5 NHL Teams Best Positioned to Win the Offseason

With the 2021 Stanley Cup Final underway, the NHL's offseason period is just around the corner. The non-playoff teams and those eliminated from the postseason are already making their preparations for 2021-22.

This season's top teams will attempt to find ways to maintain their current rosters. Those that struggled during the season or failed to reach the Stanley Cup Final will explore their options in the trade and free-agent markets.

Many general managers could take a page from the teams that did well during the previous offseason. The Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens made moves that led to their regular-season and postseason success this year.

The teams on the following list are in the best position to improve their lineups and win the offseason. Salary-cap space, position in the 2021 NHL draft and depth in trade assets factored into this compilation.

Buffalo Sabres

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This season isn't one the Buffalo Sabres and their fans will remember with any fondness. They finished last in the overall standings, and there's trade speculation swirling about top forwards Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart.

Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams could be preparing for a roster rebuild. While his club was the regular season's biggest loser, it could become the offseason's big winner if he plays his cards right.

The Sabres won the NHL draft lottery, giving them this year's first overall pick. Adams could use it to select top prospect Owen Power, a defenseman with the University of Michigan. While the 18-year-old is leaning toward returning to Michigan for another season, he could become a welcome addition to the Sabres defensive corps within a couple of years.

Cap space could also provide Adams with an advantage over other clubs in this summer's trade and free-agent market. The Sabres have $34.2 million in projected cap room. While some of that will be used to re-sign or replace his impending free agents, Adams should still have enough to make additions. He'll free up more if he trades Eichel and his $10 million annual cap hit.

Eichel, Reinhart and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could become attractive trade chips. With Eichel under contract for five more seasons, Ristolainen for one more season and Reinhart a restricted free agent, Adams can take his time evaluating trade offers. Each of them could fetch the Sabres a quality return.

Columbus Blue Jackets

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After reaching the playoffs in four straight seasons (2016-17 to 2019-20), the Columbus Blue Jackets finished outside this year's postseason picture. With top defenseman Seth Jones planning to test next summer's free-agent market, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could prepare to rebuild his roster.

The prospect of a rebuild means perhaps more missed postseasons over the next two or three years. However, the moves Kekalainen makes this summer could have long-term benefits for the Jackets.

It's expected Kekalainen will trade Jones this summer rather than have his contract status hang over the club as an unnecessary distraction. The 26-year-old blueliner could bring in at least a good young player, a top prospect and a high draft pick.

Jones isn't the only trade chip available to Kekalainen. With two aspiring starting goaltenders in Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo, the Jackets GM could bundle one of them into a larger deal involving Jones or shop one in a separate transaction.

The Jackets also hold three first-round picks in next month's NHL draft, including the fifth overall selection. One or two of those picks could be bargaining chips to acquire talent from a club trying to shed salary. They also have $23.9 million in projected cap space to draw upon to bolster their roster, though a big chunk of that is expected to go toward re-signing winger Patrik Laine.

Detroit Red Wings

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Steve Yzerman has carried on the rebuild of the Detroit Red Wings since taking over as general manager in April 2019. After finishing dead last in the 2019-20 standings, the Wings showed promising signs of improvement this season with a 27th overall finish.

Yzerman could seek ways this summer to accelerate the rebuild. He could use his salary-cap space, additional picks in this year's draft and depth in prospects to bolster this roster for next season and beyond.

The Red Wings have the second-most projected cap space for next season among all NHL clubs with $48.2 million. With just 10 players under contract, most of that money will go toward re-signing restricted free agents such as Jakub Vrana and Filip Hronek. However, Yzerman should still have enough to add one or two talented players via trade or free agency.

Yzerman also has 12 picks in this year's draft, with two in the first round, three in the second and two in each of the following three rounds. It's unlikely he'll keep all of those. Some of them could be used as trade chips to target cap-strapped clubs trying to shed salary before the draft.

In February, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler placed the Red Wings fourth in his 2021 NHL prospect pool ranking. Yzerman could enlist some of his mid-range prospects as trade bait.

Los Angeles Kings

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For the past two years, Los Angeles Kings general manager Rob Blake has been patiently rebuilding his roster with promising young talent. However, he could be ready to speed up the process this offseason.

During his end-of-season media conference, defenseman Drew Doughty told reporters he and fellow longtime Kings stars Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick and Dustin Brown were running out of time to chase another Stanley Cup. He hoped management would use their cap space to make moves for more immediate results.

Blake acknowledged Doughty's concerns and appears poised to act. On June 8, TSN's Darren Dreger reported the Kings were in the market for two top-six forwards via trade or free agency.

The Kings have $19.7 million in projected cap room for next season. They'll get more when they lose a player to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. With their core players signed through next season, Blake can pursue some additional scoring punch, especially by targeting clubs with limited salary-cap space.

The Athletic's Scott Wheeler placed the Kings No. 1 in his 2021 NHL prospect pool rankings. Blake won't part with promising forwards Quinton Byfield or Alex Turcotte, but clubs could still be interested in some of his other prospects. That depth in potential talent could also tempt Blake to shop his first-round pick (eighth overall) in this year's draft.

Seattle Kraken

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Having officially joined the NHL as its 32nd franchise on April 30, the Seattle Kraken will begin building their roster this summer for their inaugural campaign in 2021-22. They're starting from scratch, but several factors could work to their advantage.

The expansion draft on July 21 provides an opportunity to select some very good players from every club except the Vegas Golden Knights, who are exempt from that draft. With savvy moves during their expansion draft and over the remainder of the 2017 offseason, the Golden Knights provide a template for how to build an immediate playoff contender.

Kraken general manager Ron Francis could also take a page from the Golden Knights' playbook by cutting side deals before the expansion draft. Teams with players they cannot protect in that draft but don't want to lose to the Kraken could offer up a quality draft pick or prospect to ensure Francis selects a different player. He could also trade any player he selects in that draft for other assets.

With $81.5 million in projected cap space, Kraken management will have plenty of room to make additions. Most of that money will be allocated for players they select in the expansion draft. However, they could still have sufficient capital to put toward adding a player later in the summer via trade or free agency.

This year's NHL draft lottery also worked in the Kraken's favor when they landed the second overall spot in this year's entry draft. They're assured of selecting one of this year's top prospects, giving them an opportunity to secure a potential future star.

Salary cap info via Cap Friendly. Draft info via Puck Pedia.