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Top 5 NHL teams that still need to make significant moves ft. New York Islanders
As the buzz of the NHL offseason begins to wind down, some question marks surround a few teams who have yet to move the needle. These NHL clubs have issues to address, but for one reason or another, they have not made a splash.
So, here’s a look at five NHL clubs that still need to make significant moves before the start of training camp this fall.
Top five NHL teams that still need to make significant moves
No. 5: Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks have had a relatively quiet offseason. The team made some noise at the draft, shocking most by taking Beckett Sennecke with the No. 3 overall pick. Beyond that, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has struggled to lure big-name free agents to the team.
While the Ducks continue with their rebuild, they have lacked the moves other rebuilding teams such as the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks have made. The Ducks still need improvements across the board.
While there are still a few weeks left before the start of training camp, the Ducks will need to figure out how to make good use of their $22.6 million in cap space.
No. 4: Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets’ biggest concern is finding a new head coach. New GM Don Waddell has been actively searching for a replacement for Pascal Vincent behind the bench. On the ice, the Blue Jackets have several needs, including more scoring, top-four blue-liners and a potential starting goaltender.
With a little over $17 million in cap space, the Blue Jackets have room to maneuver. However, the team needs to sort out its coaching situation before adding the right pieces to complement NHL talents such as Adam Fantilli and Johnny Gaudreau. Perhaps finalizing a trade for Patrik Laine could help get some useful pieces in return.
No. 3: Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres have been trying to get back into the playoff conversation in the Atlantic Division. The club had a disappointing season last year, as many analysts had picked the Sabres to challenge for a wild-card spot.
This offseason, the Sabres have yet to make an impact move. While buying out Jeff Skinner was a good start, the Sabres have not added much beyond veteran pieces such as Sam Lafferty and James Reimer. The Sabres will need to support young stars like Rasmus Dahlin, Dylan Cozens and Tage Thompson to seriously challenge top NHL clubs like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins.
No. 2: Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens are still in a rebuild. While they would like to tell fans the rebuild is ahead of schedule, the Habs don’t look anywhere close to becoming serious contenders in the NHL. The young pieces look promising. For instance, signing Juraj Slafkovsky to a new long-term deal was savvy.
Beyond locking up current stars, the Habs need to figure out their goaltending situation, add depth on the blue line and bolster secondary scoring. Captain Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and, hopefully, a healthy Kirby Dach should all be key impact players.
However, the Canadiens have a long way to go if they want to return to contention in the Eastern Conference.
No. 1: New York Islanders
The Islanders have been one of the quietest teams this offseason. Beyond signing Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal, the Isles have largely sat on their hands this offseason. That’s not a good sign, considering the major retooling the Washington Capitals have gone through.
Additionally, the New York Rangers continue to look solid while the Carolina Hurricanes should be a tough contender in the Metropolitan Division despite losing many players. The Isles lack scoring beyond their top six and could address their bottom pairing on the blue line.
While the Islanders are set in goal, they will need to get more support for Vezina Trophy-caliber netminder Ilya Sorokin if the club wants to remain in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
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