Speculation: Most interesting off season teams to watch.

[Bourne Endeavor]

Vancouver may make for a big off season. We have a surprisingly amount of cap available due to the sheer number of UFAs. Hronek will, undoubtedly, eat a portion of it. But I wouldn't be surprised if some trades were made and they went big game splashing. Guentzel has to be on Allvin's list if he doesn't re-up with Carolina.

Will be understanding to see where Lindholm ends up and for how much. Or if guys like Joshua get a payday elsewhere. For Canuck fans, will the long awaited reunion of Tanev finally happen?

 

[ginner classic]

Personally, I think the teams that are still emerging are most interesting:

Buffalo - Should rocket into a playoff spot
Columbus - Should be the second most improved team
Anaheim - Time to spend big One last high end draft pick. Need another solid D.
Ottawa - Tkachuk, Chychrun, goalies
New Jersey - Goalies
Carolina - lots of decisions


The most uninteresting:

NYI - cap allocated to old second rate players until 2050
San Jose - Miles off from ascending. Not much left to deal
Calgary - Most assets dealt. Just tje Markstrom situ.
St Louis - Mediocre forever now
Washington - Old
Pittsburgh - Super old
Arizona - Can't be made to care

 

[Nogatco Rd]

With a hole next to Charlie McAvoy on the first pairing and a hole next to Pastrnak and Zacha on the first line.

I suspect they fill one hole with UFA and one hole via trade. And the trade might be a doozy.

best of luck to you, in getting your two holes filled

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Trying my hat in the ring for NJ, a lot of tweaking that needs to be done to get back to the 22-23 level. The coaching hire is the biggest decision this team has had in quite awhile. Also whoever they trade for in net is attached to this core for the next 2-3 years if it's Markstrom and 7-8 years if it's Saros.

 

[BPD]

The single most interesting team has got to be Carolina. This is an all-in team with a lot of key players heading to free agency of some sort, including three key defenders (Skjei, Pesce, Chatfield) and four key forwards (Necas, Jarvis, Teravainen, Guentzel - though he may not be re-signed and that may be the deal here). They can't pay everyone, and next year isn't easier with Slavin, Burns, and Orlov also due.

They've got a lot to figure out, and they're a smart team in the front office. I have no doubts that we're going to see some very interesting decisions coming from them.

 

[chethejet]

Teams that have run their course like the Pens and the rival the Caps for example will be interesting to see just how much they transition to a younger roster. they dominated the Metro for year and now the Canes, maybe the Rangers and NJ will be the teams to beat. Flyers who knows as they haven't had a sold goalie for a couple decades.

 

[wedge]

I can't say for sure about Engstrom but consensus on the Habs board seems to think he is.

Even if you take into consideration injuries I have a hard time seeing Hugo keeping all these defenceman. Can't develop everybody simultaneously, they all need to play big minutes.

For that reason, Barron is another guy I can see Habs possibly trading this summer. Would be a waste to have him play 3rd pairing behind Reinbacher and Mailloux next year in Laval. Personally I'd like to move Harris and Kova just to make some room, so we can bring up Barron and see how the year goes. Let the other guys cook in Laval and call them up if/when injuries happen

I think exactly the same. If we keep it the way it is right now, we'll have 4 defensemen ready at the same time the next year in Mailloux, Reinbeicher, Hutson and Engstrom. Impossible to have four rookie at the same time on our blueline. Some of them need to get NHL experience. I think it'll be a very interesting summer as the dominoes are slowly being put in place.

 

[Lou Sassole]

Personally, I think the teams that are still emerging are most interesting:

Buffalo - Should rocket into a playoff spot
Columbus - Should be the second most improved team
Anaheim - Time to spend big One last high end draft pick. Need another solid D.
Ottawa - Tkachuk, Chychrun, goalies
New Jersey - Goalies
Carolina - lots of decisions


The most uninteresting:

NYI - cap allocated to old second rate players until 2050
San Jose - Miles off from ascending. Not much left to deal
Calgary - Most assets dealt. Just tje Markstrom situ.
St Louis - Mediocre forever now
Washington - Old
Pittsburgh - Super old
Arizona - Can't be made to care

Tell you haven't been watching the Caps, without telling me you haven't been watching the Caps.

 

[McJedi]

I think exactly the same. If we keep it the way it is right now, we'll have 4 defensemen ready at the same time the next year in Mailloux, Reinbeicher, Hutson and Engstrom. Impossible to have four rookie at the same time on our blueline. Some of them need to get NHL experience. I think it'll be a very interesting summer as the dominoes are slowly being put in place.

You guys have too many young defenders in your system. And the timeline is off as well per what you note above. The club will need to make some trades to better balance the pipeline.

Still surprising the Habs took Reinbacher over Mitchkov.

Tell you haven't been watching the Caps, without telling me you haven't been watching the Caps.

Does anyone but Caps fans watch the Caps?

Trying my hat in the ring for NJ, a lot of tweaking that needs to be done to get back to the 22-23 level. The coaching hire is the biggest decision this team has had in quite awhile. Also whoever they trade for in net is attached to this core for the next 2-3 years if it's Markstrom and 7-8 years if it's Saros.

Feels like the Devils timing to go for a goalie this offseason is good. A buyer's market as there will be more supply than demand.

 

[KevinRedkey]

Even if I wasn't an Ottawa fan - I'd be saying them.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Canucks will be very entertaining this off-season. Not only do they have one of, if not the most agressive front office in Rutherford/Allvin but now they have over 20+mil of cap space to spend to their liking.


I think they are going to go big game hunting and finally get Elias Pettersson a winger.

They will also have cap space and assets to trade or sign top 4 Dman.

 

[frisco]

What does Pittsburgh do? do they start looking towards the future? I don't think so, I don't think they can, I mean, I think they are going to trade Reilly Smith, but beyond that I don't think they can afford to focus on the future because last I checked they were in the bottom 10 of the league meaning they keep their 2024 1st round pick but lose their 2025, they can't afford to suck in 2025 so I think they go for it again because they have to but I'm not sure It's going to work.

I really don't see the logic of Pittsburgh trading Guentzel for futures. It decreases their chances to do something this year (outside shot at best, but still) and next. So, they are building for 2025-26 and onwards when Malkin, Crosby, Letang, etc., are two years older? That doesn't make sense.

To me, you sign Guentzel LT and if the wheels come off next year, you move him at the trade deadline for the same type of package.

I mean Bunting is a replacement but unless Dubas is going flip some of these assets acquired from Carolina for immediate help, what's the point? And if that's the plan, who could they get as immediate help that's a better fit than Guentzel? Unless they sign Guentzel as an UFA this off-season. But what are the odds of that?

My Best-Carey

 

[Bond]

They aren't going to outright tank no matter how much a certain subsection of our fanbase wants it. Markstrom may go, but it's far from a guarantee. We may move one winger, because we have too many, but there is zero chance all of them are moved, especially Backlund. The others may go at the deadline.

Depends on if they make it clear they are gone either way then it will come down to the value in the offseason. I think Flames management will also understand that they pretty much have to make playoffs or finish bottom ten and playoffs don;t look like they are in the cards with a bottom five dcore.

I don't know about that. Seems like ownership might not want to part with their Vezina candidate goalie yet. I wouldn't be shocked if Markstrom is a Flame next year.

I would be. I think they run with Wolf and Vladar next year.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I would be. I think they run with Wolf and Vladar next year.

That would be logical. But logical would have been to trade him for a 1st this year and ownership wouldn't allow it.

 

[stempniaksen]

It's Ottawa.

New owner who isn't happy with the results.
New GM who likely wants to put his stamp on the team.
New coach (eventually) who will want some input on personnel.
Extremely cranky fanbase who have witnessed too much losing.
League worst goaltending likely shaken up in some capacity.
At least one of Chabot (maybe) or Chychrun (probably) shipped out.
(Probably) overpaying 1-2 veteran UFA's to what will be considered eye popping #'s "for the culture"

I think they'll end up moving out a core forward as well, but there's almost guaranteed to be major changes on the back end and in nets.

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

I anticipate Yzerman making an aggressive move for an improvement in goal. If they miss the playoffs, they’ll move on from much of the Fabbri/Perron/Chiarot group as well.

 

[Lunatik]

That would be logical. But logical would have been to trade him for a 1st this year and ownership wouldn't allow it.

There are conflicting reports about that, Francis has reported that a deal was never actually that close where ownership nixed it. The guy is a goober, but he's more right that wrong when it comes to these things

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Binnington to New Jersey?

 

[Lunatik]

It's Ottawa.

New owner who isn't happy with the results.
New GM who likely wants to put his stamp on the team.
New coach (eventually) who will want some input on personnel.
Extremely cranky fanbase who have witnessed too much losing.
League worst goaltending likely shaken up in some capacity.
At least one of Chabot (maybe) or Chychrun (probably) shipped out.
(Probably) overpaying 1-2 veteran UFA's to what will be considered eye popping #'s "for the culture"

I think they'll end up moving out a core forward as well, but there's almost guaranteed to be major changes on the back end and in nets.

I wonder if the Flames and Senators could be potential trade partners.

Ott 1st and Korpi for Markstrom and Van 1st

Then if he's willing to waive, build something around Coleman and Norris (I've seen fans toss his name around) or Chabot.

 

[Petes2424]

Detroit is very likely to blow up their backend. That blue line will look much different next season.

 

[HFpapi]

Boston is interesting because we basically know they will trade a Vezina winning goalie and they really need a #1. How hard will they push for one?

Pittsburgh should be interesting because there's zero good reason to keep Crosby or Malkin or Karlsson (assuming they agree to move on and would rather chase cups than miss playoffs for the final 5 years of their career) but this is the boring, conservative NHL so they will stay for no reason just because.

 

[gianni]

IF Filip Hronek doesn't sign an extension before the draft, what type of package would your team offer to acquire him?...w/ or w/o the rights to Elias Lindholm.

 

[Tahoeblue]

My Isles. It won't be good, but certainly interesting. It's like when people slow down on the freeway when there is a wreck.

 

[kevsh]

Given their history, the question in Toronto after another early-round exit won't be "who will be held accountable?" but rather "who will be the first to get a contract extension?"

 

[MajorWeber]

Hughes offersheet Jarvis to keep the Habs-Canes feud alieve.