5 head-scratchers from the NHL offseason

Every summer without fail, NHL teams inevitably make a handful of moves that lead fans to ask, "Why?"

While most of the offseason activity this year could be described as sensible - or at the very least understandable - several clubs did several things that left their supporters and those across the league scratching their heads.

From handing out lengthy contracts to older players to making questionable trades, here are five perplexing offseason moves:

Sens deal Chychrun after giving up high picks for him

The Ottawa Senators traded defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Washington Capitals exactly 16 months after they acquired him in a deal with the Arizona Coyotes. The Senators only got a third-round pick and blue-liner Nick Jensen from the Capitals after giving up a first-rounder and two second-round selections to bring him in from Arizona.

Chychrun tied a career high with 41 points last season, and he's entering his prime at 26 years old. The American rearguard was reportedly on the trade block for over a year before the Coyotes sent him to Ottawa, and it stands to reason he'll be back on it before this season's trade deadline if the Capitals are out of the playoff picture.

Washington did make other additions like Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Matt Roy, and Logan Thompson, so the team could make a postseason push. But the Caps could also just turn around and trade Chychrun and his expiring contract for assets if he doesn't sign an extension and Washington is out of it again.

For the Senators, that would make an already embarrassing situation even more painful.

Maple Leafs give Ekman-Larsson top-4 money

On July 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Chris Tanev for six years at $4.5 million annually. Though the length was a bit much for a player who'll be 35 in December, that contract is justifiable given his defensive prowess and first-pairing role. That same day, they inked Oliver Ekman Larsson for four years at $3.5 million per campaign.

Ekman-Larsson had a bounce-back offensive season with the Florida Panthers, helping them win the Stanley Cup with 32 points in 80 regular-season games and six more in 24 playoff contests. But the 33-year-old Swede was subpar defensively, and he's far from a lock to repeat his 2023-24 performance after struggling in the three previous seasons with the Vancouver Canucks (who bought him out) and Arizona Coyotes.

The primary issue here is that Ekman-Larsson's cap hit is almost as much as Tanev's, despite the fact that OEL is likely best utilized on the third pairing at this point in his career. Signing Ekman-Larsson to this kind of pact means the Leafs will be forced to use either him or fellow lefty Simon Benoit (both of whom would be best employed on the third pairing) in the top four. Not exactly ideal.

Kraken hand 7-year pacts to two 30-year-olds

The Seattle Kraken took a step back last season, missing the playoffs after reaching the second round in their second-ever campaign. So it wasn't too surprising to see them try to bolster their roster at multiple positions. How they ultimately did it was the questionable part.

On the opening day of free agency, the Kraken dished out seven-year contracts to defenseman Brandon Montour and forward Chandler Stephenson, who were born just 11 days apart in 1994. That fun fact should be a lot less fun for the Kraken because it means both players will be on the books until they're 37 years old.

Montour is two seasons removed from a 73-point explosion. However, he fell back to a half-point-per-game rate with the Panthers in 2023-24, he's a defensive liability, and he's going to a much worse team. As such, he's a prime candidate to regress further, even if it's delayed for a year or two of the seven for which he's getting paid.

Stephenson also had his most productive campaign (65 points, including 49 assists) two seasons ago, and he has even more glaring holes in his game. The ex-Vegas Golden Knight posted subpar underlying numbers in 2023-24, was also lackluster defensively, and he showed he can really only be effective with the right linemates.

Kings replace Roy with Edmundson

The Los Angeles Kings made a pair of particularly puzzling moves on the back end amid a brutal offseason overall. The Pacific Division squad let underrated defenseman Roy walk in unrestricted free agency and then replaced him with Joel Edmundson. Roy, one of the best blue-liners on the market, signed with the Washington Capitals on a six-year contract with a $5.75-million cap hit. The Kings inked Edmundson to a four-year agreement at $3.85 million annually.

The issue here isn't age, as the 31-year-old Edmundson is only two years older than Roy. Technically, the Kings didn't "replace" Roy with Edmundson. They have youngster Brandt Clarke to take Roy's spot on the right side in the second pairing, while Edmundson is a lefty. But for all intents and purposes, that's what happened.

Roy only collected 25 points last season, but his underlying numbers were superb. He tied Calder Trophy finalist Brock Faber among the league leaders at their position in standings points above replacement (3.4), wins above replacement (1.8), and goals above replacement (10.7), per Evolving Hockey.

Edmundson helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup, but that was five years ago, and he didn't play an instrumental role in the championship run. He's an unspectacular stay-at-home defenseman and a clear downgrade.

Buffalo trades Savoie to Oilers for McLeod

The Buffalo Sabres took part in the offseason's most grimace-inducing trade. Buffalo traded Matthew Savoie - the 2022 ninth overall pick and one of the club's top prospects - to the Edmonton Oilers for forwards Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio.

Savoie racked up over two points per game (71 in 34) and almost a goal per contest (30) with the WHL's Wenatchee Wild and Moose Jaw Warriors last regular season, helping the Warriors get to the Memorial Cup with 10 goals and 14 assists in 19 playoff games. The 20-year-old also produced a pair of tallies and three helpers in six AHL contests, played a game for the Sabres, and represented Canada at the world juniors.

McLeod collected 12 goals and 18 assists across 81 games for the Oilers in 2023-24. He's a defensively sound center but is best suited in the bottom six. McLeod fills an immediate need for the Sabres, and he's only 24. But his ceiling is far more limited than that of Savoie, who could blossom into a much more important player. Tullio is 22 but hasn't played in the NHL and doesn't appear to have much potential.

The Sabres have a surplus of forward prospects, which is why they felt comfortable shipping out Savoie to address a need now. But they might regret this deal if the young Alberta-born forward ultimately thrives in Edmonton.