CarterHud

         After superstar Steven Stamkos went down with a season ending injury, the Tampa Bay Lightning missed the playoffs by one point, finishing with 94 of them. To revamp their team, the Lightning traded away Jonathan Drouin. They made some other veteran moves to replace him. Here\’s a look at those moves.

              Notable additions: LW Chris Kunitz, D Dan Girardi, D Mikhail Sergachev, D Jamie McBain, D Mat Bodie

              Notable subtractions: F Jonathan Drouin, D Jason Garrison, F Byron Froese, G Kristers Gudlevskis.

                         Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines

Chris Kunitz – Steven Stamkos – Ryan Callahan
Ondrej Palat – Tyler Johnson – Nikita Kucherov
Alex Killorn –  Brayden Point – Vladislav Namestnikov
Adam Erne – Cedric Paquette – JT Brown

The entire first line can be very productive when healthy, but \”when healthy\” are the key words in that line. The triplets are the best non-first line in the league. Point is looking to avoid the soph slump. Erne, the youngster, is trying to beat out Erik Condra, Yanni Gourde, Michal Bournival, Cory Conacher, Gabriel Dumont and Ty McGinn. Long list. Most of those guys will start for Syracuse (AHL), but I think Condra will be the 13th forward.
                          Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs

Victor Hedman – Anton Stralman
Braydon Coburn – Dan Girardi
Mikhail Sergachev – Andrej Sustr

That first pairing led by Hedman, a Norris finalist, is straight fire. Girardi was a nice signing by them. Slater Koekkoek is battling Sergachev, but the former ninth overall pick will win. Also, Jake Dotchin is battling for that spot.

                         Goalies
 Andrei Vasilevkiy
 Peter Budaj
This is a big developmental year for Vasilevskiy. Re-signing Budaj will help, especially since he can be a good mentor to Vasilevskiy.

                                  Prediction
The Lightning did miss the playoffs last year, but they are still a good team. I predict that they will make the playoffs in 2017-18.

       The St. Louis Blues made the playoffs once again in 2016-17, finishing with 99 points, good enough for third in the Central division, even though they traded D Kevin Shattenkirk mid-season. The Blues surprised everyone (but not me) by getting past the Minnesota Wild in the 1st round of the postseason. They then fell to the eventual Western conference champion Nashville Predators in round two. They pulled off a big trade at the draft, acquiring F Brayden Schenn. Here\’s a look at their full offseason.

               Notable additions: C Brayden Schenn, F Beau Bennett, F Chris Thorburn, D Nate Prosser, F Oskar Sundqvist.

               Notable subtractions: C Jori Lehtera, F David Perron, F Scottie Upshall, F Ryan Reaves, F Nail Yakupov, F Kenny Agostino, F Ty Rattie.

                   Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Alex Steen – Brayden Schenn – Vladimir Tarasenko
Jaden Schwartz – Paul Stastny – Patrik Berglund
Robby Fabbri – Ivan Barbashev – Beau Bennett
Vladimir Sobotka – Kyle Brodziak – Magnus Paajarvi

Schenn should come in as a number one center. Tarasenko, a Lady Byng finalist for 2016-17, is a top winger in the game. Schwartz is pretty underrated, after scoring 55 points in 2016-17. Barbashev is looking for a good sophomore season. Bennett is also looking for a breakout year. Fabbri had a Torn ACL last year, and is looking to rebound. Coming from the KHL, Sobotka is looking for a good first full NHL season since 2013-14. Chris Thorburn, Dmitrij Jaskin and Oskar Sundqvist are the extra forwards.

                   Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Jay Bouwmeester – Alex Pietrangelo
Carl Gunnarson – Colton Parakyo
Joel Edmunson – Robert Bortuzzo

Entering his second season as team captain, Pietrangelo is still a top defenseman. Parakyo is young, and really good. Bortuzzo is in a battle with Nate Prosser for the third pairing spot, but I predict Bortuzzo will win. Prosser will be the seventh defenseman, and Jordan Schmaltz, Petteri Lindbohm and Chris Butler are the extras.

Goalies
Jake Allen
Carter Hutton
Allen is in his second season as a full-time starter, but I think if he doesn\’t have a good season, his future in St. Louis will be jeopardized. Hutton had a good 1st season in St. Louis, and should have a fine second.

                             Prediction
 I think that Tarasenko will be the Rocket Richard winner, and as a good team, the Blues will win the Central division, as long as Allen has a good year.

            After winning the Clarence Campbell trophy in 2016, the San Jose Sharks finished with 99 points in 2016-17, making the playoffs once again. But, they went home early after losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. They lost Patrick Marleau, and didn\’t do much to replace him. Here\’s a look at their offseason.

           Notable additions: F Brandon Bollig, G Antoine Bibeau.

           Notable subtractions: F Patrick Marleau, F Michael Haley, D David Schlemko, D Mirco Mueller.

                         Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Timo Meier – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Mikkel Boedker – Logan Couture – Joonas Donskoi
Jannik Hansen – Tomas Hertl – Joel Ward
Chris Tierney – Melker Karlsson – Kevin Labanc

At just 20 years of age, Meier can benefit from playing from Jumbo Joe and Little Joe, who are both game changers. Couture is a really good second liner, who put up 25 goals and 50 points last year. Hansen was a good acquisition for them at the deadline, and can help them in 2017-18. The fourth line is actually young, and can help them a lot. Brandon Bollig and Barclay Goodrow are the extra forwards.

                       Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Brent Burns
Paul Martin – Justin Braun
Brendan Dillon – Dylan DeMelo

Burns is the reigning Norris winner. Vlasic is a good top-2 defenseman. The bottom six is good, except for DeMelo, who\’s more of a 7th defenseman. Braun can put up 30 points, which is good for a defenseman.

Goalies
Martin Jones
Aaron Dell
Since his trade to the Sharks from the Bruins a couple years ago, Jones has been a true NHL starter. In his second year, Dell will once again be the backup. AHL goalies Antoine Bibeau and Troy Grosenick are the extra goalies if needed.

                         Prediction
San Jose is still a good team. But, I think they are falling apart. I think they will make the playoffs this year, but, unless something happens, this will be the last year until the rebuild starts.

                The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrated their 2016 Stanley Cup championship in very good fashion. They finished second in the Metropolitan division with 111 points, then got past the Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington Capitals, Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators, and won the Cup again. This year, they will look to get the threepeat. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, the Pens didn\’t need to do much, but here\’s a look at what they did do.

                Notable additions: G Antti Niemi, RW Ryan Reaves, D Matt Hunwick, D Jarred Tinordi, C Jay McClement (PTO), F Greg McKegg.

                Notable subtractions: C Nick Bonino, G Marc-Andre Fleury, LW Chris Kunitz, C Matt Cullen, D Trevor Daley, D Mark Streit, D Ron Hainsey, D Steve Olesksy, F Oskar Sundqvist, D David Worsofsky.

                                           Forwards
Here are my projected forward lines.

Conor Sheary – Sidney Crosby – Patric Hornqvist
Jake Guentzal – Evgeni Malkin -Scott Wilson
Carl Hagelin – Bryan Rust – Phil Kessel
Carter Rowney – Jay McClement – Ryan Reaves

That first line has been nothing but successful since being united last season. The only reason I had Kessel on the third line instead of the second is that Kessel and Malkin showed signs of bad chemistry during the playoffs.The HBK line now has Bryan instead of Bonino. I predict the Penguins will sign McClement, since they need a center. They\’ve been reported to have been in trade talks with the Bruins including C Ryan Spooner. If they land him, they won\’t sign McClement, and their lines will be jumbled around. Josh Archibald, Tom Kuhnhackl and Tom Sestito are the extra forwards.

                                            Defensemen
Here are my projected defensive pairs.

 Olli Maatta – Kris Letang
Brian Dumoulin – Justin Schultz
Ian Cole – Matt Hunwick

If Letang is actually healthy, he\’s a top defenseman in the league. Schultz and Dumoulin just signed new deals, and are a solid second pair. I really am not a fan of the Matt Hunwick signing, but injuries happen, I guess. Frankie Corrado, Jarred Tinordi and Chad Ruhwedel are the extra defensemen.

 Goalies
 Matt Murray
 Antti Niemi
Murray is now a top goalie after two Cups. Replacing Fleury with Niemi is really bad, but they\’ll have to live with it. Tristan Jarry is the extra goalie, if needed.

Prediction
As an Islander fan, it pains me to say it, but the Penguins are an amazing team. They will compete for the President\’s trophy, and be close to a threepeat.

McGinn (64) and Demers (60) with the Sharks

                 Right as preseason starts for most NHL teams, we have a big trade. In need of a right handed defenseman, the Arizona Coyotes acquired D Jason Demers from the Florida Panthers in exchange for F Jamie McGinn. Also, 12.5% of Demers\’ salary was retained by the Panthers. Also, the two were teammates on the San Jose Sharks.

                 The Coyotes\’ left side of their defensive core is really good. Oliver \”OEL\” Ekman-Larsson, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Alex Goligoski on one side is really good. But, with Luke Schenn being the best right handed d-man on the team, a move had to be made. McGinn was one of the few vets in their forward core, but their youth movement there is continuing, with Dylan Strome, Clayton Keller, Christian Fischer and Brendan Perlini looking to break into the league. This trade makes room for Jordan Martinook to start on opening night without him needing an injury to occur. Demers will most likely play with old Stars teammate Goligoski this year.

                \”Any time you can deal from an area of surplus and add to an area of deficit, that\’s what you\’re trying to do with a trade. From our perspective, right-shot defensemen are at a premium. They\’re hard guys to find, especially guys who can play 20 minutes a night and play special teams,\” said Coyotes GM John Chayka via Craig Morgan of FanRag sports.

                 Demers, 29, scored a career high nine goals to go along with 19 assists for 28 points in 81 games for the Panthers last year. In his eight year NHL career for the Panthers, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks, Demers has scored 37 goals and 134 assists for 171 points in 504 games. He was traded from the Sharks to the Stars in 2014-15 for Brendan Dillon. Also, he\’s signed for the next four years, including this year.

                 The Panthers are able to unload some salary cap in this deal. McGinn is a solid top 9 winger that the Panthers have needed since losing Jaromir Jagr, Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith in the offseason. McGinn is also under contract through next year. I\’d say a little more, but this tweet by 14 year old Panthers blogger puck under the sun (@sun_puck on Twitter) sums all of that up (also be sure to check out his blog here). \”[The trade] Looks good as we dump the Demers contract and open up room for youngsters [Mackenzie] Weegar and [Ian] McCoshen. Plus, it helps solidify our bottom six forwards,\” he tweeted. One thing I\’d add to that is that 24 year old Reece Scarlett, who was acquired from the Devils last trade deadline, can win out that roster spot, while Weegar and McCoshen go to the AHL. Also, I think Florida also could\’ve gotten a late round draft pick as well, just because they retained some salary.

                 McGinn, also 29, had a disappointing 2016-17 season, with just nine goals and eight assists for 17 points, and was a -23. But, in his nine year career for the Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche and Sharks, McGinn has scored 100 goals and 84 assists for 184 points in 522 games. He was traded to the Avalanche for T.J. Galiardi and Dan Winnik. He was traded to Buffalo as part of the Ryan O\’Reilly deal.

                 I think the Coyotes win this deal. Demers is a much better player than McGinn, and is just about a million dollars more expensive, which isn\’t a lot. So, the Coyotes win.