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Season Previews 2018-19

2018-19 Season Primer: Ottawa Senators

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Ottawa Senators.

Last Season: 28-43-11 record (67 points), seventh in the Atlantic Division (missed the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $8.7MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Mikkel Boedker (trade with San Jose), D Dylan DeMelo (trade with San Jose), F Chris Tierney (trade with San Jose)

Key Departures: F Alex Burrows (retirement), D Fredrik Claesson (free agency, NY Rangers), F Mike Hoffman (trade with San Jose – later flipped to Florida), D Erik Karlsson (trade with San Jose)

[Related: Senators Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: D Thomas Chabot – For the last couple of years, Chabot has been viewed as Ottawa’s top defenseman of the future.  He had a very strong junior career and became a regular for the Sens last season where there were some expected ups and downs.

However, with their recent moves (particularly the Karlsson trade earlier this month, the Dion Phaneuf trade last season, and losing Marc Methot in expansion), the 21-year-old isn’t going to have the luxury of being eased into things anymore.  In fact, given their depth on the left side which primarily features role players, there’s a very good chance that he’ll be on their top pairing to start the season.

How will he fare going from a role where he was somewhat sheltered to likely facing top competition on a near-nightly basis?  If he struggles, things could get ugly quickly with there being no real in-house option to take that role.  However, it has the potential to be good for his development in the long haul while also positioning himself for a nice second contract.  If he spends the next two years in that role, the Senators will be in tough arguing that he should accept a bridge contract.

Key Storyline: In a nutshell, who’s next?  The team has been up front that they are in a rebuild and their trade of Karlsson for a package primarily highlighted by future assets only hammered that fact home.  No one expects this to be the final move of that process, however.

Ottawa has a pair of high-end pending unrestricted free agents up front in winger Mark Stone and center Matt Duchene.  Although the Sens would like to keep them around, it will be difficult for them to do so with their budgetary restraints while it’s also tough to see both players willingly choose to stay in a rebuilding situation when they can wait a few months and pick their next team.

At some point, one (if not both) of them will be moved and it’s basically a question of when it’s going to happen.  It’s unlikely that Ottawa will want to take any sizable contracts back which could make a trade more likely as the season progresses where the acquiring team is taking on less money.  With owner Eugene Melnyk admitting that significant roster turnover is on the horizon, as soon as one goes, the question will simply be who’s next?

Overall Outlook: Last year was painful for the Sens.  Their move to add Duchene didn’t work and they found themselves near the basement in the Atlantic.  2018-19 projects to be no exception although this time around, Ottawa won’t have their first-round pick at their disposal as it now belongs to Colorado.  That’s going to be painful come the draft lottery in April so their hopes of adding to their future core will have to come from the trades of Stone and/or Duchene at some point during the year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Philadelphia Flyers

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Philadelphia Flyers.

Last Season: 42-26-14 record (98 points), third in the Metropolitan Division (lost Pittsburgh in the first round of the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $10.28MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: D Christian Folin (free agent, Los Angeles), F James van Riemsdyk (free agent, Toronto)

Key Departures: F Valtteri Filppula (free agent, NY Islanders), D Brandon Manning (free agent, Chicago), G Petr Mrazek (free agent, Carolina), D Johnny Oduya (free agent, unsigned), F Matt Read (free agent, Minnesota)

[Related: Flyers Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Wayne Simmonds – Simmonds has long been viewed as one of the premier power forwards in the league and he has a couple of things going for him.  For starters, he’s fully healthy after playing through a long list of injuries last season.  He also happens to be entering the final year of his contract and currently projects to be one of the more sought-after free agents if he makes it to the open market.

Simmonds is hoping that a healthy season should allow him to get back to the 50-point plateau, a mark he had hit for four straight seasons before 2017-18 (where he had 46 in 75 games).  It will be interesting to see how the return of van Riemsdyk affects things, however.  While the two play on opposite wings, they’re both big producers with the man advantage.  Does van Riemsdyk cut into Simmonds’ production then?

It will be quite interesting to see what type of deal Simmonds ultimately gets.  The Flyers have engaged in preliminary discussions regarding an extension but obviously, nothing has been done yet.  He has been on a very team-friendly contract with a cap hit just shy of $4MM (although his salary for 2018-19 checks in at $5MM) and he’ll undoubtedly be looking for a significant increase.  However, he’ll be 31 when 2019-20 begins and players that play a rugged style like he does tend to become injury prone as they get older.  How will that ultimately affect the offers he receives?

At the end of the day, Simmonds can sit back and just focus on playing with the hopes of having a big year but this looming contract situation makes him an intriguing player to keep tabs on in the coming weeks.

Key Storyline: Goaltending has been a question mark in Philadelphia for a long time and this coming season projects to be no exception.  Veterans Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth both return and are viewed as short-term stopgaps and not core pieces of the future.  Will they be good enough to get the job done after struggling both in terms of performance and staying healthy last season?

Youngster Alex Lyon could make a push for a roster spot in camp and needs to go through waivers to get back to the minors.  If management believes that he could be claimed, that could force their hand with Neuvirth so their tandem isn’t quite set yet.  (Anthony Stolarz is also in the mix but after missing all of last season with an injury, he’s a fairly safe bet to pass through waivers.)

The development of Carter Hart is going to be worth monitoring as well.  The 20-year-old is entering his first professional season and is widely viewed as Philadelphia’s goalie of the future.  If he gets off to a good start and the Flyers are struggling between the pipes, could he play his way into the mix for a late-season recall?

There are still questions when it comes to goaltending in Philly but there could be some internal answers on the horizon at the very least.

Overall Outlook: The majority of the core is returning and van Riemsdyk should really bolster their attack.  Despite that, it’s difficult to peg them as a sure-fire top-three team in the Metropolitan, especially given the questions in goal and their general streakiness they’ve shown in recent years.  That said, they are still one of the better teams in the East and should be viewed as a top contender for a Wild Card spot as things currently stand.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Pittsburgh Penguins

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With the NHL season now less than a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Last Season: 47-29-6 record (100 points), second in the Metropolitan Division (lost to Washington in the second round of the playoffs, beat Philadelphia in the first round)

Remaining Cap Space: $1.02MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Matt Cullen (free agent, Minnesota), F Derek Grant (free agent, Anaheim), F Jimmy Hayes (free agent, New Jersey), D Jack Johnson (free agent, Columbus)

Key Departures: D Matt Hunwick (trade with Buffalo), F Tom Kuhnhackl (free agent, NY Islanders), F Carter Rowney (free agent, Anaheim), F Conor Sheary (trade with Buffalo)

[Related: Penguins Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Derick Brassard – In an effort to strengthen their depth down the middle leading up to the deadline, Pittsburgh swung a three-way trade to bring Brassard in.  In doing so, they gave themselves a legitimate top-six center on the third line which they hoped would really bolster their attack.  Unfortunately for them, that didn’t go as planned as Brassard struggled with his reduced role.

There is certainly cause for optimism to think that a full training camp and regular season would help in this regard but they do have another option that they’re going to try, moving him to the wing.  Doing so would allow him to play in the top six like he has been accustomed to.

Teams are certainly going to be keeping close tabs on him as Brassard is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.  If he fares well on the wing, the extra versatility will certainly strengthen his case on the open market and he’ll give the Penguins another prominent offensive weapon.

On the flip side, if he struggles, he could conceivably become a trade candidate by the deadline as salary cap space will once again be at a premium.  GM Jim Rutherford likes to try to make a big addition each season and if Brassard isn’t getting the job done, it’s certainly possible that he’d be part of a return going the other way or flipped to create the cap space to make that addition.  Suffice it to say, there’s a lot at stake for Brassard heading into 2018-19.

Key Storyline: For the last few years, Pittsburgh has been tweaking their defense corps but now, with all of their top-six options locked up for at least two seasons (five of them for three or more), there is now the potential for a bit more stability at that position.

The addition of Johnson and extension for Jamie Oleksiak gives them a third pairing that can log more ice time than a typical number three unit if need be which should allow them to scale back minutes for someone like Kris Letang if they so desire.  It also gives them a bit more insurance in case of injuries.

While their offense justifiably gets most of the attention, the back end has had some incremental improvements.  However, it still remains a question mark.  Is this group good enough to get the job done or will Rutherford need to continue to make changes?

Overall Outlook: The Penguins have been contenders for quite a while now and they should be one once again with the majority of their roster from last year returning for another season.  The Metropolitan Division projects to be quite tight once again so they may not walk away with first place but they’ll undoubtedly be in the mix once the postseason arrives.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: San Jose Sharks

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the San Jose Sharks.

Last Season: 45-27-10 record (100 points), third in the Pacific Division (lost to Vegas in the second round of the playoffs, beat Anaheim in the first round)

Remaining Cap Space: $4.38MM per CapFriendly

Key Addition: F Antti Suomela (free agent, JYP, SM-liiga)

Key Departures: F Mikkel Boedker (trade with Ottawa), F Eric Fehr (free agent, Minnesota), F Jannik Hansen (free agent, CSKA Moscow, KHL), D Paul Martin (buyout), F Joel Ward (free agent, unsigned)

[Related: Sharks Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Evander Kane – It was a bit of a surprise when Kane wound up in San Jose for what at the time seemed like a pretty low return.  He fit in quite well after joining the team though, scoring 13 times in 26 games (regular season and playoffs combined).  That was enough evidence for the Sharks to hand him a seven-year, $49MM contract back in May and in the process, making him their highest-paid forward for 2018-19.  Doing so also resulted in them surrendering their first-round pick in 2019 to Buffalo as part of the trade.

Will Kane be able to maintain that 40-goal pace over the course of a full season?  If so, they’d be thrilled.  However, his history suggests that doing so is unlikely.  As a result, the question is more likely can he at least improve upon his numbers with the Sabres, which ranged between 33 and 45 points.  If that doesn’t happen, then this deal could quickly become an albatross.

The Sharks went into the summer hoping to be big players.  They were one of the teams involved in the John Tavares sweepstakes and were believed to be looking to make a splashy addition via trade once that fell through.  Instead, Kane wound up effectively being their key add which will only up the pressure.

When he’s on his game, the 27-year-old is one of the more effective power forwards in the league.  When he’s not, his struggles have been noticeable.  It’s safe to say that with the contract Kane got, San Jose will be looking for a lot more of the former than the latter.

Key Storyline: The money freed up from dealing away Boedker and buying out Martin is still there.  It stands to reason that they’re still looking to make that big splash although it will be difficult for GM Doug Wilson to do so now with training camps on the horizon as teams will often wait to see what they have before entertaining offers for impact players.

As a result, San Jose is going to be banking a lot of salary cap space which is going to make them an option for any pricey players that hit the trade market throughout the season.  Unlike a lot of teams that have eyes on contending, they should be able to take on big contracts without requiring salary retention which should give them the upper hand.

They didn’t get their big addition over the summer but there’s a good chance they’ll get it at some point during the season.  Watch for them to be active in the trade market.

Overall Outlook: The Pacific Division appears to be up for grabs as there are several teams that could vie for the top spot without many true contenders.  The Sharks are certainly among that group as they’ve brought the core back from last year while a full season from Kane should only help as well.  They may not push for the division title but they’re certainly in the mix for one of the three divisional playoff spots.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: St. Louis Blues

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the St. Louis Blues.

Last Season: 44-32-6 record (94 points), fifth in the Central Division (failed to reach the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $284,845 per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Ryan O’Reilly (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tyler Bozak (free agent, Toronto Maple Leafs); F David Perron (free agent, Vegas Golden Knights); F Patrick Maroon (free agent, New Jersey Devils); G Chad Johnson (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Brian Flynn (free agent, Dallas Stars); D Tyler Wotherspoon (free agent, Calgary Flames); F Jordan Nolan (free agent, Buffalo Sabres)

Key Departures: F Kyle Brodziak (free agent, Edmonton Oilers); G Carter Hutton (free agent, Buffalo Sabres); F Patrik Berglund (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Vladimir Sobotka (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Tage Thompson (trade, Buffalo Sabres); F Wade Megan (free agent, Detroit Red Wings); F Beau Bennett (free agent, Dinamo Minsk (KHL)); Petteri Lindbohm (free agent, Laussane (Swiss League))

[Related: Blues Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: G Jake Allen — The team has upgraded its offense, already had a solid defense and has several of their top prospects banging on its door, hoping to get into their rotation this year. What they didn’t do much with is their goaltending. Allen, once considered the franchise goalie, has now struggled for more than a full season, but with three years at $4.35MM per season still on the books, he’s not going anywhere this year.

The 28-year-old netminder struggled down the stretch during the 2016-17 season, but his consistency got even worse last year when he posted a .906 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA in 59 games. The team was forced to use Hutton on many occasions to replace the struggling goaltender. In hopes of redeeming his job, Allen has said that he has changed some of his training methods this summer and hopes to come into camp and prove that he is the starting goaltender.

The team had better hope that he can, because the team lost Hutton to the Buffalo Sabres in the offseason and replaced him with Johnson, who struggled in a one-year stint in Buffalo, albeit behind an atrocious defense. The team does have prospect Ville Husso waiting in the AHL, but many believe he still needs at least one year of seasoning there before he can challenge Allen for his job.

Key Storyline: The offense has been thoroughly upgraded in the last few months and it will be up to the team to find a way to gel and make it work. One key story will be whether they can get the breakout performance that everyone in the NHL has been waiting for from Vladimir Tarasenko. The winger posted three impressive seasons coming into last year, including a 37, 40, 39-goal seasons. However, while the 26-year-old still had a solid season last year, his 33 goals was a disappointment for a player who many felt was closer to a 40-goal scorer than a 30-point scorer.

One possibility to Tarasenko’s season could come down to the addition of O’Reilly. Adding a top-line center will be critical and if the two can co-exist, then you might see the development of a superstar as Tarasenko and Paul Stastny had limited chemistry together. There is also a likelihood that Maroon, who played together with Connor McDavid in Edmonton for a while, could add his physicality to that first line and give Tarasenko an even better chance to have a big season.

Overall Outlook: Looking at the massive changes to the team, especially at the forward position means the team expects to win now. The franchise has put a lot of expectations on head coach Mike Yeo and the team as they are expected to not just make the playoffs, but compete for the Central Division title. That’s a tough chore for any Central Division team if you assume that the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets will likely assume the first two spots in the division. That leaves just two playoffs spots for the rest of the division that includes the Minnesota Wild, who have been to the playoffs for six straight years, an improving Dallas Stars team, a young impressive Colorado Avalanche franchise and the Chicago Blackhawks who are trying to prove that their run isn’t over just yet. If the team fails to impress early on, that could put Yeo on the hot seat.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Tampa Bay Lightning

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Last Season: 54-23-5 record (113 points), third in the Atlantic Division (lost to Washington in the Eastern Conference Finals)

Remaining Cap Space: $2.646MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: D Cameron Gaunce (free agent, Columbus); Kevin Lynch (free agent, Syracuse Crunch (AHL))

Key Departures: F Chris Kunitz (free agent, Chicago Blackhawks); D Andrej Sustr (Anaheim Ducks); F Matthew Peca (Montreal Canadiens); F Erik Condra (Dallas Stars); Mathew Bodie (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)); F Alex Gallant (Vegas Golden Knights)

[Related: Lightning Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Nikita Kucherov – The 25-year-old superstar quietly signed a eight-year, $76MM extension this offseason and after breaking the 100-point barrier, many wonder if Kucherov takes another step this season. He broke the 100-point barrier last year as his assist totals took a jump, most likely in part because of his success playing next to center Steven Stamkos.

However, is there more that Kucherov can do to help the team capture a Stanley Cup? The winger took his game up a notch after the 2016-17 season when he jumped from 30 to 40 goals. Then last season, he took those assists up a notch, raising his assist totals from 45 to 61, while maintaining his goal-scoring prowess as he still tallied 39 goals last season.

The real question is whether the 100-point performance last season is just Kucherov scratching the surface of his potential or whether he will slip back to his 80-pont ways. No matter what, he remains one of the best plaeyrs in the NHL, but one wonders how much better he can be.

Key Storyline: General manager Steve Yzerman has never been shy of making a big trade to add talent for their Stanley Cup run. He did that at the trade deadline last year when the team went out and acquired two key pieces for their run when they got defenseman Ryan McDonagh and winger J.T. Miller, both who were critical to their playoff run. Unfortunately, they hit the Washington Capitals’ wall and failed to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but they were extremely close.

The team didn’t make many moves in the offseason, but were rumored to be in on a potential Erik Karlsson trade and at one point it looked like it was a done deal. However, the team may not have been ready to part with talented defenseman Mikhail Sergachev at the time. However, with Karlsson still in Ottawa, don’t be shocked if the Lightning do everything it can to bring the star defenseman aboard. If the team could find itself with a top-four of Victor Hedman, McDonagh, Karlsson and Sergachev, the team’s defense might be the best in hockey.

Overall Outlook: There may be only eight teams that could be considered legitimate candidates to win the Stanley Cup this year and Tampa Bay would likely be considered among the top two or three teams this year. With their offensive success throughout their forward lines as well as a developing defense with two solid top-two defenders on the roster and the most talented young goaltender in the NHL at the moment in Andrei Vasilevskiy, the team is in good hands for the 2018-19 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Toronto Maple Leafs

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Last Season: 49-26-7 record (105 points), third in the Pacific Division (lost to Boston in the first round of the playoffs)

Remaining Cap Space: $13.317MM per CapFriendly (still need to re-sign F William Nylander)

Key Additions: F Tyler Ennis (free agent, Minnesota), F Par Lindholm (free agent, Skelleftea, SHL), F John Tavares (free agent, NY Islanders)

Key Departures: F Tyler Bozak (free agent, St. Louis), F Leo Komarov (free agent, NY Islanders), F Matt Martin (trade, NY Islanders), F Dominic Moore (free agent, unsigned), F Tomas Plekanec (free agent, Montreal), D Roman Polak (free agent, Dallas), F James van Riemsdyk (free agent, Philadelphia)

[Related: Maple Leafs Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F John Tavares – Really, who else could it be?  The long-time Islanders star surprised quite a few people by heading to his hometown team in free agency this summer and signing a seven-year, $77MM contract.  How will he adapt to his new environment and, quite possibly, his new role?

With New York, Tavares was the focal part of their attack but Toronto already boasts three high-end players up front in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and Nylander.  Matthews was their number one center last season and it’s hard to envision that changing.  They’re not going to move Tavares to the wing (that wouldn’t make any sense to do) so that means he will likely slot in on the second, a position he hasn’t been in quite some time.

On the surface, that may seem like a demotion but it could certainly go the other way too.  Tavares should now be freed from the top checking he faced with New York which should result in some extra space and opportunities.  He should also play alongside one of their top wingers so there shouldn’t be a big drop off in talent either.

The contract is going to firmly place Tavares in the spotlight.  The pressure and expectations have never been higher for him but he’s going to have a lot more on-ice support than he has been used to.  It’s going to be quite interesting to see how he fares in Toronto.

Key Storyline: Toronto’s long-term cap questions have been well discussed already.  However, even though they won’t be up against the Upper Limit again until next season, that looming cap crunch is probably going to play a role in their decision making in 2018-19.

Whenever Nylander signs, Toronto should still have enough room to account for their potential bonuses without having to put Nathan Horton on LTIR.  (Placing him there could result in a bonus carryover like there is for this coming season, something they’re really going to want to avoid now.)  After all that, they still should have enough room left to start banking some space towards the trade deadline, especially if they opt to shuttle some of their entry-level players back and forth between the NHL and AHL to save some extra money.

Even with the most optimistic view of next year’s cap situation, there is still going to be some roster trimming for 2019-20.  With that in mind, new GM Kyle Dubas may view this season as their best chance to really make a run for the Stanley Cup.  In other words, around the trade deadline is going to be the time to look to make another significant addition to their roster.  If they stay fairly healthy between now and then, Toronto should be able to bank enough space to make that impact addition without setting themselves up for the bonus overage.

We’re still a year away from really seeing what the full effects will be once Nylander, Matthews, and Marner all are on big-money, long-term deals.  Even so, it still should play an important role in Toronto’s decision making as they shape their roster throughout the season.

Overall Outlook: Toronto was already a contender last season and while their losses shouldn’t be overlooked entirely, adding the prized free agent in Tavares should only help.  The Atlantic Division looks like a three-team runaway already and the Maple Leafs are certainly among those teams.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Vancouver Canucks

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Vancouver Canucks.

Last Season: 31-40-11 record (73 points), seventh in the Pacific Division

Remaining Cap Space: $9.27MM per CapFriendly

Key Additions: F Jay Beagle (free agent, Washington), F Antoine Roussel (free agent, Dallas), F Tim Schaller (free agent, Boston)

Key Departures: F Nic Dowd (free agent, Washington), F Jussi Jokinen (free agent, unsigned), F Daniel Sedin (retirement), F Henrik Sedin (retirement)

[Related: Canucks Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F Elias Pettersson – Vancouver’s top pick in 2017 did about everything there was to do in the SHL last season.  Not only did Pettersson lead the league in scoring, he also took home Rookie of the Year honors as well as regular season and playoff MVP while winning medals at the World Juniors (silver) and World Championships (gold).  Suffice it to say, he showed that he’s ready to try his hand at the NHL in 2018-19.

The 19-year-old is viewed as Vancouver’s long-term center of the future but it has been suggested in the past that the team may opt to start him on the wing to allow him to ease into his defensive responsibilities.  That’s an approach that several teams have taken in the past and it seems to work well.

Although they’re two different types of players, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some compare Pettersson to Brock Boeser.  Boeser came into last season viewed as a top prospect and made a huge impact and they’re hopeful that the Swede can make a similar mark.

With the Sedins leaving and not really being replaced (their offseason additions are better suited as bottom-six forwards), Pettersson should have a chance to jump into a top-six role quite quickly.  If he progresses as quickly as he did in Sweden, he could wind up being a contender for the Calder Trophy while showing that the Canucks have a high-end one-two punch up front to build around.

Key Storyline: The sudden departure of Trevor Linden from the front office caught many by surprise.  While both sides have stayed quiet, numerous reports have stated that the reason for his departure stemmed from a desire from ownership to get back into playoff contention sooner than later while Linden’s philosophy was to be more patient.

With Linden now gone and Jim Benning holding more control now, there has been speculation that the team could be looking to make a big splash on the trade front.  Given that they’ve lost two top-six forwards without really replacing them (instead of hoping for internal candidates to push through), that would presumably be the area they’d look to target.

Is that the right approach for them to take, however?  It’s not as if Vancouver narrowly missed out on the postseason last year; they were 22 points behind Colorado for the final playoff spot.  The current state of their roster says they should continue the path they’re on but ownership appears to want to go the other direction.  Which approach will ultimately win out?

Overall Outlook: With Boeser and Pettersson up front plus goalie Thatcher Demko and defenseman Quinn Hughes in the pipeline, the future looks bright for the Canucks.  However, this is the present and their roster as currently constructed does not appear to be anywhere near good enough to contend for a postseason spot.  Unless they make a big splash (or two), another year outside of the postseason appears to be the likely outcome in Vancouver.

2018-19 Season Primer: Vegas Golden Knights

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With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Vegas Golden Knights.

Last Season: 51-24-7 record (109 points), first in the Pacific Division (lost to Washington in the Stanley Cup Final, beat Winnipeg in the third round, beat San Jose in the second round, beat Los Angeles in the first round)

Remaining Cap Space: $8.69MM per CapFriendly (still need to sign D Shea Theodore)

Key Arrivals: F Daniel Carr (free agent, Montreal), D Nick Holden (free agent, Boston), F Paul Stastny (free agent, Winnipeg)

Key Departures: D Jason Garrison (free agent, Edmonton – PTO), F David Perron (free agent, St. Louis), F James Neal (free agent, Calgary), D Luca Sbisa (free agent, unsigned)

[Related: Golden Knights Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: F William Karlsson – Could it really be anyone else?  Karlsson was the biggest surprise in the NHL last year, going from a role player in Columbus to a top line center that was among the league leaders in goals.  That made for a fascinating restricted free agency case this summer.

Ultimately, while a long-term deal was discussed, the two sides weren’t able to come with something that worked for everyone and instead settled on a one-year, $5.25MM pact.  That outcome wasn’t entirely surprising as given his massive jump in production (and a very high shooting percentage), it’s understandable that Vegas would like to see how he follows that up before they lock him up.

What will Karlsson do for an encore?  He won’t necessarily be counted on to produce quite as much with Stastny giving them another legitimate top-six center but he’ll still be a focal point of their attack.  While some regression is expected, if he can get back around the 30-goal mark even, he will really bolster his case for a long-term deal next summer when he will hit restricted free agency with arbitration eligibility for the final time.

Key Storyline: Like Karlsson, what do the Golden Knights have in store for their encore?  This is a team that wasn’t built to win right away but turned around and won the division while making it to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season.  Was last season a sign of things to come or merely a case of a whole lot going right all at the same time?

While adding Stastny down the middle certainly helps, they will feel the losses of Neal and Perron on the wings.  Tomas Tatar has the track record to be someone that could help fill that void but he was also a frequent scratch in the postseason; he’s their big wild card up front.  Despite that, expectations will still be higher than they typically would be for a team in their second season and they won’t be catching teams by surprise anymore.

Overall Outlook: The Pacific Division doesn’t appear to have a true frontrunner.  Instead, there are several teams that can legitimately believe that they’ll have a chance to contend for the division title.  Even if they take a step back, Vegas could still be one of those clubs which means they won’t be acting like a typical expansion squad in their second season either.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2018-19 Season Primer: Washington Capitals

at CDT | by 1 Comment

With the NHL season now just a month away, it’s time to look at what each team has done this summer and what to watch for in the year to come. Today, we focus on the Washington Capitals.

Last Season: 49-26-7 record (105 points), first in the Metropolitan Division (beat Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final, beat Tampa Bay in the third round, beat Pittsburgh in the second round, beat Columbus in the first round)

Remaining Cap Space: $1.099MM per CapFriendly

Key Arrivals: F Nic Dowd (free agent, Vancouver), F Sergei Shumakov (free agent, CSKA Moscow)

Key Departures: F Jay Beagle (free agent, Vancouver), F Alex Chiasson (free agent, unsigned), G Philipp Grubauer (trade with Colorado), D Jakub Jerabek (free agent, Edmonton)

[Related: Capitals Depth Chart From Roster Resource]

Player To Watch: D Michal Kempny – Kempny signed with Chicago two years ago but never really locked down a regular role.  The Capitals targeted him in advance of the trade deadline and it wound up being an under the radar move that really wound up paying dividends.  He worked his way into a regular role and wound up playing alongside top defenseman John Carlson.

That gave Kempny quite a boost heading into the free agent market.  Partway through the interview period, he decided to re-up with the Caps, inking a four-year, $10MM contract while nearly tripling his previous AAV in the process.  Instead of being simply a depth option as he was initially acquired to be, Washington will be expecting a lot more from the 27-year-old.

Can Kempny lock down a top-four role on a full-time basis?  While they can shield him on special teams, he’s still likely to play at five-on-five with Carlson.  If he can do that, their back end won’t necessarily need to be a focus for in-season additions assuming youngsters Madison Bowey and Christian Djoos continue to progress.  If Kempny struggles in that spot, however, then the Capitals will be looking at shoring up their back end as the season goes on.

Key Storyline: It’s extremely rare that a Cup-winning team has a new head coach behind the bench but that is the case in Washington with Barry Trotz resigning (he subsequently joined the Islanders) and associate coach Todd Rierden taking his place.  What type of effect is that going to have on a team that is nearly fully intact from their postseason run?

There is typically a championship hangover across the major sports and hockey is no exception.  How will incorporating a new head coach change that?  Will it up the focus level early on as the players adapt to a new system or will the changes add to the early-season lethargy that sometimes comes up after a team wins a title?  With so few coaching swaps taking place after a championship, this is certainly going to be intriguing to follow as it’s unlikely to happen again anytime soon.

Overall Outlook: While there could be some hiccups early on, Washington should still be among the contenders in a very tight Metropolitan Division.  It’s far from a guarantee that they’ll take home the top spot once again but they should comfortably be able to avoid battling for a Wild Card spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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