My so-called 'winner' of the off-season so far would have to be the Chicago Blackhawks. The team already has its core assembled with Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith, and now they have added Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet to the fray. However they do sit over the salary cap at the moment, it looks like goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin will be moved. He has one year remaining on his contract at a value of $6.75 million. Huet's signing more than likely will spell the end of the Bulin Wall in the Windy City.

The team that I see with the most trouble heading into next season is the Nashville Predators. The Preds have over $15 M in cap space but the team has made no moves to acquire any significant players who can help the team. After establishing Dan Ellis as the starting goalie, the organization doesn't have a stable back-up which could prove to be a problem if Ellis is injured or in a slump. They have Jeremy Smith and Chet Pickard in the system, but they are years away from wearing an NHL jersey. And if that's not enough to show for the lack of passion of playing in Nashville, look at the Alexander Radulov situation. The jury has spoken.

With certain teams changing their rosters does not ensure that they are going to have success next season. The Tampa Bay Lightning are leading many fans to second-guess their approach, and will be under the microscope when the puck drops in Prague on their two-game opener with the New York Rangers. But when all is said and done, the Detroit Red Wings have my vote to take the Stanley Cup again next season. After adding Marian Hossa to the mix this team can really convince analysts that this is the team to beat.

MJ Kasprzak (San Jose Sharks Community Leader)

Winners:

San Jose Sharks: The one thing this team was missing was an elite blue line, and in a conference chalk full of them. They lacked experience in that unit, and they lacked championship experience throughout the roster. They ended all those things in just over a day, signing Rob Blake (1 Cup) and trading for Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich (1 and 2, respectively). Blake may be diminishing in talent but is still a good defenseman; Boyle is lacking defensively but fits the needs of the style favored by new coach Todd McLellan; and Brad Lukowich has all the defensive skill his former teammate does not. Losing a defenseman who only occasionally plays and another who may not be as good as any of the three picked up is a nice upgrade.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?