2017 NHL Offseason Analysis

CENTRAL DIVISION

Once thought to be the strongest division in the National Hockey League, the Central Division has seen its reputation drop in recent years. With the Blackhawks getting swept in the first round and the Avalanche putting together one of the worst campaigns in recent memory, the division would appear to be on the decline. However, with a momentous offseason push by the Dallas Stars, the Predators’ recent Stanley Cup appearance and the Blues’ and Wild’s determination to stay relevant, this division could produce several prime playoff contenders. Here is an overview of the offseason’s for the Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.

2016-2017 Central Division Standings

1. Chicago Blackhawks — 109pts
2. Minnesota Wild — 106pts
3. St. Louis Blues — 99pts
4. Nashville Predators — 94pts
5. Winnipeg Jets — 87pts (missed playoffs)
6. Dallas Stars — 79pts (missed playoffs)
7. Colorado Avalanche — 48pts (missed playoffs)

Chicago Blackhawks

2016-2017 By the Numbers

Overall Record: 50-23-9-109
Playoff Result: Eliminated in Conference Quarter-Finals by Nashville (4-0 NSH)
Standings: Central Division: 1, Western Conference: 1, League: 3
Goals For: 240 (NHL rank: 9)
Goals Against: 212 (NHL rank: 20)
Power Play Percentage: 18.0 percent (NHL rank: 19)
Penalty Kill Percentage: 77.7 percent (NHL rank: 24)
Leading Scorer: Patrick Kane (34-55-89)
 

Summary of 2016-2017 Season Results

The Chicago Blackhawks had an excellent regular season, reaching 50 wins for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. The Conference-clinching club, considered by all to be an automatic Cup threat, saw its Cup chances cut short surprisingly early. Though the team ran into a surging Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators, the eventual Stanley Cup representative from the Western Conference, the season left a sour taste in the collective mouths of the players, management and fans in the Windy City. Offseason change, which had become a yearly foregone conclusion because of cap constraints, was imminent. General manager Stan Bowman has already made multiple game-changing moves and could have more on the way.
 

Most Significant Offseason Moves

Trading the Bread Man

Just prior to the NHL Entry Draft, the Blackhawks sent shockwaves through the hockey world by completing a trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets that essentially flipped superstar winger Artemi Panarin for Brandon Saad.

Panarin, named rookie of the year in 2015-2016, has 61 goals and 151 points in 162 games over the past two years. He has put up back-to-back 70-plus point campaigns.

Saad, drafted by Chicago in 2011, put up 55 goals and 106 points in 160 games over the past two seasons in Columbus, including 53 points in each campaign. He spent parts of four seasons in Chicago before being dealt to Columbus for cap reasons in the summer of 2015.

On the surface, this looks like a lopsided move in favor of the Blue Jackets, but it’s not that simple. In no way is this trade an indication of Bowman’s dissatisfaction with Panarin’s performance. Rather, it has to do with ongoing cap management. Panarin and Saad both carry the same $6 million cap hit, but Saad’s deal carries an extra two years. Those two years are huge for a cap-straddled team looking to continue to contend for years to come.

Saad not only carries the extra two seasons of cap stability, but he could get star center Jonathan Toews back on track after back-to-back down years and an unremarkable playoff performance. The combination of those factors made sense for Bowman, but it is a very risky move any way you look at it. It would be unfair to simply compare the statlines of the two players next season, especially when so many aspects of the game factor into a player’s production. But both names will be linked, and Saad has a tall order to fill in Chicago.

The Marian Mess

When the initial rumors surfaced on Twitter, many thought the idea that Marian Hossa’s career could be over was someone’s idea of a sick joke. When the story gained traction and got confirmation from official sources, it was nothing less than stunning.

Hossa will miss the 2017-2018 season in its entirety because of a progressive skin disorder. The disorder is something he has been treating and managing for years, but he has suffered severe side effects from necessary medications, thus forcing his hand at least for next season. Many have questioned the legitimacy of the claim, however.

Hossa’s age (38) and contract (he signed a 12-year, $63.3 million deal in 2009 with just a $1 million salary starting this year) are the main reasons many have accused Chicago of cap circumvention. The league is investigating the matter to determine what form of cap relief, if any, the Blackhawks can obtain because of Hossa’s situation. According to Hawks president John McDonough, “conversations with the NHL are ongoing.”

Losing Hossa from the lineup is costly enough, as he played a significant role in the team’s three Stanley Cup championships since 2010 and is a great two-way forward. But when you throw in the fact that the Hawks could be on the hook for his $5.275 million cap hit, things get really dicey. In all likelihood, the Blackhawks will be able to place Hossa on LTIR (long-term injured reserve) on the first day of the season. This will clear up the $5.275 million, but that cap space will not be available until the start of the season, meaning Chicago will be unable to go out and spend that money in the offseason.

The Defensive Gamble

Bowman traded one of the most reliable defensemen in the league in Niklas Hjalmarsson and acquired a young, somewhat unproven defenseman in Connor Murphy. That is a mighty gamble, especially since Hjalmarsson has played such a crucial role in the team’s Cup runs. That being said, Bowman has long admired Murphy and is investing in the future. The 24-year-old blueliner checks in at 6 feet 4 inches and 212 pounds yet maintains an impressive skating ability. It’s hard to fully evaluate his body of work given the fact that he has been playing on an inconsistent team in Arizona. However, like Saad, Murphy provides long-term cost certainty. His $3.85 million cap hit is comparable to Hjalmarsson’s $4.1 million, but the extra three years on Murphy’s deal are the key here.

There’s no doubt the Blackhawks lost an excellent defenseman. Hjalmarsson has developed into one of the few true shutdown defensemen in the NHL, and he has been crucially instrumental in making this club the perennial Cup contender it has become. That being said, it’s not as though the Blackhawks’ defense was impenetrable to begin with. Sure, Michal Kempny, Ville Pokka and Gustav Forsling will have a shot in training camp, but losing Hjalmarsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk (taken in the expansion draft) could leave this team in defensive limbo. Bowman clearly has confidence in Murphy, and hiring Ulf Samuelsson as an assistant coach will help all of the young defensemen. Overall, it’s a gamble by Bowman, but it’s a cap-related move that could go either way in the end given its long-term benefits.

Sharpie’s Return

The Blackhawks also brought back former Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp on a team-friendly one-year, $1 million deal. Sharp will slot in to the team’s top-six (possibly on the top line unless Richard Panik retains his position) but can play anywhere in the top-nine. He provides great depth and obviously knows this team well after winning three Stanley Cup championships in Chicago. He is coming off a rough season in which he produced just eight goals and 18 points in 48 games. However, Sharp scored 55 points the year before and racked up 46 points in his last 65 playoff games in Chicago. This is a very smart move by Bowman that carries virtually zero risk given the contract.
 

Main Offseason Transactions

• Trade (April 28): G Scott Darling to Hurricanes for 2017 3rd-round pick
• Re-Sign (May 11): F Richard Panik to 2-year deal with AAV of $2.8 million
• Re-Sign (May 27): D Michal Kempny to 1-year contract at $900,000
• FA Signing (June 7): D Jan Rutta to 1-year ELC at $925,000
• Trade (June 23): F Artemi Panarin, F Tyler Motte and 2017 6th-round pick to Blue Jackets for F Brandon Saad, G Anton Forsberg and 2018 5th-round pick
• Trade (June 23): D Niklas Hjalmarsson to Coyotes for D Connor Murphy and F Laurent Dauphin
• Re-Sign (June 26): G Anton Forsberg to 2-year deal with AAV of $750,000
• Re-Sign (June 26): F Tomas Jurco to 1-year contract at $800,000
• FA Signing (July 1): F Patrick Sharp to 1-year contract at $800,000
• Trade (July 2): F Marcus Kruger to Golden Knights for future considerations

Key Player Movement

OUT

F Artemi Panarin
F Marian Hossa
D Niklas Hjalmarsson
D Trevor van Riemsdyk (expansion)
F Marcus Kruger
G Scott Darling
D Brian Campbell

IN

F Brandon Saad
F Patrick Sharp
D Connor Murphy
D Jan Rutta
F Tommy Wingels
F Lance Bouma
G Anton Forsberg
 

Final Thoughts

Bowman promised changes would be made after back-to-back first-round playoff exits, and he has delivered on that promise with gutsy moves. However, until a decision is made on Hossa’s contract status, Bowman’s hands are somewhat tied. But with Toews, Kane, Saad, Artem Anisimov, Sharp, Panik, Ryan Hartman and Nick Schmaltz all vying for top-six spots, there should be plenty of talent up front. The depth signings of Lance Bouma and Tommy Wingels will help round out the bottom-six, and if John Hayden plays the way he did at the end of last year, Chicago should have plenty of firepower.

Most will have their eyes on the play of Saad in his second stint with the Blackhawks, especially in comparison to the more offensively-lethal Panarin. However, the biggest question marks surround the Blackhawks’ committed belief in the ability of Murphy. Though he is not meant to be a true replacement for Hjalmarsson, Murphy will have to take on a heavy load for this Hawks team that won the Cup in 2015 on the backs of Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Hjalmarsson.

Considering Chicago has lost Panarin, Hossa, Hjalmarsson, van Riemsdyk and Scott Darling in the span of a few months, the roster is in relatively good shape. Is it better than last year’s team? A fair assessment might be that it’s not as good as last year’s regular-season team but that it could fare better in the postseason with Saad back on Toews’ wing, a little more speed and the return of Sharp. Chicago will face greater threats in the Western Conference as other teams stepped up this offseason, but the core of this team knows what it takes to win; it’s just a matter of whether they’re able to execute.
 
 

Colorado Avalanche

2016-2017 By the Numbers

Overall Record: 22-56-4-48
Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Standings: Central Division: 7, Western Conference: 14, League: 30
Goals For: 165 (NHL rank: 30)
Goals Against: 276 (NHL rank: 1)
Power Play Percentage: 12.6 percent (NHL rank: 30)
Penalty Kill Percentage: 76.6 percent (NHL rank: 29)
Leading Scorer: Nathan MacKinnon (16-37-53)

Summary of 2016-2017 Season Results

The Colorado Avalanche had a memorable season, but not at all in a good way. The team’s 48 points was the worst finish in the franchise’s 21 seasons in Colorado, and it was the worst regular-season NHL campaign since the Thrashers earned 39 points in the 1999-2000 season. Unfortunately for Colorado, things have gone from bad to worse.

Despite having the highest odds to earn the first-overall pick in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft, Colorado fell to the fourth pick as three other teams jumped ahead in the lottery. The team remains in the spotlight because of general manager Joe Sakic’s unwillingness to move Matt Duchene despite multiple offers. Sakic’s sky-high demands have been one of the most talked-about storylines going back to the trade deadline.

More recently, the 2017 recipient of the Hobey Baker Award (collegiate hockey MVP), Will Butcher, has decided to test the open market rather than sign an entry-level contract with the Avalanche. This is another sign that things in Colorado must turn around sooner rather than later. The Avs cannot continue to lose assets and remain an unattractive destination for current and future players.

The team’s limited offseason action is outlined below.
 

Most Significant Offseason Moves

Though Colorado has made some changes this offseason, the collective effect of these moves has been minimal.

Main Moves

1. The team bought out the final year of aging blueliner Francois Beauchemin’s contract in order to free up a protection slot for restricted free-agent defenseman Nikita Zadorov; however, Beauchemin’s 35+ contract yielded no cap relief.

2. Colorado acquired forward Colin Wilson from Nashville in exchange for a fourth-round pick. The deal was a salary dump for Nashville ($3.9375 million cap hit), but the former first-round pick could bring some offensive upside to Colorado. Wilson tallied 35 points in 70 games last season but has scored 15-plus goals three times and 30-plus points five times in his career. Considering it’s likely he’ll earn a top-six role for the Avs, those numbers could go up.

3. Colorado made an interesting signing on July 1 by bringing in Ducks backup netminder Jonathan Bernier on a one-year, $2.75 million deal. He makes up for losing promising goaltender Calvin Pickard in the expansion draft and also gives the Avs a lot more stability in the crease. Bernier played very well for the Ducks down the stretch last year and could make a big difference in Denver.

4. The Avalanche signed forward Nail Yakupov to a one-year contract. This is a very underrated move and is one many clubs could have and probably should have made. Yakupov will have a real chance to prove himself on a team desperate for offense and excitement after suiting up in just 40 games for St. Louis last year. Yakupov’s performance at the NHL level has been a major disappointment after he went first overall in 2012. This is a no-risk, high-reward move by the Avs and it could pay off in a big way.

Duchene Deal

The best offseason move the Avalanche have made so far this offseason has, unfortunately for Colorado, not taken place yet. It’s rare to discuss a move that hasn’t happened, but in this case, it’s worth mentioning. Trading Matt Duchene is a must for the Avalanche at this point. Duchene is a prized commodity in today’s NHL as a top-six center with top-line ability. Though his numbers have been inconsistent over the years, stepping onto a more developed and complete team could give him the necessary skill and assistance to reach his potential. He has tremendous skill and could be a big producer for various teams around the league.

Sakic has dangled him for a long time now and has (reportedly) turned down solid offers. He has not wavered from his initial (somewhat unrealistic) trade demands of a top-four defenseman, a very solid prospect and a first-round pick. At this point, though, he might be forced to keep Duchene or settle for a lesser deal now that he has toyed with so many general managers around the league. Duchene is the kind of player Colorado needs, but the team is in total rebuild mode; it’s no secret that he and Gabriel Landeskog have been on the block for quite some time. At this point, Duchene and his agent are frustrated and ready to move on. It will continue to be a huge distraction if it stretches into training camp and the regular season.
 

Main Offseason Transactions

• Draft pick signing (May 12): D Andrei Mironov to 2-year ELC with AAV of $925,000
• Buyout (June 15): D Francois Beauchemin – $0 cap savings in 2017-2018 (35+ contract)
• Re-Sign (June 28): F Sven Andrighetto to 2-year deal with AAV of $1.4 million
• Trade (July 1): 2019 4th-round pick to Nashville for F Colin Wilson
• FA Signing (July 1): G Jonathan Bernier to 1-year contract at $2.75 million
• FA Signing (July 4): F Nail Yakupov to 1-year contract at $875,000
• Re-Sign (July 25): F Matt Nieto to 1-year contract at $1 million
• Re-Sign (July 26): F Rocco Grimaldi to 1-year contract at $650,000

Key Player Movement

OUT

D Francois Beauchemin
G Calvin Pickard (expansion)
F Jarome Iginla
F Rene Bourque
D Eric Gelinas
F John Mitchell

IN

G Jonathan Bernier
F Nail Yakupov
F Colin Wilson
 

Final Thoughts

One of the biggest weaknesses of this Avalanche team is defense, and that’s not something the team has addressed or improved thus far. There are three signed NHL defensemen on the roster, including Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie, as well as Mark Barberio, a borderline third-pairing guy. The team bought out the final year of Beauchemin’s contract, but that was done mainly for protection reasons. Management finally negotiated an entry-level deal with Russian defenseman Andrei Mironov, who will compete for a spot in training camp. That still leaves a lot to be desired, especially in front of inconsistent goaltending.

In fact, goaltending could make or break Colorado’s success this season. The Avs decided to protect starter Semyon Varlamov over Pickard in the expansion draft. Varlamov’s play has been shaky at best, and he is coming off a very rough season filled with poor play and nagging injuries. The team did bring in Bernier, who should provide Varlamov with much more support and could create a great 1a, 1b kind of situation.

But the Duchene mess takes center stage in Colorado. The fact that Sakic has turned down reported deals involving players like Travis Hamonic is concerning. Even if he wasn’t offered Hamonic and a first-round pick, the fact that Sakic failed to negotiate a deal and walked away from a guy like Hamonic, who really could have helped this team, is puzzling.

Though it’s clear that Colorado is in rebuild mode, Sakic needs to right the ship. The last-minute coaching change last summer didn’t do the team any favors, and prolonging the Duchene controversy will not improve matters. This is a team that could use a few breaks, but Sakic is the one who needs to get the ball puck rolling.
 
 

Dallas Stars

2016-2017 By the Numbers

Overall Record: 34-37-11-79
Playoff Result: Did not make playoffs
Standings: Central Division: 6, Western Conference: 11, League: 24
Goals For: 222 (NHL rank: 16)
Goals Against: 260 (NHL rank: 2)
Power Play Percentage: 17.9 percent (NHL rank: 20)
Penalty Kill Percentage: 73.9 percent (NHL rank: 30)
Leading Scorer: Tyler Seguin (26-46-72)

Summary of 2016-2017 Season Results

The Dallas Stars had a disappointing season filled with frustration. Injuries ravaged the lineup, the goaltenders struggled tremendously and the penalty kill was the worst NHL PK in the last 20 years.

Just one year removed from having the second-best regular-season point total in the entire NHL (109 pts), Dallas found itself on the outside looking in, finishing sixth in the division (79 pts) ahead of only the league-worst Colorado Avalanche (48 pts).

The coaching staff became stale and ineffective, players were not used efficiently or effectively and the window of opportunity seemed to be narrowing on a team that had so much promise the year before.

Enter general manager Jim Nill. He has used this offseason to throw that window wide open and bring this club from painful underachievement to true Cup contention on the rise. Here’s an overview of what he has done.
 

Most Significant Offseason Moves

Big Ben

Until recently, goaltender Ben Bishop had been the subject of constant speculation for more than a year. It was decided he would not be the goalie of the future for Tampa Bay because of the significant raise he was due, and it was unclear which team in desperate need of a starter would land his services. He was traded to Los Angeles at the trade deadline, a move that puzzled many. But Nill wasted no time, acquiring his rights from the Kings in early May and quickly signing him to an incredibly team-friendly six-year, $29.5 million extension. It was believed Bishop would fetch $7-8 million in the free-agency market, but Dallas signed him for just $4.916 million per year .

That $4.916 million cap hit ranks 17th in the NHL among goalies. Some of the goalies ahead of him on the list include Dallas teammate Kari Lehtonen as well as Mike Smith, Jimmy Howard and Frederik Andersen, to name a few.

The value of the contract is shocking, even if Bishop’s 2016-2017 numbers were not as impressive as previous years. But he is an elite goalie who led the Lightning to a Cup appearance and back-to-back Conference Finals appearances in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.

Bishop deserves a lot of credit for this deal, too. Term was extremely important to him, especially since he’ll be 31 in November. He wanted to play for a team with a win-now mentality that was ready to contend now. Plus, he has ties to the Dallas area, making it a strong personal fit as well.

This was an outstanding move for the Dallas Stars, but Nill was just getting started.

Bold FA Signings

The Stars have two of the most talented forwards in the league in Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, as well as a third star forward in Jason Spezza. That’s what makes Nill’s aggressive summer activity that much more surprising considering he went out and brought in two more big-name top-six weapons.

The first player added to the mix was center Martin Hanzal. Hanzal’s stats don’t live up to his billing, but that’s partly because he has missed time over the years with various injuries and hasn’t always had the best linemates. He is coming off a 20-goal season split between Arizona and Minnesota, though. Hanzal brings incredible size to the table with a 6-foot-6, 226-pound frame, and he gives Dallas plenty of flexibility throughout the lineup. Dallas could become one of the more formidable Western Conference teams up the middle with Seguin, Spezza and Hanzal, not to mention 23-year-old Radek Faksa.

Dallas further improved its already-deep pool of talent up front by bringing in Alexander Radulov, who is coming off a tryout season of sorts after playing in the KHL since 2012. Montreal took a chance on him last year and was rewarded, as Radulov put up 18 goals and 54 points in 76 games while adding two goals and seven points in six postseason contests. The Habs weren’t prepared to offer him the money he was seeking, and that’s when Nill stepped in.

Dallas signed Radulov to a six-year deal that carries a $6.25 million cap hit. While that’s a substantial contract for a 31-year-old player after only one season of success in recent years, it shows how serious the Dallas organization is about winning, and about doing so now.

Marc It

The Stars were able to send a 2020 second-round pick and the team’s seventh-round selection in this year’s NHL Entry Draft (G Dylan Ferguson) to Vegas in exchange for veteran defenseman Marc Methot. This move provided an instant upgrade to Dallas’ defense and left many general managers wondering why they didn’t make the same deal.

Methot’s experience playing alongside an elite offensive defenseman in Erik Karlsson makes him a perfect fit to play with right-handed offensive defenseman John Klingberg, who has put up 49, 58 and 40 points in the past three years, respectively. Having Methot in the mix also gives Dallas the option of using Dan Hamhuis and Esa Lindell on the other two pairings, which will give the team some defensive ability on every pairing. Dallas has Stephen Johns, Patrik Nemeth and Greg Pateryn under contract as well, though prospect Julias Honka could make the team out of training camp. The team also signed John Nyberg to a three-year deal.

This was an easy-yet-significant transaction by Nill and should pay dividends for the Stars this season and next, as Methot is signed for the next two years at a $4.9 million cap hit.
 

Behind the Bench

One move that cannot be overlooked is the coaching change, which saw the departure of Lindy Ruff and the hiring of former Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock. This is significant for many reasons.

For one thing, Ruff was not getting the job done, and this past season was a prime example of his ineffectiveness. But more importantly, Dallas has struggled mightily on defense and in net for the past several years. Though the combined goals scored by the team’s top three offensive players (Benn, Seguin and Spezza) decreased by 40 goals between 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, this club’s problem is not on offense.

Adding Methot to the fold was a very smart play, but while Nill presumably solved the problem in net by bringing in Bishop, there are still issues on the back end.

That’s where hiring Hitchcock, a defense-first coach, becomes so relevant. He might not have enough pieces with which to work, but he will make the forwards more accountable and will improve the team’s overall defensive ability, starting in net. Plus, Hitchcock’s experience working with goalie tandems in St. Louis could help Kari Lehtonen’s confidence and play.

Another significant aspect of the coaching change is the fate of Valeri Nichushkin, who left Dallas in part because of Ruff. Though the former first-round pick will play in the KHL this season, he could return to the Stars lineup as early as next year. The Stars still believe in Nichushkin and in his role on this team, as demonstrated by the team’s decision to protect him in the expansion draft. Now that Ruff is gone, this situation could develop positively for the Stars moving forward.
 

Main Offseason Transactions

• Trade (May 9): 2017 4th-round pick to LAK for rights to G Ben Bishop
• Re-Sign (May 12): G Ben Bishop to 6-year deal with AAV of $4.916 million
• Re-Sign (June 26): D Esa Lindell to 2-year deal with AAV of $2.2 million
• Trade (June 26): 2018 2nd-round pick, G Dylan Ferguson to Vegas for D Marc Methot
• Buyout (June 27): G Antti Niemi – $3 million cap savings in 2017-2018
• FA Signing (July 1): F Martin Hanzal to 3-year deal with AAV of $4.75 million
• FA Signing (July 3): F Alexander Radulov to 5-year deal with AAV of $6.25 million
• Re-Sign (July 6): F Brett Ritchie to 2-year deal with AAV of $1.75 million
• Re-Sign (July 10): F Radek Faksa to 3-year deal with AAV of $2.2 million

Key Player Movement

OUT

G Antti Niemi
F Cody Eakin (expansion)
F Patrick Eaves
F Patrick Sharp
F Ales Hemsky
F Jiri Hudler
D Jordie Benn
D Johnny Oduya

IN

G Ben Bishop
F Martin Hanzal
F Alexander Radulov
D Marc Methot
F Tyler Pitlick
 

Final Thoughts

The Dallas Stars have had the most effective offseason of any team in the National Hockey League. Nill has brought in four significant upgrades via free agency and trade and has put this team in an excellent position to be Cup contenders once again. Though Dallas still has a lot of work to do, hiring the defensive-minded Hitchcock and adding the talents of Bishop, Hanzal, Radulov and Methot will help this team make considerable progress. Nill will be nominated for general manager of the year for his masterful offseason, and the rest of the West better watch out: the Stars mean business.
 
 

Minnesota Wild

2016-2017 By the Numbers

Overall Record: 49-25-8-106
Playoff Result: Eliminated in Conference Quarter-Finals by St. Louis (4-1 STL)
Standings: Central Division: 2, Western Conference: 2, League: 5
Goals For: 263 (NHL rank: 2)
Goals Against: 206 (NHL rank: 24)
Power Play Percentage: 21.0 percent (NHL rank: 9)
Penalty Kill Percentage: 82.9 percent (NHL rank: 8)
Leading Scorer: Mikael Granlund (26-43-69)

Summary of 2016-2017 Season Results

The Minnesota Wild had an impressive and memorable regular season. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the team’s postseason. That doesn’t mean the team choked or failed to show up, since that’s certainly not true. However, despite how hard and how well the team played in the first-round series against the Blues, no one could solve the problem that was Jake Allen. In the end, the Wild threw away a spectacular season during which the team had multiple dominant stretches, including a 12-game winning streak. New bench boss Bruce Boudreau seemingly transformed this team during the regular season, but his playoff nightmares from years past seemed to catch up to him. He ran a tight ship during the regular-season campaign, however. The Wild ran four lines all year, and three of them were legitimate scoring lines. Between the offense firing on all cylinders, the talented defense keeping things together and the secure and consistent play of starting netminder Devan Dubnyk, it was hard to beat the Wild. That’s something the Wild will look to take into next season, but it’s hard to tell how much last year’s playoff sting will affect this team moving forward.
 

Most Significant Offseason Moves

Expansion Draft Deal

The Wild faced a frightening situation given the number of players left unprotected ahead of the Vegas Expansion Draft. That being said, Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher was able to work out a deal with Vegas general manager George McPhee to ensure the safety of the team’s best assets. The protection list was occupied by forwards Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Jason Pominville, Charlie Coyle, Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter and Jason Zucker, defensemen Ryan Suter, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin and goaltender Devan Dubnyk. This left defensemen Matt Dumba and Marco Scandella exposed. Both players are top-four defensemen and therefore extremely valuable.

Fletcher was able to arrange for forward Erik Haula to be the player chosen in the expansion draft. In order to make that happen, the Wild had to part with top prospect Alex Tuch but landed a third-round pick in return. It was a pricey but completely necessary deal to protect Dumba and Scandella, as well as forward Eric Staal.

Buffalo Trade

The Wild then shipped Marco Scandella, Jason Pominville and a fourth-round pick to Buffalo for forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno and a third-round pick. This was done primarily to clear cap space, though Fletcher believes it also makes the team better up front. Pominville is coming off a solid season (13-34-47) in which he played an important role in the team’s top-nine. The former Sabres captain carries a $5.6 million average annual value through 2018-2019, which is $1 million more than Ennis’ $4.6 million AAV. Scandella has three years left at a $4 million cap hit, which is outstanding value for a top-four defenseman, even if he wasn’t as solid as Minnesota’s other rearguards last year. Though Foligno has yet to be resigned, the deal cut $5 million of cap space from Minnesota’s books, which will turn out to be several million dollars more than whatever Foligno makes.

That being said, this is a questionable move. Acquiring Foligno makes sense and is a move that can’t really be criticized, but the same cannot be said about Ennis. Ennis has a lot of skill but has struggled to produce in recent years. He’s coming off a five-goal, 13-point campaign in 51 games and has a combined 24 points in 74 games over the past two seasons. Those numbers are more than concerning for a player who is now the fifth-highest paid forward on the Wild roster. He could rediscover his game, especially since his childhood best friend, Jared Spurgeon, will now be his teammate. But aside from reaching 20 goals three times, Ennis has never reached the 50-point mark in his career.

RFA Status

As restricted free agents, both Nino Niederreiter and Mikael Granlund filed for salary arbitration earlier this offseason. However, Fletcher was able to reach deals with both players before the arbitration hearings. Specifically, Niederreiter was locked up for five more years at $5.25 million per, and Granlund signed a three-year extension with a $5.75 million cap hit.

Both deals are reasonable for both sides and make a lot of sense. Niederreiter set career-highs in goals (25), assists (32), points (57), plus/minus (+17), power-play goals (8), power-play points (14) and shots (186). Also, he has missed just three regular-season contests in the past four seasons. Granlund led the team in scoring with 69 points while also setting career-highs across the board, including goals (26), assists (43), points (69), plus/minus (+23), power-play goals (7), power-play points (20), shorthanded goals (3), game-winning goals (4) and shots (177). He finally played like the star forward he was supposed to be, which is a very encouraging sign for the Wild moving forward.

Niederreiter and Granlund are key cogs in this Wild offense and were both great signings for the club. This is especially true since both players reportedly sought AAV’s of at least $6 million. Recent contract settlements for comparable RFA forwards likely worked in Minnesota’s favor, as players like the Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad and Tampa’s Ondrej Palat signed for $5.35 and $5.3 million, respectively.

The only unsigned player remaining on the team is Foligno, though he did not file for arbitration. The team has a little over $3 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly. This will be more than enough to get a deal done.

Other Dealings

Replenishing the D

The Wild signed former Hurricanes defenseman Ryan Murphy after he was traded and then bought out by Calgary. Murphy could prove to be a very smart signing, especially on a team with plenty of depth on the back end. Murphy, a former first-round pick (12) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, could find his game in Minny. The team signed unrestricted free agent Kyle Quincey to a one-year deal as well, so there shouldn’t be much pressure on Murphy.

Backup Plan

One area of great concert for the Wild entering the offseason was the backup goalie position. Though Darcy Kuemper has had his moments over the years, he was often terrible last season and forced Dubnyk to play way too frequently. The team has Niklas Svedberg and Alex Stalock as backups, but it’s unclear if either will get the job done. That’s something that will be reevaluated after training camp, but neither is a true solution at this point.
 

Main Offseason Transactions

• Trade (June 14): F Tyler Graovac to Washington for 2018 5th-round pick
• Trade (June 21): F Alex Tuch to Vegas for Vegas to select F Erik Haula in expansion draft instead of Marco Scandella/Matt Dumba, as well as a 3rd-round pick in either 2017 or 2018
• Trade (June 23): F Jordan Schroeder to Columbus for F Dante Salituro
• Trade (June 30): D Marco Scandella, F Jason Pominville and 4th-round pick to Buffalo for F Tyler Ennis, F Marcus Foligno and 3rd-round pick
• FA Signing (July 1): D Ryan Murphy to 1-year contract at $700,000
• FA Signing (July 1): F Kyle Rau to 1-year contract at $700,000
• FA Signing (July 1): D Kyle Quincey to 1-year contract at $1.25 million
• Re-Sign (July 2): D Mike Reilly to 2-year deal with AAV of $725,000

Key Player Movement

OUT

D Marco Scandella
F Jason Pominville
F Martin Hanzal
F Erik Haula (expansion)
F Alex Tuch
F Tyler Graovac
G Darcy Kuemper
D Nate Prosser
D Christian Folin

IN

F Tyler Ennis
F Marcus Foligno
D Ryan Murphy
D Kyle Quincey
G Niklas Svedberg
 

Final Thoughts

Minnesota hasn’t made too many bold moves this offseason. The team let Martin Hanzal walk after giving up a first-round pick to get him at the trade deadline. Unfortunately, that gamble did not pay off, as Hanzal failed to make a difference in the playoffs. The team also says goodbye to Kuemper, Haula, Scandella, Pominville and others.

Fortunately, the team still has more than enough skill to be a true threat next season.

Regardless, Fletcher has not done enough at this point to prepare this team for a long playoff run. Yes, the Wild completely outplayed St. Louis in the team’s first-round playoff exit, but it was still a first-round playoff exit. That is an unacceptable result for a team that had such a phenomenal regular season.

Players like Mikko Koivu (18-40-58) and Eric Staal (28-37-65) are likely to see a drop in production this season, which means the younger forwards in the team’s core will have to step up. Niederreiter and Granlund are two such players, and both players have made a commitment to this Wild team. One player that needs to step up is Zach Parise, who was not worthy of his 13-year, $98 million contract last season.

Minnesota has some star individuals, but it’s truly a team effort for the Wild club. The Wild found success because of Boudreau’s overhaul of the attitude and mentality of this team. Players built chemistry that was never there before and everyone contributed to the team’s success on a consistent basis. The Wild should be able to reproduce that effort this year, it’s just a matter of whether the team can keep it up long enough to save enough energy and drive for a deep playoff run. The Wild will make the playoffs, but beyond that, anything could happen.
 
 

Nashville Predators

2016-2017 By the Numbers

Overall Record: 41-29-12-94
Playoff Result: Defeated in Stanley Cup Final by Pittsburgh (4-2 PIT)
Standings: Central Division: 4, Western Conference: 8, League: 16
Goals For: 238 (NHL rank: 11)
Goals Against: 220 (NHL rank: 16)
Power Play Percentage: 18.9 percent (NHL rank: 16)
Penalty Kill Percentage: 80.9 percent (NHL rank: 15)
Leading Scorer: Viktor Arvidsson (31-30-61), Ryan Johansen (14-47-61)

Summary of 2016-2017 Season Results

The Nashville Predators have made two blockbuster trades in the past two years and are now one of the most exciting clubs in the National Hockey League. Smashville surprised the hockey world by sweeping Chicago and knocking out St. Louis and Anaheim to make the team’s first Stanley Cup appearance in franchise history. Under the leadership of head coach Peter Laviolette, this Preds team has a little of everything. As with many teams that make such a deep playoff run, the roster has changed a fair amount in the offseason, and several of the players involved are relevant. Here is an overview of how Nashville has approached its offseason after falling just two wins short of winning Lord Stanley’s prize.
 

Most Significant Offseason Moves

Expansion Draft

The Nashville Predators have one of the best defenses in the National Hockey League and therefore had to protect four defensemen in the Vegas Expansion Draft. Doing so meant that only four forwards could be protected. With Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson as locks, the choice essentially came down to Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal. Though Neal is a top-six sniper who has scored at least 20 goals in all nine full NHL seasons of his career, Jarnkrok is an important piece up the middle for a team without much depth at center. Jarnkrok is coming off his most impressive season with 15 goals and 31 points in 81 games and stepped up when Johansen went down in the playoffs. He is an important player on the team’s power-play and penalty-kill as well, and the versatile Swede’s $2 million cap hit for the next five years is hard to beat. In the end, Jarnkrok got the spot, and the Predators were unable to work out a deal with Vegas to keep Neal in Nashville. Losing Neal will be difficult, but he only managed nine points in 22 postseason games. General manager David Poile is relying on the rest of the team to step up and for his offseason acquisitions to make up for Neal’s regular-season production.

New Additions

Poile made two main offseason additions via free agency, bringing in center Nick Bonino and former Predator Scott Hartnell.

Bonino generated considerable interest on the open market after playing a key role as the Penguins’ third-line center in back-to-back Cup seasons, especially in 2015-2016 as a member of the HBK line with Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel. Though Bonino is not a true second-line center given his point production, he is a solid middle-six guy and brings a strong two-way game, which should make him a solid fit behind Johansen. The Preds still have