NHL offseason grades: Atlantic Division
Divisions: Metropolitan | Central | Pacific | Atlantic
With the NHL offseason all but wrapped up, we're handing out comprehensive grades for all 32 teams. The four-part series concludes with an in-depth look at each Atlantic Division club.
Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted.
Boston Bruins
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Foligno | F | 2 years | $3.8M |
| Erik Haula | F | 2 years | $2.375M |
| Tomas Nosek | F | 2 years | $1.75M |
| Derek Forbort | D | 3 years | $3M |
| Linus Ullmark | G | 4 years | $5M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| David Krejci | F | Playing overseas |
| Sean Kuraly | F | Signed with CLB |
| Jeremy Lauzon | D | Expansion draft |
| Kevan Miller | D | Retired |
| Tuukka Rask | G | Unsigned |
| Jaroslav Halak | G | Signed with VAN |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Hall | F | 4 years | $6M |
| Trent Frederic | F | 2 years | $1.05M |
| Brandon Carlo | D | 6 years | $4.1M |
| Mike Reilly | D | 3 years | $3M |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Studnicka | F | 2nd Round (2017) |
| Urho Vaakanainen | D | 1st Round (2017) |
| Jeremy Swayman | G | 4th Round (2017) |
The end of an era in Boston? Franchise pillars Krejci and Rask aren't with the team anymore, although it wouldn't be shocking if the latter re-signed in due time.
Krejci is clearly the bigger loss, though. Ullmark, who posted stellar numbers on some awful Sabres teams, should do just fine behind a perennially strong defensive club. However, Charlie Coyle, who tallied only 16 points over 51 games last year, has big shoes to fill to replace Krejci as the No. 2 center. Secondary scoring has always been a question mark for the Bruins, but perhaps never more so than now.
Veterans such as Foligno, Haula, Nosek, and Forbort should prove to be fine additions in supporting roles.
Replacing two cornerstones is never easy, but general manager Don Sweeney did some decent work this offseason - most notably re-signing Hall and Reilly for well below market value.
Grade: B-
Buffalo Sabres
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinnie Hinostroza | F | 1 year | $1.05M |
| Mark Pysyk | D/F | 1 year | $900K |
| Will Butcher | D | 1 year | $2.83M |
| Robert Hagg | D | 1 year | $1.6M |
| Craig Anderson | G | 1 year | $750K |
| Aaron Dell | G | 1 year | $750K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Reinhart | F | Traded to FLA |
| Rasmus Ristolainen | D | Traded to PHI |
| Jake McCabe | D | Signed with CHI |
| Will Borgen | D | Expansion draft |
| Linus Ullmark | G | Signed with BOS |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casey Mittelstadt | F | 3 years | $2.5M |
| Rasmus Asplund | F | 2 years | $825K |
| Drake Caggiula | F | 1 year | $750K |
| Henri Jokiharju | D | 3 years | $2.5M |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Jack Quinn | F | 1st Round (2020) |
| John-Jason Peterka | F | 2nd Round (2020) |
| Arttu Ruotsalainen | F | Undrafted |
| Owen Power | D | 1st Round (2021) |
| Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | G | 2nd Round (2017) |
If the Sabres' goal is to tank this year and put themselves into the Fight for (Shane) Wright - the consensus top prospect in the upcoming draft - then, bravo. However, the Arizona Coyotes have a case for icing a worse roster.
Of course, this offseason can be viewed as nothing but incomplete until the Jack Eichel saga is settled. Keeping him is a major distraction, but GM Kevyn Adams is smart to wait until his asking price is met instead of accepting the best offer.
Adams did well in getting a surprisingly strong return for Ristolainen, but the package for Reinhart was underwhelming. Losing Ullmark and McCabe for nothing also stings.
It's slightly disappointing that Power, the 2021 No. 1 overall pick, will play another season at Michigan instead of turning pro, but that might be best for his development. He could still join the Sabres after his NCAA campaign finishes.
Grade: D
Detroit Red Wings
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pius Suter | F | 2 years | $3.25M |
| Carter Rowney | F | 1 year | $825K |
| Mitchell Stephens | F | 1 year | $738K |
| Nick Leddy | D | 1 year | $5.5M |
| Jordan Oesterle | D | 1 year | $1.35M |
| Alex Nedeljkovic | G | 2 years | $3M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Frans Nielsen | F | Bought out |
| Luke Glendening | F | Signed with DAL |
| Dennis Cholowski | D | Expansion draft |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Erne | F | 2 years | $2.1M |
| Jakub Vrana | F | 3 years | $5.25M |
| Tyler Bertuzzi | F | 2 years | $4.75M |
| Sam Gagner | F | 1 year | $850K |
| Michael Rasmussen | F | 3 years | $1.46M |
| Filip Hronek | D | 3 years | $4.4M |
| Marc Staal | D | 1 year | $2M |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Lucas Raymond | F | Round 1 (2020) |
| Joe Veleno | F | Round 1 (2018) |
| Moritz Seider | D | Round 1 (2019) |
| Jared McIssac | D | Round 2 (2018) |
| Wyatt Newpower | D | Undrafted |
Steve Yzerman made a few savvy moves and didn't lose anyone of significance as his slow rebuild of the Red Wings continued.
Suter and Nedeljkovic, specifically, were excellent additions. Both players are only 25, so they could potentially stick in Detroit once the club is ready to contend. The price for acquiring them was minimal, too. Suter was a free agent, and "Ned" only cost the team a third-round pick.
The Red Wings still have a ways to go, but Yzerman has his franchise on the right track.
Grade: B+
Florida Panthers
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Reinhart | F | 3 years | $6.5M |
| Joe Thornton | F | 1 year | $750K |
| Noah Juulsen | D | 1 year | $750K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Alexander Wennberg | F | Signed with SEA |
| Keith Yandle | D | Bought out |
| Anton Stralman | D | Traded to ARI |
| Chris Driedger | G | Expansion draft |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Bennett | F | 4 years | $4.425M |
| Anthony Duclair | F | 3 years | $3M |
| Carter Verhaeghe* | F | 3 years | $4.17M |
| Juho Lammikko | F | 1 year | $750K |
| Brandon Montour | D | 3 years | $3.5M |
| Gustav Forsling | D | 3 years | $2.67M |
*extension beginning in 2022-23
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Anton Lundell | F | Round 1 (2020) |
| Grigori Denisenko | F | Round 1 (2018) |
| Aleksi Heponiemi | F | Round 2 (2017) |
| Matt Kiersted | D | Undrafted |
| Spencer Knight | G | Round 1 (2019) |
The Panthers had a clear offseason priority: keep the gang together. GM Bill Zito managed to do that by clearing cap space in the form of the Yandle buyout, Stralman trade, and allowing Wennberg and Driedger to walk.
The departures also created enough flexibility to add a much-needed top-six winger in Reinhart. Zito only gave up a first-round pick and a middling prospect to pluck the former Sabres winger and then signed him to a very reasonable contract.
This team still has question marks regarding the defense core and goaltending duo of veteran Sergei Bobrovsky and rookie Spencer Knight, but the Cats should still be an improved squad. The only thing preventing Zito from earning a higher grade is failing to get an Aleksander Barkov extension done.
Grade: B
Montreal Canadiens
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Dvorak | F | 4 years | $4.45M |
| Mike Hoffman | F | 3 years | $4.5M |
| Cedric Paquette | F | 1 year | $950K |
| Mathieu Perreault | F | 1 year | $950K |
| David Savard | D | 4 years | $3.5M |
| Chris Wideman | D | 1 year | $750K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Jesperi Kotkaniemi | F | Signed with CAR |
| Phillip Danault | F | Signed with LA |
| Tomas Tatar | F | Signed with NJ |
| Corey Perry | F | Signed with TB |
| Cale Fleury | D | Expansion draft |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Poehling | F | 2 years | $750K |
| Artturi Lehkonen | F | 1 year | $2.3M |
| Joel Armia | F | 4 years | $3.4M |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Caufield | F | 1st Round (2019) |
| Jesse Ylonen | F | 2nd Round (2018) |
| Josh Brook | D | 2nd Round (2017) |
| Cayden Primeau | G | 7th Round (2017) |
GM Marc Bergevin did a lot of good this offseason. Despite captain Shea Weber's long-term injuries leaving an enormous hole on the back end, the Habs brought in Savard - who will be a seamless fit - on a fair deal, considering what defensemen went for in free agency.
Bergevin also made the tough but smart decision not to match the Kotkaniemi offer sheet. Instead, he used those picks to acquire Dvorak, who, although older with less upside, is currently a better player on a better contract.
It wasn't all sunshine and roses for the Canadiens, though. Hoffman possesses a lethal shot and will help the power play, but he's very one-dimensional. It wouldn't be shocking if he ends up spending most of his time on the fourth line.
Of course, you can't discuss Montreal's offseason without mentioning the inexplicable decision to draft Logan Mailloux in the first round. That alone results in a full grade drop.
Grade: D+
Ottawa Senators
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Ennis | F | PTO | N/A |
| Michael Del Zotto | D | 2 years | $2M |
| Nick Holden | D | 1 year | $1.7M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Evgenii Dadonov | F | Traded to VGK |
| Joey Daccord | G | Expansion draft |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drake Batherson | F | 6 years | $4.975M |
| Victor Mete | D | 1 year | $1.2M |
| Artem Zub | D | 2 years | $2.5M |
| Filip Gustavsson | G | 2 years | $788K |
| Anton Forsberg | G | 1 year | $900K |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Shane Pinto | F | Round 2 (2019) |
Ottawa had a pretty underwhelming offseason for a team nearing the end of its rebuild and hoping to take the next step this year. The Senators have $24.5 million in cap space - and yes, Brady Tkachuk still needs a new contract - but their big offseason additions were Del Zotto and Holden?
The Sens are a small-market team and can have difficulty luring high-profile players, but it feels like GM Pierre Dorion could've done more to improve his club. Instead, he'll bank on the internal development of his young squad. Yes, the young core is very promising, but it surely could've benefited from adding an established veteran who can still play at a high level - ideally a center or defenseman.
Remember this quote from owner Eugene Melnyk in February 2019?
"The Senators will be all-in again for a five-year run of unparalleled success - where the team will plan to spend close to the NHL's salary cap every year from 2021 to 2025," he said.
It's safe to say Melnyk has failed to deliver on his promise thus far.
Grade: C-
Tampa Bay Lightning
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corey Perry | F | 2 years | $1M |
| Pierre-Edouard Bellemare | F | 2 years | $1M |
| Zach Bogosian | D | 3 years | $850K |
| Brian Elliott | G | 1 year | $900K |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Yanni Gourde | F | Expansion draft |
| Blake Coleman | F | Signed with CGY |
| Barclay Goodrow | F | Traded to NYR |
| Tyler Johnson | F | Traded to CHI |
| Mitchell Stephens | F | Traded to DET |
| David Savard | D | Signed with MTL |
| Curtis McElhinney | G | Unsigned |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brayden Point* | F | 8 years | $9.5M |
| Ross Colton | F | 2 years | $1.125M |
| Alex Barre-Boulet | F | 3 years | $758K |
| Taylor Raddysh | F | 3 years | $758K |
| Boris Katchouk | F | 3 years | $758K |
| Cal Foote | D | 2 years | $850K |
*extension beginning in 2022-23
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Barre-Boulet | F | Undrafted |
| Taylor Raddysh | F | 2nd Round (2016) |
| Boris Katchouk | F | 2nd Round (2016) |
The defending champs were inevitably going to lose some key pieces this offseason. Coleman and Goodrow were due for big pay raises, and they weren't going to get them in Tampa Bay. Plus, Nikita Kucherov's contract coming back on the books meant a couple of others would have to go. Gourde being taken in expansion and Johnson getting shipped to Chicago helped solve those cap issues.
Few NHL teams could lose four quality forwards and replace them with next to no cap space like the Lightning did. Bellemare is a solid fourth-line center, and Perry has shown that he still has some game left. Plus, the organization's incredible farm system continues to bear fruit: Barre-Boulet, Raddysh, and Katchouk appear ready for regular jobs, and Ross Colton and Mathieu Joseph should excel in 2021-22 with more responsibility.
GM Julien BriseBois was dealt a difficult hand this offseason, but he's put the Bolts in the best position possible to take a run at a third straight Stanley Cup.
Grade: A-
Toronto Maple Leafs
Key arrivals
| Player | Position | Contract length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Ritchie | F | 2 years | $2.5M |
| David Kampf | F | 2 years | $1.5M |
| Ondrej Kase | F | 1 year | $1.25M |
| Michael Bunting | F | 2 years | $950K |
| Kurtis Gabriel | F | 1 year | $750K |
| Josh Ho-Sang | F | PTO | N/A |
| Nikita Gusev | F | PTO | N/A |
| Carl Dahlstrom | D | 1 year | $750K |
| Alex Biega | D | 1 year | $750K |
| Petr Mrazek | G | 3 years | $3.8M |
Key departures
| Player | Position | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Hyman | F | Signed with EDM |
| Nick Foligno | F | Signed with BOS |
| Joe Thornton | F | Signed with FLA |
| Jared McCann | F | Expansion draft |
| Zach Bogosian | D | Signed with TB |
| Frederik Andersen | G | Signed with CAR |
Re-signed
| Player | Position | New Contract Length | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Simmonds | F | 2 years | $900K |
| Jason Spezza | F | 1 year | $750K |
| Travis Dermott | D | 2 years | $1.5M |
Rookies who could crack the lineup
| Player | Position | Drafted |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Robertson | F | 2nd Round (2019) |
| Timothy Liljegren | D | 1st Round (2017) |
Many thought a fifth straight opening-round exit would cause a massive shakeup in Leafland, but GM Kyle Dubas is sticking to his plan and keeping the Core Four together.
The strategy of paying four forwards half of the salary cap hasn't yielded playoff success yet, and it remains to be seen whether it can work at all. The Maple Leafs' forward depth could once again be an issue this coming season.
However, letting Zach Hyman walk was definitely the right call considering the massive contract he signed with the Oilers. Instead, Dubas opted to take a handful of low-risk, high-reward fliers on wingers like Ritchie, Kase, and Bunting. If two of them pan out, that's a win.
For the first time in nearly two decades, Toronto's defense was a strength of the team last season. The Leafs will miss Bogosian's physical presence, but this unit should remain effective - especially if 21-year-old Rasmus Sandin makes strides.
Failing to get an extension done with Morgan Rielly is concerning, though. It's too late to trade the 2022 pending UFA, and Dubas can't allow him to walk for free. One way or another, it would've been ideal to have Rielly's future resolved early in the offseason.
Grade: C
(Salary source: Cap Friendly)