NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division
Divisions:
Pacific | Central
Atlantic | Metropolitan (Oct. 2)
The Atlantic Division features a few of the league's strongest teams, but also some of its weakest. Only one of the top dogs made a significant addition, while two of the rebuilding teams pulled off blockbuster trades.
Here's how each Atlantic club fared this offseason:
Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted. Total contract value doesn't include bonuses.
Boston Bruins
STR / AFP / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Moore | D | 5 years | $13.75M |
| Jaroslav Halak | G | 2 years | $5.5M |
| Joakim Nordstrom | LW | 2 years | $2M |
| Chris Wagner | C | 2 years | $2.5M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Rick Nash | LW | Unsigned/Considering retirement |
| Riley Nash | C | Signed with Blue Jackets |
| Anton Khudobin | G | Signed with Stars |
| Tim Schaller | LW | Signed with Canucks |
| Tommy Wingels | RW | Signed in Switzerland |
| Paul Postma | D | Signed in KHL |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Donato | LW | 2014 2nd-round pick |
| Anders Bjork | LW | 2015 5th-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Kuraly | C | 3 years | $3.825M |
Riley Nash's departure as the club's third-line center could hurt more than some think, especially if Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci miss some time like they did a year ago.
John Moore was a nice addition at a reasonable cost to solidify the left side of the club's blue line, but no other major upgrades were made. Instead, the Bruins will look to give bigger roles to some of their younger players.
Grade: C
Buffalo Sabres
Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conor Sheary | LW | 2 years | $6M (trade with Penguins) |
| Matt Hunwick | D | 2 years | $4.5M (trade with Penguins) |
| Patrik Berglund | C | 4 years | $15.4M (trade with Blues) |
| Vladimir Sobotka | LW | 2 years | $7M (trade with Blues) |
| Tage Thompson | RW | 2 years | $1.85M (trade with Blues) |
| Jeff Skinner | LW | 1 year | $5.725M (trade with Hurricanes) |
| Scott Wilson | LW | 2 years | $2.1M (trade with Red Wings) |
| Carter Hutton | G | 3 years | $8.25M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan O'Reilly | C | Traded to Blues |
| Robin Lehner | G | Signed with Islanders |
| Chad Johnson | G | Signed with Blues |
| Viktor Antipin | D | Signed in KHL |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Rasmus Dahlin | D | 2018 1st-round pick |
| Casey Mittelstadt | C | 2017 1st-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Reinhart | RW | 2 years | $7.3M |
Trading Ryan O'Reilly was unnecessary, and the three depth forwards they received in the deal won't be able to replace one of the game's best two-way centers.
However, there are a lot of positives to take away from the Sabres' offseason. The Jeff Skinner trade was a steal if he signs an extension, Carter Hutton was signed to a low-risk, high-reward contract, and they won the rights to draft a franchise cornerstone in Rasmus Dahlin.
Buffalo won't be contending for a playoff spot in this top-heavy division this season, but it's generally moving in the right direction.
Grade: B
Detroit Red Wings
Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Vanek | LW | 1 year | $3M |
| Jonathan Bernier | G | 3 years | $9M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Henrik Zetterberg | C | Playing career over (back) |
| Xavier Ouellet | D | Signed with Canadiens |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Rasmussen | C | 2017 1st-round pick |
| Evgeny Svechnikov | RW | 2015 1st-round pick |
| Dennis Cholowski | D | 2016 1st-round pick |
| Joe Hicketts | D | Undrafted |
| Christoffer Ehn | C | 2014 4th-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Frk | RW | 1 year | $1.05M |
| Tyler Bertuzzi | LW | 2 years | $2.8M |
| Mike Green | D | 2 years | $10.75M |
| Andreas Athanasiou | C | 2 years | $6M |
| Anthony Mantha | LW | 2 years | $6.6M |
| Dylan Larkin | C | 5 years | $30.5M |
Other than losing the heart and soul of the team in Henrik Zetterberg, the Red Wings won't look a whole lot different this coming season. They added Thomas Vanek up front but failed to upgrade their back end, which mostly contains over-the-hill veterans.
Standing pat wasn't necessarily the wrong move for general manager Ken Holland, since the youth movement is essentially in full swing. However, it'll take some time before the Wings are competitive again.
Grade: C-
Florida Panthers
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mike Hoffman | RW | 2 years | $10.375M (trade with Sharks) |
| Troy Brouwer | RW | 1 year | $850K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Radim Vrbata | RW | Retired |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Henrik Borgstrom | LW | 2016 1st-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Vatrano | LW | 1 year | $925K |
| Jared McCann | C | 2 years | $2.5M |
| Alex Petrovic | D | 1 year | $1.95M |
Making minimal changes was probably the best move for the cap-strapped Panthers. They took some time adjusting to a new coach in Bob Boughner in 2017-18, but really hit their stride in the second half, finishing the season 25-8-2 and one point out of the playoffs.
Work could've been done to address the blue line, but the addition of Mike Hoffman gives the Cats one of the league's most potent top-six forward groups. The Panthers are talented enough to earn a wild-card berth, but their questionable depth means they'll need a clean bill of health.
Grade: C+
Montreal Canadiens
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Domi | C | 2 years | $6.3M (trade with Coyotes) |
| Joel Armia | RW | 1 year | $.185M (trade with Jets) |
| Xavier Ouellet | D | 1 year | $700K |
| Tomas Tatar | LW | 3 years | $14.4M (trade with Golden Knights) |
| Matthew Peca | C | 2 years | $2.6M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Galchenyuk | C | Traded to Coyotes |
| Max Pacioretty | LW | Traded to Golden Knights |
| Daniel Carr | LW | Signed with Golden Knights |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | C | 2018 1st-round pick |
| Noah Juulsen | D | 2015 1st-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phillip Danault | C | 3 years | $9.25M |
Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin got a solid return for Max Pacioretty, getting a decent replacement in Tomas Tatar, a top prospect in Nick Suzuki, and a draft pick. However, the trade makes the club worse in the short term. The Domi-Galchenyuk swap, however, could prove to look bad for the Habs both for this season and in the future.
Montreal is still a ways away from competing, but it's moving in the right direction by acquiring young talent.
Grade: C+
Ottawa Senators
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mikkel Boedker | LW | 2 years | $8M (trade with Sharks) |
| Chris Tierney | C | 2 years | $5.875M (trade with Sharks) |
| Dylan DeMelo | D | 2 years | $1.8M (trade with Sharks) |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Hoffman | RW | Traded to Sharks |
| Alex Burrows | RW | Retired |
| Fredrik Claesson | D | Signed with Rangers |
| Erik Karlsson | D | Traded to Sharks |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Brady Tkachuk | LW | 2018 1st-round pick |
| Colin White | C | 2015 1st-round pick |
| Alex Formenton | LW | 2017 2nd-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Wideman | D | 1 year | $1M |
| Mark Stone | RW | 1 year | $7.35M |
| Cody Ceci | D | 1 year | $4.3M |
The Senators failed to maximize the return of two valuable trade assets and made the questionable decision to keep this year's first-round pick instead of 2019's, when potential franchise-changer Jack Hughes will be available, amid an offseason full of drama.
It's safe to say Ottawa's front office isn't inspiring much confidence. It's going to be a long year in the nation's capital after an abysmal summer.
Grade: F
Tampa Bay Lightning
Mike Carlson / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivals
N/A
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Kunitz | LW | Signed with Blackhawks |
| Matthew Peca | C | Signed with Canadiens |
| Andrej Sustr | D | Signed with Ducks |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Mathieu Joseph | LW | 2015 4th-round pick |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Domingue | G | 2 years | $2.3M |
| J.T. Miller | LW | 5 years | $26.25M |
| Ryan McDonagh | D | 7 years | $47.25M |
| Slater Koekkoek | D | 1 year | $865K |
| Nikita Kucherov | RW | 8 years | $76M |
| Cedric Pacquette | C | 1 year | $1M |
| Adam Erne | LW | 1 year | $800K |
The Lightning didn't make any significant additions this offseason; frankly, they didn't need to. They're arguably the NHL's most complete team, and could hold that title for years to come after locking up big pieces of their core.
Grade: B-
Toronto Maple Leafs
Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / GettyKey arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Par Lindholm | C | 1 year | $925K |
| Igor Ozhiganov | D | 1 year | $925K |
| John Tavares | C | 7 years | $77M |
| Tyler Ennis | LW | 1 year | $650K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Tyler Bozak | C | Signed with Blues |
| Tomas Plekanec | C | Signed with Canadiens |
| Roman Polak | D | Signed with Stars |
| Leo Komarov | LW | Signed with Islanders |
| James van Riemsdyk | LW | Signed with Flyers |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Andreas Johnsson | LW | 2013 7th-round pick |
| Igor Ozhiganov | D | Undrafted |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andreas Johnsson | LW | 1 year | $788K |
The Maple Leafs are one of the offseason's big winners after landing one of the best free agents to hit the open market in NHL history. However, failing to add a proven right-handed defenseman to solidify the back end prevents them from receiving a perfect grade.
Grade: A
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