NHL Players Struggling to Adjust to New Teams in the 2015-16 Season

Optimism abounds when a National Hockey League team adds a high-profile player to its roster during the offseason.

Whether the player is acquired through trade or free agency, he's looking for a chance to write a new chapter in his hockey story. Meanwhile, the general manager who made the deal pats themselves on the back for bringing in that special puzzle piece that will take their team to the next level.

These days, long, lucrative contract extensions are often quickly signed after a player is acquired by trade as each party demonstrates its commitment to each other.

Much like marriage, these partnerships don't always work out. In the NHL, there's no such thing as a no-fault divorce. The current collective bargaining agreement makes it difficult for teams and players to detach, even when circumstances turn less than favourable. 

Here's a look at the most noteworthy players who have made bumpy transitions to their new surroundings so far this season, along with their chances of turning things around.

Ryan O'Reilly, Buffalo Sabres

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How He Was Acquired: Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn were traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Buffalo Sabres on June 26 in exchange for Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher and the 31st pick in the 2015 draft, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com.

On July 3, the Associated Press reported (via Sportsnet) that O'Reilly had signed a seven-year contract extension worth $52.5 million, making him the Sabres' highest-paid player.

His Season So Far: O'Reilly leads the Sabres and has climbed to fifth in NHL scoring with 13 points in 11 games. His defensive play was somewhat suspect early in the season but is now starting to round into form.

What's the Problem? O'Reilly sees himself as an elite two-way player—the 24-year-old heir apparent to players such as Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews.

Even though his offensive production has been solid in his top-line role, he didn't mince words on October 24 when he was on the ice for all four goals conceded as the Sabres fell 4-3 to the New Jersey Devils.

"I’ve got to take quite a bit of responsibility for that," he told Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News after the game. "I was on for every goal against. Being one of the top centers, I have to be better on the five-on-five play. I’ve got to be at least a plus or something to help out."

In three subsequent games, O'Reilly has collected a goal and five assists and been a plus-three. He's starting to show why he was considered one of the biggest prizes of the offseason.

Chance He'll Find His Way: 90 percent

The Sabres are a team in transition with a new coach and plenty of new faces in the lineup. O'Reilly's starting to adjust even as some of his new teammates are still finding their way.

Goaltender Robin Lehner is sidelined with a high ankle sprain suffered on opening night, Evander Kane managed just three points in eight games before suffering an MCL injury and defenseman Cody Franson is a minus-five, worst of all the Buffalo blueliners.

With their 4-7-0 record, the Sabres continue to hover near the bottom of the Atlantic Division. Still, their long-term prospects look good under a determined leader like O'Reilly.

Dougie Hamilton, Calgary Flames

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How He Was Acquired: The Calgary Flames acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins on June 26 in exchange for three 2015 draft picks, per Scott Lewis of Sportsnet. Boston received the 15th pick in the first round and the 45th and 52nd picks in the second round.

His Season So Far: After breaking out with 10 goals and 42 points with the Bruins last season, Hamilton has tallied just two goals in 11 games with the Flames. He's also a minus-10, tied for second-worst in the league.

What's the Problem? High expectations may have put undue pressure on Hamilton, who waltzed into Calgary as the team's highest-paid defenseman after signing a six-year contract with a cap hit of $5.75 million per season, according to General Fanager.

Hamilton didn't click as a partner for Mark Giordano in the early going and has been shuffled down to Calgary's third pairing with Deryk Engelland, according to Left Wing Lock.

Chance He'll Find His Way: 75 percent

Just 22 years old, Hamilton has a lot of hockey ahead of him. The one-time ninth overall pick was in position to sign a big contract last summer thanks to his dazzling combination of size and skills.

The Flames had puck luck on their side when they made the playoffs last season but haven't been so fortunate since Hamilton arrived. Once the team gets rolling again, their young blueliner will also settle down and contribute more positively.

Brandon Saad, Columbus Blue Jackets

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How He Was Acquired: On June 30, the Columbus Blue Jackets acquired Brandon Saad from the Chicago Blackhawks, along with Michael Paliotta and Alex Broadhurst, in exchange for Artem Anisimov, Marko Dano, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and a fourth-round draft pick in 2016, per the Blue Jackets website.

On July 3, Saad signed a six-year contract extension with Columbus worth $6 million a season, per Craig Merz of NHL.com, making him the Blue Jackets' highest-paid skater.

His Season So Far: Saad posted three goals and one assist in Columbus' first five games, all losses, but he went pointless in the next five outings before being sidelined with an illness, according to Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch.

What's the Problem? Surely Saad wasn't expecting to be on his second coach just eight games into his tenure with the Blue Jackets, but that's what happened when John Tortorella replaced Todd Richards behind the Columbus bench on October 21, per Craig Merz of NHL.com.

The Jackets have started to find their way under the taskmaster Torts, but Saad will need to chip in offensively and reverse his ugly minus-five rating if he hopes to live up to his offseason hype. 

Chance He'll Find His Way: 65 percent

Surrounded by an abundance of talent when he was with the Chicago Blackhawks, Saad might not shine as brightly in Columbus, but he's still an emerging star and, at just 23, should have plenty of upside.

Saad has the build and skills to appeal to an old-school coach such as Tortorella. He'll have plenty of opportunities to find his game once he gets healthy and back into the lineup.

Mike Green, Detroit Red Wings

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

How He Was Acquired: Defenseman Mike Green signed a three-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, according to Paul Harris of NHL.com. His cap hit is $6 million per season.

His Season So Far: The Red Wings hoped Green—a big-shooting, right-handed specialist—would slot into their top power-play unit. In his first seven games, Green picked up just two assists—one with the man advantage—before suffering a shoulder injury against the Calgary Flames on October 23. Ansar Khan of MLive reported Green would be sidelined for two to three weeks.

What's the Problem? Green scored 73 points as a 23-year-old in 2008-09 and followed up with 76 points a year later—huge numbers for a defenseman that raised expectations about his long-term potential. Since then, Green's performance and his health have been inconsistent.

Early on in Detroit, it looks like Green's issues have arrived with him at his new home.

The Red Wings haven't had much luck with their big free-agent signings lately. Their other new acquisition, Brad Richards, is also on the shelf with a back injury. Over the summer, the organization also moved to buy out Stephen Weiss, who was two injury-plagued years into a five-year contract.

Chance He'll Find His Way: 50 percent

Though Green is just 30 years old, his long-term durability is a big question mark—made bigger now he has already suffered his first injury as a Red Wing.

GM Ken Holland has committed a lot of money to Green over the next three seasons. Hopefully he'll be able to spark Detroit's 20th-ranked power play when he returns to full health.

Alexander Semin, Montreal Canadiens

Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

How He Was Acquired: The Montreal Canadiens signed Alexander Semin to a one-year, $1.1 million contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 24, per the Canadian Press (via Sportsnet). He'd been bought out by the Carolina Hurricanes, two years into his five-year deal with a cap hit of $7 million per season, per the Canadian Press (via NHL.com).

His Season So Far: Semin picked up a goal and two assists in Montreal's first seven games but was scratched from the lineup by coach Michel Therrien for back-to-back games in Alberta following Montreal's loss to Edmonton on Oct. 30, their first defeat of the season.

What's the Problem? Semin's a dazzling offensive talent. He also has a reputation for inconsistent play and was coming off a disastrous 2014-15 campaign in Carolina, where he managed just 19 points in 57 games and was frequently designated a healthy scratch.

Chance He'll Find His Way: 30 percent

In an effort to boost offense in Montreal this season, general manager Marc Bergevin made several low-risk acquisitions up front. Now, he's testing out which ones fit best with his group.

Zack Kassian threw his future with the Canadiens into doubt with his late-night car crash at the end of preseason. Tomas Fleischmann has been solid so far, as have the two former Buffalo Sabres who both re-signed with Montreal over the summer, Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn.

Undersized but dependable center Paul Byron entered the lineup when Semin was scratched. If he plays a defensively responsible game while Montreal's top six keeps scoring, Byron could claim Semin's spot permanently.

Kevin Bieksa, Anaheim Ducks

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How He Was Acquired: The Anaheim Ducks acquired defenseman Kevin Bieksa from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2016 second-round draft pick on June 30, per NHL.com.

On July 2, Bieksa signed a two-year contract extension with the Ducks with a cap hit of $4 million, according to the Canadian Press (via NHL.com).

His Season So Far: Playing on Anaheim's top defensive pair with Hampus Lindholm, Bieksa has one assist and is a minus-six in his first 10 games with the 1-7-2 Ducks, who are currently mired in last place in the Pacific Division.

What's the Problem? Bieksa's averaging 22:28 of ice time per game with the Ducks, a jump from the 20:49 per game he played with Vancouver last season—largely in a second-pairing role.

At 34, it's a stretch for Bieksa to be used as a blue-line anchor. His mobility is diminishing, and heavy minutes will wear him down even more—and it's only 10 games into the season.

Chance He'll Find His Way: 25 percent

The Ducks aren't as bad as they've looked in the first 10 games, during which a lack of offense has been their biggest problem. If Anaheim starts scoring at a more typical level, Bieksa's errors won't seem so glaring, but for the moment, he's not living up to the expectations the team had when they signed him.

Bieksa would benefit from having his role cut back—playing fewer minutes against easier competition.