NHL Teams That Should Already Be Looking to Make Moves Early in 2015-16

The NHL season is barely underway, and there's a lot of track to go before anything is decided for 2015-16. A few teams are off the pace early, though, and that usually means changes are on the way.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have changed coaches, but most teams will try small tweaks and minor deals before considering drastic measures. There are several obvious areas where teams could make a quick move, but sometimes the trades you don't make are the best moves of all.

Here are eight teams that should be looking to make a move early this year.

Anaheim Ducks: Goals Wanted

Christine Cotter/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Anaheim Ducks are off to a horrible start this season, which is especially disturbing as they were expected to challenge for the Stanley Cup. The problem so far is goals—the Ducks have only six in their first six games. Veterans Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf have not scored a goal yet, which is alarming.

Can It Be Solved In-House? Anaheim's 228 goals in 2014-15 ranked No. 11 in the NHL, and the team has added pieces to the offense. The Ducks will get relief when pucks start going in, and their less than 3 per cent shooting percentage will go up in the coming games.

What Are the Options? Getzlaf scored 25 goals last season, and Perry potted 30 for the Ducks. Both men are 30 and may not be able to carry the same offensive load this year. Younger men such as Carl Hagelin and Jakob Silfverberg will need to deliver at a higher level if that's the case, and don't rule out a deal that adds a true sniper to the group. If the Ducks plan on going a long way, consistent offense needs to be a staple of their game.

Boston Bruins: Shoring Up the Defense

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Boston Bruins are not a good team without Zdeno Chara, and they may not be a playoff contender even when he is in the lineup. Their defense lacks two-way skills and experience beyond Chara.

Can It Be Solved In-House? Dennis Seidenberg is a quality veteran, but he's just back skating after summer surgery. Michael Settipani of CLNS Radio reports Bruins coach Claude Julien as saying Seidenberg isn't close, but there is progress.

What Are the Options? Boston should be looking for a small deal or waiver pickup to give Chara some cover and injury insurance. The current Bruins defense is thin and needs help, but it's hard to know which direction this season will go with so little information. A reliable two-way defender who can calm the waters when Chara isn't on the ice would be a wise investment.

Calgary Flames: Holes Everywhere

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What's the Problem? The Calgary Flames are off to a ghastly start so far this season and are in real danger of losing touch in the Western Conference playoff race. They aren't scoring enough, are allowing too many goals—and as shown by HockeyAnalysis.com—don't have the puck enough at even strength. 

Can It Be Solved In-House? The Flames can solve some of their issues within the organization. Jonas Hiller is a capable NHL goalie and should rebound despite a slow start. The team may also be closer to getting T.J. Brodie back—Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun reports the injured defender will travel with the Flames on their upcoming road trip. The other problem—offense—may require a trade.

What Are the Options? This week Mark Spector of Sportsnet speculated on the idea of a big trade, mentioning Steven Stamkos as an intriguing option. If the Tampa Bay Lightning are of a mind to make a deal, the Flames have plenty of available assets to tempt them. 

Columbus Blue Jackets: Panic at the Rink

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Columbus Blue Jackets are in an incredible free-fall and are easily the worst team in the NHL. Their goaltending has been catastrophic, and the team moved swiftly to bring in new coach John Tortorella to settle things down. As Craig Merz of NHL.com reports, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen made the move after several bad performances. 

Can It Be Solved In-House? It's not clear if the Blue Jackets will look outside for solutions. Tortorella has experienced success and failure in his past. It's likely he will be aggressive in addressing perceived roster shortcomings—he benched Ryan Johansen in game one, as Chris Peters of CBS Sports discusses here. 

What Are the Options? If Columbus wants to do something drastic, Johansen would fetch a substantial return. He's a skill center under control with a promising future—despite the team's poor start this year. Tortorella may have addressed a specific situation, or this could be the beginning of the end for Johansen in Columbus. Expect a gritty return if a trade is made, whether or not it involves Johansen.

Edmonton Oilers: No Defensive Stud

LM Otero/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Edmonton Oilers brought in three defensemen over the summer, and Andrej Sekera, Eric Gryba and Griffin Reinhart are all contributing to the effort. The problem for the Oilers comes not in quantity but quality. The team still can't cobble together two strong pairings. 

Can It Be Solved In-House? The best prospect in the system is Darnell Nurse, but he was deemed unready for the NHL at this time. Peter Chiarelli, Edmonton's GM, may want to keep Nurse on the farm until he's good enough to stay when he gets the call.

What Are the Options? Edmonton has a plethora of young forwards they have been hesitant to deal before now. With the team showing well early in the season, now may be the time to pull the trigger on a trade that sends away a talented young forward for a substantial defender.

New Jersey Devils: Add a Sniper

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The New Jersey Devils are off to a good start, and things are looking up for the organization. Strong goaltending and an emerging young group of defenders have the team looking good early, but the offense doesn't have enough depth.

Can It Be Solved In-House? The acquisition of Jiri Tlusty late in the summer was a major help, but the team doesn't have a lot of complementary offensive talent it can plug in.

What Are the Options? The Devils have so many young defensemen who are either in the NHL or close, and that position always has value. It's reasonable to suggest that New Jersey could cash in a player such as Damon Severson for a significant offensive forward.

Ottawa Senators: More Blue

Paul Vernon/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Ottawa Senators were one of the surprise teams of 2014-15 and have a good shot at the playoffs again this year. One of their major issues is depth on defense, a problem that has been exacerbated by a recent injury to Marc Methot—as reported by NHL.com. It's a short-term issue, but the impact is great because Ottawa has little depth. 

Can It Be Solved In-House? The combination of Jared Cowen and Mark Borowiecki moving up the depth chart has been ghastly, as shown by the events of Ottawa's Thursday loss to New Jersey. If the Senators had another option, they would likely use it. 

What Are the Options? Ottawa is already in the playoff race, but it's not such a good team that it can afford to blow leads late in games. The club has several young forwards who have good value and may have to sacrifice one of those in order to improve a defense that isn't consistent beyond Erik Karlsson and a healthy Methot.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Send More Wingers

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

What's the Problem? The Pittsburgh Penguins have been aggressive in recent months about bringing in scoring wingers for generational centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Recent names include David Perron, Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel this past summer. Despite all that firepower, the team isn't scoring enough to contend so far this year. 

Can It Be Solved In-House? The offense at even strength has been poor among the forwards, and as HockeyAnalysis.com shows, only Malkin and Kessel are on par at the discipline. 

What Are the Options? The Penguins have traded so much away in the past few months that the mind boggles. David Perron cost the team a pick in the exceptional 2015 draft and has been wildly disappointing. Pittsburgh is expected to contend, so it may have to sacrifice more picks and prospects soon if things don't turn around.