The Wings find themselves in a rut. Yes, they have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons, but they have been eliminated in the first round in four of the past five. So, the Red Wings' goal is to become a Stanley Cup contender again without going through the pains of rebuilding and missing the playoffs.
"Rebuilds take 8-10 years in my opinion, and that's if you want to tank it and go through a massive rebuild. I don't think anybody wants to go through a massive rebuild. I think we've got to try to marginally get better, maybe change the look of our team a little bit, and we've got to try to find a way to make the playoffs and give ourselves another opportunity." Detroit general manager Ken Holland said.
To help, Detroit signed free agent center Frans Nielsen to a six-year contract reportedly worth $31.5 million on July 1 (an average annual value of $5.25 million). Nielsen, 32, had 20 goals and 52 points and was plus-12 in 81 games with the New York Islanders last season. Datsyuk, 38, had 16 goals and 49 points in 66 games.
"Our No. 1 priority was a center... [Frans] played behind [John] Tavares (in New York) and had a lot of responsibility offensively and defensively. We feel he's a 200-foot player." Holland said.
The Red Wings also signed right wing Thomas Vanek to a one-year contract worth $2.6 million and forward Steve Ott to a one-year, $800,000 contract.
Vanek, 32, has 316 NHL goals in 11 seasons but a combined 39 the past two with the Minnesota Wild, who bought out his contract.
Detroit re-signed goaltender Petr Mrazek, defensemen Danny DeKeyser and Alexey Marchenko, and forwards Glendening and Darren Helm. Mrazek, who will go into the season as the No. 1 goaltender, signed a two-year contract worth $8 million (AAV: $4 million) on July 27, the day when his arbitration hearing was scheduled. He earned $737,500 last season, when he was spectacular in January (7-1-1, 1.32 GAA, .952 save percentage) but slumped from the middle of February until the end of the regular season, when he was pulled in five of 14 starts.
The 24-year-old lost the job to former No. 1 Jimmy Howard but returned to start Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning and played the remainder of the series, which Detroit lost in five games.
Mrazek was 27-16-6 with a 2.33 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and four shutouts. The previous day, DeKeyser signed a six-year contract worth $30 million (AAV: $5 million). The 26-year-old was the Red Wings' best and most consistent defenseman last season, and had eight goals and 20 points in 78 games. He was second on Detroit in ice time (21:48), behind Niklas Kronwall (22:00), and first among defensemen in average ice time while shorthanded (2:41).
Detroit signed Glendening to a four-year, $7.2 million contract extension on July 14 (AAV: $1.8 million), and retained Helm and Marchenko on July 1. Helm signed a five-year contract worth $19.25 million (AAV: $3.85 million) and Marchenko a two-year contract reportedly worth $2.9 million (AAV: $1.45 million). The Red Wings also signed fourth line penalty-killing specialist Drew Miller. The left wing, who is coming off knee surgery, got a one-year contract reportedly worth $1.025 million, and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year contract reportedly worth $812,500. Pulkkinen will miss the first two months of the season recovering from shoulder surgery.
For the first time in 15 years, they will not have center Pavel Datsyuk leading the charge to the postseason. Datsyuk, 38, decided this spring that he wanted to return to Russia and finish his career there despite having a year remaining on his NHL contract. As a result, the Red Wings traded Datsyuk and the No. 16 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft to the Coyotes for the No. 20 and No. 53 picks, as well as forward Joe Vitale. The deal cleared a $7.5 million NHL salary-cap charge against the Red Wings, giving them financial flexibility to reshape their roster. Datsyuk then returned to Russia and will play this season for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League.
"Our No. 1 priority was a center... [Frans] played behind [John] Tavares (in New York) and had a lot of responsibility offensively and defensively. We feel he's a 200-foot player." Holland said.
The Red Wings also signed right wing Thomas Vanek to a one-year contract worth $2.6 million and forward Steve Ott to a one-year, $800,000 contract.
Vanek, 32, has 316 NHL goals in 11 seasons but a combined 39 the past two with the Minnesota Wild, who bought out his contract.
The 24-year-old lost the job to former No. 1 Jimmy Howard but returned to start Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning and played the remainder of the series, which Detroit lost in five games.
Mrazek was 27-16-6 with a 2.33 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and four shutouts. The previous day, DeKeyser signed a six-year contract worth $30 million (AAV: $5 million). The 26-year-old was the Red Wings' best and most consistent defenseman last season, and had eight goals and 20 points in 78 games. He was second on Detroit in ice time (21:48), behind Niklas Kronwall (22:00), and first among defensemen in average ice time while shorthanded (2:41).
Detroit signed Glendening to a four-year, $7.2 million contract extension on July 14 (AAV: $1.8 million), and retained Helm and Marchenko on July 1. Helm signed a five-year contract worth $19.25 million (AAV: $3.85 million) and Marchenko a two-year contract reportedly worth $2.9 million (AAV: $1.45 million). The Red Wings also signed fourth line penalty-killing specialist Drew Miller. The left wing, who is coming off knee surgery, got a one-year contract reportedly worth $1.025 million, and right wing Teemu Pulkkinen, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year contract reportedly worth $812,500. Pulkkinen will miss the first two months of the season recovering from shoulder surgery.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers are coming off the most successful regular season in their history, but that wasn't good enough for them. After losing in the Eastern Conference First Round in six games to the New York Islanders, the Panthers decided to revamp their defense with an overhaul rarely seen by a team that had 103 points. Keith Yandle, Jason Demers and Mark Pysyk arrived in the offseason in trades and free agency. Four of the six defensemen who played in the Panthers' 2015-16 season opener, Brian Campbell, Dmitry Kulikov, Erik Gudbranson and Willie Mitchell, are gone.
The biggest question the Lightning faced entering the offseason was if they would be able to re-sign captain Steven Stamkos before the free agent market opened July 1. On June 29, the Lightning signed Stamkos to an eight-year, $68 million contract (average annual value of $8.5 million), which could keep him in Tampa Bay through the 2023-24 season. The signing keeps the Lightning in the conversation as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Stamkos, who was selected by Tampa Bay with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL Draft, scored 36 goals last season and has 312 in 569 games in his NHL career. He missed the first 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games last season after having surgery to remove a blood clot near his right collarbone. He returned for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
With Stamkos signed, general manager Steve Yzerman was able to address other contract situations. On July 1, Tampa Bay signed top defenseman Victor Hedman to an eight-year, $63 million contract extension (AAV of $7.875 million), which prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season. On July 17, the Lightning signed forward Alex Killorn to a seven-year, $31.15 million contract (AAV of $4.45 million), avoiding arbitration.
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens came up with a shocking way to turn the page on one of the most disappointing seasons in their history when general manager Marc Bergevin traded 2013 Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban for Nashville Predators captain Shea Weber. It's hard to imagine another market where a GM would have to justify the acquisition of Weber, a perennial all-star defenseman who has scored 58 goals over the past three seasons. And yet that is exactly the position Bergevin finds himself in after trading Subban less than two years after signing him to an eight-year, $72 million contract. Bergevin wasted no time justifying his decision in his press conference announcing the trade on June 29, calling it "one of the most difficult decisions I've had to make as a general manager." The fallout from the Weber-Subban trade overshadowed the other significant moves Bergevin made, including the acquisition of forward Andrew Shaw in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, and the free agent signings of goalie Al Montoya and Russian forward Alexander Radulov.
"My scouts, we watched him a lot this year, he's one of the hardest-working kids, so we're taking a risk but hopefully the reward is big," Bergevin said.
The return of goalie Carey Price is expected to provide the Canadiens their biggest boost. Price was injured twice and missed most of last season, he was 10-2-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average and .934 save percentate in 12 starts, after winning the Hart and Vezina trophies in 2014-15. He was shut down for the season after spraining the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Nov. 25. Rookie Mike Condon shouldered the bulk of the goaltending in Price's absence and performed admirably, but he will have to battle Montoya for the backup role. A return to full health by defenseman Jeff Petry, who had season-ending sports hernia surgery in March, and right wing Brendan Gallagher also should provide a boost, as will the addition of Shaw. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with Chicago, Shaw signed a six-year contract worth a reported $23.4 million with Montreal on June 27, three days after he was acquired from the Blackhawks for two second-round picks in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Toronto Maple Leafs
When former Whitley Warrior, Mike Babcock took over as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to last season, he said there would be pain in the coming years. The Maple Leafs finished 29-42-11, the worst record in the NHL, but a funny thing happened on the way to getting the No. 1 pick in 2016 NHL Draft: Leafs Nation appeared to endorse the careful rebuilding of an organization that has not won the Stanley Cup since 1967. Toronto fans accepted the last-place finish because it gave the Maple Leafs the best odds of winning the NHL Draft Lottery, which they did, and allowed them to choose center Auston Matthews.
"We got a lot better (adding Matthews). Lou [Lamoriello] is a better general manager, I am a better coach and the team is way better ... [Matthews is] going to be a dominant center for the [Maple] Leafs with and without the puck. He's going to be a championship-type center." Babcock said.
Matthews, 19 on Sept. 17, is the Maple Leafs' first legitimate No. 1 center since Mats Sundin left in 2008, and they have a dependable No. 1 goalie, Frederik Andersen, who was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks for the 30th pick in the 2016 draft and a second-round pick in 2017. Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Lamoriello have vowed to patiently construct a team that, once it gets good, will be good for a long time, and there is every reason to believe the additions of Matthews and Andersen helped set the stage for a Stanley Cup Playoff push. Toronto has made the playoffs once in the past 11 years. This will be the Maple Leafs' third season under Shanahan, who has made significant changes to the culture of the organization. He hired Babcock and signed him to an eight-year contract reportedly worth $50 million. Shanahan also brought in Lamoriello, who helped the New Jersey Devils win three Stanley Cup championships. Shanahan, who won the Stanley Cup three times as a player and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013, spent his first year on the job analyzing what Toronto had and then made significant transactions that have reshaped the Maple Leafs.
In the past couple of years, Toronto traded forward David Clarkson, captain Dion Phaneuf and right wing Phil Kessel, who led the Maple Leafs in scoring in each of his six seasons. This summer, Toronto traded goalie Jonathan Bernier to Anaheim. Prior to the past two seasons, the Maple Leafs signed a number of veterans they ultimately moved before the NHL Trade Deadline, mostly for draft picks. The Maple Leafs' newest additions now will come from within; Matthews and forwards William Nylander and Mitchell Marner are expected to make the team this season.
Nylander, 20, was the No. 8 pick in the 2014 draft and was leading the American Hockey League in scoring last season when he left to play for Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Nylander was injured in that tournament but wound up joining the Maple Leafs for 22 games, when he had six goals and seven assists. Marner, 19, was chosen No. 4 in the 2015 draft and has one year of junior eligibility remaining. He was the Ontario Hockey League most valuable player, the Canadian Hockey League player of the year, and MVP of the Memorial Cup for victorious London. He likely has outgrown junior hockey.
"We're going the right way. We're not trying to maintain. That maintain part is what kills you. It's not easy to win in this League. But now, and this is no word of a lie, we're loaded with kids. Real kids. There's five or six who are going to score big-time in the NHL." Babcock said.
One of the players Toronto traded, rugged defenseman Roman Polak, re-signed with the Maple Leafs, and they signed 24-year-old defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who played the past seven seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League. After a few years of concentrating on acquiring skill, Toronto took aim at adding size and signed free agent left wing Matt Martin from the New York Islanders. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Martin brings an abrasive style and led the NHL with 365 hits (4.6 per game) last season. The Maple Leafs auditioned a number of prospects last season, including forwards Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Josh Leivo, Nikita Soshnikov, Kasperi Kapanen and Frederik Gauthier, the No. 21 pick of the 2013 draft; defensemen Connor Carrick, Viktor Loov, Rinat Valiev; and goaltender Garret Sparks. Each is expected to push some of the veterans for a job next season. Pain, it seems in Toronto, has been replaced by light at the end of the tunnel.
The future of the Maple Leafs is directly tied to Shanahan's vision. A strong personality, Shanahan was not intimidated by bringing other powerful voices into the mix, including coach Mike Babcock and Lamoriello. Shanahan is a proven winner, as are his coach and GM. Lamoriello said his initial goal was to bridge the gap between entitlement and responsibility on and off the ice. He may be old-fashioned in his handling of players, but discipline was needed and Shanahan knew Lamoriello was the man for the job.
The Maple Leafs paid a premium to get the man they considered to be the best coach in the world. Toronto finished 30th in the NHL in Babcock's first season, but there was a noticeable improvement in play and discipline. Babcock is very rigid in how he wants his players to perform, and that can grate on the nerves of veterans. However, with Toronto predominantly a young team, the coach has a captive audience. Babcock has very high expectations of his players, and those who do not toe the line will not be tolerated. There is a reason Babcock has been invited to coach Team Canada for the World Cup of Hockey 2016 and why he was behind the bench for the past two Olympic gold medal teams: He gets the most out of his players.
For years it was said Maple Leafs fans would never put up with a tear-down and rebuild. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leafs Nation has grown frustrated with quick fixes that simply did not work.
Shanahan and his group have made it very clear to the fans they will not do that. Fans watched patiently last season when prospects were inserted into the lineup and gave them a glimpse of the future. Perhaps not all the young players will make the Maple Leafs, but there were enough quality performances to conclude the organization is moving in the right direction.
Forwards Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitchell Marner have been projected to be elite scorers in the League. How quickly they become impact players will play a huge role in how quickly the Maple Leafs return to the playoffs. Matthews will likely get the chance to be the No. 1 center, and centers Nylander and Marner could start off playing wing. The Maple Leafs ranked 28th in goals last season (192) and could use a boost on offense. Forward Josh Leivo, on the bubble to make the team after signing a two-year contract, had five goals in 12 games last season. Veteran left wing James van Riemsdyk will make a healthy return after missing 42 games with a broken foot.
Matthews, 19 on Sept. 17, is the Maple Leafs' first legitimate No. 1 center since Mats Sundin left in 2008, and they have a dependable No. 1 goalie, Frederik Andersen, who was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks for the 30th pick in the 2016 draft and a second-round pick in 2017. Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Lamoriello have vowed to patiently construct a team that, once it gets good, will be good for a long time, and there is every reason to believe the additions of Matthews and Andersen helped set the stage for a Stanley Cup Playoff push. Toronto has made the playoffs once in the past 11 years. This will be the Maple Leafs' third season under Shanahan, who has made significant changes to the culture of the organization. He hired Babcock and signed him to an eight-year contract reportedly worth $50 million. Shanahan also brought in Lamoriello, who helped the New Jersey Devils win three Stanley Cup championships. Shanahan, who won the Stanley Cup three times as a player and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013, spent his first year on the job analyzing what Toronto had and then made significant transactions that have reshaped the Maple Leafs.
In the past couple of years, Toronto traded forward David Clarkson, captain Dion Phaneuf and right wing Phil Kessel, who led the Maple Leafs in scoring in each of his six seasons. This summer, Toronto traded goalie Jonathan Bernier to Anaheim. Prior to the past two seasons, the Maple Leafs signed a number of veterans they ultimately moved before the NHL Trade Deadline, mostly for draft picks. The Maple Leafs' newest additions now will come from within; Matthews and forwards William Nylander and Mitchell Marner are expected to make the team this season.
Nylander, 20, was the No. 8 pick in the 2014 draft and was leading the American Hockey League in scoring last season when he left to play for Sweden at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Nylander was injured in that tournament but wound up joining the Maple Leafs for 22 games, when he had six goals and seven assists. Marner, 19, was chosen No. 4 in the 2015 draft and has one year of junior eligibility remaining. He was the Ontario Hockey League most valuable player, the Canadian Hockey League player of the year, and MVP of the Memorial Cup for victorious London. He likely has outgrown junior hockey.
"We're going the right way. We're not trying to maintain. That maintain part is what kills you. It's not easy to win in this League. But now, and this is no word of a lie, we're loaded with kids. Real kids. There's five or six who are going to score big-time in the NHL." Babcock said.
One of the players Toronto traded, rugged defenseman Roman Polak, re-signed with the Maple Leafs, and they signed 24-year-old defenseman Nikita Zaitsev, who played the past seven seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League. After a few years of concentrating on acquiring skill, Toronto took aim at adding size and signed free agent left wing Matt Martin from the New York Islanders. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Martin brings an abrasive style and led the NHL with 365 hits (4.6 per game) last season. The Maple Leafs auditioned a number of prospects last season, including forwards Zach Hyman, Connor Brown, Josh Leivo, Nikita Soshnikov, Kasperi Kapanen and Frederik Gauthier, the No. 21 pick of the 2013 draft; defensemen Connor Carrick, Viktor Loov, Rinat Valiev; and goaltender Garret Sparks. Each is expected to push some of the veterans for a job next season. Pain, it seems in Toronto, has been replaced by light at the end of the tunnel.
The future of the Maple Leafs is directly tied to Shanahan's vision. A strong personality, Shanahan was not intimidated by bringing other powerful voices into the mix, including coach Mike Babcock and Lamoriello. Shanahan is a proven winner, as are his coach and GM. Lamoriello said his initial goal was to bridge the gap between entitlement and responsibility on and off the ice. He may be old-fashioned in his handling of players, but discipline was needed and Shanahan knew Lamoriello was the man for the job.
The Maple Leafs paid a premium to get the man they considered to be the best coach in the world. Toronto finished 30th in the NHL in Babcock's first season, but there was a noticeable improvement in play and discipline. Babcock is very rigid in how he wants his players to perform, and that can grate on the nerves of veterans. However, with Toronto predominantly a young team, the coach has a captive audience. Babcock has very high expectations of his players, and those who do not toe the line will not be tolerated. There is a reason Babcock has been invited to coach Team Canada for the World Cup of Hockey 2016 and why he was behind the bench for the past two Olympic gold medal teams: He gets the most out of his players.
For years it was said Maple Leafs fans would never put up with a tear-down and rebuild. Nothing could be further from the truth. Leafs Nation has grown frustrated with quick fixes that simply did not work.
Shanahan and his group have made it very clear to the fans they will not do that. Fans watched patiently last season when prospects were inserted into the lineup and gave them a glimpse of the future. Perhaps not all the young players will make the Maple Leafs, but there were enough quality performances to conclude the organization is moving in the right direction.
Forwards Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitchell Marner have been projected to be elite scorers in the League. How quickly they become impact players will play a huge role in how quickly the Maple Leafs return to the playoffs. Matthews will likely get the chance to be the No. 1 center, and centers Nylander and Marner could start off playing wing. The Maple Leafs ranked 28th in goals last season (192) and could use a boost on offense. Forward Josh Leivo, on the bubble to make the team after signing a two-year contract, had five goals in 12 games last season. Veteran left wing James van Riemsdyk will make a healthy return after missing 42 games with a broken foot.
Buffalo Sabres
After five straight seasons out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and three seasons of rebuilding, the Buffalo Sabres have set their sights on qualifying for the 2017 postseason. The Sabres had 81 points last season, 27 more than in 2014-15, when they had the worst record in the NHL. Although that put them seventh in the Atlantic Division, they were 12 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for a playoff berth. Buffalo has moved onto the path to success in its rebuild but must now take the next step. To help do that, the Sabres made two big additions during the offseason. Forward Kyle Okposo, who had 22 goals and 42 assists with the New York Islanders last season, signed a seven-year contract reportedley worth $42 million as a free agent on July 1. He will join a lineup that included skilled forwards Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart and Evander Kane. Those four combined for 193 points as four of Buffalo's top five scorers; O'Reilly led with 60 (21 goals). The other big addition was defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers in a trade for defenseman Mark Pysyk during the 2016 NHL Draft. Kulikov will join a defense that featured 21-year-old Rasmus Ristolainen (an unsigned restricted free agent), 22-year-old Jake McCabe, Zach Bogosian, Cody Franson and Josh Gorges. Although the group is experienced, a veteran like Kulikov should help clear up some depth issues and give Buffalo an even balance between left-handed and right-handed defensemen.
More help could be on the way up front if Harvard University forward and 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner Jimmy Vesey signs with the Sabres. Buffalo acquired Vesey from the Nashville Predators in a trade for a 2016 third-round pick on June 20. Vesey said he intends to become an unrestricted free agent on Aug. 15 when his draft rights expire, but Murray and coach Dan Bylsma met with Vesey in Boston last month to make their case to him to play in Buffalo. Robin Lehner will be the No. 1 goalie. The Sabres acquired Anders Nilsson from the St. Louis Blues to be the backup. Linus Ullmark will challenge Nilsson for that job in training camp, but Buffalo will need a healthy Lehner to carry the load. Lehner, who was limited to 21 games last season, his first with the Sabres (5-9-5, 2.47 goals-against average, .924 save percentage), had season-ending ankle surgery on March 30 and decided to stay in Buffalo for the summer to prepare for the season. The Sabres will need him to prove he's worthy of the No. 1 job if they are going to make a push for the playoffs.
Ottawa Senators
Since Pierre Dorion was named the eighth general manager in Ottawa Senators history April 10, he has taken the organization on a path of sweeping, dramatic changes during the past four months, with the goal of returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Senators finished fifth in the Atlantic Division last season, eight points behind the third-place Detroit Red Wings for the final automatic playoff spot in the division. It was the second time in the past three seasons they missed the playoffs. Dorion took over from Bryan Murray, who was Senators GM since 2007. Murray continues to battle Stage 4 colon cancer and cited health and family concerns for the decision to step aside. Among Dorion's biggest moves: hiring coach Guy Boucher on May 8 to replace Dave Cameron, and acquiring veteran center Derick Brassard and a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft in a trade with the New York Rangers for center Mika Zibanejad and a 2018 second-round pick July 18. Ottawa also signed veteran free agent forward Chris Kelly, who played parts of seven seasons with the Senators to begin his NHL career, to add experience and boost the penalty kill. Special teams is one part of the Senators' game that must improve. Last season they were 26th (15.8 percent) on the power play, allowed 15 power-play goals at home and finished 29th in penalty killing (75.8 percent). They also allowed the first goal in 51 games and were outshot in 60 games. Those are some of the areas where the Senators hope Boucher can make them better. Boucher, 45, had coached Bern in Switzerland the previous three seasons after coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2010-13. He went 97-79-20 and led the Lightning to the 2011 Eastern Conference Final. The Senators' room consists mostly of a homegrown core that includes defenseman Erik Karlsson and forwards Mark Stone, Mike Hoffman, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Curtis Lazar and Zack Smith. Center Kyle Turris should be healthy after an ankle injury limited him to 57 games, and forward Clarke MacArthur is expected back after a concussion sidelined him the final 78 games of last season. Though the Senators will have a bit of a new look up front, the goaltending and defense remain the same. Goalies Craig Anderson and Andrew Hammond return with Karlsson leading a group of defensemen that includes veteran Dion Phaneuf, entering his first full season with the Senators, Marc Methot, Cody Ceci (a restricted free agent), Mark Borowiecki and Chris Wideman.
Boston Bruins
Odious douche bag Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron are two pillars of the Bruins on the ice, but it turns out the forwards also are master recruiters.
Marchand and Bergeron weren't the only ones who tried to convince free agent center David Backes to sign with the Bruins, but they certainly helped land their biggest acquisition of the offseason. Backes signed a five-year, $30 million contract July 1, leaving the St. Louis Blues. Backes was second on the Blues with 21 goals last season (Vladimir Tarasenko had 40). Backes turned 32 on May 1 and looked to sign somewhere he was wanted, his family would enjoy living, and he could win. The Bruins, who have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past two seasons, might have seemed an unlikely destination, but Backes is looking at his arrival differently. Boston's other major roster change was the loss of forward Loui Eriksson, who was third on the Bruins last season with 30 goals (behind Marchand's 37 and Bergeron's 32) and tied with David Krejci for second with 63 points (Bergeron had 68). Though Eriksson signed with the Vancouver Canucks as an unrestricted free agent, Backes was convinced by his new teammates that the pieces are in place to contend for the Stanley Cup.
General manager Don Sweeney has been as focused on making the Bruins a perennial contender as he has been on trying to get them back into the playoffs this season. The Bruins have made nine picks in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft the past two years, and Sweeney has been stockpiling prospects in hopes that some will develop into good players or prove valuable in a trade. One of the areas that could be improved is their 2.78 goals-allowed per game, tied for 19th in the NHL last season. Sweeney said he'd like to add a transitional defenseman.
The Bruins are planning to enter the season with seven defensemen who played last season. In addition to Zdeno Chara and Adam McQuaid, the Bruins re-signed unrestricted free agents Kevan Miller and John-Michael Liles, and signed restricted free agents Torey Krug, Colin Miller and Joe Morrow. Dennis Seidenberg had the final two seasons of his contract bought out June 30. There could be some challenges from prospects during training camp, but the seven returning defensemen all have a one-way contract. The Bruins also will benefit from a bounce-back season from goaltender Tuukka Rask, who had a 2.56 goals-against average and .915 save percentage last season. Anton Khudobin was signed July 1 to provide an experienced backup to lighten Rask's load. Rask's 134 games played the past two seasons are third in the League behind Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings (140) and Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals (139). The Bruins also hope Backes, who can play in all situations at center or right wing, and the signing of unrestricted free agent forward Riley Nash to shore up the fourth line, will help cut down the goals against.
The Bruins are planning to enter the season with seven defensemen who played last season. In addition to Zdeno Chara and Adam McQuaid, the Bruins re-signed unrestricted free agents Kevan Miller and John-Michael Liles, and signed restricted free agents Torey Krug, Colin Miller and Joe Morrow. Dennis Seidenberg had the final two seasons of his contract bought out June 30. There could be some challenges from prospects during training camp, but the seven returning defensemen all have a one-way contract. The Bruins also will benefit from a bounce-back season from goaltender Tuukka Rask, who had a 2.56 goals-against average and .915 save percentage last season. Anton Khudobin was signed July 1 to provide an experienced backup to lighten Rask's load. Rask's 134 games played the past two seasons are third in the League behind Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings (140) and Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals (139). The Bruins also hope Backes, who can play in all situations at center or right wing, and the signing of unrestricted free agent forward Riley Nash to shore up the fourth line, will help cut down the goals against.
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