NHL Free Agency: 10 GMs Under the Most Pressure to Make Changes

Making moves during the offseason can be the key to any general manager who is under pressure from ownership to get an improved performance from his team.

To some extent, all general managers are under pressure. A list could start with Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson, because he had the worst team in hockey last year. However, Howson really has little chance of improving his team. One of the reasons for that may be the high price he is asking for from potential partners in a trade for high-scoring Rick Nash.

There is always pressure on Canadian-based franchises because hockey is life north of the border. However, the pressure is nearly equivalent in Original Six cities like New York, Boston, Detroit and Chicago where fans are always hungry for the Stanley Cup—whether teams have won it recently or not.

Free-agent moves are often associated as quick-fix remedies for teams that want to win. A key signing or two can help any team, but free-agent moves often work best when they are made by teams that draft well, develop their players in the minor leagues and have great coaching.

Here are 10 general managers under the most pressure to make changes so their teams can improve.

10. Steve Tambellini, Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers may not be cornering the market on young talent, but it sure seems that way. The last four drafts have seen them add Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov. If that wasn't enough, they signed free-agent defenseman Justin Schultz.

Schultz was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2008 but he never signed with them, and he became a much-coveted free agent. General manager Steve Tambellini got the deal done.

But while the Oilers have young talent, they could use the infusion of some veterans to help keep things settled when the team hits a bump in the road. The Oilers re-signed veteran Ryan Smyth at the start of free agency, but that has not been enough. Adding a veteran defenseman and an established front-liner will help this team substantially.

Tambellini needs to turn the Oilers into a playoff team and adding veteran talent can speed that process along.

9. Joe Nieuwendyk, Dallas Stars

The Stars had been one of the most consistent franchises in the NHL, having made the playoffs in all but one season from 1996-97 through 2007-08. However, the Stars have not made the playoffs since then and the natives are getting restless.

The Stars made a huge addition last season when they signed Michael Ryder away from the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. Ryder responded by scoring a career-high 35 goals and connecting on 16.6 percent of his shots on net.

Dallas general manager Joe Nieuwendyk needs to hit more home runs like he did with Ryder last year. So far this free-agent season, Nieuwendyk has brought in hard-hitting defenseman Aaron Rome from the Vancouver Canucks. He also signed Phoenix Coyotes' free-agent forward Ray Whitney.

Nieuwendyk traded hard-nosed forward Steve Ott to Buffalo for smooth-skating and finesse forward Derek Roy, who scored 17 goals last year. The change of scenery could revitalize Roy, who had a career-high 32 goals and 81 points in 2007-08.

Nieuwendyk made another splash July 3, when NHL.com reported that he signed veteran superstar Jaromir Jagr to a one-year, $4.55 million contract.

8. Marc Bergevin, Montreal Canadiens

The Canadiens hired Bergevin May 2, which means it's unfair to put undue pressure on him to return this team to a position of prominence.

Yeah, right.

When you run Les Glorieux, there is nothing but pressure from Day One. Fans are not patient and they don't understand. They want the Canadiens to run over arch-rival Boston Bruins by at least 15 points during the regular season and squash them in the playoffs.

Realistic? No. But that's the environment that Bergevin knew he was walking into when he took the job. His every move will be analyzed time and again by the press and the fans, as was his recent discussion with former Habs star Larry Robinson about a coaching position revealed in a Montreal Gazette article.

While a Stanley Cup may not be on the horizon in the next year or two, the Canadiens must return to the playoffs right away if Bergevin is going to enjoy life in Montreal. Despite finishing 15th and last in the Eastern Conference this year, the Canadiens have some talent because they have drafted well.

The Canadiens have added some toughness by signing free-agents Brandon Prust and Francis Bouillon, but Bergevin knows there's much more to be done.

7. Chuck Fletcher, Minnesota Wild

Yes, there is a ton of pressure when you run a team in a Canadian city like Montreal, Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver. But that doesn't mean there's not a lot of pressure when you run a franchise in the state of Minnesota.

The city of Detroit likes to call itself Hockeytown, and that's a clever marketing ploy. That's all. 

Hockey is ingrained in the hearts and minds of Boston residents and the sport is huge in the Boston metropolitan area. However, hockey is even bigger in the state of Minnesota.

The state high school hockey tournament may be the biggest event of the year. Fans who love hockey that much don't want to be embarrassed by their NHL team. However, the Wild has not been to the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2007-08 season. General manager Chuck Fletcher knows this is unacceptable.

He is trying to bring home Minnesota native son Zach Parise as top free-agent prize. He also wants Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter. While he is going after both with significant offers, he has to have a Plan B ready to go in case those two stars don't sign with the Wild.

A good plan B is not the signing of Zenon Konopka and Torrey Mitchell. Those two are role players and the Wild needs stars who can put the puck in the net.

6. Paul Holmgren, Philadelphia Flyers

The legendary Philadelphia Flyers teams of the mid-1970s live on in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia fans.

Bernie Parent, Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Gary Dornhoefer and Andre "Moose" Dupont are just a few of the names that brought Philadelphia back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and '75. The Flyers have not won another Stanley Cup since.

This is grating on Paul Holmgren, who sees his team tease the Philadelphia fans quite a bit. The Flyers got to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2010 after a memorable run, but they fell short against the Chicago Blackhawks. The next year, Philadelphia's goaltending was not good enough and they were swept in the second round by the Boston Bruins. This year they pulled off a remarkable win over the Pittsburgh Penguins but fell short against New Jersey.

Holmgren knows that moves have to be made to improve the defense, but Philly.com's Sam Carchidi believes that at least one more scorer would also help. By adding a top defenseman through free agency or in a trade, the Flyers may be able to step up and make a run at the Stanley Cup Finals.

5. Stan Bowman, Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in 49 years when they hoisted the cup two years ago. Now the party is over and it's time for the Blackhawks to go back on the offensive.

That means Stan Bowman must figure out a game plan to get the team back to the top of the Western Conference. The team has been ordinary the last two years and it appears that Bowman and/or head coach Joel Quenneville will have to worry about their positions if they don't recapture some of the glory.

While the Blackhawks have solid talent on the roster, ESPNChicago.com said that Bowman must get busy to upgrade the roster.

The biggest problem the Blackhawks may have is the goaltending. The combination of Corey Crawford and Ray Emery is adequate, but that's not good enough to support a Stanley Cup run.

4. Jay Feaster, Calgary Flames

Frustration is giving way to anger in Calgary.

This hockey-mad city has been on the outside looking in at the playoffs for the last three seasons. This is completely unacceptable and Feaster knows it. There is no more time to be patient.

Feaster has tried to hit the ground running at the start of free agency. He brought in speedy center Jiri Hudler from Detroit, who should give the offense a boost after scoring 25 goals and 25 assists last year. But that's simply not enough. The Flames canceled out that signing by losing versatile center Olli Jokinen to the Winnipeg Jets.

The Flames have gotten very little from the draft over the years, so the roster must be improved by making free-agent moves and making trades. That means Feaster has to give serious consideration to trading Flames legend Jarome Iginla.

That kind of difficult move won't be easy, but it could bring the Flames the young talent the team needs badly. The HockeyWriters.com acknowledge this could be difficult for Flames fans to accept.

3. Brian Burke, Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs know they are close. It's not about the painful collapse in the final two months of the 2011-12 season. It's more about how well they played into February when it looked like a playoff berth was within reach.

Brian Burke is not going to tear his team apart. Many veteran Leaf observers understand and concur with this view. Respected hockey writer Damien Cox of the Toronto Star acknowledges the Leafs need to improve their goaltending and upgrade their play at center, but that spending money recklessly on an average free-agent class will not help.

Burke has traded defenseman Luke Schenn for winger James van Riemsdyk and signed free-agent center Jay McClement from Colorado to improve the team's ability to win faceoffs. He also offered feelers to Devils goalie Martin Brodeur. The Leafs will not tear apart their team because they believe they are on the right track.

2. Mike Gillis, Vancouver Canucks

It's not just general managers of struggling teams who find themselves under pressure to make moves to make their teams better.

Sometimes its the teams who are at or close to the top that feel the vice squeezing.

Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis is under pressure to get his team that elusive championship. Certainly the Canucks came close two years ago, but they fell to the Los Angeles Kings in the first round this year.

The Canucks still have plenty of talent and some swagger, but Gillis must figure out the goaltending situation. He apparently wants to move inconsistent Roberto Luongo and until that gets done, there could be a heavy fog lingering over the franchise. According to The Vancouver Sun's George Richards, it seems that the Florida Panthers have a legitimate interest in Luongo and that Panthers general manager Dale Tallon is open to working a deal for the goaltender. Luongo played for the Panthers between 2000 and 2006.

Gillis said he will continue to work the deal until he can complete it, and that Canucks fans need patience.

1. Glen Sather, New York Rangers

The New York Rangers were fairly close to where they wanted to be last season.

Close, but not close enough.

The Rangers were an excellent regular-season team and finished in first place in the Eastern Conference. However, when the playoffs started, NBC lead hockey analyst Ed Olczyk told me that the Rangers had concerns in the playoffs because they didn't have the kind of goal-scoring prowess that you need to feel confident about the team's chances.

"Marian Gaborik can score and so can Brad Richards," Olczyk said. "But after that you have some players who will give you everything they have but they might struggle to put the puck in the net."

Olczyk knew what he was talking about because the Rangers struggled to score in seven game wins over the Ottawa Senators and the Washington Capitals, but could not get by the New Jersey Devils.

Glen Sather wants to bring in scoring, but it's not easy. A top goal-scorer like Rick Nash is available, but Columbus GM Scott Howson is demanding too much and Sather won't tear his team apart to get him. Still, Sather knows that he needs to get head coach John Tortorella some more goal scoring or it will be difficult for the Rangers to reach those championship aspirations.