Brett Howden.  Both have draft pick pedigree having been first-round picks (Patrick 2nd, Howden 26th) but haven’t panned out yet.  In a perfect world, Patrick becomes that impact pivot but the way the last two years have gone, it’s hard to see that happening.  Howden could help in a limited role but it’s doubtful he’ll be an impact scorer.  Those pieces could help from a depth perspective but McCrimmon would be wise to add someone with a better track record offensively.

Re-Sign Or Replace Martinez

With their limited cap room, it’s going to be hard for Vegas to keep pending UFA defenseman Alec Martinez but they’re certainly going to try to keep him in the fold.  Earlier today, Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reported (Twitter link) that the 33-year-old is mulling over an offer from the Golden Knights although he’d likely be leaving some money on the table to stick around compared to what he’d be able to get on the open market.

The decision to bring Martinez in back before the 2020 trade deadline proved to be a good one as he made an immediate impact before the shutdown for the pandemic and played quite well for them in the bubble.  That carried over to 2020-21 where he logged over 22 minutes per game while picking up 32 points in 53 games, the best point per game average over his career.  His production tapered off a bit in the playoffs but to be fair, he was also playing with a broken foot.  With how he has performed the last few years, there will be no shortage of interest if he gets to the open market.

If Vegas can’t agree on a contract with Martinez, they’ll need to find a way to replace him.  Nic Hague played well this season but is he ready to step into a top-four spot on the left side?  That would be a big jump for someone that has been limited to 16 minutes a night in his first two years and was healthy scratched at times in the playoffs.  He may be able to get there eventually but for now, finding a short-term stopgap option to hold down that role for a year or two would be a wise course of action.  It’ll be tough to do with their cap structure but with them having an offer out to Martinez, it would appear they have a plan to try to free up some money to make it happen.

Goaltending Decision

That money-saving plan may very well have to come between the pipes.  Having both Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner was a nice luxury for Vegas this past season but given their cap-related adventures during the year, that luxury helped create some of their problems when they were forced to go with a short roster.  While having starter-level goaltending each night would be great to have, can they afford to have both of them on the roster again?

If the answer is no, which one goes?  Fleury’s market is certainly better than it was in the fall when teams were seeking retention plus an incentive to take on his contract.  Now, he only has one year left (though still at $7MM) and is coming off a Vezina Trophy.   As for Lehner, his track record with the Islanders and Blackhawks earned him a reasonable $5MM AAV and while he didn’t play much in 2020-21 due to injuries and Fleury’s success, he played quite well most nights.

Fleury turns 37 in November so he doesn’t have many years left in him while Lehner turns 30 this weekend so he’d be the safer long-term play but also probably has the better trade value.

Two decisions need to be made here – can they afford to keep both goalies and if not, which one goes?  The Olympic break has led to a compression of games that’s similar to what this year was so having a top tandem would give them a big leg up.  But with everything else Vegas has and needs, this may not be a luxury they can afford anymore.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Colorado Avalanche

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what each team needs to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Colorado.

This was a season that some felt might be Colorado’s best time to take a run at the Stanley Cup with some core players on team-friendly contracts, allowing them the flexibility to add Brandon Saad last offseason.  However, things didn’t go as planned as they were eliminated by Vegas in the second round.  Now, GM Joe Sakic has considerable cap room at his disposal but several key players in need of new deals.  Accordingly, Colorado’s checklist this summer revolves primarily around those pending free agents.

Re-Sign Makar

Before digging into the notable UFAs, let’s look at the big RFA first.  Makar has been an impact player since joining the Avs for the 2019 playoffs where he left college and played a regular role right away.  From there, he has become one of the most dynamic offensive threats in the league from the back end and was the runner up in Norris Trophy voting while recording 44 points in 44 games this past season.

Generally speaking, players that don’t have the longest of track records typically can’t command the long-term, big-money contract.  Makar technically falls into this category as two abbreviated regular seasons have left him with just 101 regular season contests under his belt, roughly a year and a quarter of a full 82-game campaign.  However, how much more does he really have to prove at this point?  He’s already a premier talent and that’s not going to change.

Accordingly, Makar should be one of the exceptions to the rule in that someone with that few games played can command a long-term deal if he wants one (which isn’t a guarantee with the current cap landscape).  There aren’t many comparable players to work from but Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot had inked the richest post-entry-level contract by a defenseman at eight years and $64MM.  That just changed with the eight-year, $67.6MM deal that Dallas gave to Miro Heiskanen on Saturday.  If he gets a max-term contract, his agent will undoubtedly be working off the templates of these two deals.

Sign A Starting Goalie

Three goalies posted a goals against average below two in 2020-21.  One won the Vezina, one played a dominant half-season in Carolina, and the other is Philipp Grubauer whose timing for such a season was perfect as he’s set to hit the open market later this month.  He now stands atop the free agent class for goaltenders which has him well-positioned for a substantial raise on the $3.33MM AAV he had on his most recent contract.  Considering some of the goalies that have signed in recent years such as Matt Murray, Jordan Binnington, and Jacob Markstrom, Grubauer has a legitimate chance of doubling his previous price tag despite never playing more than 40 games in a season, a mark he reached this year for the first time.

One question for Colorado is can they afford to pay their starter that much knowing they need to save big money for Makar’s deal, the fact they have another key UFA to bring back (more on him shortly), and have Nathan MacKinnon up for a lucrative new contract two years from now.  They can only afford so many big-ticket deals on the books.

However, can they afford to not bring Grubauer back?  There is plenty of uncertainty with backup Pavel Francouz who missed the entire season due to a lower-body injury and it’s not as if he’s particularly proven in the NHL with all of 36 career NHL regular season contests.  They need a proven starter and while Grubauer doesn’t have the longest track record, it’s a better one than any of the other viable free agents out there.  They don’t need elite-level goaltending with the caliber of the team in front of him and keeping Grubauer around would give them some long-term stability between the pipes.

If they can’t agree to terms with him, the plan may shift to trying a short-term platoon and there are enough veterans available to make this an option.  It’s not a long-term solution though and shouldn’t be their primary plan heading into free agency while the trade market could yield some more intriguing options at a higher acquisition cost.  This will need to be addressed quickly as it’s hard to see any viable options left by the time the calendar flips to August.

Re-Sign Or Replace Landeskog

Onto the other significant pending UFA.  Gabriel Landeskog has been a fixture in Colorado’s lineup for the last decade after being the second-overall pick in 2011.  He has spent the majority of his time on their top line and has been on a bargain contract throughout his career as after his entry-level deal expired, he played on a seven-year deal with a $5.571MM cap hit which is certainly below market value for a top liner.  The captain has made it clear that he wants to stay and has even publicly voiced his frustration over the fact a deal isn’t done.

So what’s the holdup?  Salary is one thing – he’s heading for a raise in Colorado or elsewhere despite the reported recent offers from the Avs – but speculatively, I think the term of a new deal may be the bigger issue in discussions.  Yes, Landeskog is only 28 but with over 700 career games played (regular season and playoffs), that’s a fair bit of mileage.  He also plays a rugged style, one that doesn’t necessarily tend to age well which adds a layer of risk to any deal that approaches the eight-year maximum which is why the reported eight-year offer from the Avalanche to Landeskog is as low as it is.  Is there a happy medium that takes a year or two off the term of the contract but keeps it at an affordable price point for the team?  Having that option could very well push things along.

If they can’t work out an agreement, that’s a big hole for the Avalanche to fill.  Re-signing Saad becomes a more viable option but if not, they could be a player in free agency to try to find someone to step onto the top line.  But there are still nearly two weeks before Landeskog gets to the open market.  It’s hard to see Colorado giving up on the prospect of re-signing their captain until he puts pen to paper elsewhere.

Center Decisions

With MacKinnon in place, there are no questions about their top center.  J.T. Compher is still in the mix for now although we’ll see what happens with him being made available to Seattle.  Things could change fairly quickly after that, however.

Nazem Kadri is coming off another quality season on the second line and is signed for this season with a $4.5MM price tag before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.  Of course, the question stems from what happened in the playoffs when he received an eight-game suspension for an illegal check to the head on Blues defenseman Justin Faulk.  It wasn’t his first notable incident either and the number of games per suspension is going up from here.  Is Colorado prepared to move forward with him or will they be better off trying someone else who could be a longer-term option in that role?

Then there’s Tyson Jost.  He was the tenth-overall pick in 2016 but he hasn’t been able to establish himself as more than a role player.  He’s arbitration-eligible for the first time this summer after accepting his qualifying offer in the fall but his projected role hasn’t changed as he’s still a bottom-six option.  Now 23, is he someone that would be better suited with a change of scenery?  They’d be selling low but another year like his last few would send Jost’s value even lower.

There’s also Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, their fourth-line pivot for the last two years who is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month.  He isn’t a major point producer but has been a fixture on their penalty kill and well above average at the faceoff dot.  He’s also 36 and clearly not in anyone’s long-term plans.  Is that spot better suited for someone closer to the league minimum or someone younger?  At this point, it seems like he won’t be back.

Sakic will have some decisions to make about his middlemen in the coming weeks.  The end result could be a group that’s a fair bit different than the one that finished up the season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Boston Bruins

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what each team needs to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Boston.

The Bruins underwent a few notable changes over the last year but the end result was the same as they were eliminated in the second round, this time by the eventual Cup winner in Tampa Bay.  GM Don Sweeney has more salary cap flexibility this summer than he’s accustomed to although he also has some other holes to fill this time around as well.  Here is an overview of what they should be looking to accomplish.

Goaltending Decisions

Tuukka Rask has been a fixture in Boston’s goaltending tandem for the past dozen years.  However, he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and hip surgery will cost him the first half of next season.  He has made it clear that he wants to return to the Bruins and that he’s not looking to go elsewhere but is the feeling mutual?  More specifically, can they afford to wait for him?

With Jaroslav Halak also set to become an unrestricted free agent, Jeremy Swayman currently stands as the only goalie in the mix for one of the two spots.  Swayman was quite impressive in his first taste of NHL action this season – a 1.50 GAA with a .945 SV% in 10 games (all starts) – but can they afford to enter 2021-22 with him as the starter and a placeholder as the backup while waiting for Rask to return?  If they believe Swayman is ready for a full-time NHL role, they could certainly go that route and adding Rask midseason or soon after would give them a nice boost for the stretch run.

But if the answer to that is no, that complicates things a little bit.  Daniel Vladar is the other goalie in the mix and has impressed in the minors but has just five career NHL games under his belt.  He’s eligible for waivers and could be a candidate to be claimed.  If they don’t want to run the risk of losing him, the Bruins could be faced with running two rookie goalies out to start the season.

If they opt to bring in a veteran goalie (which could simply be re-signing Halak) and re-sign Rask, that could create a situation where Swayman is the odd one out midseason by default once Rask returns.  Unlike Vladar, he’s waiver-exempt so there are no issues there but if he has a strong first half making it difficult to send him down, it could be a three-goalie situation down the stretch for the second year in a row.  It can work but it’s typically not an ideal spot for teams to be in.

With Rask’s injury, his specific fate doesn’t necessarily have to be decided at the beginning of free agency.  But if they want to go outside the organization for a goalie, whoever they want to work with Swayman will need to sign sooner than later knowing how fast the goalie market typically is in free agency.

Re-Sign Or Replace Hall

The Bruins weren’t able to get a deal done with Taylor Hall last fall but when Buffalo opted to move him at the trade deadline, the veteran was able to leverage his trade protection to force a deal to Boston.  At that time, both sides expressed an interest in a longer-term arrangement and reiterated the same following the playoffs.

It’s one thing to have mutual interest in getting something done and another to actually agreeing on a contract.  Hall opted for a pillow contract last fall with his one-year, $8MM agreement with the Sabres with the hopes that a rebound season would better position himself for a long-term deal this summer.  That didn’t happen; at least, it didn’t happen with Buffalo.  His time with them was nothing short of a disaster as he scored just twice in 37 games.  But things went much better following his trade as he tallied eight goals in just 16 contests and came up just shy of a point per game average.  That’s still not $8MM value but it was a whole lot better.  He was a bit quieter in the playoffs, however, with just five points in 11 games.

It’s safe to say he’s looking at a cut in pay but by how much?  The free agent market wasn’t particularly kind to wingers last fall and his marketability is probably a little lower now than it was in October.  Accordingly, landing something at his prior contract – a $6MM AAV – may even be difficult as his recent production would justify something a little lower than that.

At this point, Boston would appear to be the odds-on favorite to bring back the 29-year-old but if they don’t, Sweeney will need to move quickly to try to replace him.  A capable secondary scoring threat has been something they’ve been coveting for a while now and their offense was certainly boosted when Hall came in so bringing in someone else to fill that role if Hall leaves would certainly be helpful.

Add Defensive Upgrades

When Torey Krug (and to a lesser extent, Zdeno Chara) left as unrestricted free agents, there was an expectation that reinforcements were on the way.  That didn’t happen.  Then the season started and the hope became an early-season addition.  That didn’t happen either.  It took until the trade deadline for Sweeney to try to make a meaningful pickup and that came in the form of Mike Reilly, a player who had bounced around a bit but really found his footing with Ottawa before continuing that with the Bruins.  Even so, Reilly is no more than a second-pairing defender but made a huge impact on Boston’s back end.

Between Reilly’s impact and the injuries they dealt with in the playoffs, that should have sent a strong message to Sweeney about the need to supplement their back end.  Cap space certainly won’t be an issue as with the big-ticket deals coming off the books (Rask, Hall, and David Krejci), they have over $26MM at their disposal.  Yes, a good chunk of that will be spent on goalies and re-signing or replacing Hall but there is more than ample cap room for the Bruins to try to add an impact defender as well as upgrade their depth.

Find A Second Line Center

Speaking of Krejci’s expiring contract, this creates another void up front that needs to be addressed.  The 15-year Bruin has indicated he wants to return to Boston but is undecided on whether or not he’s going to play again in the NHL.  If he does come back, this is a pretty easy spot to fill – re-sign Krejci for less than the $7.25MM cap hit he had on his most recent contract and call it a day.

If that doesn’t happen, Sweeney will need to go shopping.  Charlie Coyle had a tough year in the third spot and recently underwent a pair of knee surgeries.  While he’s expected to be ready for training camp, counting on him to boost the second line when he struggled as much as he did would be risky.  Having said that, it’s once again not a great free agent class down the middle (Phillip Danault, Alexander Wennberg, Mikael Granlund, and Paul Stastny are the top options available) so if they can’t land one of those, the addition would need to come from outside the organization.  The short supply of free agents means that this market should develop fairly quickly so Sweeney would certainly prefer a firm commitment sooner than later from Krejci in the hopes of filling that spot before it really opens up.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Carolina Hurricanes

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what those eliminated teams need to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Carolina.

The Hurricanes had a strong regular season, finishing first in the Central Division while slotting in third overall.  However, it didn’t result in the playoff success that they were looking for as they were ousted in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion in Tampa Bay.  Now, GM Don Waddell enters the summer with ample cap space at his disposal – more than $29MM – but also some key areas to address which are noted on their offseason checklist.

Resolve The Hamilton Situation

Carolina made headlines last month when they gave pending UFA Dougie Hamilton permission to speak to other clubs early, basically giving him a head start on free agency.  It’s an interesting move but it was necessitated by a sizable gap in contract talks.  It allows Hamilton to see if he can get the contract his camp thinks he’s worth and if so, creates the potential for Carolina to try to get something in return for his rights.

The only card the Hurricanes have to play is that they can give Hamilton the extra year in basically what would amount to a sign-and-trade agreement.  Otherwise, the negotiation rights on their own are only going to be worth a mid to late-round draft pick.  That’s still better than losing him for nothing but it wouldn’t be much of a return.

If that happens, Waddell will likely need to turn towards trying to replace Hamilton.  He’d be a big loss but at the same time, they should be bracing themselves to lose a defenseman to Seattle as well – one of Jake Bean or Brady Skjei – so there would be multiple holes to try to fill.  There aren’t many impact blueliners on the open market so it may have to be addressed by a trade.

On the other hand, if Hamilton’s discussions with other teams don’t prove as fruitful as he hopes and the offers aren’t as strong as he hoped for, it’s quite possible he circles back and tries to work out a new deal with Carolina.  If that’s the case, the window to do something will be limited as they’d likely want to wait until after expansion to sign him; that leaves one week to work a new deal out before the calendar flips to the new league year and with it, the ability to give him the extra year on his contract.

Make Goaltending Decisions

Carolina successfully managed to juggle three quality goaltenders down the stretch but that’s a strategy that isn’t going to be viable over the course of a full season.  Accordingly, there are decisions to be made on all fronts.

Alex Nedeljkovic went from being passed on by every team in the league on waivers to their starter late in the year and in the playoffs.  In doing so, he played enough games for the Hurricanes to retain his rights as a restricted free agent but with that carries arbitration eligibility.  A recent report suggested that the team is at least kicking around the possibility of non-tendering him to avoid the risk of an arbitration award that’s too high for their liking.  That wouldn’t preclude him from signing a new deal – it’s a route that teams have increasingly taken in recent years to keep their players – but it also creates an opportunity for him to hit the open market.  Are they committed to him as their starter?  With such a small track record (less than 30 career regular season games), that’s a hard commitment to make.  Are they ready to commit a year or two with a significant raise to keep him around?  They have a few weeks to make that call still.

The question then becomes which of their unrestricted free agents do they keep around.  Petr Mrazek has the better recent track record but is he going to get an opportunity to have a bigger role than a platoon goalie?  There are enough vacancies around the league that makes it a legitimate possibility which could price him out of Carolina’s desired price range.  That could open the door for James Reimer to stick around.  He’s not at the top end of the backup/platoon goalies out there but still shouldn’t be facing too substantial of a pay cut from the $3.1MM salary he made this season.

Of course, with 11 goalies in unrestricted free agency playing in at least 20 of 56 games this season, Waddell could opt to change things up and bring in a newcomer.  There is a possibility that two of the three goalies come back.  There’s a possibility that none of them do.  Given how quickly the spending happens on goalies in free agency, this is a decision that will be made soon.

Re-Sign Svechnikov

A new deal for winger Andrei Svechnikov was something Waddell was hoping to get done last fall but it didn’t happen.  Instead, the 21-year-old will hit restricted free agency for the first time but will not have salary arbitration eligibility.

With all of that cap room, it appears that they have the ability to give him a max-term deal if they wanted but a lot depends on their internal budget; will they be a cap-spending team?  And from Svechnikov’s perspective, is this the right financial environment to lock in a contract that buys out some UFA years?  Such a deal would put him over $7MM annually in all likelihood but he’s coming off a quieter year than his sophomore campaign.  Would a bridge contract make more sense, allowing him to ideally get another strong couple of years under his belt, become eligible for arbitration, and work out a new deal as the salary cap starts to increase?  At this point, this seems like the likeliest outcome.

Such a move can often take time.  Without any other leverage beyond the remote possibility of an offer sheet (and Carolina matched the last one quite quickly), all Svechnikov can do if he doesn’t like the status of negotiations is wait and hope that Waddell ups his offer.  Patience may be required on this front but a deal that boosts his price tag beyond the $3.575MM he could have earned by maxing out on his bonuses will be forthcoming.

Utilize Cap Space

Even by the time they re-sign or replace Hamilton, figure out their goalies, and leave enough room for Svechnikov, Carolina will have ample space to work with.  They’ll need to reshape their bottom six with a trio of pending UFAs there (Jordan Martinook, Brock McGinn, and Cedric Paquette) but there will be an opportunity to add another asset even after addressing their other areas.  If they’re going to be a budget team, their best bet may be taking on a contract with a higher AAV than salary and leverage that into adding another asset on top of the player.  If they are spending to the cap, however, they could be a sneaky presence in free agency and even one impact addition could vault them into contention as they return to the Metropolitan Division next year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Winnipeg Jets

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The offseason is in full flight with the draft and free agency fast approaching.  We continue our series which examines what those eliminated teams need to accomplish over the coming weeks and months.  Next up is a look at Winnipeg.

This past season was an up and down one for Winnipeg.  At times, they were good enough to contend for the top spot in the North Division and others where they struggled considerably.  Things followed a similar pattern in the playoffs as they swept Edmonton before being swept by Montreal.  GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has one of the cleaner cap situations in the league at his disposal this summer, giving him an opportunity to reshape his roster.  One priority stands out amongst the rest, however.

Add Impact Defensive Help

Let’s not bother with delaying the obvious.  The back end has been an issue for the last two years after Winnipeg lost Jacob Trouba (trade), Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot (free agency), and Dustin Byfuglien (injury and eventual contract termination).  They have two proven players in Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk (part of the return for Trouba) but the depth takes a hit from there.  Dylan DeMelo is a capable third pairing player, Nathan Beaulieu is serviceable depth, and Logan Stanley and Ville Heinola have some upside but are unproven.

As they’ve found out, that combination isn’t the makings of a top-level defense or even a league-average one.  Cheveldayoff has made moves to try to raise the floor and add depth in the past two seasons since then with the pickup and re-signing of DeMelo last season, the signing of Derek Forbort (a pending UFA again this summer), and the trade deadline add of Jordie Benn this year but that isn’t going to drastically change their fortunes.  Frankly, the Jets could benefit from trying to do that again this summer but that alone can’t the only upgrades made.

At least one top-four defender needs to be added to the mix.  That would take some pressure off Morrissey and Pionk while also allowing Stanley and Heinola to continue to be eased in.  Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of impact blueliners available in free agency; you can probably count the number of top-four defenders on one hand.  But with only $61MM in commitments for next season, they’ll have the ability to be a high bidder on those players if they want to go that way.  Otherwise, it’ll have to come by a trade.

After failing to land an impact rearguard last summer, Cheveldayoff simply cannot strike out on that front again if he intends to see Winnipeg take a step forward next season.

Re-Sign RFAs

The Jets don’t have many restricted free agents to contend with this summer but they have two notable ones that will need to be addressed fairly quickly as both are eligible for salary arbitration.

The biggest one is Pionk.  He really took off following the trade from the Rangers and got better when pressed into a bigger role.  Going back to his USHL and college days, there has always been some offensive upside for Pionk and he has shown that since joining the Jets, collecting 77 points in 125 games.  The timing couldn’t have been better as he now becomes eligible for a hearing for the first time.  With two years away from UFA eligibility, the time has come for a long-term contract.  Considering how much they’ve lost from their back end in recent years and how important Pionk has become, it’s likely that Cheveldayoff will push for a deal that buys out several UFA years.  That could push his price tag close to double the $3MM AAV on his bridge contract but it’d be a price well worth paying to give them some stability.

The other is Andrew Copp who is basically Winnipeg’s Swiss army knife.  He can play in a checking role and has shown that for several years.  He has been called upon to play higher in the lineup at times as well and responded to that request by setting new career highs offensively across the board despite the pandemic-shortened season.  He’s a natural center but spent a lot of time in 2020-21 on the wing.  Role and positional flexibility is an ideal combination to have combined with the uptick in offense.  He’s well-positioned to earn well over his $2.3MM qualifying offer and since he’s only a year from UFA eligibility, Copp could simply elect arbitration and go to a hearing which is what he did last time.  They locked up Adam Lowry before the deadline on a long-term deal and will try to do the same with his linemate now.

Rebuild The Bottom Six

Winnipeg’s top five forwards are all either signed or under team control for at least the next three years so they’re pretty well set there although Paul Stastny will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month.  However, they have a trio of bottom-six forwards that are set to hit the open market in Mathieu Perreault, Nate Thompson, and Trevor Lewis.  The latter two were added last summer to add some grit and penalty killing acumen but Perreault has been a versatile piece for the Jets for the last seven years.

This is another opportunity for Cheveldayoff to shore up the bottom of his roster.  Kristian Vesalainen and David Gustafsson are internal candidates for a regular role and with both on entry-level contracts, they’d be cheap enough for Winnipeg to afford to take a run at another top-six piece and strengthen their attack.  Alternatively, if they opt to replace all of those players with free agents, they’ll again benefit from the flat salary cap and an environment where teams will be trying to go cheaper with role players; they’ll be well-positioned to bid a bit higher on each one which should give them a leg up in those discussions.

Fill The Backup Goalie Spot

The decision to bring back Laurent Brossoit for this season was a little curious considering how much the 28-year-old struggled in 2019-20 but Winnipeg’s faith in him was rewarded as he bounced back with a 2.42 GAA and a .918 SV% this season, numbers that were actually slightly better than Connor Hellebuyck’s.  That could have Brossoit primed for a bigger deal in free agency, a pricier one than they may want to pay.

With Hellebuyck in the fold for three more years and a proven ability to log a lot of minutes, the Jets can afford to shop on the less expensive side of free agency, freeing up some extra cap flexibility elsewhere.  Brossoit made $1.5MM this season and that’s likely the price range that Cheveldayoff will want to keep his second netminder.  If Brossoit isn’t open to that deal this time around, there will be a change made between the pipes this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Toronto Maple Leafs

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The offseason is in full flight with only two teams still standing.  We continue our series which examines what those eliminated teams need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Toronto.

Things didn’t quite go according to plan for the Maple Leafs this season.  Yes, they won the North Division as expected but it didn’t result in much playoff success.  Instead, they were ousted in the opening round once again, this time by Montreal.  GM Kyle Dubas indicated after the season that he doesn’t intend to move any of his four highly-paid forwards so they will be looking to make smaller moves to try to upgrade this summer.  Here is what they should be working on this offseason.

Add A New Assistant Coach

Seattle’s decision to hire Dave Hakstol as their first head coach caught many by surprise but it also created a vacancy on Toronto’s bench that will need to be filled.  With head coach Sheldon Keefe still relatively inexperienced at the NHL level and Manny Malhotra not having any head coaching experience, bringing in a replacement who has been an NHL head coach would be a nice addition to the bench although Paul MacLean is also on the staff and could be elevated to a larger role.  Bruce Boudreau was speculated as a possible addition last offseason and could make sense this summer as well.

Re-Sign Or Replace Hyman

Zach Hyman has worked his way up Toronto’s depth chart from a depth piece at the start to a key member of their top six and had a strong season offensively with 15 goals and 18 assists in 43 games.  Of course, offense is only a piece of what he brings to the table as he’s an effective checker and a strong complementary piece on the top line.  This has him well-positioned to land a significant contract in free agency later this month, even with a flat salary cap in a free agent environment that wasn’t kind to most wingers back in the fall.

But is that a contract they will be able to afford?  They have over $70MM in commitments for next season already to 16 players and another high-priced deal would force them into even more low-cost depth pickups to stay cap compliant while filling out the roster.  On the other hand, can they afford to lose him?  Yes, he’s a complementary player on their number one line but he has logged more than 19 minutes a game the last two years while leading the way in penalty kill ice time among forwards as well.  If he goes elsewhere, it’d be a big loss.

But if he winds up outpricing himself from what Toronto can realistically afford, Hyman’s departure would allow them to shop in the free agent market for a replacement.  They’ve been linked to Nashville’s Mikael Granlund before and someone in his projected price range is what the Maple Leafs can more realistically afford while filling out the rest of their roster.  Their preference would undoubtedly be to keep Hyman but if that doesn’t happen (and at this point, it sure sounds like the asking price is too high for their liking), the ability to dangle a spot alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner could make them a team to watch for in free agency.

Rielly Extension Talks

Morgan Rielly has been a fixture on Toronto’s back end for the last eight years, often being their number one option over the last several seasons.  His current contract – one that carries an AAV of $5MM – has turned into quite a bargain along the way.  However, that deal is up a year from now which means that the 27-year-old is eligible to sign a contract extension as soon as the calendar flips to the 2021-22 league year on July 28th.

It’s safe to say that he will be landing a sizable raise and could push past the $7MM mark as long as he has a strong final year on his contract.  If he gets to the open market, he’ll be one of the more sought-after players in the 2022 free agent class.  And with over $57MM in commitments to just nine players for 2022-23 (which doesn’t factor in a new deal for Hyman or a replacement), there will come a time where they won’t be able to keep all of their core players.

But James Mirtle of The Athletic recently reported (subscription link) that Rielly is willing to take a discount to remain with the Maple Leafs.  If that’s the case, Dubas would be wise to try to get a new deal for Rielly done this summer, giving them some extra certainty in terms of what their cap picture looks like for 2022 and beyond.  If the framework of an extension was in place before free agency started, it’d give them some better clarity on what they can afford long-term on a Hyman re-signing or replacement as well as one other need that will have to be filled.

Platoon Partner For Campbell

That need is finding a second goaltender to team up with Jack Campbell next season.  Frederik Andersen is set to become an unrestricted free agent and while he has expressed an interest in returning, he’d also like to have chance at being a starter again.  That probably won’t come with Toronto with the way that Campbell played down the stretch and in the playoffs.

Campbell may not be the undisputed starter but he could very well be on the stronger side of the platoon which would be a good situation for him as he heads into the final year of his contract before being eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time.

The good news for the Maple Leafs is that there are several goalies who fit as possible platoon partners.  The bad news is that those netminders still carry a notable price tag with deals for them in recent years hovering in the $3MM range.  They have the room to afford that for next season but it will undoubtedly cut into what they can afford in Hyman’s slot.

If there’s an opportunity to do what they did when they acquired Campbell and bring in a lower-cost netminder with team control beyond next season, that may very well be the more desirable route even though it would cost them an asset or two versus free agency where it’s just money.  That would give them more flexibility on the cap and some certainty with Campbell’s deal being up next summer barring an extension over the summer.

Either way, through trade or a free agent signing, Toronto will need to add another goaltender over the next few weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Minnesota Wild

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The offseason is in full flight with only two teams still standing.  We continue our series which examines what those eliminated teams need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Minnesota.

Back in 2019-20, Minnesota went on a late run under then-interim head coach Dean Evason to help secure them a spot in the expanded playoffs.  They went a step further this year, finishing a solid third in the West Division and gave Vegas a good run in the first round, ultimately falling in seven games.  GM Bill Guerin has a decent core to work with but a few things need to be addressed for them to try to move up in the Western Conference next season.

Resolve The Parise Situation

One of the key storylines for them down the stretch was the usage of veteran winger Zach Parise.  More specifically, the storyline was that he was a frequent healthy scratch.  Through last season, the 36-year-old was still putting up numbers worthy of a spot on Minnesota’s second line and while his contract was an overpayment, he was still one of their stronger contributors.

That changed in 2020-21.  Under Evason, Parise’s role and ice time steadily dropped to the point where he was seeing fourth line ice time late in the year when he was in the lineup.  That was a tough pill to swallow for someone who has been a fixture in their lineup for nearly a decade.

There are still four years remaining on his contract with an AAV of just over $7.5MM.  If he has indeed fallen that far down the depth chart, him spending the next four years as the designated scratch or a fourth liner isn’t a viable solution.  Finding another spot for him would be beneficial for both teams but it’s not as simple as simply buying him out.  The front-loaded nature of the contract makes a buyout quite punitive to the point where the post-buyout AAV in some of the years is just under $7.5MM.

Accordingly, this will need to be a trade if they want to move him.  While Parise does have a no-move clause, it wouldn’t be surprising if he was willing to waive it to get an opportunity for some playing time.  While there aren’t going to be teams wanting to absorb the contract outright, there should be some swaps of bad contracts this summer and there may be a fit there.  Failing that, a lower-budget team might be okay with taking on the lower-priced years of the deal with the right incentive(s) attached.

Of course, there is another element that has to be considered that isn’t in effect for most other bad contracts and that’s salary cap recapture.  Parise – along with teammate Ryan Suter – are on now-illegal deals with how much money was paid out up front.  There’s a significant penalty if Parise retires early and if he’s not on the roster, there isn’t the ability to figure out some sort of injury to put him on LTIR and convince him to not file his papers.

It’s not going to be an easy fix and there are problems with pretty much every scenario.  Either Parise needs to accept his reduced role or Guerin will need to be very careful in finding a new home for him, ideally with a side agreement that says Parise plays out his contract somewhere else.  Usually, managing a situation with an overpaid veteran isn’t overly difficult but it could be here as a result.

Re-Sign Key RFAs

Guerin has already taken care of one key restricted free agent with the recent eight-year, $42MM extension that was given to center Joel Eriksson Ek.  However, there are still two more to go.

Kirill Kaprizov sits on top of this list; after a year and a half off from the seemingly annual debate on will he or won’t he sign that went on for years, Kaprizov’s contract situation is once again at the forefront.  This isn’t a case of Minnesota not wanting to pay up or Kaprizov looking to go back home as recent suggestions to that effect feel like more of a tactic than a real option.  The Wild want to work out a max-term contract that will lock up the 24-year-old through the prime of his career.  However, this isn’t a great financial climate for Kaprizov to agree to such an arrangement.  Accordingly, he wants something shorter term that will allow him to cash in once the salary cap goes up.  He is three years away from UFA eligibility and merely handing him a two-year bridge deal would easily open up the door for him to elect arbitration after that and walk to free agency at 27.    That’s not something Minnesota wants to do.  Finding a compromise that both sides are content with will be difficult which is why these talks could drag out for a while.

Another winger is also in need of a new deal in Kevin Fiala.  His two full seasons with the Wild have yielded his best two statistical years in terms of goals, assists, and points per game which has him in great shape heading into his first time with arbitration eligibility.  He’s only two years away from hitting the open market so there is a risk in a short-term deal here as well.  Unfortunately, they only have $16MM in cap space so signing Fiala and Kaprizov to contracts that buy out some UFA years will be difficult.  Even if it’s a short-term contract, Fiala will be earning a significant raise on the $3MM AAV he had on his most recent contract.

Add Center Help

Yes, this perpetual need still exists.  Guerin is undoubtedly thrilled that Eriksson Ek has emerged as a legitimate top-six center which gives them one to work; that’s better than what it had been before.  But there is still a lot of work to be done at this position.

Last offseason, Minnesota brought in three players to try to help down the middle in Nick Bonino, Nick Bjugstad, and Marcus Johansson.  None of them really panned out.  Bonino is better served as a bottom-six option, Bjugstad was only able to hold down a limited role, and Johansson wound up moving back to the wing and still managed only 14 points in 36 games.  All are set to hit the open market so there will be plenty of work to do again as those players move on.

Victor Rask had a bounce-back season but is still overpaid at $4MM and could be a buyout candidate but if he comes back, he can probably handle the fourth line.  Ryan Hartman spent some time down the middle but could be a stopgap option.  But neither of these will fill the vacancy in the top six.  Whether it’s another short-term fix or finding a way to move out salary to add a longer-term piece, at least one impact addition needs to be made at center.

Don’t Lose Dumba For Nothing

Another seemingly annual tradition as of late has been the trade speculation surrounding defenseman Mathew Dumba.  He hasn’t hidden his desire to stay with the Wild but with Suter, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin all locked up long-term and holding no-move clauses, it continues to be Dumba that’s viewed as the potential odd man out.

That speculation will pick up in recent weeks due to expansion.  Those same no-move clauses lock in the three blueliners that Minnesota will protect from Seattle and they’re not in a spot where they can only protect four forwards to free up an extra spot for a defenseman.  That makes Dumba the one in jeopardy of being selected – he’d be the obvious pick if it came to that – and losing him for nothing to the Kraken is far from ideal.

Perhaps he can be dangled to add help down the middle.  Maybe it’s a side deal worked out with Seattle GM Ron Francis to pick someone else with Guerin sending an incentive to the Kraken to stay away from Dumba though that would need to be something of significance.  Either way, while Dumba may not be a luxury they can afford anymore, they certainly can’t afford to lose him for nothing.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Offseason Checklist: Nashville Predators

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The offseason is in full flight with only two teams still standing.  We continue our series which examines what those eliminated teams need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Nashville.

It was another season of hanging around the middle for the Predators.  They managed to secure the final playoff spot in the Central before being dispatched by Carolina in the first round.  Their offense again sat around the middle of the pack once again as it was a case of history largely repeating itself with several high-priced veterans underachieving.  GM David Poile has to be encouraged by the fact they won 18 of their last 25 games to get into the postseason but despite that, the biggest part of their offseason should revolve around shaking up the core, something that is already underway.

Granlund Decision

Mikael Granlund was one of the stranger UFA cases back in the fall.  He was much better in 2019-20 after the coaching change to John Hynes and it looked like his strong finish was going to help him rebuild some value heading into the open market.  It was at the point where both sides were expected to move on as he was expected to cost more than what the Preds could afford.

That didn’t happen.  Instead, he was one of the players that couldn’t get the money he wanted at the start of free agency and tried to wait it out.  However, even that didn’t work and he ultimately returned to Nashville in late December on a small pay cut ($3.75MM) with the hopes of a repeat second half that would give him a bigger market this time around.

That didn’t really happen either.  He had 13 goals and 14 assists in 51 games this season which isn’t bad by any stretch but it’s hardly top-line production.  He logged plenty of ice time (19:28 per game which led all Nashville forwards) and he spent extended time at center for the first time since 2015-16.  Those are elements that will help his market.

In the end, Granlund’s market hasn’t changed much.  The 29-year-old is a capable second-liner who is miscast in a bigger role with Nashville.  Is he worth keeping around?  Given his role, definitely.  But at what price?  Is Granlund willing to take a multi-year deal around this price tag?  If so, they should be able to work something out.  But if he’s aiming for closer to his previous contract as he was in October, that contract probably isn’t going to come from Nashville.

Re-Sign Goalies

The Predators have their minor league goaltending situation settled for next year with a trio of players under contract.  However, the same can’t be said in the NHL as both Juuse Saros and Pekka Rinne are in need of new deals and are in very different situations.

Saros was long viewed as Nashville’s goalie of the future and after basically being in a platoon last season, he became their starter this year, getting nearly 63% of the starts.  The 26-year-old responded with the best year of his career, posting a 2.28 GAA with a .927 SV%, well above the league average on both fronts.  That has him well-positioned for a big raise from the $1.5MM he made on his bridge deal.  He’s now arbitration-eligible and is a year away from reaching unrestricted free agency, giving him some extra leverage in talks.  However, the Predators have Yaroslav Askarov in the system having made him their first-rounder last October.  He is now the goalie of the future, not Saros.  So while Saros’ performance is deserving of a long-term, big-money deal, does Poile have interest in that type of commitment?  That’s certainly not a given.  Knowing Askarov is in the system, another medium-term pact (three to five years) could be a preferable compromise, giving them some stability for now but allowing them to pivot to their top prospect when he’s ready.

As for Rinne, he was Nashville’s starter for more than a decade but his numbers have dipped considerably in the past two years to the point where they have been below the NHL average.  At 38, he is on the last legs of his career and hasn’t even committed to playing next season although he has expressed a desire to remain with the Preds if he does come back.  Given that there will be better options available that could also push Saros for playing time though, the fit may not be great aside from the element of having him be a career Predator.  At this point, Rinne will be going year to year which opens up the ability to offer bonus-laden deals which would give them some extra cap flexibility but it will come at a sharp dip in pay from the $5MM AAV he had the past two seasons.  Even half of that could be a stretch.  If they do decide to move on, the UFA market is deep enough that they’ll be able to bring in a capable replacement.

Offensive Core Shakeup

Over the past several seasons, Poile has tried to add to his core group up front, particularly down the middle.  Ryan Johansen was acquired as was Kyle Turris while signing Matt Duchene and Nick Bonino as free agents.  That’s a pretty good group of players on paper but it hasn’t panned out.  Johansen and Duchene have underachieved significantly, Bonino was traded (though Luke Kunin, who they acquired in the move, has some upside), and Turris was bought out.  Simply put, it’s not working.

The problem for Nashville is that the rest of their attack has also scuffled recently.  Viktor Arvidsson had seen his production drop sharply which helped lead to this week’s trade while Filip Forsberg’s has ticked down.  Even Granlund underachieved offensively.

To Poile’s credit, he has recognized the problem in the past and tried to address it; it just hasn’t gone well when he has done so.  But it’s time to try again.  Younger forwards like Kunin and Eeli Tolvanen can be part of the solution but they’re not ready to step into top roles and the combination of veterans they have just aren’t getting the job done under multiple coaches now.

With the flat salary cap, there could be an increase in swapping high-priced underachieving forwards and the Predators are a team that may want to look at going that route.  With nearly $23MM in cap room, there will also be an opportunity to try to add a secondary scoring piece or two which would be welcome additions but that alone won’t take them from being a below-average scoring team to an above-average one.  There’s a lot of work that needs to be done up front and bringing in a new piece or two to the top-six may very well help them go in the right direction.  A shakeup is needed and Arvidsson’s departure alone won’t be enough.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

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