HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Which team has had the best off-season?

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Which team has had the best off-season?
- ToddCordellVAN

Colorado made some solid additions for sure, but my vote goes to Edmonton. Barrie is a very underrated D and will be this teams #1D this season. Adding depth to their weak bottom 6 with Turris, Kahun, and bringing Pulj back into the mix were desperately needed additions. I think the improvements here were much more drastic, whereas, Col is a powerhouse that made some tweaks. No doubt Colorado is the better team in my eyes, but Edmonton made the more noticeable changes.

Colorado made some solid additions for sure, but my vote goes to Edmonton. Barrie is a very underrated D and will be this teams #1D this season. Adding depth to their weak bottom 6 with Turris, Kahun, and bringing Pulj back into the mix were desperately needed additions. I think the improvements here were much more drastic, whereas, Col is a powerhouse that made some tweaks. No doubt Colorado is the better team in my eyes, but Edmonton made the more noticeable changes.
- bikeguy99

I would have gone Oilers had they done something about goaltending. Going back to Smith just seems like it'll make most of the other good moves be for naught.

Detroit could easily be the most improved team in the NHL while still also being the worst team in the NHL.

I would point to the Sabres. Big adds in Hall and Staal. But good depth adds in Eakin, Rieder and Irwin. Also able to get RFA's signed to cap conscious deals. Losing Kahoun may be a minus but his agent held out for a big raise and had to settle for less dollars with the Oilers. Still hoping for an upgrade in goal and need to move an RD.

Colorado made some solid additions for sure, but my vote goes to Edmonton. Barrie is a very underrated D and will be this teams #1D this season. Adding depth to their weak bottom 6 with Turris, Kahun, and bringing Pulj back into the mix were desperately needed additions. I think the improvements here were much more drastic, whereas, Col is a powerhouse that made some tweaks. No doubt Colorado is the better team in my eyes, but Edmonton made the more noticeable changes.
- bikeguy99

Cordell would never vote Oilers. It's like expecting RW to vote for the Pens.

no love for Ottawa?


Matt Murray, Dadonov, Galchenyuk, plus the draft

if I was writing something where I talked about how good of an off-season the Colorado Avalanche had, I would also include a couple of lines mentioning that they have left themselves with some difficult decisions regarding which players they are protecting in expansion draft

I like these Hotstoves but they should opinions from more than just two bloggers.

I would point to the Sabres. Big adds in Hall and Staal. But good depth adds in Eakin, Rieder and Irwin. Also able to get RFA's signed to cap conscious deals. Losing Kahoun may be a minus but his agent held out for a big raise and had to settle for less dollars with the Oilers. Still hoping for an upgrade in goal and need to move an RD.
- G - Man

Good points.

My vote would be Colorado still, but Buffalo is a good pick too.

Detroit could easily be the most improved team in the NHL while still also being the worst team in the NHL.
- Sven22

It's also the team that's set up the best for the future.

No player signed beyond 2 years except Larkin. Lots of upcoming draft picks and lots of players on short-term contracts who can be traded for futures. Lots of young forwards with high ceilings in the pipeline.

Yzerman will basically have a clean slate. Really building a team from scratch is a great privilege in this league.

no love for Ottawa?


Matt Murray, Dadonov, Galchenyuk, plus the draft
- sensarmy_11

I really like what Ottawa is doing. Some shrewd moves and if those high picks turn into a difference maker or two, they might contend soon. Also love all that cap space they have after this season

It's also the team that's set up the best for the future.

No player signed beyond 2 years except Larkin. Lots of upcoming draft picks and lots of players on short-term contracts who can be traded for futures. Lots of young forwards with high ceilings in the pipeline.

Yzerman will basically have a clean slate. Really building a team from scratch is a great privilege in this league.
- redseerpf

i direct you to Ottawa, who has all of what you said about detroit, but has a much better group of young players/prospects

Montreal had a pretty nice off season.

no love for Ottawa?
Matt Murray, Dadonov, Galchenyuk, plus the draft
- sensarmy_11

I generally like the moves the Red Wings have made, but I would suggest the Senators have done more in terms of actual improvements. In fact, the many of the moves both teams made almost go in lock-step in terms of position, but with almost no cases I can see where the Red Wings have necessarily done better.

Staal/Merrill is relatively comparable to Gudbranson/Brown, Murray/Greiss at worst is even, and I'd take Galchenyuk/Watson over Ryan/Namestnikov any day of the week. That leaves Dadonov vs. Stecher, and I really don't see much of a comparison there in terms of quality.

Factor in the relative strength of the draft, the quality of incoming talent on ELC, and the success they've had with re-signing RFA to good deals in terms of $$$/term, and I really don't see anything Detroit's done that's more impressive.

i direct you to Ottawa, who has all of what you said about detroit, but has a much better group of young players/prospects
- sensarmy_11

They have Zaitsev on the books for 4 more years, Murray who's a gamble as well, and Colin White for 5 more, although he can get bought out at 1/3. They also have a sizeable long-term commitment to Thomas Chabot, which the Wings don't have. Chabot's a great player, but he's not a 8M$ guy yet, and might never be, although he's got all the tools.

They do have a better group of prospects, but they've also been in a full rebuild for longer than the Wings. Give the Wings two more years and they'll be right up there with the Sens.

Leafs by a mile.



-James Tanner

Colorado made some solid additions for sure, but my vote goes to Edmonton. Barrie is a very underrated D and will be this teams #1D this season. Adding depth to their weak bottom 6 with Turris, Kahun, and bringing Pulj back into the mix were desperately needed additions. I think the improvements here were much more drastic, whereas, Col is a powerhouse that made some tweaks. No doubt Colorado is the better team in my eyes, but Edmonton made the more noticeable changes.
- bikeguy99

Barrie 🥴

They have Zaitsev on the books for 4 more years, Murray who's a gamble as well, and Colin White for 5 more, although he can get bought out at 1/3.

They do have a better group of prospects, but they've also been in a full rebuild for longer than the Wings. Give the Wings two more years and they'll be right up there with the Sens.
- redseerpf

the difference is that ottawa had really good players to sell off in order to build that prospect pool, detroit didn't.

as for white and zaitsev.....both can still play a role, and neither has a crippling cap hit. white is a good 3rd line center and zaitsev is a capable #4 dman. we're not talking Seabrook/lucic type deals here

It's also the team that's set up the best for the future.

No player signed beyond 2 years except Larkin. Lots of upcoming draft picks and lots of players on short-term contracts who can be traded for futures. Lots of young forwards with high ceilings in the pipeline.

Yzerman will basically have a clean slate. Really building a team from scratch is a great privilege in this league.
- redseerpf

I agree. Very pleased with the work Yzerman has done so far.

no love for Ottawa?


Matt Murray, Dadonov, Galchenyuk, plus the draft
- sensarmy_11

The draft winners and losers have yet to be determined. Only time will tell. A+ signing of Dadanov. Murray was a big mistake in my opinion. Galchenyuk was a good low risk gamble that could pay off. But cheaping out and buying out the Masterton trophy winner, and replacing him with a wife beater was an absolute F-.

no love for Ottawa?


Matt Murray, Dadonov, Galchenyuk, plus the draft
- sensarmy_11

I don't totally get the Murray signing. He had a worse save % than Anderson last season. Why not hang onto Anderson for cheap and take on a bad contract or two? They overpaid a declining goalie.

Dadonov was a smart signing. Get a top line guy who can score so the pressure's not on the younger guys. Good term/amount for sure.

Galchenyuk will probably still be a sen after the TDL. Perennial underachiever, but this was obviously a no risk signing by Dorion.

Flyers.
Definitely The Flyers.

Leafs by a mile.



-James Tanner
- Garnie

agreed...spezza puts them over the top this year!

wait...they had his over the hill bum last year and they couldn't even beat Lieutenant Columbo in the play in...

so...change my answer to disagree...leafs completely blow chunks!!!

Montreal had a pretty nice off season.
- Frozendisc

LOL, burn