My "Comprehensive" Preview for the 21-22 NHL Season

The 2020-21 NHL season was unprecedented. The league, to make travel easier during the pandemic, re-aligned their divisions and condensed the schedule. This allowed for some new matchups to be played seven to nine times that we might not see but twice during a normal season. Games were played within their own divisions and didn't get to play outside of them until the conference finals. One of these new divisions was an all-Canadian division that served to decide who the supreme team in the North would be. Though there were some surprises, most of the teams that emerged were the familiar faces. Vegas and Colorado fought it out in the West Division for the Presidents Trophy. Carolina, Florida, and Tampa Bay renewed an old Southeast rivalry. The East Division was neck-in-neck with some extremely familiar postseason powerhouses. Toronto and Edmonton proved they were the top regular season teams in Canada. 

Even with some of the same matchups we'd seen in the regular season, the postseason was just as exciting. Tampa Bay, after a third place finish in the regular season, proved they were still the team to beat and emerged from the Central Division. The Islanders continued their postseason domination by taking out the Penguins and Bruins. Vegas and Colorado continued their bad blood into the postseason and Vegas won the upper hand. But the story of the postseason was easily the Montreal Canadiens. Though they finished 18th in the league in the regular season and were the worst team heading into the playoffs, they erared a 3-1 series deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs and swept the Winnipeg Jets before beating Vegas in the conference finals to advance to the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay. Though their quest ultimately fell short and Tampa Bay went on to win their second Stanley Cup in 282 days, people were talking about the Canadiens and their run.

Things are returning to normal in 2021-22. The divisions are back with one small change. The league is set to welcome the Seattle Kraken, the league's 32nd franchise, to the Pacific Division while the Arizona Coyotes move to the Central Division. We're back to all the same things we had before the pandemic began. Precautions are going to be taken, but that won't stop us from having the hockey that we've become accustomed to. The offseason had some major moves with players going all over the place. Here is my review of the season that was and the season that is going to be.

Team Reviews and Previews

Anaheim

What Went Right in 2021

The Ducks were in a year of transition and it was evident by the number of young players that saw some time in the lineup that the Ducks were in no hurry to push for the playoffs. In that aspect, the Ducks succeeded. Max Comtois scored 16 goals and 33 points, both leading the team. Troy Terry added 20 points, fifth on the team. Top prospects Jamie Drysdale (3-5-8 in 24 games) and Trevor Zegras (3-10-13 in 24 games) got time in the lineup at the end of the season and both played well. Some of the guys you'd come to expect, like Rickard Rakell, Ryan Getzlaf, and Cam Fowler, also put up some decent production as well. While the goaltending struggled, Anthony Stolarz made the most of his opportunity, going 4-3-0 with a 2.20 GAA and .926 SV% in eight games.   

What Went Wrong in 2021

While the playoffs weren't going to be feasible this season, they made sure they were really bad. It paid off as they finished with the second-lowest point total in the league (43). They had the league's worst offense, scoring just 124 goals, or just over two goals a game. Their power play was also the worst in the league and they were the only team below 10%. They were also in the bottom ten in the league in goals allowed. John Gibson's season was, to say the least, a major downer. Maybe it was the lack of offense in front of him, but Gibson went 9-19-7 with a GAA just below 3.00 (2.98) and a SV% just over .900 (.903%). After playing moderately well to open the season, the Ducks went 7-18-4 over their next 29 games, only winning back-to-back games twice and allowing 4+ goals 14 times during that span. It was a trying time for a young team.

Their Offseason

Anaheim is poised to fix everything from within the organization with its deep pool of prospects. That's why they got their younger players some time in the lineup. They gave short-term bridge deals to Max Comtois and Max Jones, as well as re-signing captain Ryan Getzlaf to a one-year deal. Otherwise, they've been really quiet outside of some minor moves. They haven't made a trade during the offseason either. With their poor point total during the season, the Ducks won the third pick in the draft lottery and used it to select forward Mason McTavish. The Ducks are reliant on their young players and are putting their faith in them, which is why they haven't done anything special.

21-22 Outlook

The Ducks have a lot of young talent that is going to be exciting to watch. Trevor Zegras is one of the favorites for the Calder Trophy and Jamie Drysdale is up there as well. Add the likes of Max Comtois, Troy Terry, Sam Steel, Max Jones, and Isac Lundestrom to the mix and they're going to be set if they get production from these guys. If the veterans do their share of the work and John Gibson can get back into form, then Ducks will be in for some major improvements. I don't think they're going to crack the postseason yet, but this is a team on the rise in the Western Conference.

Arizona

What Went Right in 2021

Arizona was a young team last season that relied on them heavily. Outside of the ageless Phil Kessel leading the team with 20 goals and 43 points, the next five highest scorers on the team were 22-24 years old. The young core of Clayton Keller, Connor Garland, Jakob Chychrun, Christian Dvorak, and Nick Schmaltz provided almost half of the team's goals. Despite lackluster appearances, they finished with the ninth-best power play and a penalty kill just outside of the top ten. Darcy Kuemper and Adin Hill had decent numbers in net, both finishing with GAAs better than 2.75 and SV% better than .905. This might be a marginal success, but it's success nonetheless. They didn't have much success against Colorado, Vegas, and Minnesota, but they did go 5-2-1 against St. Louis, including a three-game win streak during the season. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

The Coyotes were not a great team. They finished fifth in the division but were nine points out of a playoff spot. It was a mess of a season for the team, but many people expected that. They were in the bottom ten in the league in scoring and goals allowed, proving they couldn't do anything on either side of the puck. None of the goalies played extremely well. I've highlighted the play of Kuemper and Hill, but their numbers didn't stand out and Antti Raanta underperformed heavily. They combined to go 5-17-2 against the top three teams in the division. They relied too heavily on playing Anaheim and San Jose eight times to pad their record. All of this led to them finishing with the tenth-worst point total in the league.

Their Offseason

They had a plan and they stuck to it. Arizona is in a complete rebuild and they tore the walls down on this team. They kept the trade market active since the offseason started. The team took on as many bad contracts as they could to add future draft picks. The list of players traded away included Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Conor Garland, Darcy Kuemper, Christian Dvorak, and Adin Hill, which is a major list of losses. They took on the contracts of Andrew Ladd, Shayne Gostisbehere, Antoine Roussel, Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson, and Anton Stralman, while also acquiring the 9th and 60th picks in this draft and 13 future picks, including two firsts and six seconds. They did put a bit of a dent in their young core with the trades of Dvorak and Garland, but they're preparing for the worst. The team also lost Jordan Oesterle, Antti Raanta, Alex Goligoski, Michael Bunting, and Derrick Brassard to free agency. Their only big additions were Ryan Dzingel upfront and Carter Hutton to be one of the team's goalies.

21-22 Outlook

This team is going to be really bad, at least that's how it looks on paper. There is so much turnaround on this roster that it is going to be interesting to see how they play. Clayton Keller is going to be the glue to hold this team together. I wouldn't be surprised to see pending UFA Phil Kessel traded before the season comes to an end, among many other likely names to be traded. This team could be in the running to earn the first pick in the draft. They don't have a solid goalie and their defense is already lean, so it's going to be a long season as the team looks for a new home. 

Boston

What Went Right in 2021

The Bruins continued their string of regular season success by making the playoffs yet again, securing 73 points and finishing 3rd in the East Division. Brad Marchand was one of the league's best the entire way, finishing third in the league in points (69) and leading the team by over 20 points. This was enough to secure him fifth in Hart Trophy voting. Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak, the remaining two-thirds of the "Perfection Line", finished tied for second in scoring with 48, proving to be one of the most productive trios in the NHL. They also added Taylor Hall with a mid-season trade which paid dividends, scoring 14 points in 16 games. The team's defense was also strong, finishing tied for fourth in goals allowed and the second-best penalty kill in the league. The team also got stellar goaltending from the trio of Tuukka Rask (15-5-2, 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%), Jaroslav Halak (9-6-4, 2.53 GAA, .905 SV%), and rookie Jeremy Swayman (7-3-0, 1.50 GAA, .945 SV%). They steam-rolled the Capitals in five games before falling to the Islanders in six games, but they got strong performances from the "Perfection Line" and Charlie McAvoy.

What Went Wrong in 2021

Finishing third in their division might feel like a bit of a disappointment since they've been in the top two of their division with over 100 points in each of the last three seasons. They finished just behind Pittsburgh and Washington with 77 points, but it prevented them from securing home-ice for the postseason as they're used to. On paper, the Bruins offense was a little light. They finished 14th in goals scored and only two players outside of the "Perfection Line" scored 10+ goals, Charlie McAvoy and Craig Smith. This continued into the postseason, with only Marchand and Pastrnak scoring more than 5+ goals. Their lack of scoring wasted a brilliant performance from Tuukka Rask in their two series. They failed to advance past the second round for the fourth time in five seasons.

Their Offseason

Boston got right to it before the free agency period began. They extended Brandon Carlo (six years, $4.1m AAV), Mike Reilly (three years, $3m AAV), and signed pending UFA Taylor Hall for four years to keep him a Bruin and ensure another explosive offensive weapon that fits in on the team after they acquired him. Once the free agency period started, they didn't hold back. They signed Tomas Nosek, Erik Haula, and Nick Foligno to their forward group, and added Linus Ullmark in the net with Jaroslav Halak signing with Vancouver and Tuukka Rask getting surgery for his torn labrum this offseason and possibly out for the season. 

21-22 Outlook

With both Bergeron and Marchand both getting older, the window is closing for the Bruins to be strong cup contenders. Boston's going to have a bit of an adventure in net this season after signing Ullmark after he spent the last few seasons in net for Buffalo. They lost both goalies from their strong tandem, so the duo of Ullmark and most likely Jeremy Swayman will have big shoes to fill and a giant hole that they'll have to carry this team on their backs. If they can get some secondary scoring from their third and fourth lines, they'll be right in the thick of the postseason picture. 

Buffalo

What Went Right in 2021

I can't lie, there isn't much that went right for the Sabres last season. They went into the season with Taylor Hall as the big free agent acquisition, but that didn't last long and he was later traded to Boston. The play of Sam Reinhart and Linus Ullmark were the two biggest stand-outs. Reinhart led the team in goals (25, 12 more than second-highest on the team) and points (40) and was the only player that could consistently score. Ullmark started the most games (20) of the six goalies to start for the Sabres and post a 9-6-3 record with a .917 SV% and was the only goalie to post a GAA under 3.00 (2.63). He also stopped 12 of 13 shots in the shootout.   

What Went Wrong in 2021

You really have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find good things about this team because they were abysmal. They finished with the fewest points in the league, tied for the third-fewest goals, and tied for the second-most goals allowed. Only six players scored 7+ goals and only three scored 10+. They started six different goalies in net and only one posted a GAA under 3.00. Jack Eichel was injured for most of the season, though he did post 18 points (2-16-18) in 21 games. Jeff Skinner continued to disappoint, scoring only 14 points in 53 games. They suffered through an 18-game losing streak over a month (2/25-3/29), securing only three of a possible 36 points. They were a mess all season and quickly became a serious joke around the league.

Their Offseason

There was very little room for optimism this offseason. By finishing with the league's worst record, they had the highest odds to win the top overall pick in the draft. They accomplished this and selected Owen Power from Michigan with the first pick. They have steadily traded away major pieces to secure assets for the future. Sam Reinhart was shipped to Florida for Devon Levi and a conditional 2022 1st. Rasmus Ristolainen was sent to Philadelphia for Robert Hagg, the 14th overall pick in the 2021 Draft, and a 2023 2nd. Add this to the trades sending Taylor Hall, Eric Staal, and Brandon Montour out during the season and the Sabres continue to destroy their roster. Linus Ullmark was their biggest loss of free agency, opting to sign with Boston for four years. The additions of Mark Pysyk via free agency and Will Butcher via trade are the only acquisitions that look like they could make any impact. The Jack Eichel saga is the biggest storyline of the offseason and it has been an absolute mess for Buffalo. He's still on the team as of me writing this. 

21-22 Outlook

The Sabres are going to be absolutely awful next season. There's going to come a time where Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo put the team on their back and give Rasmus Dahlin some help. They're going into the season with a likely tandem of Craig Anderson and Aaron Dell in the net, which feels like a recipe for disaster. If Eichel isn't traded, he's likely going to be out for a while due to injury. I think it's more likely he'll be traded, but the return package for him isn't going to be nearly what it could be if he were at full strength. They are going to be a strong player in the Shane Wright Sweepstakes when the 2022 Draft Lottery rolls around. 

Calgary

What Went Right in 2021

The usual suspects in Calgary led the Flames offensively. Johnny Gaudreau led the way with 49 points and tied for the lead with Elias Lindholm with 19 goals. Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane also served important roles, finishing top five on the team in goals and points. The team underwent a coaching change midseason and while the numbers wouldn't suggest much changed, the team ended the season playing well despite missing the playoffs. They finished 7-4-0 in the last 11 games and scored 5+ goals in four of those wins. Young forward Dillon Dube was another shining youngster for the team, posting career-highs in games played (51), goals (11), assists (11), and points (22) among other categories. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

The recipe was there for Calgary, especially in a weaker North Division, but they couldn't put it all together and just missed out by four points. They were a better team on paper than Montreal, but couldn't overcome a slow start. At the deadline, Calgary knew they were out of it, so they sent Sam Bennett to Florida after scoring only four goals and 12 points in 38 games. They didn't get great performances from depth forwards, like Milan Lucic and Derek Ryan, as well as some of their better defensemen, like Noah Hanifin and Mark Giordano, but it was their goaltending that was especially poor. Jacob Markstrom held most of the duties in the net, playing 43 of the 56 games, and going 22-19-2 with a .904 SV% and 2.66 GAA. They also struggled to get good performances from their backups. David Rittich didn't play well in limited opportunities and was later traded to the Leafs, meaning Markstrom had to work even harder and take even more starts. This was nothing other than a disaster season for the Flames.

Their Offseason

Calgary's big move this offseason was bringing in Blake Coleman from the Lightning through free agency on a six-year deal ($4.9m AAV). The back-to-back champ in Tampa Bay got paid big time to bring what he's learned from his time as a champ and try to bring the Stanley Cup to Calgary. Other notable signings included Brad Richardson for the forward group and Nikita Zadorov and Erik Gudbranson on defense. Most noteworthy for Calgary this offseason though was the departure of their captain and top defenseman Mark Giordano in the Expansion Draft to Seattle. Giordano spent 15 seasons with the Flames and played 949 games, winning a Norris trophy and the Messier Award in his last two seasons. Though he hadn't played up to his Norris pace in the last two seasons, he'll be a major hole to fill for the Flames.

21-22 Outlook

It felt like everything went wrong for the Flames last season. They're a good team that should've been a playoff team. Calgary can easily jump into a playoff spot this season if they get consistent goaltending from Jacob Markstrom. Daniel Vladar, who they acquired via trade, is set to be the backup to start the season, so hopefully, he can take some of the heat off Markstrom so he doesn't need to start as much. It'll also take its stars playing like stars. Tkachuk is in a contract season, so he'll be playing for something for sure. A defenseman is going to need to fill the hole of Giordano and Noah Hanifin is one of those guys that needs to do it. They're a fringe team that could fill a playoff spot if they get hot. 

Carolina

What Went Right in 2021

The Canes had one of their best regular seasons in franchise history. They won their first division titles in 15 years and finished with the third-most points in the league (80). The team had massive contributions up and down the lineup from those you'd come to expect, like Aho, Svechnikov, Hamilton, and Staal, and those having bounce-back seasons from guys like Trocheck and Niederreiter. The emergence of Alex Nedeljkovic in the net was a major story for the team and it catapulted him to a third-place finish in Calder voting. They also boasted the top head coach in the league with Rod Brind'Amour winning the Jack Adams Award. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

For all the great things the team did in the regular season, they ran into Tampa Bay in the second round of the playoffs and it all unraveled from there. The Lightning dismantled the Canes, behind a strong performance by Andrei Vasilevskiy, and won the series 4-1, though the series did feel a little closer than a five-game series would. It left a sour taste in many peoples' mouths since the Canes had been a dominant team all regular season. There were even moments in the first-round series with Nashville that didn't look all that great either.

Their Offseason

The offseason for the Canes is one of the biggest head-scratchers around the league. The biggest loss will easily be Dougie Hamilton after three excellent seasons with the team as he ventures to New Jersey. They also secured Jesperi Kotkaniemi after submitting an offer sheet of one year, $6.1 million that Montreal did not match, costing Carolina a 2022 1st and 3rd. But it's the trade that sent Alex Nedeljkovic to Detroit that caused major shockwaves through the league. After performing so well, it made no sense for them to trade him. It sounds like the crux of the issue is whether he can be trusted to be a full-time #1 for a full 82-game season. The team also signed known locker room problem Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal, much to the chagrin of most of the team's fanbase. They overhauled their goalie situation by signing Frederik Anderson and Antti Raanta to two-year deals and signed a few defensemen, but my personal favorite move was trading for Ethan Bear from Edmonton in exchange for Warren Foegele.

21-22 Outlook

Many won't feel the team got any better after their offseason. There is a lot of turnover on the roster from last season and with the team returning to a loaded Metropolitan Division, many feel they are going to be fighting for one of the Wild Card spots. I, as a Canes fan, am hoping it won't come to that, but do admit there is a lot of uncertainty. The biggest question is between the pipes with two goalies that are great when healthy but have not been able to do so much lately. Replacing Hamilton is going to be a huge task and it appears they're going to do this by committee with all of the new acquisitions on the blue line. I think they'll be just fine and should find themselves in the playoff picture all season.

Chicago

What Went Right in 2021

This season was a struggle for a team that spent most of the 2010s on top of the league. Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat were absolutely lethal for the Hawks. DeBrincat finished 3rd in the league in goals (32) and Kane finished third in assists (51) and tied for fifth in points (66), earning him a fourth and fifth place vote in Hart voting. Three rookies earned voting for the Calder, though none of them finished within the top ten. It showed just how much their team relied on their young players to carry a bulk of the work, outside of Kane and DeBrincat. Pius Suter was the biggest performer of them all, scoring 14 goals and 27 points, finishing fourth on the team in both. Kevin Lankinen started the season as the team's third option, but emerged as their starter, winning 17 of the team's 24 games.  

What Went Wrong in 2021

With captain Jonathan Toews stepping away for the season, the team was already going to be in a tough spot. Things only worsened when Kirby Dach got hurt in the WJC and only played 18 games at the end of the season. Adam Boqvist also suffered an injury early in the season as well but finished with 18 points in 35 games. As a whole, it was just a disappointing season for the team, finishing sixth in the Central Division. The team's defense was its kryptonite. None of their goalies finished with a GAA better than 3.00. They finished tied for seventh in most goals allowed and couldn't stop power plays from scoring, finishing 28th on the kill. They didn't do an excellent job of putting the puck in the net either, finishing 16th in the league, with only five players topping 10+ goals.

Their Offseason

Chicago's offseason has been all over the new both on and off the ice. On the ice, the Blackhawks have made some major trades. They swapped defensemen with Edmonton by trading Duncan Keith for Caleb Jones. They made a blockbuster move to acquire Seth Jones, the 32nd pick in 2021, and a 2022 6th from Columbus for Adam Boqvist, the 12th, and 44th picks in 2021, and a conditional 2022 1st. They sent out Brent Seabrook's contract for Tyler Johnson and a 2023 2nd. They traded Nikita Zadorov to Calgary for a 2022 3rd. But the most surprising move came when acquired Vezina-winner Marc-Andre Fleury from Vegas for an AHL player that was later released. After acquiring Seth Jones, they extended him for eight years and gave an extension to Connor Murphy for four years. But none of this was able to drown out the much larger story involving a lawsuit filed against a former staff member by a former player. It has made major news and has uncovered a lot about how bad the culture surrounding the team either was or currently is. 

21-22 Outlook

Toews is supposed to return this season and the team acquired quite several impact players. If Fleury ends up playing, he'll be an immediate upgrade between the pipes. Tyler Johnson has been on back-to-back Stanley Cup teams and has been a valuable part of each team, so he'll be a great addition to their forward group. Seth Jones is likely to be a big upgrade over Duncan Keith, though whether he'll live up to his contract remains to be seen. The Central Division has some strong contenders in it, but I don't think they're quite ready to be considered Cup favorites again. They could fight for a playoff spot, but that might be ambitious.

Colorado

What Went Right in 2021

When you win the President's Trophy, you've done something good. Colorado beat division-rival Vegas for the honor despite tying in points, winning the tiebreaker by securing more regulation wins. Colorado led the league in goals and finished third in goals allowed, making them one of two teams to be in the top five in both categories. They were also top ten in both power play and penalty kill percentage. They went on a 15-game point streak during the season, going 13-0-2 during that stretch. Their top line consisting of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen all topped 20 goals, with Rantanen leading the team with 30 goals and 66 points. Phillip Grubauer was a finalist for the Vezina, posting a 30-9-1 record with a 1.95 GAA and .922 SV%. Cale Makar was also an awards finalist, finishing second in Norris voting after a 44-point campaign. The Avalanche were going into the postseason with tons of momentum on their side. They swept through the St. Louis Blues in the first round on the backs of their top line. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

After sweeping through the Blues, they met up with division-rival Vegas in the second round. This is where the story of Colorado comes to an end. Colorado won Game 1 7-1 with multi-goal efforts from MacKinnon and Landeskog and 4 points from Makar, then won Game 2 3-2 in OT to take a 2-0 series lead. But Vegas stormed back and won the next four games to eliminate the Avalanche, being outscored 17-8. This marked their third consecutive second-round exit from the playoffs. It was a disappointing end for a season that looked primed for the Avalanche to win it all. The top line, Makar, and Brandon Saad led the charge in both series, but they fell off after that. 

Their Offseason

The focus for the Avs during the offseason was protecting what they already had. They extended RFA Cale Makar for six years at $9m AAV and signed UFA and captain Gabriel Landeskog for eight years at $7m AAV. Brandon Saad opted to sign with St. Louis. They signed Ryan Murray along the blue line after trading Ryan Graves to the Devils. They traded for Darcy Kuemper after losing Phillip Grubauer to Seattle in free agency. Colorado made their additions to directly counter their losses, which isn't always the best strategy, but I can see how it could be beneficial to their team.

21-22 Outlook

The key pieces are still in place, which is excellent. The biggest question to me is whether Kuemper will be able to replace the play Grubauer provided last season, especially if they make it to the postseason with Kuemper's lack of postseason experience and success. There's going to come a point where Colorado is going to need to figure it out and make a serious run for the Stanley Cup. They face some stiff competition in the Central Division but with Vegas no longer in the same division, they're going to be heavy favorites to win the division, the Western Conference, and possibly even Lord Stanley himself. 

Columbus

What Went Right in 2021

There's little to love about the Blue Jackets' season, but some bright spots are sneaking through. At the beginning of the season, they traded for Jack Roslovic and Patrik Laine and got a little bit of production from each. Oliver Bjorkstrand led the team in goals (18) and points (44). There were only a few other small victories for the team. Cam Atkinson bounced back and put up some respectable numbers (15-19-34 in 56 games). Outside of these few good things, the bad things far outweigh the good from this season.

What Went Wrong in 2021

Columbus finished tied with Detroit for the fewest points in the division (48). They were major sellers at the deadline, sending Nick Foligno, David Savard, and Riley Nash to teams competing for the Stanley Cup, though they earned some serious draft capital. Their offense was abysmal, finishing with the fourth-lowest in the league and fifth-worst power play, and they only had four 10+ goal scorers. Their defense was just as bad with the 21st-ranked penalty kill and tied for the seventh-most goals allowed. The duo of Joonas Korpisalo (9-13-7, .894 SV%, 3.30 GAA) and Elvis Merzlikins (8-12-5, .916 SV%, 2.77 GAA) did not live up to the lofty expectations that were set for them. The team went on a nine-game losing streak towards the end of the season where they allowed 4+ goals in all but one game and put a bow on a terrible season.

Their Offseason

The rebuild and offloading continued into the offseason and they made some big moves during draft weekend. They traded Cam Atkinson to Philadelphia for Jakob Voracek and acquired Jake Bean from Carolina for a 2021 2nd, but the biggest move was trading Seth Jones to the Blackhawks. Along with Jones, the Jackets sent the 32nd pick in 2021 and a 2022 6th for Adam Boqvist, the 12th, and 44th picks this season and conditional 2022 1st. They were also busy picking on night one of the draft with three picks (5th, 12th, 25th)in the first round. For all they've lost in the last several months, they selected Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and Carson Ceulemans. In free agency, they didn't make too much of a splash. Sean Kuraly and Zac Rinaldo were their biggest additions. The rest of their signings were about extending current players, with Zach Werenski, Jake Bean, and Boone Jenner inking extensions.

21-22 Outlook

The Blue Jackets aren't expected to be a great team and I think it's safe to say that's going to be the case this season. They've traded away a ton of talent and haven't brought in a whole lot to replace it. I'm intrigued by some of the pieces they've acquired, namely Bean and Boqvist on defense. It'll be interesting to see how they get acclimated to new situations and likely elevated roles within their new teams. I don't think they'll be competing for a playoff spot but could give teams some serious problems if they sort out their goalie issues. 

Dallas

What Went Right in 2021

The Dallas Stars just missed out on the postseason a season after making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The ageless wonder Joe Pavelski led the team with 25 goals and 51 points. Roope Hintz took a major step forward by putting up 43 points, the third-most on the team. The biggest story though was the arrival of Jason Robertson. The rookie lit up the Central Division with 17 goals and 45 points, finishing second in Calder voting and earning the sole first-place vote not given to the winner, Kirill Kaprizov of Minnesota. The goalie situation took a hit with Ben Bishop being out for the season with a knee injury, so the duties were split between 2020 playoff bubble star Anton Khudobin and rookie Jake Oettinger. Khudobin's season was a little rocky, but Oettinger emerged as a solid option in his first full season, posting a 2.36 GAA and 11-8-7 record. Their power play was lethal, finishing fifth in the league. Their defense was certainly strong too, led by John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen, and Jamie Oleksiak, and backed it up by allowing the seventh-fewest goals.  

What Went Wrong in 2021

Despite some solid individual performances and a suffocating defense, the Stars fell four points short of the final playoff spot in the division to Nashville. A major story was the team's health going into the season. Bishop was out with a knee injury, but Tyler Seguin was another player that missed almost the entire season. He did play in three games late in the season, but it was a little too late for the Stars. Dallas' offense was 17th in the league in goals scored, which put more pressure on their defense to hold teams off the board. Plus, even if they could hold teams, they weren't able to win in overtime or the shootout, leading the league with 14 losses in extra time, six of which were against Nashville. It all came down to the last half of April that determined whether they'd be a playoff team. While Nashville was smoking hot to end the season, Dallas limped across the finish line. Dallas went 4-5-2 in the last 11 games of the season, which included a five-game losing streak (0-3-2) and a loss to the Nashville Predators that was the final nail in the coffin. Had Seguin been healthy, we might be talking about Dallas being a force in the postseason, but that would be re-writing history. It was a major letdown after the run they made in the bubble.

Their Offseason

Logic would dictate that offense would be the main focus for Dallas in the offseason after struggling to put up many goals. In reality, they focused more on their defense. After losing Jamie Oleksiak to the Seattle Kraken, they made sure to extend Miro Heiskanen for eight years and signing Ryan Suter and Jani Hakanpaa during free agency. They also added Braden Holtby to a goalie situation that is starting to get crowded with plenty of experience. Offensively, Luke Glendening and Michael Raffl are the only forwards of note that are joining the team, while they sent Jason Dickinson to Vancouver for a 2021 3rd. Dallas has been a classic case of improving what you're already good at and hoping the rest of it comes together when they start playing again.

21-22 Outlook

The story for Dallas going into the season appears to be what the goalie tandem is going to be. The addition of Holtby would seem to indicate that Ben Bishop isn't ready yet, or else they likely wouldn't have signed him. That means the likely duo is going to be Holtby-Khudobin, which stinks for Jake Oettinger, who was arguably the better goalie between him and Khudobin last season. They'll also be getting Tyler Seguin back for the season, so that should provide a boost for the team. The Central Division is arguably the most wide-open division in the league, so Dallas could find itself in a playoff spot. It'll rest on whether the team can score goals and win in important situations.

Detroit

What Went Right in 2021

I'd be lying if I said there was much that went right in 2021 for the Red Wings. Their leading scorer was a 23-year-old defenseman that only scored twice. To Filip Hronek's credit, he beat out some solid forwards on the team. For a team with only 48 points, their goalie duo of Thomas Griess and Jonathan Bernier wasn't all that bad given the team around them. They allowed 171 goals, 21st in the league, and that's not that bad when you consider they had three of the best teams in the league in their division. They made a move to send Anthony Mantha to the Caps in exchange for a package that included a 2021 1st, a 2022 2nd, Richard Panik, and Jakub Vrana. Vrana was an important part because he finished with 11 points (8-3-11) in 11 games with Detroit. By winning one more game, the Red Wings didn't finish last in the division.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The Red Wings were a disaster of epic proportions, but I think that was the point. They finished with the fifth-fewest points in the league and couldn't score a goal if their life depended on it. They only scored 125 goals, the second-fewest in the league and only three players scored 10+ goals. Their leading scorer had only 26 points. Anthony Mantha finished third on the team in scoring despite not playing the final 13 games with the Red Wings. They couldn't stay healthy to save their lives. Only four of their players played 50+ games. It was an unmitigated disaster, but they knew this was likely going to be the case. It isn't good when you only win 19 games. 

Their Offseason

Detroit was relatively active on both the trade front and the free agency market. They made a splash by acquiring Alex Nedeljkovic from the Hurricanes and signed him for two years as well as Nick Leddy from the Islanders. They also made a big trade on draft night, moving up eight spots from 23 to 15 to draft Sebastian Cossa for an additional 2021 2nd and 5th. They didn't do anything flashy during free agency, but they re-signed a bunch of important pieces. Adam Erne and Jakub Vrana earned bridge deals as RFAs. The Wings added Pius Suter to their forward group and Jordan Oesterle and Luke Witkowski to the blue line. 

21-22 Outlook

The Wings are ready to compete for the playoffs just yet. They were at the bottom of the league last season in many major categories, especially when it came to putting the puck in the net. They likely improved at goalie when they traded for Nedeljkovic and he'll likely take over as the starter for Detroit on Opening Night. The signing of Pius Suter is going to be one to watch. It might be one of the more underrated additions this offseason. Jakub Vrana is going to have a breakout year and I think he'll compete with Dylan Larkin for the team lead in points. They aren't going to be a playoff team, but they're going to be a team that can play spoiler at the end of the season.

Edmonton

What Went Right in 2021

The Oilers are known for having a two-headed monster in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and they did not disappoint. McDavid led the league in scoring with 105 points (33-72-105) in 56 games en route to his 2nd Hart Trophy and 3rd Art Ross Trophy. His race to 100 points was a fun story late in the season. Draisaitl was just as fun to watch, scoring 84 points and finishing second to McDavid. Mike Smith, at age 38, put in a strong season with a record of 21-6-2, 2.31 GAA, and a .923 SV%. The team as a whole wasn't all that bad. They finished 2nd in the North Division with 72 points, just five points behind Toronto. Everything pointed to the Oilers being in a prime position to make a run in the postseason.  

What Went Wrong in 2021

That aforementioned postseason run was ended extremely quick by the Winnipeg Jets. The Oilers were sent packing in a first-round sweep, losing three OT games, capped by a 3OT epic in Game 4. Leon Draisaitl was the only Oiler to score multiple goals in the series and led the way with five points, followed by McDavid with four. Mike Smith's numbers looked good on paper, but he allowed 4+ goals in three of the four games. The other glaring issue is the lack of scoring depth during the regular season from the forward group. McDavid and Draisaitl are always going to get the praise, but there was a 49-point gap between Draisaitl with 84 points and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins with 35 points as the 2nd and 3rd highest scoring forwards on the team. Tyson Barrie and Darnell Nurse provided a ton of scoring on the bad end, but you'd like to see more offense from the guys being paid to score.

Their Offseason

The Oilers were one of the more aggressive teams in free agency. Their defense got a little bit older with the acquisition of Duncan Keith and signing of Cody Ceci while they traded away Ethan Bear and Caleb Jones in separate deals. They also extended Tyson Barrie for three years and gave Darnell Nurse an eight-year, $74 million extension ($9.25m AAV) that will start following this coming season. They also addressed their need for a winger by signing Zach Hyman to a seven-year deal worth $5.5 million per season and acquiring Warren Foegele in the deal for Ethan Bear. Mike Smith was given a two-year extension and signs point to him being the starter going into next season after the year he just had. With Smith starting the season at 39, it was a headscratcher that the team didn't take advantage of the goalie market with many quality names out there. 

21-22 Outlook

There's going to come a time where the Oilers need to make a serious run towards the Cup. They haven't made it past the second round since their Cup Final loss in 2005-06. They have two superstars in the game and they have plenty of personal accolades to their name, but no team achievements to show for it. Now would be the ideal time for them to make a move now that they're back in the Pacific Division. I think they're going to be a playoff team so long as their goaltending is halfway decent. The tandem of Smith and Koskinen is not going to blow people away and leaves a lot to be desired. This team will rely on McDavid and Draisaitl so long as they're healthy, but there needs to be a serious increase in depth scoring if they even think they'll succeed come playoff time.

Florida

What Went Right in 2021

The Panthers finished last season with more points (79) than they had in 69 games the season before (78). They were one point behind Carolina for the division title and finished fourth in the league in points. The charge was led by Jonathan Huberdeau (20-41-61 in 55 games) and Selke-winning captain Aleksander Barkov (26-32-58 in 50 games). Carter Verhaeghe emerged as a serious scorer (18-18-36 in 43 games) and Chris Driedger came out of nowhere as a strong goalie (14-6-3, 2.07 GAA, .927 SV%). They made a serious run at the deadline by acquiring Sam Bennett and Brandon Montour to help set their team up as a contender. They earned home-ice for their opening round series with Tampa Bay. They surprised many people with how they played and just how prolific their offense was, finishing fourth in scoring.

What Went Wrong in 2021

Don't let the record fool you, this season made the Sergei Bobrovsky contract look even worse. His record of 19-8-2 was largely overshadowed by 2.91 GAA and .906 SV%. It was ultimately their goaltending that was their downfall in their series with Tampa Bay. They used three goalies in their six-game series, with each making two starts. Their best goalie was a 19-year-old who played four games in the regular season. Spencer Knight allowed a goal 53 seconds into Game 5 and then was perfect for the next 59:07 and then was let down by his team when they lost 4-0 in Game 6. They went out with a whimper and extended their postseason winless streak for another year. 

Their Offseason

The Panthers didn't make too much of a splash in the free agent market. Most of their big moves focused more on re-signing and extending their own guys. Verhaeghe, Montour, Bennett, Anthony Duclair, and Gustav Forsling all got paydays to return to the team. They did make a big trade in acquiring Sam Reinhart and they promptly extended him for three years. Joe Thornton also made the surprising decision to sign with the Panthers in what feels like the last hurrah. They did suffer a couple big losses with Chris Driedger being selected by the Seattle Kraken, Alexander Wennberg opting to sign with Seattle as a free agent, and the NHL's Iron Man Keith Yandle signing with Philadelphia.

21-22 Outlook

There doesn't appear to be too many changes that make the Panthers worse heading into this season. The addition of Sam Reinhart will help an already strong offense. The question is who to start in the net since Bobrovsky hasn't played well in Florida and Knight is still unproven with only six games of NHL action. The Panthers are expecting to get Aaron Ekblad back after he went down last season with a broken leg, which should secure the defense some as well. I think they are serious contenders for not just a division title, but possibly even for the conference title.

Los Angeles

What Went Right in 2021

The Kings are a "unicorn" team in the league that is reliant on their veterans than on rookies. It feels weird to say, but their core is a bunch of 30-somethings that still put up goals and points. 33-year-old Anze Kopitar led the team in points with 50 and 36-year-old Dustin Brown netted a team-leading 17 goals. 31-year-old Drew Doughty led the defense and put up some offense as well (8-26-34 in 56 games). Even with this veteran presence, they've got some young guns too. Adrian Kempe (24, 14-15-29 in 56 games) and Gabriel Villardi (21, 10-13-23) are big parts of a young movement that is sweeping into Los Angeles. Even top prospects Quinton Byfield (0-1-1 in 6 games) and Arthur Kaliyev (1-0-1 in 1 game) got some time on the ice late in the season. They even had a decent penalty kill, finishing seventh in the league at 83.65%. Their record may not have been pretty, but the Kings came into the season knowing that.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The Kings have been going through some major growing pains in the last few seasons and this was certainly one of them. They were among the bottom of the league in many major stats and tied with San Jose with the sixth-fewest points (49). The Kings knew what they were and it was rough. The goaltending was a major part of the problem. Jonathan Quick had a SV% below .900 and Cal Peterson finished with a 9-18-5 record in 35 games. They were abysmal against Colorado and Vegas, combining for six total points, but even against a weak team like San Jose they only managed five points. The whole season could be looked at as one big negative, but they knew that would happen. 

Their Offseason

Los Angeles has not made the playoffs in three seasons and hasn't advanced past the first round since winning the Stanley Cup in 2013-14. They've been more aggressive this offseason than I expected. They made a splash before free agency by trading for Viktor Arvidsson from Nashville for the 40th pick this season and a 2022 3rd to help boost the offense. They also signed top free agent and shutdown center Philip Danault to a six-year deal to add even more center depth. Alex Edler was added to bring to a more veteran presence on the defensive side. They bolstered an already loaded prospect pool by selecting defenseman Brandt Clarke with the 8th pick. Add extensions for Andreas Athanasiou and Trevor Moore and Los Angeles has shown they aren't afraid to throw some money around.

21-22 Outlook

With the Pacific Division being a two-horse race at the top, the Kings have improved a considerable amount and might surprise some people. With some rookies poised to jump into the lineup next season, they're going to be a fun team to watch. The question will be whether Jonathan Quick can rebound and play like a top-level goalie or, if he can't, whether Cal Peterson can fill his spot. They have one of the deepest prospect pools in the league and while this year might not be the season, the Kings are going to be back in a major way soon. This year might be another trying year in LA. 

Minnesota

What Went Right in 2021

The story of the Minnesota Wild in 2021 was the rise to superstardom for rookie Kirill Kaprizov. He paced the team and all rookies with 27 goals and 51 points and came one vote shy of being the unanimous pick for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. He became one of the most exciting players to break into the league last season. The team as a whole wasn't that bad either. Joel Eriksson Ek finished 4th in Selke voting and posted 19 goals, third on the team. Kevin Fiala scored 20 goals and finished second on the team with 40 points. They were a top ten team in scoring, finished ninth with 180 goals. The goalie tandem of Cam Talbot and Kaapo Kahkonen was certainly serviceable and finished middle of the road in goals allowed along with a penalty kill in the top half of the league. Finishing third in the division might not be super interesting, but considering they were behind Colorado and Vegas, it was a considerable success. They made a series out of their first round matchup with Vegas, fighting to force a Game 7 after falling behind 3-1 in the series before ultimately falling, but this was a positive year for the Wild.

What Went Wrong in 2021

Given how long they were signed for, Ryan Suter and Zach Parise continued to be extremely mediocre scoring 19 and 18 points, respectively. Despite finishing ninth in scoring, no one really stood out besides Kaprizov (27), Fiala (20), and Eriksson Ek (19). No one else scored more than 11 goals and their power play was awful, finishing 24th in the league. Their lack of scoring came out in their series with Vegas in the playoffs. They scored three or more goals only twice in the series. They wasted a strong effort from Cam Talbot despite allowing six goals in Game 7. No player scored more than two goals and eight players tied with three points in the series. They went down with a whimper in the series, which might sour the otherwise great season.

Their Offseason

Minnesota lost some relatively big names, but the two biggest are going to be the two they signed for 13-years all those years ago. They bought out Ryan Suter and Zach Parise's contracts and they'll be feeling the aftermath of those deals for a long time. Their dead cap hits are going to be north of $12-15 million between 2022-23 and 2024-25, which could hamper their ability to compete during those three seasons. Suter signed with Dallas, Parise signed with the Islanders, plus Nick Bonino and Ian Cole were among the notable pieces to leave too. They signed Joel Eriksson Ek to an eight-year extension ($5.25m AAV) after his strong season and added Jon Merrill and Dmitry Kulikov from free agency. Their big saga surrounds re-signing Kirill Kaprizov. As of writing this, he still hasn't signed a new contract, despite GM Bill Guerin saying they're close.

21-22 Outlook

The outlook for this team ides on the re-signing of Kirill Kaprizov. I'm confident he's going to remain with the Wild, but if he doesn't this team is going to be extremely different. This team is going to be a playoff team with their new superstar. He'll be able to provide more of a spark in a full season. The team is going to need a little more offense to be competitive in the Central Division. The goalie tandem of Talbot/Kahkonen was good last season, but they're going to need to be just as good this season. Hopefully, Kahkonen can emerge as a more serviceable option and overtake Talbot as the team's starting goalie.

Montreal

What Went Right in 2021

The season Montreal had was a head-scratcher in retrospect. The team started the season hot, picking up points in their first seven games (5-0-2) and jumping out to a 7-1-2 record in their first ten. Their season went a little crazy from there. Injuries and inconsistent play plagued their season. Three players topped 40 points, and only Tyler Toffoli topped 20 goals. Despite this, they managed to snag the final spot in the North Division even though they had fewer points than two teams that missed the playoffs. That's where the magic happened. The Canadiens overcame a 3-1 deficit in the first round to beat Toronto, swept Winnipeg in the second round, and sent Vegas home in six games to advance to the Cup Final before falling to Tampa Bay. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield were easily the breakout players of the postseason. Suzuki led the team with 16 points in 22 games, while Caufield scored 12 points in 20 games. Carey Price was outstanding during their playoff run, proving he can turn it on in high-pressure situations. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

Like I mentioned, Montreal was inconsistent the entire regular season. They fired Claude Julien despite a 9-5-4 start and proceeded to finish under .500 (15-16-7) with Dominique Ducharme as the head coach. They lost their last five games to close the season and were lucky they played in a weaker division and Calgary was even worse than them so they could make the playoffs as the fourth-place team. They were extremely middle of the road offensively and defensively as a team. Their power play was average and their penalty kill was below league average. Injuries were another problem with guys like Brendan Gallagher, Jonathan Drouin, and Carey Price going down for large parts of the regular season. If not for an extremely hot streak after falling behind 3-1 to Toronto, we'd be looking at their season much differently. 

Their Offseason

Most of Montreal's offseason has been focused on the free agency market. They lost their shutdown center Phillip Danault to Los Angeles, Tomas Tatar to New Jersey, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi after they did not match Carolina's offer sheet to acquire a 2022 1st and 3rd from the Hurricanes, but they've remained intact for the most part. They added Mike Hoffman and Cedric Paquette to the forward group and signed David Savard on their blue line, which will be extremely important since they were also hit with some big news. It appears that Montreal's captain Shea Weber is likely to be out for the entire season and may end up retiring due to his injuries. Despite all this news, Montreal's offseason is going to be remembered for their decision on draft night with the 31st overall pick. Montreal used their first-round pick on Logan Mailloux, even though he'd asked teams not to select him this season due to his ongoing criminal issues stemming from problems in Sweden. It caused some severe backlash around the league and Montreal seemed to be prepared to defend their decision almost immediately. 

21-22 Outlook

Montreal has lost some major pieces with Danault and Kotkaniemi leaving and Weber likely out for the year. The health of Carey Price is also a big question mark after he had knee surgery this offseason. Reports are that he'll be ready to go for the beginning of the season, but he'll need to return to his postseason form for the Canadiens to compete with some serious heavyweights in the Atlantic Division. They'll get a full year of Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki took major strides to become a dynamic duo. They are going to scratch and claw their way through the season, but they are likely to be a fringe team struggling for the final Wild Card spot.

Nashville

What Went Right in 2021

On the heels of a strong second half of the season, the Preds qualified for the postseason for the 7th consecutive season. by clinching the final spot in the Central Division. After an 11-16-1 start, they finished out the season 20-7-1, securing 41 of a possible 56 points, to snag the last playoff spot in the division by four points over Dallas. Roman Josi led the team in points with 33 and earned some Norris votes, while Juuse Saros really broke out and emerged as one of the best starters in the league. Saros finished sixth in Vezina voting with a 21-11-1 record, 2.28 GAA, and a .927 SV%, top ten in the league in all three categories. Filip Forsberg was arguably the team's best forward (32 points in 39 games) before he went down with an injury that kept him out for over a month. This all culminated in a playoff series with the division champs that was far more competitive than most would've expected, pushing the Hurricanes to six games, with four OT games in a row, before losing at home to end the season.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The team's two highest-paid forwards, Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen were extremely underwhelming. Johansen only scored seven goals and 22 points in 48 games, while Duchene, even before an injury sent him to the IR, only had six goals and 13 points in 34 games. Even with Johansen's three goals in their series with Carolina, the two combined for seven points in the six-game series and were largely invisible. It isn't what you'd expect from two players almost 20% of your teams' cap. Obviously, health was a major problem with many of the team's top players not playing an entire season. With their loss to Carolina in the first round, despite the odds not being in their favor, they completely squandered a strong performance by Juuse Saros in the series. 

Their Offseason

Nashville looked to be in a position to be sellers at the deadline last season before they made it to the playoffs. It seems as though they were just delaying the inevitable and it began this offseason. They started very early by trading Viktor Arvidsson to Los Angeles for the 40th pick in the 2021 Draft and a 2022 3rd. They traded Ryan Ellis to Philadelphia for Philippe Myers and Nolan Patrick before flipping Nolan Patrick to Vegas for Cody Glass. Pekka Rinne decided to hang up his skates after spending his entire 15-year career in Nashville. Seattle selected Calle Jarnkrok, even with names like Duchene and Johansen left unprotected. Erik Haula was the only big-time player to walk in free agency. Outside of adding David Rittich to back up Juuse Saros, who got a four-year extension himself, they re-signed Mikael Granlund for four years, making this their only major signing. 

21-22 Outlook

There were considerable changes to this roster in the offseason. The reigns have been passed to a new goalie and he is already emerging as one of the best in the league. With how bare their offense was last season and how much they under-performed as a whole, odds are this will be a rough season that could waste anything good Saros does. I really like Nashville's defense and think it might be one of the more underrated units in the league. Nashville is heading back to the Western Conference and a tough division in the Central. They're going to be in a dog fight and if they can get hot and stay hot, they might steal a playoff spot from someone. 

New Jersey

What Went Right in 2021

There is another young movement in New Jersey and they are leading the charge for the Devils. The team's top four scorers were 23, 19, 22, and 22 years respectively. Jack Hughes was a major part of the team's effort last season. Despite scoring just 11 goals, he was second on the team with 31 points. Miles Wood and Pavel Zacha both tied for the team lead with 17 goals. They had two rookies in the top ten in Calder voting, Ty Smith finishing 7th and Yegor Sharangovich finishing 10th. There wasn't a whole lot of good that came out of the season, so the rookies and young guns leading the way were a major victory for the team's future.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The Devils were really bad. If not for the Sabres, this would've been a major deal. In almost every major category, the Devils were towards the bottom of the league. They finished 26th in the league goals scored and 28th in the league in goals allowed. New Jersey featured the fourth-worst power play and the league's worst penalty kill. All of this led to a team that finished with the third-lowest point total in the league. A lot of fingers can be pointed at the goaltending for the team's struggles. Mackenzie Blackwood didn't perform well (14-17-4, 3.04 GAA, .902 SV%) and the backup situation was even worse. But while the goalies didn't play well, they didn't score much either. Only four players reached double digits in goals.

Their Offseason

New Jersey made a major splash in free agency. The Devils landed the biggest fish in the pond by signing Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63 million ($9m AAV) deal to be the top defenseman on the blue line. They also added Tomas Tatar to play on the wing and add some much-needed scoring. Throw in the addition of Jonathan Bernier to play in a tandem with Blackwood and a trade with Colorado to add Ryan Graves and this is a team that added some considerable talent. Their only big losses were Will Butcher to Buffalo and Ryan Murray to the Avalanche. Through the draft, they selected Luke Hughes, brother of Jack, with the 4th overall pick, and Chase Stillman, son of former NHLer Cory Stillman, late in the first round at pick 29. 

21-22 Outlook

New Jersey is a team on the rise, but I'm not sure how equipped they are for the Metropolitan Division. The addition of Hamilton does seem to have accelerated their window to make the playoffs. He'll provide some stability on the backend and add a quarterback to a power play that was pretty bad last season. Tatar is another player that can help in that respect. Bernier will be a far stronger backup in the net than Aaron Dell or Scott Wedgewood were. I don't see them as a playoff team yet, but they are going to be more competitive with their additions.

New York (I)

What Went Right in 2021

Despite finishing fourth in the East Division, the Islanders were comfortably in the playoffs with 71 points. They were 11 points ahead of the Rangers for the final playoff spot in the division. With the Islanders and Barry Trotz, you already know what you're going to get. This team is always going to be defensively sound and the offense is going to be fine. This formula always seems to work for them. They finished 20th in scoring while holding their opponents to the second-fewest goals in the league. The team had seven players with 10+ goals, led by Brock Nelson (18) and Mat Barzal (17), who also led the team in points (45). The tandem of Semyon Varlamov and Ilya Sorokin kept teams off the board all season, leading the league with ten shutouts between the two of them. Their penalty kill was good, as you'd expect, finishing 6th in the league in percentage. They ran through Penguins and Bruins in the first two rounds of the postseason before getting stopping by Tampa Bay in the conference finals for the second season in a row. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

They started slow, going 3-4-2 in the first nine games, before turning it around and making the postseason comfortably. You could point to their lack of scoring depth from their role players or their goaltending in the postseason as to why they haven't made it past the conference finals. They only had a +2 goal differential in the postseason with neither Varlamov nor Sorokin performing to the level they did during the regular season. I think it just comes down to the fact they ran into the Lightning, who are absolute juggernauts in the postseason every year. They ultimately lost in seven games to Tampa Bay, but it was certainly a fun series.

Their Offseason

There hasn't been a whole lot to report on their end. They off-loaded Andrew Ladd's contract to Arizona with a 2021 2nd, 2022 2nd, and a 2023 3rd, and shipped Nick Leddy to Detroit for Richard Panik and a 2021 2nd. They kept a lot of the same pieces, extending the likes of Adam Pelech (eight years, $5.75m AAV), Kyle Palmieri (four years, $5m AAV), Casey Cizikas (six years, $2.5m AAV), Anthony Beauvillier (three years, $4.15m AAV), and Ilya Sorokin (three years, $4m AAV). They've brought in veterans in Zach Parise and Zdeno Chara, but these don't strike me as "off the charts signings", which is surprising since they've been stuck in the conference finals. It's a little weird, but they must be doing this for a reason because I'd think they'd be going all-in.

21-22 Outlook

They haven't made too many changes to a team with consecutive conference finals appearances. They're back in the super-competitive Metropolitan Division, so they'll be in for a fight, but they are still a very good team. They are one of the most experienced teams in the division, so that should give them a good leg up. They usually under-perform relative to their postseason 

success, so anything can happen with the Islanders.

New York (R)

What Went Right in 2021

On an individual level, there were some really strong performances from this season's team. They boasted the league's top defenseman with Adam Fox winning the Norris Trophy over fellow rising star Cale Makar and franchise defenseman Victor Hedman. Rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin finished fifth in Calder voting, with a 16-14-3 record, 2.62 GAA, and a .916 SV%. Artemi Panarin led the team in scoring with 58 points (17-41-58). Three players topped 20+goals, led by Mika Zibanejad and his three hat tricks. They put together some decent team numbers as well. They were top ten in scoring and penalty kill while finishing in the top half in the league in goals allowed and power play. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

For a team that made it to the qualifiers and won the first pick in the draft despite making it to the bubble, there were lofty expectations for this Rangers team. Despite finishing with more points than a playoff team, there were 11 points out of a playoff spot in the East Division. They started off extremely slow (4-7-3 in their first 14 games) before hitting their stride a little bit later in the season. They then lost five of their last six games to cement this season as a disappointment. During that losing streak at the end of the season was that truly awful two-game set with Washington that started with Tom Wilson punching a defenseless Pavel Buchnevich, ended Artemi Panarin's season early, and finished with 100 penalty minutes in the first period of the next meeting and several 10-minute misconduct penalties. I think the biggest disappointment was the rookie season of first overall pick Alexis Lafreniere. With so much hype surrounding his debut, he only put up 12 goals and 21 points in a full 56-game season. I think he's way better than this, but it was a rude introduction to the league for the rookie.

Their Offseason

The Rangers' offseason hasn't been surrounded by too much news. They've made a couple key trades, sending Pavel Buchnevich to the Blues for Sammy Blais and a 2022 2nd, Brett Howden to Vegas for a prospect and a 2022 4th, and acquiring Ryan Reaves from Vegas for a 2022 3rd. Their biggest moves involved the same player, acquiring Barclay Goodrow from Tampa Bay for a 2022 7th and then signing him to a six-year deal worth $21.85 million ($3.642m AAV). They made a couple signings on defense, adding Patrik Nemeth and Jarred Tinordi to an already strong blue line. They also locked up Shesterkin for four more years. They made plenty of moves that don't look major but could provide major dividends moving forward. 

21-22 Outlook

The Rangers were in a much tougher situation last season with how rough the East Division was for this younger team. They return to the Metropolitan Division, giving them a little bit more of a chance given how wide-open this division might be. They already have an amazing amount of young talent in Panarin, Fox, Shesterkin, and Kakko among many more. I think Alexis Lafreniere takes a major step forward in his second season and Panarin will be in the conversation for the Hart Trophy. They will push for a spot in the postseason and it is going to be very close. 

Ottawa

What Went Right in 2021

The expectations for the Senators were very low heading into the season, so the fact they didn't finish in last place in the North Division has to be seen as an accomplishment. They were an extremely young team. The Sens finished with three players that received Calder votes, headlined by Josh Norris and Tim Stutzle, who finished 4th and 9th respectively. Even the guys who weren't in Calder contention that led the team were still young. 21-year-old Brady Tkachuk and 22-year-old Drake Batherson led the offense charge for most of the season. Thomas Chabot established himself as a core piece on the blue line and continued to elevate himself to a franchise cornerstone. Outside of the individual performances and success against Calgary and Montreal, there wasn't too much to celebrate for Ottawa.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The easy answer would be to say that a lot went wrong, but there is one place that I think most of their troubles originated from. On the heels of the trade and extension that made him an Ottawa Senator, Matt Murray's first season was a disaster. His 10-13-1 record might not look terrible, but his GAA was 3.38 and his SV% was .893. The goaltending as a whole was pretty bad, outside of Filip Gustavsson (5-1-2, 2.16 GAA, .933 SV% in nine games). As a unit, the Sens finished 26th in the league in goals allowed. All of this resulted in a 6th place finish amongst the Canadian teams.

Their Offseason

Ottawa's offseason was relatively quiet. They made one big trade, sending Evgeni Dadonov to Vegas for Nick Holden and a 2022 3rd. On the free agent front, their biggest signing was Michael Del Zotto to a two-year, $4 million ($2m AAV) contract. They made other signings, but they aren't going to provide too much of a spark to the lineup. Other than this, there isn't too much to report on the Ottawa side of things. 

21-22 Outlook

Six of Ottawa's eight top-scorers are all 25 and younger, so the youth movement is in full swing. They have a rich prospect pool to draw from, but the truth is they aren't quite over the hill yet. They aren't likely to be a playoff team given the depth of their division, but I think they might surprise some people. If they clean up their goaltending, they might have the ingredients to move up the ladder. They are young and hungry. It's going to be a struggle for sure, but they aren't too far off from being a playoff team again.

Philadelphia

What Went Right in 2021

In a year that would certainly be considered rough with little to celebrate, some individual seasons might be worth looking at. Three relatively aging players, James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux, and Jakub Voracek, all tied for the team's lead in points with 43, while younger stars Sean Couturier, Joel Farabee, and Travis Konecny put in solid efforts. Farabee especially was a major breakout star for the Flyers, leading the team with 20 goals. Few were surprised when the team jumped out to a hot start, going 7-2-1 in January to open the season. They ended the month on a four-game win streak, including back-to-back wins over the New York Islanders. They followed that up with a strong February, going 4-2-1. From that point on, they fell off, but it was a strong start for a team many expected to make the playoffs. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

This season was an unmitigated disaster for the Flyers. After their 11-4-3 start through February, they went 14-19-5 the rest of the way. The biggest problem was their goaltending. The trio of Carter Hart, Brian Elliot, and Alex Lyon allowed over 3.5 goals per game, allowed the most goals in the entire league, and was the only team to allow over 200 goals. Their penalty kill was the second-worst in the league. Their defense was a major problem all season long and it was a wonder they finished 6th in the division (they have New Jersey and Buffalo to thank for that). I've already mentioned the goaltending, but Carter Hart's play took a major step backward. His 3.67 GAA and .877 SV% were amongst the worst in the entire league. He's only 22, so this is likely just a minor speed bump, but it was really uncharacteristic for how he'd been playing before that.

Their Offseason

As bad as their defense was, that's where they spent most of their focus this offseason. They made some of their biggest moves via trade. They sent Shayne Gostisbehere, a player they've been looking to send off for a while, to Arizona along with a 2022 2nd and a 2022 7th in exchange for future considerations. They helped Buffalo reshuffle their roster by acquiring Rasmus Ristolainen for Robert Hagg, the 14th pick in this year's draft, and a 2023 2nd. They also acquired Ryan Ellis from Nashville for Phillipe Myers and Nolan Patrick as part of the three-team deal with Vegas. On the forward front, they traded Jakub Voracek to Columbus for Cam Atkinson one-for-one to help save some money. They added Keith Yandle and Adam Clendenning along the blue line and Martin Jones to serve as Carter Hart's back-up and a serviceable starting option if he needs to be. Despite his lousy season, Hart was given a three-year extension, Travis Sanheim got a two-year deal, and Sean Couturier netted an eight-year extension worth $7.75m AAV that kicks in after this season. 

21-22 Outlook

Almost anything would be better than last season for the Flyers. I think they'll be better and should be a playoff team, but that's what I thought last season too. It'll be interesting to see how they maneuver their defensive pairings since they saw some major turnover on the blue line. I'm also interested to see if Cam Atkinson can provide the same production as Jakub Voracek. There are going to be a lot of comparisons between the two since they were traded one-for-one. Whether Carter Hart can rebound is going to be critical to the team's success as well. His numbers were bad last year, but I think he'll be much improved and come in with a completely different mindset to help lead this team.

Pittsburgh

What Went Right in 2021

The Pens cracked the postseason for the 15th consecutive season (and yes, I'm including their loss in the Qualifying Round from the bubble in 2020). They did so by topping the East Division with 77 points. Sidney Crosby led the charge again, posting 62 points (24-38-62) and finishing fourth in Hart Trophy voting. Jake Guentzel was a point-per-game player (57 points in 56 games) and Kris Letang earned a first-place vote (45 points in 55 games) and ultimately finishing 9th in Norris Trophy voting. Along with Crosby and Guentzel, Bryan Rust topped 20 goals, scoring 22 and finishing with 42 points. Their mid-season acquisition of Jeff Carter proved effective with Carter scoring nine goals in 14 games with the Pens. They finished the season second in league scoring and with the fourth-best powerplay. The duo of Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith proved to be a solid tandem, leading the team to the division title. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

Health was a major problem for the team with only six players making it 50+ games. Malkin only played 33, Zucker played 38, and Kapanen played 40. I'm not sure how much of a difference their season would've been, maybe a couple more points, but it is noticeable when going down the roster. For as many wins as the goalie duo put up, their numbers preventing goals weren't amazing. Jarry posted a 2.75 GAA and .909 SV%, while DeSmith put up a slightly better .912 SV% and 2.54 GAA. They were merely middle of the road in goals allowed and their penalty kill ranked 27th in the league. In the playoffs, they ran into the Islanders in the First Round and lost in six games. The play of Tristan Jarry was a noticeable sore spot, with a 3.18 GAA and a .888 SV%. They jumped out to a 2-1 series lead before losing the last three games, eliminating them in the first round yet again. Kris Letang (six points) and Jeff Carter (four goals, five points) led the team in the postseason, and Evgeni Malkin returned to put up five points in the last four games, but it was the lack of spark from Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel (both one goal, two points in six games) that was shocking.

Their Offseason

Pittsburgh hasn't done too much of note this offseason. They were in a weird position where they technically lost two players to Seattle. Shortly before the Expansion Draft, they traded Jared McCann to Toronto for a prospect and 2023 7th, and he was then taken from Toronto by Seattle, who also selected Brandon Tanev from the Penguins. They didn't make many big moves in free agency, with the signing of Brock McGinn being their most noteworthy signing. Dominik Simon and Danton Heinen were the only other big names to join the team. Cody Ceci is the only big loss for the team outside of the players they lost to Seattle.

21-22 Outlook

Pittsburgh is another team with an aging core (Carter is 36, Malkin is 35, Crosby is 34, and Letang is 34) that has some young players that are already making major impacts (Marino is 24, Kapanen is 25, Guentzel is 26, and Jarry is 26). They've always been major players in the Metropolitan Division and have been a playoff lock for the last decade and a half. With several members of the team heading towards free agency, this is going to be a major season to try and get over the hump. They haven't won a series since 2018 and might be beyond their window to win the Stanley Cup, but they are likely to be in the playoffs yet again.

San Jose

What Went Right in 2021

Outside of the play of Evander Kane, Logan Couture, and Tomas Hertl, there wasn't a whole lot of good for the Sharks. Kane was the only Shark to score 20+ goals (22) and led the team with 49 points, though Hertl was close with 19 goals and 43 points. Mario Ferrero also made some strides in his second full season, putting up 17 points and one of the better +/- on the team (-6). As bad as this might sound, they managed to not finish with the lowest point total in their division and had a penalty kill in the top half of the league, which might be the only good defensive stat for San Jose. Other than this, it was a rough season for the team. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

There is an amazing amount of talent on this roster, but that talent might be past their prime, especially on defense. Erik Karlsson didn't play up to his contract again this season with a +/- of -18 and only 22 points. Brent Burns was fine, but not nearly at the level of a former Norris winner. Marc-Edouard Vlasic only put up six points in 51 games. The goaltending was atrocious. The Sharks used four goalies, led by Martin Jones, and all of them had GAA about 3.00 and SV% worse than .900. They scored the seventh-fewest goals and were tied for second in most goals allowed. This is a terrible combination. Their 49 points as a team was tied with division-rival Los Angeles for the sixth-fewest in the league. 

Their Offseason

San Jose has backed themselves into a bit of a corner with some of their contracts on defense, but they tried to make some improvements, especially at forward and in the net. They added Andrew Cogliano and Nick Bonino to try and provide a little bit of offense, though they aren't the most flashy players. James Reimer was brought in to take over the starting job with Martin Jones being bought out and they swapped backups with Arizona to bring in Adin Hill to play behind Reimer. They drafted William Eklund with the seventh pick of the draft, a skilled forward that fell right into their laps. The off-the-ice problems of Evander Kane have taken over the headline though and overshadow anything that San Jose has done this offseason. It has caused a rift amongst some of the locker room, with some not wanting him back this season.

21-22 Outlook

The Sharks have great players in name and in reputation. The Evander Kane story is going to continue to evolve, so there's no telling what the future holds for the team's leading scorer from last season. James Reimer is going to be taking over the net and should be a major improvement from Martin Jones. The big money players are going to need to step up and play up to their contracts. I don't think they're a playoff team on paper, but the Pacific Division is weak so anything can happen. I think another early first round pick is in store for the Sharks next season.

Seattle

Their Offseason

A lot of the fanfare this offseason has been centered around the Seattle Kraken, the newest team in the NHL. All eyes were on them for the Expansion Draft that helped give us an idea of what they'd be working with on Day 1. Selecting guys like Mark Giordano, Yanni Gourde, Vince Dunn, Jordan Eberle, and Chris Driedger showed they were going to just sit back and they are looking to be competitive. They also won the 2nd pick in the draft and selected Matthew Beniers to be the major building block in their prospect pool once he's finished at Michigan. They went into free agency with a lot of cap space and spent quite a bit. Their class is headlined by Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer, Jaden Schwartz, and Alexander Wennberg. Their approach for the draft felt more like they were positioning for the future, while their signings make it seem like they want to mirror Vegas' success from their inaugural season. 

21-22 Outlook

Seattle will benefit greatly from playing in the weakest division in the league from the start. There are going to be high expectations for them since Vegas shattered the mold from the very beginning. The truth is those goals might be extremely lofty for the Kraken right out of the gate. I don't think it'll be too hard for them to earn one of the playoff spots in the Pacific Division, but I also don't think we should expect them to replicate Vegas' run to the Stanley Cup Final from 2018. Seattle is going to be fun to watch all season because they are the NHL's shiny new toy. I'm excited to see how they compete from the jump.

St. Louis

What Went Right in 2021

Two seasons removed from their Stanley Cup run, the Blues were successful in their attempt to make it to the playoffs, finishing fourth in the fourth in their division comfortably with 63 points. They had a nine-point cushion over Arizona for the final spot. Former Comm Smyth Winner Ryan O'Reilly was the only player to crack 20 goals, netting 24, and he and David Perron topped 50 points, finishing with 54 and 58 respectively. Mike Hoffman had a nice bounce-back season after being brought in late last offseason, scoring 17 goals and 36 points. Jordan Kyrou made took a leap forward in his first full season with the team with 35 points. Torey Krug did a solid job of stepping in after they lost Alex Pietrangelo and Justin Faulk stepped up as well. The team sported a 0 goal differential and finished 13th in both goals allowed and goals scored with 167 each. They also had a strong power play, the sixth-best unit in the league. While they struggled with Vegas and Colorado, as did the rest of the division, they were a surprising 6-1-1 against Minnesota, including a 9-1 win in early April that saw O'Reilly score one of his two hat tricks this season. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

When making the playoffs, it's hard to find a lot of negatives to talk about. The health of the team was a major issue with key players like Vladimir Tarasenko and Colton Parayko missing large portions of the season. Jordan Binnington didn't put up terrible numbers, but you'd expect more from him considering the contract he signed. His 2.65 GAA and .910 SV% are both down from the last two seasons. There was also the incident where he tried to fight the Sharks on February 27th after being pulled from the game, which made him look like a joke. Their playoff series with Colorado in the first round was a nightmare. The Blues were swept in the first round by the President's Trophy winner and Binnington allowed 4+ goals in every game. They were outscored 20-7 to in the series, with only Tarasenko scoring multiple goals with a two-goal effort in the fourth and final game. It was a major letdown for a team that had lost in the first round the year before as well. 

Their Offseason

The theme of the offseason for the Blues has been trying to find offense. Before the draft, they acquired Pavel Buchnevich from the Rangers for Sammy Blais and a 2022 2nd, then signed him to a four-year deal ($5.8m AAV). They then signed Brandon Saad to a five-year deal ($4.5m AAV) during free agency to give them two solid additions on offense. They didn't leave the defense out of it either, giving Colton Parayko an eight-year extension worth $6.5 million a season. The Vladimir Tarasenko trade drama has also been at the forefront, especially early in the offseason. It looked like he was going to be traded for sure, but nothing has happened yet. There weren't many big names, but the names that did get contracts are some serious difference makers. 

21-22 Outlook

St. Louis is going to feature prominently in the rush for the final playoff spot in the Central Division and the two wild card spots. If Tarasenko is still on the team to start the season, the Blues' offense should be in good shape. There's going to be a close eye on Jordan Binnington too. With a huge contract comes an expectation to be in the Vezina conversation and steal some wins when the offense is sputtering. Last season might have been down for him, but that's not going to fly on a team like this. I'm not 100% sure if they'll make the playoffs, but they're going to be a team to watch.

Tampa Bay

What Went Right in 2021

When you win the Stanley Cup for the second time in less than a calendar year, I'd say a lot of things went right. They defeated two division opponents from the Central Division and outlasted a strong Islanders team en route to a five-game win in the Stanley Cup Final over Montreal. They finished third in the division, which might surprise many people, but they did this without their former Hart Trophy winner for the entire season and their captain for most of the regular season. This is where the depth of the team's forwards and the strength of the team's defense shined. They also had the league's best goalie, though he didn't win the Vezina, but was the most important part of their playoff run and was crowned the Conn Smythe winner as the Playoffs MVP. Kucherov and Stamkos were both back in time for the postseason and they, along with Brayden Point, spear-headed an explosive power play through four rounds en route to the Cup.

What Went Wrong in 2021

It's hard to pinpoint much that went wrong during the season. Health was a major problem, with the aforementioned Kucherov and Stamkos both out for large portions of the season, the entire regular season in Kucherov's case. While they both returned to play in the playoffs, Alex Killorn went down in Game 1 of the Cup Final, but it didn't prove to be costly. They "underperformed" in the regular season by their standards if you consider finishing third in the division behind two of the top five teams in the league underperforming. They didn't let that sour their chances in the playoffs and they beat both of the teams ahead of them in the postseason. It's hard to nitpick their problems.

Their Offseason

Some have argued that their success in the postseason was helped in large part by the amount of money over the cap they were thanks to the injuries to Stamkos and Kucherov. They were about $18 million over the cap when the playoffs started. With both of them being healthy, their backs were against the wall which meant there was going to be some major turnover this offseason. This has largely been the case. After the playoffs ended, they traded the signing rights for Barclay Goodrow to the Rangers and Tyler Johnson to the Blackhawks. In the Johnson trade, they traded for Brent Seabrook's contract though he likely won't play, and he'll be placed on LTIR for the season. They lost Yanni Gourde in the Expansion Draft to Seattle. Their other big losses were via free agency with Blake Coleman signing with Calgary and David Savard signing in Montreal. Despite these losses, they signed Zach Bogosian, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Corey Perry, and Brian Elliott to inexpensive deals to try and replenish their depth.

21-22 Outlook

The Lightning will come into this season with a giant target on their back as back-to-back champs. All the important pieces are still in place, but they are not the same team that won those Cups. Their entire third line has left, their defensive depth took a hit, and they're returning to an extremely competitive Atlantic Division. They still have Andrei Vasilevskiy in the net, so he's bound to steal games for the team. I think they're a playoff team for sure, but it isn't a foregone conclusion that they'll be playing for a third consecutive cup. They'll have a healthy Kucherov and Stamkos to start the year, which will be major improvements for the team. It's going to be an interesting year for Tampa Bay.

Toronto

What Went Right in 2021

The Leafs were one of the best regular season teams in the league, finishing with 77 points and winning the all-Canadian North Division. Auston Matthews won the Rocket Richard Trophy with 41 goals and finished second in Hart voting to Connor McDavid. Mitch Marner finished fourth in league scoring with 67 points and Jack Campbell broke an NHL record by winning his first 11 starts of the season and earning points in 19 of 22 starts as he emerged as the #1 starter. Even Jason Spezza proved he still has plenty left in the tank at 37 by putting up 30 points. For a team spending nearly half of their cap on four players, the expectation is that they put up points, and these four did by finishing as the team's four top scorers. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

Even before the playoffs, the Leafs provided their once-a-season loss in the regular season by losing to a Vancouver team ravaged by COVID that hadn't played in almost a month 3-2 in OT on April 18. It is exactly what we'd come to expect from the Leafs every season. But the obvious story is blowing a 3-1 lead in the first round to the team that finished with the lowest point total of any playoff team while owning home-ice advantage. They lost Game 1 at home and their captain went down for the rest of the playoffs in that game, but they rattled off three straight wins to take a 3-1 lead. Games 5 and 6 played almost the exact same way. Montreal jumped out to multi-goal leads in each game, Toronto erased the lead and forced OT, then a Toronto turnover led to a Montreal goal in OT to win. Game 7 was all Montreal and Toronto added to their string of first-round disappointments.

Their Offseason

The Leafs' offseason will not come off as flashy, due in large part to their self-inflicted cap restraints. They essentially swapped goalies with the Canes, losing Frederik Anderson and adding Petr Mrazek to serve as a tandem with Jack Campbell. They lost Zach Hyman to Edmonton, which will serve as a major loss to the offense. Their signings won't knock anyone's socks off. To go along with signing Mrazek in net, Michael Bunting, Nick Ritchie, and Ondrej Kase headline a pretty mediocre free agent class. 

21-22 Outlook

After dominating the rest of Canada in the regular season, they're returning to the Atlantic Division this season. They are extremely top-heavy with Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander, Reilly, and Muzzin. It's their lack of top-end depth pieces that are going to make this season a challenge. They have a better tandem in net than last season. If Campbell falters and can't be the #1, they have Mrazek who has also proven himself in the NHL as a competent starter. The most interesting storyline for me is going to be who takes Hyman's spot on the top line. His departure is going to leave a massive hole since he complemented Matthews and Marner so well. I have my concerns, but I think they're going to be fighting along with the division's best all season.

Vancouver

What Went Right in 2021

COVID made everything really weird in the NHL and the Canucks may have been the embodiment of weird this season. On constant for this team is always Brock Boeser. Boeser led the way with 23 goals and 49 points for a team that didn't have much offense this season. While Quinn Hughes didn't get any Norris consideration, likely due to his -24 +/- rating, he finished with 41 points, the third-most on the team. JT Miller was another standout with 46 points. One of the less talked about rookies that came on strong at the end of the season was Nils Hoglander. He finished with 27 points and was 8th in Calder voting. The Canucks provided an amazing moment, depending on how you look at it when they missed a month due to a COVID outbreak within the organization and beat Toronto 3-2 in overtime in their first game back. They weren't at full strength but still pulled off a huge win. They missed so many games due to this outbreak that they continued to play regular season games as the playoffs were starting. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

The Canucks finished with 50 points, which put them in the cellar of the North Division by a single point behind the Ottawa Senators. The problem for them was simple. They were unable to both score the puck on offense and stop their opponents from scoring on defense. They had the eighth-fewest goals scored while allowing the sixth-most goals. The duo of Thatcher Demko and Braden Holtby was not as good as advertised. The team's health was also a major problem. There was the COVID outbreak as mentioned, but Elias Pettersson, arguably the team's best player, only played 26 games before going down and missing the rest of the season. Pettersson had 21 points in those 26 games. Add two special teams units that were in the bottom half of the league and it was a long, trying season for Vancouver. 

Their Offseason

Vancouver is responsible for one of the biggest trades this offseason. Right before the draft, the Canucks pulled the trigger on a trade to acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson and the rights to RFA Conor Garland from Arizona and sending three players and three picks, including the 9th overall pick in this year's draft to the Coyotes. It was a major move that scratched a bunch of heads. Garland was then signed to a five-year deal ($4.95m AAV). They also added Tucker Poolman to their defense and Jaroslav Halak to replace Braden Holtby and try and sure up their situation in the net. To save some money, they traded Nate Schmidt to the Jets for a 2022 3rd. As of writing this, the Canucks still have two major RFAs that need new contacts, as both Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson haven't signed new contracts. They are due major deals, but Vancouver is scratching and clawing to find the money.

21-22 Outlook

This team is super weird, as we've established, and I don't think they should be as bad as they really are. I don't think OEL will pay as many dividends for them as Conor Garland will. It's a huge contract to take on and doesn't feel like the right move for a team that wants to make the playoffs. They'll get Hughes and Pettersson signed eventually, but this isn't going to be pretty for them. I don't think they're a playoff team, even in the Pacific Division. The one thing I am looking forward to will be the budding rivalry that hopefully comes together between them and Seattle. 

Vegas

What Went Right in 2021

There was a lot of good from the Vegas season. They've been in the league for four seasons and they've made it to at least the conference finals three times. They had an impressive run to the conference finals this season. They finished tied for the most points in the regular season (82), losing out on the President's Trophy by a tiebreaker. They beat Minnesota in seven games, then rattled off four consecutive wins against Colorado after losing the first two games, before losing in six games to Montreal. Mark Stone led the offensive charge, pacing the team in points (61) and assists (40) while finishing second in goals to Max Pacioretty (24). Marc-Andre Fleury (26-10-0, 1.98 GAA, .928 SV%) won the Vezina trophy while also winning the Jennings trophy in tandem with Robin Lehner by allowing the fewest goals in the league. The offense wasn't bad either, finishing third in the league in scoring.

What Went Wrong in 2021

It's hard to find a lot of things that went wrong during their season. They only had one three-game losing streak during the regular season. Each of their playoff series was a little bit closer than they've liked. Minnesota took them to seven games, they beat Colorado in six, then lost to Montreal in six. Fleury played well in the postseason, though Lehner wasn't as sharp. Their biggest problem was arguably that they didn't make it to the Stanley Cup Final. They got tons of scoring, they just couldn't beat out Montreal when they really needed to. There was the costly giveaway from Fleury that led to a game-tying goal before losing the game in OT in Game 3. That mistake allowed Montreal to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Had Vegas won that game then won Game 4 like they did, that would've given them a 3-1 series lead with three chances to win the series and advance to the Cup Final.

Their Offseason

The biggest move of the offseason was their surprising trade of Marc-Andre Fleury to Chicago. They got nothing in return, which isn't technically true even though the prospect they got has since been released. It was crazy to think that the reigning Vezina winner would be on the move. You might be able to argue this was a cap dump, but there's no excuse for getting nothing in return for him. They've been active on the trade market all offseason. They acquired Evgeni Dadonov from Ottawa, Nolan Patrick in a three-team deal from Philly through Nashville, and Brett Howden from the Rangers while trading away Fleury, Ryan Reaves, and Cody Glass. They signed Laurent Brossoit to back up Robin Lehner and signed Alec Martinez and Mattias Janmark to extensions.

21-22 Outlook

Vegas is primed to run through the Pacific Division yet again. They have one of the best forward groups, a strong defensive group, and a goalie that has proven he can play at a high level. I won't go so far as to commit to them winning the Western Conference, but they're going to be serious contenders. Vegas' success will hang a little bit on Lehner's ability to maintain that high level we've become accustomed to in stops with the Islanders and the Golden Knights. As long as they're healthy, they could compete for the President's Trophy yet again this season.

Washington

What Went Right in 2021

Washington earned their seventh consecutive postseason appearance and won their sixth straight division title. The Caps lit the lamp 191 times, third-most in the league, led by Alex Ovechkin's 24 goals and TJ Oshie's 22, 13 of which were on the league's third-best PP. Nicklas Backstrom paced the team with 53 points with John Carlson finishing with 44. The goaltending from Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov was decent, with Vanecek finishing sixth in Calder voting. They posted a season-high seven-game winning streak over 12 days in March. Nine players scored 10+ goals and six players finished with 20+ assists. 

What Went Wrong in 2021

The race for the division crown was tight between the Caps and Penguins, but Washington ultimately prevailed. This is about where the good stuff ends. For the third straight season since their Stanley Cup win in 2018, the Caps were eliminated in the first round, this time by the Boston Bruins in five games. Vitek Vanecek was hurt just over 13 minutes into Game 1. This gave way to Craig Anderson, who played well in relief and earned the win. He lost Game 2, then Ilya Samsonov lost Games 3, 4, and 5 which eliminated the Caps from the postseason early again. A series win has escaped them for three years and this was the latest failure to advance. We also can't forget the entire thing with the Rangers that led to a parade to the penalty box and some line brawls late in the season.

Their Offseason

Washington hasn't done a lot in the offseason. They worked on an extension for Alex Ovechkin that will keep him in Washington for five more years. They also resigned Ilya Samsonov to a one-year deal. Their biggest move might be a trade that sent Brenden Dillon to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2022 2nd and a 2023 2nd. It was an interesting move that did subtract $3.9m from their cap, but that was likely to re-sign Ovechkin. They lost Vitek Vanecek to the Kraken in the expansion draft, but they got him back when they traded Seattle the 2023 2nd they got from the Winnipeg trade. They have not made any significant moves otherwise.

21-22 Outlook

The Caps' stars are starting to get older, so the window to win is starting to close very quickly. Their lack of success in the postseason in the last three seasons has been concerning. With the Metropolitan Division looking to be even more competitive, their streak of division titles could be in jeopardy. The hope is to play a full season, so Alex Ovechkin could inch his way closer to even more goal-scoring milestones. Like every season, he'll be fun to watch. Their goalies are young but are some of the brighter parts of Washington's future. This is going to be an interesting season for sure.

Winnipeg

What Went Right in 2021

The Jets already featured one of the strongest offensive cores in the league and one of the best goalies in the world. The quartet of Scheifele, Connor, Ehlers, and Wheeler all scored 15+ goals and 45+ points and Andrew Copp added another 15 goals. Connor Hellebuyck played well in the net, though it was arguably not one of his stronger seasons, finishing 24-17-3, with a .916 SV%, a 2.58 GAA, and four shutouts en route to a fourth-place finish in Vezina voting. Laurent Brossoit was a suitable backup, with a .918 SV% and 2.42 GAA, despite just a 6-6-0 record. They were in the top half in the league in most major categories. The team made the playoffs and won a first-round matchup with the Oilers and they finished them off in four games, three of which were in overtime. While Draisaitl and McDavid couldn't be held at bay, the Jets held the Oilers to eight goals and they put in strong performances all around. Their stars played like it for the series.

What Went Wrong in 2021

The team's point total is a little bit lower than one might expect and having one of the better goalies in the world would usually help to bring that total higher. One thing that made their sweep over the Oilers a little surprising was the fact they went 2-7-0 against them during the regular season, by far their worst record against any of their division opponents. They also made an interesting trade at the beginning of the season that sent Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic to Columbus for Pierre-Luc Dubois. On the surface, this was a trade involving three players that needed a change of scenery. In actual results, Winnipeg lost this trade. Dubois finished with 20 points (9-11-20) in 41 games, while Laine (10-11-21 in 45 games) and Roslovic (12-22-34 in 48 games) each finished with more points in more games. After beating Edmonton in a clean sweep, they proceeded to be on the opposite side of the result by being swept in the second round by Montreal. This was a rare Hellebuyck letdown, as he allowed five goals twice and the offense only scored six goals. Mark Scheifele was suspended after he level Montreal's Jake Evans in Game 1 of the series as he scored on an empty net. He was suspended four games, meaning he'll still be suspended for the season opener since they only played three more games after that in the postseason. 

Their Offseason

Winnipeg hasn't done a whole lot of note this offseason. They focused a lot on boosting the defense by trading for Brendan Dillon from Washington and Nate Schmidt from Vancouver to make up for the losses of Tucker Poolman, Derek Forbort, and Jordie Benn in free agency. They also lost Laurent Brossoit in free agency and signed Eric Comrie to become their new backup. Their only other notable signing was Riley Nash for their forward group. All their other moves were re-signing their RFAs, like Neil Pionk, Andrew Copp, and Logan Stanley, as well as Paul Stastny before he could hit the free agent market. 

21-22 Outlook

The North Division was one thing, but Winnipeg returning to the Central Division is going to be interesting. There are some good teams in the division, but the core of this team remains. The offensive pieces are still in place, the defense added some names, and Hellebuyck is still one of the best goalies in the league. If Pierre-Luc Dubois turns things around and the offense can remain lethal, this is going to be a team that returns to the top of the league. I trust that Hellebuyck can steal some games for them and they'll be in a playoff spot when the postseason rolls around.

Standings and Playoff Predictions

Atlantic

Tampa Bay-115*

Toronto-103*

Boston-96*

Montreal-91*

Florida-88

Ottawa-83

Detroit-80

Buffalo-71

There are a couple big dogs at the top of the division. Until Tampa Bay shows me that they are no longer the best team in the league, they're going to be my pick to win the division and the frontrunners for the President's Trophy. Toronto is coming off yet another disappointing playoff run, but they've been one of the best regular season teams in the league the last few seasons with a few of the best playmakers in the league. Even if they're aging, Boston is another team that is almost certainly making it to the postseason, even with a new goalie between the pipes. They'll be the automatic qualifiers from the division, but there are a few teams that are going to be competing for a wild card spot. I think the Atlantic is going to get one of the wild card spots and it comes down to two teams. I think Montreal is going to be the team to earn it over Florida due to its superior offense top to bottom and more consistent goaltending. Ottawa is on the verge of being ready to contend for a playoff spot, but they'll be right on the outside of it. Even with a new goalie with some Calder pedigree, Detroit is still a little bit away from being ready to make any noise. Buffalo will yet again be embarrassing this season and will finish in the cellar of the Atlantic.

Metropolitan

New York (I)-101*

Carolina-98*

Pittsburgh-94*

Washington-93*

New York (R)-89

New Jersey-84

Philadelphia-80

Columbus-73

The Metropolitan is going to be strong all the way through, so it's hard to determine who'll win it and who could potentially be a playoff team. I think the New York Islanders will ride their success from the postseason and win the division behind a strong defensive unit and goaltending that always seems to show up during the season. Carolina is my second place pick despite an interesting offseason that saw considerable changes and noteworthy moves. Their defense always finds a way to elevate their goalies to a high level (see Mrazek/McElhinney in 2018-19 or Mrazek/Reimer in 2019-20 and 2020-21). 3-5 in the division are a toss-up to me, so I'm sticking with Pittsburgh in third and final automatic playoff spot. The Penguins have a decent goalie duo and it's hard to pick against the likes of Crosby and Malkin. I think the Metro will also get a wild card spot and it'll come down to the Capitals and the Rangers. Ultimately, Washington will get the first wild card spot and be the extra playoff team in the division. I think the Capitals have the core to make it over the Rangers, though their best players are starting to get older. The New York Rangers are an interesting team and I think they have some excellent individuals players. I'm still a little out on the goalie duo, but Panarin, Fox, and co. are going to make this an interesting race. I view New Jersey as being in a similar situation to Ottawa. They have considerable young talent, but they're a year or so away. I think Philadelphia could bounce back in a big way, but this is such a strong division that I don't see them making a huge leap. Columbus is in the midst of a mass rebuild, so this is going to be a rough season for them.

Central

Colorado-112*

Minnesota-106*

Winnipeg-94*

St. Louis-89*

Nashville-88*

Chicago-83

Dallas-78

Arizona-72

For me, Colorado is still the class of the Western Conference and I think they'll be the favorite to win the Central Division. They feature a strong top line with a world-class defenseman and a solid goaltender. With Kirill Kaprizov finally signed, Minnesota is going to give Colorado a serious run for their money, but I think they'll fall just short of the division title this season. From this point on it's anyone's guess. Winnipeg has the second-best goalie in the league and a lethal offense that I think will allow them to outscore and steal games from opponents. St. Louis has a historic playoff pedigree and I think they'll do just enough to crack the first wild card spot with Jordan Binnington bouncing back in a big way. I think the Central is going to have both wild card teams and I think Nashville is going to surprise some people this season. I don't think there's any way both Matt Duchene and Ryan Johansen both have bad seasons again this season. Chicago got a decent facelift this offseason, bringing in guys like Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury, and with Jonathan Toews coming back this season, I think they'll make waves, but they won't make the playoffs. Despite a run to the Stanley Cup Final two seasons ago and a down season last year, Dallas has a log jam at goalie and I don't think they'll make any steps forward. The newest addition to the division, Arizona has spent the offseason off-loading players to get draft picks for the next draft, so everyone knows where their mind is.

Pacific

Vegas-104*

Edmonton-95*

Calgary-93*

Seattle-87

Los Angeles-85

Vancouver-79

Anaheim-74

San Jose-68

There are two ways Vegas can react to their conference final loss to Montreal last season and I think they're going to be back with a vengeance. Robin Lehner taking over as the starting goalie is going to be an interesting story and they'll only go as far as he takes them. Edmonton is another team that needs to make a huge jump back after postseason embarrassment and with two of the best players in the league, they'll propel them to the top of the division. My biggest turn-around for this season might be Calgary. They missed the playoffs last season and they have an immense amount of talent so as long as their goaltending is up to par, they'll be the last automatic qualifier. Given that I think the Pacific is the weakest division in the league, I don't think they'll have a wild card team, so it'll only be the top three in the division. Seattle, in their first season, isn't going to be able to replicate Vegas' success in their inaugural season. They'll be close to the playoffs, but I don't think they'll make it to the playoffs. Los Angeles is going to be a youthful team with some strong veteran pieces that will be right on the cusp of the postseason, but fall just short. The rest of the division is a mess. Vancouver thought they made a good move, but I think it'll backfire on them. Anaheim is another young team that is a few years away from being difference makers in the Pacific. I think San Jose will be the worst team in the league and be the front-runner for the first pick in the draft.

Postseason Predictions

First Round

(A1) Tampa Bay v. (WC2) Montreal

We often see postseason matchups year after year, but we never see a Stanley Cup Final rematch in the first round of the playoffs. Tampa Bay got the better of the Canadiens in the Cup Final, winning in five games convincingly. They'll be in the same division to start the season, similar to Tampa Bay and Dallas last season after meeting in the finals in the bubble then playing in the same division last season. When putting these two teams side-by-side, Tampa Bay sweeps Montreal in offense, defense, and goaltending. I think a matchup with these two would be fun and I think Montreal has a bright future with Caufield and Suzuki leading the team, but the better dog won last season and they'd do it again this season. Tampa Bay wins 4-1.

(A2) Toronto v. (A3) Boston

There is some rich history in this playoff matchup. These two teams are destined to meet every year until the end of time and I would be all for it. The roles are usually revered with Boston having home-ice for the series and it always, at least in the last three matchups, ended with Boston winning at home in Game 7. There's been a history of disappointment among the Toronto fanbase and there's going to come a time where Toronto breaks through and finally advances the second round. They've lost their last five winner-take-all games and have failed to show anything in those games. Consider me naive, but I think this year will be the year, albeit in an extremely tight series. Toronto wins 4-3. 

(M1) New York (I) v. (WC1) Washington

The Islanders have reached the conference finals the last two seasons, falling short of the finals both times to Tampa Bay. They are a defensive-minded team that always finds ways to keep their opponents off the board. Washington has one of the best offensive duos in the league and maybe even in league history with Ovechkin and Backstrom. Washington hasn't won a series since winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. They lost to Carolina in seven games in 2019, then lost in five games in 2020 and 2021 in two lopsided series. I think that Washington is a fine team, but the experience of the Islanders in recent seasons is going to make them a popular pick this season. New York wins 4-2.

(M2) Carolina v. (M3) Pittsburgh

These two met in 2009 in the Eastern Conference Finals when a young Sidney Crosby and co. swept the underdog Hurricanes to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. It's a different time and the Hurricanes are no longer the underdogs. This is a team that missed the postseason for ten years and then won a series in each of the last three postseason if you include their qualifying round series win over the Rangers in the bubble before they lost to Boston. Pittsburgh's resume speaks for itself with one of the best players of this generation. I think these two would have a fun series, but I'm giving the edge to the Hurricanes. Carolina wins 4-2.

(C1) Colorado v. (WC2) Nashville

Nashville is one of my sleeper picks for the regular season, but running into the best team in the Western Conference is sure to give you some serious problems. Colorado hasn't been able to get over the hump in the playoffs, but they haven't had any problems with the first round in recent years. Nashville put together a decent performance in the first round last year against Carolina, but Colorado is a much better team in my opinion, and that's coming from a Hurricanes fan. I can see Nashville picking up a win at home, but Colorado would be able to take care of the Predators in relatively short order. Colorado wins 4-1.

(C2) Minnesota v. (C3) Winnipeg

This is the theoretical series I'd be most excited to see if things were to play out how I want them to. Minnesota has one of the most exciting sophomores in the sport in Kirill Kaprizov, while Winnipeg has a quartet of scorers that can take over a series. It will be intriguing to see how far the Wild will go to ensure they win since they're going to be cash-strapped in the next few seasons since they bought out Parise and Suter. Winnipeg felt the ultimate high and low last season with a sweep of Edmonton in the first round before being swept by Montreal in the second round. I like the Wild, but the ultimate difference might be Connor Hellebuyck in the net for the Jets out-performing whoever Minnesota throws out there. Winnipeg wins 4-3.

(P1) Vegas v. (WC1) St. Louis

Vegas has been a strong team every season since joining the league, advancing to the conference finals in all but one season. In St. Louis' team history, they've only missed the postseason nine times. They are a pair of heavyweights that had disappointing exits from the postseason last season. Vegas stormed their way through the West Division only to lost to Montreal in the conference final in a series they frankly should've won. St. Louis was swept out of the first round by Colorado, the team Vegas beat in the second round. Head-to-head, Vegas is the far superior team. I see no reason why they shouldn't win this series with ease. Vegas wins 4-1.

(P2) Edmonton v. (P3) Calgary

The Battle of Alberta hasn't been played in the postseason since 1991. To see this played in the postseason would be fun to watch. The Oilers and Flames have faced off in the postseason five times, with the Oilers winning four of the five meetings. This version of the battle will feature two teams that really haven't seen much success in the postseason lately. Connor McDavid really needs to put the team on his shoulders if they want to make a run. He has to be nearing his breaking point since the Oilers have only won one series since he was drafted. Calgary is coming back from a rough season and they'll be primed for a comeback. I think the struggle continues and Calgary advances. Calgary wins 4-2.

Second Round

(A1) Tampa Bay v. (A2) Toronto

As a prize for winning their first series in a long time, the Leafs are matched up with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the reigning back-to-back champions. This would have the makings of an amazing series given how much star power would be on the ice. This is uncharted territory for almost the entire Maple Leafs team. The experience of the Lightning and having the best goalie in the world is what is likely to propel the Lightning to a series win against a Leafs team that really needs to make something of this season. It'll be a minor victory for Toronto to make it to the second round, but this is where the dream is likely to end. Tampa Bay wins 4-2.

(M1) New York (I) v. (M2) Carolina

Carolina got the better of the Islanders in 2019 when the two teams faced off in the second round. The Canes swept the series en route to an Eastern Conference Finals birth. I think these two teams stack up as evenly as any teams in the Metropolitan Division. They both feature a fair amount of young talent and veteran presence. I don't think this would be nearly as one-sided as the series in 2019, but I do give the edge to the Hurricanes. Their ability to generate offense is among the best in the league and they've been one of the better defensive teams in the league as well. The Islanders have been in this situation a lot more, so the experience edge belongs to them, but I don't think it's enough to beat Carolina. Carolina wins 4-2.

(C1) Colorado v. (C3) Winnipeg

This is the spot in the postseason that Colorado can't seem to overcome. They've been eliminated in the second round the last three seasons. Winnipeg hasn't been able to advance far either since making it to the Western Conference Finals in 2017-18. Ultimately, someone has to win this series, breaking a long stretch of disappointment for just one of them. Winnipeg has the edge in the net with Connor Hellebuyck and I think Colorado has the better defense between the two teams. It very much comes down to which offense I think is better. Both teams have their strong top lines, but I think Colorado has the better depth in their forward group. Colorado wins 4-3.

(P1) Vegas v. (P3) Calgary

This season is going to be a bit of a resurgence for the Calgary Flames. They have great pieces on offense and some talented defenders, but Vegas has even more of both. The forward group of Vegas is among the top five in the league and their defense has been perfectly constructed. The biggest factor is going to be the play of Robin Lehner in the net. I think some people are doubting Vegas after their disappointing loss to Montreal last season, but I'm not ready to give up on them yet. Calgary will take a game, maybe two, but Vegas should run away with this series. Vegas wins 4-1. 

Conference Finals

(A1) Tampa Bay v. (M2) Carolina

Tampa Bay dismantled the Canes last postseason in the second round in five games, though the games appeared to be a lot closer. Andrei Vasilevskiy was virtually unbeatable in that series and even in the one game where he didn't look good, Tampa Bay still won. This is a new season and there appear to be more eyes and expectations on the Hurricanes given the moves they've made in the offseason, but losing an entire line from a Stanley Cup-winning team isn't anything to overlook either. It's also worth noting that the Canes have been swept in their last two conference finals appearances (2009 against Pittsburgh, 2019 against Boston). This will likely be a better series than last postseason, but I'm going with the boring pick and taking the Lightning to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season. Tampa Bay wins 4-2.

(C1) Colorado v. (P1) Vegas

These two went head-to-head last season for the Presidents Trophy, which was ultimately won by the Avalanche. They then met in the second round to determine the West Division's representative in the conference finals. Colorado won the first two games, but Vegas stormed back to win four straight and take the series in six games. I still think these are the two best teams in the Western Conference. Vegas returns much of the same lineup, with new additions of Nolan Patrick and Evgenii Dadanov to the forwards. Colorado has much of the same team, with some minor additions throughout their skaters and Darcy Kuemper in the net. This series is going the distances and I think Vegas will ultimately win Game 7 on the road to make it to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in franchise history. Vegas wins 4-3. 

Stanley Cup Final

(A1) Tampa Bay v. (P1) Vegas

Tampa Bay could become the first team since the Edmonton Oilers ('83, '84, '85) to appear in three straight Stanley Cup Finals and could be the first team since the New York Islanders ('80, '81, '82, '83) to win three straight Stanley Cups. Vegas is going into their fifth season in the NHL and this could already be their second appearance in the final. Tampa Bay's success has to be attributed to their amazing ability to draft. There are ten players on the roster that were drafted by the team and have been with them this entire time. Vegas has relied more on trades and free agency to construct their team, with only four players selected from their initial Expansion Draft remaining (not including players acquired in deals during or shortly after the draft). The losses of Tampa's entire third line of Barclay Goodrow, Yanni Gourde, and Blake Coleman are going to be critical in determining whether this team will be able to make it to this point of the postseason. This series is going to be great, but I think it's time there was a changing of the guard. Vegas is a strong team that has dried up offensively in key moments during the postseason in years past. This will be the season it changes and they'll be able to find a way to beat Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay for their first Stanley Cup. Vegas wins the Stanley Cup, 4-3. Mark Stone wins the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Awards

Hart- Auston Matthews (TOR) over Connor McDavid (EDM) and Brayden Point (TB)

I've said in the past that not picking Connor McDavid to win the Hart is always stupid because he's easily the best player in the league. I also believe there comes a point in time where McDavid won't be able to outdo himself, so his seasons won't look as good compared to others. Going over 100 points in a 56-game season is ridiculous. Unless he goes for 150 points this season, voters won't be impressed. Auston Matthews is easily a top five goal scorer in the league and is the early favorite for the Rocket Richard after topping 40 goals last season. I think he'll hover around 60 goals if he stays healthy and that might make him look like a Hart favorite. To me, Brayden Point is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league and I'd love to see him get some major recognition. He has tough competition within his own team, but he might be one of the most complete players in the entire league.

Norris- Cale Makar (COL) over Charlie McAvoy (BOS) and Jaccob Slavin (CAR)

In just two full seasons in the league, Cale Makar won the Calder as the league's best rookie and was the runner-up last season for the Norris to the Rangers' Adam Fox. I think this is going to be his season. He was a point per game player last season (44 points in 44 games) and his +/- was good for a high-end defenseman. If his offensive numbers explode and he stays healthy, he'll be an easy pick. Charlie McAvoy is another young player that has been in the conversation, but hasn't been able to take the leap over the other big names in the league. His offensive numbers haven't been eye-popping, but if he can find a way to put up some more offense to accompany his stellar defense, he should easily be a finalist. Jaccob Slavin is regarded as more of a defensive defenseman, but his offensive numbers are similar, if not better, than McAvoy's. Before his production dipped last season, he'd topped 30 points in the four season prior. With no Dougie Hamilton, he might be able to step in and be a bigger contributor offensively.

Vezina- Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB) over Robin Lehner (VGK) and Connor Hellebuyck (WPG)

Andrei Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the world and I don't think there's any question about it. He's finished in the top three of the Vezina voting each of the last four seasons, winning in 2018-19. He was the runner-up last season to Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury, though I felt Vasilevskiy should've won. I don't think there's a goalie that's been more used than him in the last few seasons, yet he still finds a way to perform at an elite level at all times. This is a no-brainer pick for me. Robin Lehner is now the man in Vegas with Fleury being traded. Lehner's been part of two Jennings winning tandems, including last season with Fleury, so he isn't a slouch. Getting more starts will allow him to prove he's still a solid starter in the league. Connor Hellebuyck is a top three goalie in the world in my eyes. The defense in front of him has let him down some in the past, but that hasn't prevented him from winning the Vezina in 2019-20 and two more top four finishes in his career. As long as Winnipeg is a playoff team, I think he'll be in Vezina contention. 

Calder- Cole Caufield (MTL) over Trevor Zegras (ANA) and Alex Newhook (COL)

The league was formally introduced to Cole Caufield at the end of the regular season last year. His first two goals were overtime winners in consecutive games and finished with four goals and five points in ten games. He continued his play into the postseason, where he posted 12 points (4-8-12) in 20 postseason games. His chemistry with Nick Suzuki is hard to ignore and if the two are together this season, Caufield will be a major force. Trevor Zegras is a favorite to be the actual winner, so I'd be naive if I didn't think that he'd be a finalist too. He's in a different situation than Caufield since he's on a team that is going to be relying heavily on the rookies all season. He posted 13 points (3-10-13) in 24 games last season, so he's proven he can score in this league. Alex Newhook also saw some action in the NHL at the end of the season putting up three assists in six games. He's also towards the top of the odds charts of most betting websites, but it'll be interesting since he's going into a good situation in Colorado.

Selke- Mark Stone (VGK) over Ryan O'Reilly (STL) and Sean Couturier (PHI)

The Selke is always hard to predict because it's more about being the best two-way forward than the best defensive forward. I tend to look more at the trends to make this selection.Mark Stone has been the runner-up for the Selke once and finished in the top five two additional times, so you'd have to think he'll be in contention for the award if he is able to score as much as he has in recent seasons. Ryan O'Reilly won the Selke in 2018-19, the same season he won a Stanley Cup with the Blues, and he's finished top five the last two seasons as well. His offensive numbers have looked good since he started with the Blues, so he's usually a safe bet to be at the top of the voting. Sean Couturier is another former winner, taking home the Selke in 2019-20. He dropped last season since Philadelphia wasn't a good defensive team as a whole, but we could see a bounce back into the top three if they clean some things up.

Jack Adams- Barry Trotz (NYI) over Sheldon Keefe (TOR) and Darryl Sutter (CGY)

The Jack Adams is another award that is hard to predict since the criteria usually different depending on the voter. For last years winner, Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour, it felt more like he was being rewarded for the last three seasons since he became the bench boss for the Canes and led them to three straight postseason appearances. My pick to win, New York Islanders' Barry Trotz, is a two-time winner. He won with Washington in 2015-16 and with the Islanders in 2018-19. I think if he's able to win in the Metropolitan Division, he should be the odds on favorite to win the award. I put Toronto's Sheldon Keefe second just because I think he'll be able to help cure the Leafs' woes and have them battling with Tampa Bay for the top of the Atlantic Division. If Darryl Suter is able to lead Calgary to the postseason after their disappointing season last season, then he should be a finalist without a doubt.