Welcome to the dead season. The NHL awarded the Stanley Cup in September after a very unusual 2019-20 season, and the league hopes to get back on track in January. Despite the fact that the GM faced a number of challenges – including managing a fixed salary ceiling, preparing for the uncertainty of the coming season and preparing the expansion project until 2021 – it remained busy, with a lot of room for manoeuvre in the register.
This week we determined our favorite move in the power ranking, which every team did in low season.
How we maneuver: The ESPN Hockey Editorial Team presents a selection of teams ranked from 1 to 31 – with previous results and off-season additions – and these results are compiled in the list presented here. The odds of winning the Stanley Cup are thanks to William Hill.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +800
Give Patrick Maroon a two-year contract. Bigger Riga did not get the expected interest when it was a free agent in 2018 and 2019. But after winning the Stanley Cup with two different franchises, the fourth row finally gets the extra year of security he was looking for.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +750
Once again, Joe Sakich is a star of the free agency who has fled his GM friends left and right, with contracts that make Avalanche an even better team. Buying Brandon Saad (with the Blackhawks still $1 million) was a good thing, but using the conquered islands to land the Devon Tewes defender was even better.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +800
It may not be what the Golden Knights had in mind – and it’s certainly a burden on the payroll – but Vegas will start the season with the top goalkeeper of the league with Mark-Andre Fleury and Robin Lenaire, after leaving the former unchanged and ending the latter on a five-year contract. Given the tight schedule, with many consecutive meetings, this is a great advantage.
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2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1800
It was nice to see that the Anton Chudobin Career Reserve received a three-year contract, the first time since the start of the entry business that he received the same amount of guarantees. But the stars did their best by signing a trio of young strikers (Roope Hintz, Denis Gurianov and Radek Fax) for reasonable contracts – $2.5 to $3.25 million a year.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1100
Craig Smith signed up for $3.1 million a year for three years. Bruins was looking for more secondary lenses and improved production by 5 to 5. Smith must fit like a glove on the third line in a solid two-way game, and it’s a small distraction from the hectic pace of the Tora Circle.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
We know Lou Lamoriello’s season doesn’t end until he’s signed a new contract with Matthew Barzal. Although tough action against the cap has resulted in some losses (including the Devon Tawes business in Colorado), the best decision taken so far was the signing of a two-year, $5 million contract by rising star defender Ryan Pullok.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1600
Henrik Lundquist’s signing of the $1.5 million a year contract was brilliant in several ways. From an icy point of view, it gives the Capas the confidence they need to win 23-year-old Ilya Samsonov as the initiator. Expect Samsonov and Lundquist to play the role of 1A-1B, creating a healthy competition to qualify as regulars.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1600
The Flyers didn’t do much in low season, hoping to benefit from an established system of advanced search that eventually paid off. Philadelphia added an aggressive defender, Eric Gustafsson, to help the quarterback in a scary power play (which scored only four of the 52 chances in the offseason).
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Estimates – Off-season estimates for all 31 NHL teams .
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1800
GM Doug Armstrong was undercover this off-season. Few people expected the blues to be represented in Torey’s circle, not even the circle itself. The addition of the 29-year-old Circle not only fills the void left of Alex Pietrangelo in the top defensive clutch, but should also ensure good cultural preparation in the locker room and add to the hunger the team lacked after their 2019 Stanley Cup victory.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
We would have been happy if Carolina had thrown the goalie, especially with such a flush on the market, but most of the whirlwinds fell into the water. The long-forgotten Jesper Fast-ranger was underestimated. This brave defensive forward will replace Justin Williams on the team.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1800
Game director Kyle Dubas seems to have created a few souls for the off-season, in an attempt to bring players with character and stamina into the locker room. Who better to establish a new culture than Joe Thornton? The 41-year-old is back on 23. NHL season, except for the one thing he missed in his NHL career, the Stanley Cup.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +1800
Once again, Jim Rutherford is hacking into his list, hoping to find the chemistry that will allow Sydney Crosby and Eugene Malkin to win another Stanley Cup. GM did the math by jerking off while swallowing his pride and buying up Jack Johnson’s contract; the veteran just didn’t live up to expectations.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +4000
The blue coats made place in the lid and were ready for use. Although they did not necessarily make major breakthroughs, taking two crosses (Max Domi and Micco Coivo) to increase their depth behind Pierre-Luc Dubois was one of the best things Jarmo Keckalainen could do to improve his attack.
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2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
The Kanaks have lost a lot in this low season: Jacob Marcstrom, Troy Stecker, Tyler Toffoli, Chris Tanev. We love their two new members, former teammates Nate Schmidt and Braden Holtby. They both come to Vancouver with a chip on their shoulders and have to help this team with the defense.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +4000
Executive director Mark Bergevin has been very busy in this low season and the Canadians are now waiting for the play-offs or bankruptcy. While Jake Allen, Josh Anderson and Joel Edmundson improved the hubs, Tyler Toffoli’s signature (four years, $4.25 million a year, no trade defence) was the biggest coup.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
Since the resignation of Miikka Kiproff in 2013, The Flames is looking for a reliable and long-term online answer. Calgary finally thinks she has the answer with Jacob Marxtrom. While the period of six years and the total renunciation of the use of force are rich, the Flemish have defeated two rivals in the division for their services: Kanax and Oylers.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2000
The Oilers flew in Kyle Turis and made up for it with Jesse Puljujarvi, but their best move of the summer was to let Tyson Barry play as defender to move Pucks, which should have made the power game even more dangerous. Oh, and it took less money and less time to sign in Edmonton than the other offers that were reported, adding to that profit.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +3000
The strong rotation on the blue line of 2019 was well documented, and with a little preparation time GM Kevin Cheveldayoff put his defensive group in a much better shape. Cheveldayoff gave some weak but clear signals about the defense, including holding on to Dylan DeMelo for the first pair and adding Derek Forbort for the third pair.
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2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
New York City was lucky to get into Lottery 1 and he didn’t think about it. He decided to join the NHL and chose the already completed Alexis Lafrenier, the future face of the franchise. The rangers designed their reconstruction in record time. With only one player (Chris Kreider) left for the final of the Stanley Cup 2014, the Rangers are almost ready for a new rivalry.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
We can’t talk about the low season of the Sabres and not consider them the biggest attacker of this summer: Taylor Hall. Although it’s only a one-year contract, it should revive a base of frustrated fans and perhaps soothe Jack Eishel’s centre of gravity, which is likely to be disrupted if the Sabres experience another unhappy season.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +2500
In low season, predators need to increase their stamina and open up some areas on the roster to young players. Nashville said goodbye to Nick Bonino (contract expires in 2021) in an agreement with Luke Coonin, who only appeared in 2016. It was a low-risk step with potentially very high rewards.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +4000
Coyotes hope that the new GM Bill Armstrong will correct many previous mistakes and put them on the right track. If Arizona had the idea of selling Darcy Coomper as goalkeeper, it’s a good thing he’s stuck. He can keep Arizona in the game on his own, like we saw in low season.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
The appointment of Bill Zito as GM was the Panthers’ best decision for the off-season as it gives them a clear vision of the future. People will remember the days of Dale Tallon because the expansion of Vegas failed and too many bad deals were offered. Zito, a former agent and deputy director of Blue Jacks, is in charge of monitoring the register.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
One of the busiest GMs in the league this offseason was Bill Guerin, who has completely reworked the list and may not have completed it yet. For its part, it would be a missed opportunity not to improve the goalkeepers’ skills, especially with so many options. Cam Talbott’s signature (three years, $11 million) is a solid record.
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2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
To be honest, the Blackhawks fans didn’t like this off-season as management finally admitted it was being rebuilt (which annoyed some of the team’s veterans). It didn’t attract much attention, but the inclusion of Nikita Zadorov’s defender next to Adam Bokvist or Ian Mitchell is a good measure to help the transition.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
While Cory Crawford’s landing as Mackenzie Blackwood’s goaltender was a cold water handout, our favorite GM Tom Fitzgerald handout for this off-season was the landing of Ryan Murray’s four best defenders in exchange for the Blue Jacks. The devils only made it to the fifth round and took full advantage of the summer salary of the Blue Jackets.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +5000
The shark season will be marked by the defeat of Joe Thornton and the repetition of Patrick Marlo (who is expected to break the record in the career of Gordie Howe this season). But CEO Doug Wilson had the wisdom to jeopardize 24-year-old Ryan Donato because the cost of the third round of the election in this area is low. It is a high-level player who can add the required number of points to the middle six.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +7500
The ducks tried to fly while Ryan Kesler would open the season with the LTIR, while Cory Perry’s ransom was still in play. General Manager Bob Murray made a smart move by drawing Kevin Shattenkirk, who immediately reinforced the blue line and became a nice dressing room for the young players who would have more chances this season.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +7500
It is no secret that the Kings has one of the most promising systems in the NHL, which will be strengthened in second place by 2020, has chosen Quinton Byfield. But our favourite train in the low season is that of Lias Andersson, the angry ranger who was voted number 7 in 2017. The kings have given up the second round, and the reward can be high.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +10000
Touchdown by Eugene Dadonov. It was one of the best wings on the market, so it was a little surprising that the 31-year-old with the lower tail would come to the Senators. After the match with Alexander Barkov, Dadonov has to work well together with Brady Tkachuk in the front line of Sens.
2021 chances of winning the Stanley Cup: +15000
Detroit General Manager Steve Izerman knows his team is still a few years away from victory, but he has taken several steps – especially in defense – to make the Red Wings more competitive than last season, when they finished with 23 points less than any other team. Troy Stecker and John Merrill were observant subscribers, while Mark Staal replaced Mike Green as a veteran in the locker room.
