Whether it's making big roster moves to push into a playoff spot or tweaking a Stanley Cup contender, Adam Proteau lists four Eastern NHL teams that could be busy this off-season.
The NHL’s off-season has arrived for 30 of the league’s 32 teams. Many hockey observers are expecting massive roster moves from Stanley Cup front-runners to rebuilders.
Here are four Eastern Conference teams best equipped to make a serious splash this summer, in no particular order. Salary information is courtesy of PuckPedia.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres plodded through another disappointing season this past year, and their fans are sick and tired of excuses and distractions.
Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams began making moves by hiring veteran bench boss Lindy Ruff, but there are almost assuredly going to be significant changes to the lineup.
The Sabres have a projected $23.2 million in salary cap space. Though they’ve got a few RFAs to deal with, Buffalo has more than enough space to bring in a high-impact veteran or two up front.
For instance, would Vegas Golden Knights forwards Chandler Stephenson and Jonathan Marchessault fit in Buffalo? What about Buffalo native Patrick Kane? The Sabres have plenty of young up-and-comers at forward, but getting a Cup-winning veteran in free agency is just what the doctor ordered.
Buffalo may have to overpay to get the league’s best UFAs to join a team that hasn't made the playoffs in more than a decade, but Adams must figure out how to overcome that and boost his team’s cachet of talent.
Their draft assets could mean they deal one of their first-round draft picks – they have all three first-rounders in the next three drafts – for a veteran forward, a stop-gap goaltender if Devon Levi needs more time in the AHL or a more aggressive trade.
Ottawa Senators
Like the Sabres, the Senators let down their fans in a big way in 2023-24. But with a new owner in Michael Andlauer, a new GM in Steve Staios and a new coach in Travis Green, the Sens look like an organization trying to go full steam ahead.
While the Senators have just $12.1 million in cap space, they do have 17 players under contract for 2024-25. Of their remaining spots, five players are RFAs, which leads us to suspect Senators GM Steve Staios will explore the trade market rather than improve via free agency.
Sens defenseman Jacob Chychrun, who will be a UFA next summer, has surfaced in trade speculation. But another trade option involves one of Ottawa’s top draft picks – they’ve got two first-rounders and seven picks in the first four rounds of this year’s draft. The Senators' prospect pool isn't as strong as it once was, but trading one of the picks for some help on right defense, in the middle six forwards or in net could be worth it.
Pursuing free agents is not out of the question, either. Making the playoffs is a must for Ottawa next season, and for that reason, we’re expecting the Sens to raise eyebrows with the moves Staios makes this off-season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Few teams were as dismal as Columbus last season, which cost GM Jarmo Kekalainen his job.
His replacement, former Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell, has no emotional connection to the Jackets’ roster. The Blue Jackets also have more than $23.4 million in cap space. Some of that money will go to their RFAs, but with a few exceptions, no Blue Jackets players shouldn’t be up for trade discussions.
Would Waddell consider moving veteran defenseman Ivan Provorov? The 27-year-old is entering the final season of a contract that pays him an average of $4.725 million, and he’ll be a UFA next summer. And if captain Boone Jenner attracts trade attention, would Columbus say “no” to a trade that made them better, deeper and younger? We think not. There's a chance those moves could help them upgrade their top six forwards, their defense or their goaltending and take a step in the right direction toward the long term, even if they still miss the playoffs next season.
And let’s say the Jackets are interested in a veteran offense producer like UFA forward Tyler Toffoli, who briefly played with Johnny Gaudreau in Calgary. Columbus would have to sell someone like that on the quick turnaround in competitiveness, but with Waddell in charge, that's possible.
The only questions will be how deep the roster cuts are and what Waddell can get in return for capable veterans who don’t fit into the team’s long-term plans.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes were one of the NHL's better teams this season, but the fact they lost in the second round to the New York Rangers indicates there's still work ahead.
Carolina is in a spot where it must do everything it can to thrive in the playoffs under coach Rod Brind’Amour.
The Hurricanes have about $28.9 million in cap space this summer, but a large portion of that cap space will go to re-signing RFA forwards Seth Jarvis, Martin Necas and Jack Drury. That's unless they trade Necas, who's surfaced in frequent speculation due to his low ice time.
They’ve also got UFAs, including Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen, to consider re-committing to. That means there will not be enough cap space to bring all of them back.
The Hurricanes could make a play for a cost-controlled D-man in Ottawa’s Chychrun and his $4.6-million cap hit for one year, but they also could go in another direction and try signing Florida UFA blueliner Brandon Montour on the right side.
Carolina's core will make them a playoff team next season and beyond, but they need a little more scoring depth, a smidge more experience and grit, and perhaps an even better starting netminder to reach the Cup final for the first time since 2006.
If the Hurricanes can address some of those areas of improvement, there’s no good reason they can’t be better than they were this year.
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