By: Chris Nosek

The NHL returns to play tonight, and rosters are already unfrozen. We’ve already seen a few trades. So, as NHL games get started again tonight, here are some thoughts and questions for each team around the league.

Colorado Avalanche – 83 pts, 1st in Central

Their 4-5-1 stretch before the break showed just how important Gabrial Landeskog is to the team. However, Nathan MacKinnon will be on a mission to eviscerate his opponents. I’d fully expect them to continue dominating teams night in and night out.

Tampa Bay Lightning – 78 pts, 1st in Atlantic

They’ll definitely miss Brayden Point from their lineup. Anthony Cirelli and Victor Hedman are also major losses to their lineup. However, Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy just got two weeks off. They’ve already tested some of their depth this season. They should be just fine. They’ll make the playoffs, but can they enter them healthy?

Carolina Hurricanes – 78 pts, 1st in Metropolitan

Brandon Bussi has been great for them, bringing consistency to their crease. Howver, he still only has 27 NHL starts under his belt. It’s okay to wonder if he can still perform at this level in the playoffs. It’s also clear that Eric Tulsky wants to make a major move. Who will he be able to add without changing too much of what is already on this roster?

Minnesota Wild – 78 pts, 2nd in Central

The Wild were already a fun team to watch, then Bill Guerin went and added Quinn Hughes. Since that move, they are 16-5-5 and Hughes has scored 34 points over 24 games. Re-acclimating after the excitement of winning Olympic Gold is certainly a concern. However, Boldy, Faber, and Hughes should be more confident and motivated to try to win the Stanley Cup. Also, Guerin is still looking to add another center prior to the March 6th trade deadline. They already can (and should) pass Colorado in the division, but another center will only help.

Dallas Stars – 77 pts, 3rd in Central

This is probably the season for Dallas to take a slight step back. Their playoff path likely includes going through two of Minnesota, Vegas, Edmonton, and Colorado. They already had to determine how to navigate Tyler Seguin’s injury. Now, they’ll also be without Mikko Rantanen for a few weeks. A slight step back this season will allow them keep Jason Robertson long-term and bulk up their depth again. Doing this would put them in a better position to compete for multiple Stanley Cups over the next few seasons.

Montreal Canadiens – 72 pts, 2nd in Atlantic

They need to get Jacob Fowler back on the NHL roster. They can do this after the trade deadline, when the roster limit no longer applies. Despite being a rookie, he’s been their best goaltender this season. He is also the guy who can anchor the team from the crease going forward. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are the right guys to have in charge. They are building this correctly, and Martin St. Louis is proving to be an effective coach. They’ll be underrated heading into the playoffs because of their youth. Don’t sleep on them, especially if they’re able to make a solid trade deadline addition.

Detroit Red Wings – 72 pts, 3rd in Atlantic

Some have started to question the “Yzerplan” over the past few seasons. While it’s taking longer than expected, it’s definitely showing that patience will pay off. When he took over, they were in a downward spiral. The best draft pick he’s had was 4th overall. Two draft classes had their development significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re getting goaltending they haven’t received for a few seasons, and the benefits of patience are glaring. Yzerman has been patient as the draft picks develop. However, the willingness to be aggressive for Quinn Hughes shows the organization is turning the corner.

Pittsburgh Penguins – 70 pts, 2nd in Metropolitan

Kyle Dubas is putting on a master class in how to perform a “competitive rebuild.” We still don’t know the extent of Crosby’s injury. Crosby has carried the team when Malkin was injured. Now, can Malkin do it with Crosby out for a while? Malkin just had a two-week break. They could win their first-round matchup if they’re able to hold onto the 2nd or 3rd spot in the division. They could also fall out of the playoff race because of a rough schedule ahead. Regardless of where they finish, let’s not forget the original expectations for this team.

Buffalo Sabres – 70 pts, 1st in Eastern Wild Card race

They’re finally showing the potential they’ve had for several years. It just seemed inevitable that they would never achieve this level under Kevyn Adams. Tage Thompson will get a great boost to his confidence coming home with a Gold Medal. He certainly isn’t going to get traded. They have the talent, and now they have the belief. Their playoff drought should end this season, and Jarmo Kekalainen can build on this year in the offseason.

Boston Bruins – 69 pts, 2nd in Eastern Wild Card race

Boston should be able to hold off the teams that are currently behind them. Don Sweeney has a proven track record when it comes to trading, especially at the trade deadline. Despite the high penalty rate, they’ve shown they can compete with any team in the league. Don Sweeney will find a smart way to add to this roster after leaning heavily into selling last season. They are more than capable of holding off the teams behind them. They’re also able to jump back into the Atlantic’s 3rd position.

New York Islanders – 69 pts, 3rd in Metropolitan

Matthew Schaefer alone is enough of a reason to watch the Islanders. The fact that they’re in a playoff position only adds to it. If they finish 2nd or 3rd in the Metro, they’ll have a decent first-round matchup that’s winnable as well. Islanders fans need to remember that the retool has just started. Darche is well positioned to strategically add to the roster. Doing so recklessly will set them back.

Vegas Golden Knights – 68 pts, 1st in Pacific

The Golden Knights have seen almost 39% of their games go to overtime. Maybe the idea is that in the playoffs, they’ll have the advantage because of the different overtime rules. Akira Schmid has stepped up with the injury to Adin Hill, but there are still concerns in goal. Bringing in Rasmus Andersson certainly helps defensively, but now their only high-value trade chip is Trevor Connelly. They’ll definitely make the playoffs, but depth is a major concern.

Columbus Blue Jackets – 65 pts, 4th in Metropolitan

They were thriving under Rick Bowness’s coaching heading into the break. Now, they’re going to try to re-sign several players they were probably looking to trade before. Don Waddell needs to add some offense, as Zach Werenski leads the team by 16 points. After everything this organization has been through, it’s hard to root against them making the playoffs.

Washington Capitals – 65 pts, 5th in Metropolitan

They had a great start to the season, but the Caps fell off a bit before the break. However, only three of their players were at the Olympic Games: Tom Wilson, Logan Thompson, and Martin Fehervary. Wilson’s game should see a boost, having spent the Olympics on a line with Connor McDavid and Macklin Celebrini. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them have a surge in the back portion of their schedule. Key guys will be rested, and they have the lightest schedule among teams. They’re capable of jumping back into the 3rd spot in the Metro.

Utah Mammoth – 64 pts, 1st in Western Wild Card race

Despite being without Logan Cooley, the Mammoth are still in a playoff spot. Fans in Utah should get excited for playoff hockey this season. They have everything they need to add to the roster. Most importantly, they have an owner who wants to win and is willing to spend to make it happen. They’re a fun team to watch and they’re playing meaningful games – what more could you want?

Edmonton Oilers – 64 pts, 2nd in Pacific

They need to find a taker for Andrew Mangiapane because that signing really hasn’t worked out for either side. Stan Bowman has addressed the goaltending, but I’m not sure it was much of an upgrade. Maybe guys like Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard get used in trades. The biggest problem for this team still revolves around team defense. They’ll make the playoffs, and they’ll be a tough team to eliminate. It’s still hard to believe they have enough to finish the job this season (again).

Seattle Kraken – 63 pts, 3rd in Pacific

It’s nice to see the Kraken be competitive again, but they need to find organizational stability and consistency. Jason Botterill needs to be active and creative via the trade market to make significant improvements. They’re competitive, but Jordan Eberle is their leading goal scorer with only 20 goals. They desperately need to find more offense. Even if they make the playoffs, they can’t do much.

Anaheim Ducks – 63 pts, 2nd in Western Wild Card race

Pat Verbeek needs to address the defense for next season. Right now, only Drew Helleson and Jackson LaCombe have contracts into next year. However, thus far, the mix of players he’s added has worked great. They were at the top of the Pacific earlier in the season and then ran into injury troubles. They can hold off the teams behind them and make the playoffs. They’ll have a tough first-round matchup once they get in. However, this is a young team coached by Joel Quenneville, and he will have them ready for that matchup.

Ottawa Senators – 63 pts, 6th in Atlantic

This year has been a disaster for the Senators. After a rough start for Linus Ullmark, he took time off for personal reasons, which stirred up the rumor mill. A situation that could have completely broken the team may have actually galvanized the locker room. Brady Tkachuk will have a nice emotional boost after his Gold Medal victory at the Olympics. However, the hill to climb to reach the playoffs will likely be too steep. It’s rough that they’re forfeiting their 1st round pick this year, but it won’t take much for them to bounce back next year.

Toronto Maple Leafs – 63 pts, 7th in Atlantic

It’s clear the Maple Leafs are missing Mitch Marner more than their old front office calculated. Their goaltending has come back to its expected level, and the age of their roster is showing. They’ve tried to go all in for so long their cupboards are bare. They need to take a major step back and really analyze every player in their organization. This very well could turn into a two-year process. They need to sell off a major piece. Who it will be and what they get in return will be quite interesting to see.

Philadelphia Flyers – 61 pts, 6th in Metropolitan

Matvei Mitchkov has drawn a lot of attention this year. Both Daniel Briere and Rich Tocchet know what a player needs to succeed in the NHL. Mitchkov will be fine. Flyers fans need to be patient. Briere has made some solid moves and excels at drafting. He needs time to draft and develop the core he’s building around.

Florida Panthers – 61 pts, 8th in Atlantic

The Panthers have played over 300 games, including playoffs, over the past three seasons. The fact that guys are getting hurt this badly is no surprise. I wouldn’t be shocked to see someone like Evan Rodrigues getting dealt. A move like this would ensure some assets are available to help add for next season. They’re going to be a tough opponent, but they’re definitely taking a step back this season.

**Don’t expect Sergei Bobrovsky to be traded. He sought out Florida when he hit free agency. He has a full no-movement clause with no reason to waive it. He doesn’t need to chase another Stanley Cup. Also, Florida doesn’t have a goaltender of his caliber in their system. They’re far and away more likely to re-sign him than trade him.**

Los Angeles Kings – 60 pts, 5th in Pacific

Ken Holland had a lot of work to do when he took over for Rob Blake. The transition from Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty was always going to be rough. There are several questions about their ability to score. The Kings have lost to Edmonton each of the last four years in the first round. They only took one (2021-22) of those series to seven games. They were never as close to winning as many thought. They’re quickly heading toward that purgatory state no team wants to be in.

Nashville Predators – 59 pts, 5th in Central

Barry Trotz was a great Head Coach. Unfortunately, his tenure as a General Manager hasn’t been as great. As he’s stepping down from the role, he will run the team’s trade deadline. They have high-end talent and can win games, but they need to make some major changes to be competitive again. Seeing how they address the roster will be almost as exciting as the games they have left to play.

San Jose Sharks – 58 pts, 6th in Pacific

If you weren’t watching the Sharks before the break, you will be when they return. Macklin Celebrini showed during the Olympics that he isn’t the future of the game. He’s the present. Mike Grier is nailing this rebuild. However, he desperately needs to sort out the blue line for next year. Only Dmitri Orlov and Sam Dickinson are under contract right now. They have elite young talent throughout the roster. If you’re on the East Coast, this team is worth staying up late to watch.

New Jersey Devils – 58 pts, 7th in Metropolitan

This has been an interesting season for the Devils. When the season started, they were one of the best teams in the league. Now, it just seems something is off in this locker room. Fitzgerald couldn’t acquire Quinn Hughes. It got out that some players wouldn’t waive their trade protection. Then Dougie Hamilton was a healthy scratch. They have a few guys in Utica they may want to make room for in New Jersey. Now, the drama off the ice will make them worth following every bit as much as their abilities on it.

Chicago Blackhawks – 53 pts, 6th in Central

Questions about whether they want to keep Connor Bedard at center still circle. Kyle Davidson needs to sort that out so he can make the right moves going forward. The acquisition of Spencer Knight has seriously accelerated the rebuild, so Fitzgerald needs to work quickly.

Winnipeg Jets – 52 pts, 7th in Central

It’s a shame that the Jonathan Toews signing hasn’t worked out as either side would have hoped. However, it was Connor Hellebuyck’s injury that revealed the biggest flaws in the roster. Kevin Cheveldayoff needs to make some major moves to help this franchise. If he doesn’t, they will continue to fall short even when they do make the playoffs.

Calgary Flames – 52 pts, 7th in Pacific

Craig Conroy tossed up the white flag when he sent Rasmus Andersson to Vegas. Now, they have two first-round picks for this year and next year’s drafts. They also have plenty of space to work with. Taking on a bad contract or two is a great way to add to that. They have some young talent on the roster already, so Conroy has the tools to turn things around quickly. Seeing if he can do it will be the most intriguing thing to watch. For now, while the sell-off is still going on, it’ll be a tough watch.

New York Rangers – 50 pts, 8th in Metropolitan

Chris Drury used the waiver wire to force Barclay Goodrow to San Jose. After that, everything in New York started to fall apart. They have two picks in the first round, but several players who could help them add to that. Igor Shesterkin will keep this team in games and seasons longer than they should. However, until they refill their pipeline with several young players, they won’t be able to be a true contender again.

St. Louis Blues – 49 pts, 8th in Central

Last year, the Blues barely made the playoffs. However, this year has shown they’re clearly not that playoff-quality team. Now, Doug Armstrong has made it clear they are open for business. It’s going to be rough to watch the Blues for a while. However, it would appear their next core is starting to take shape. They already have guys like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky. So the rebuild clock is ticking.

Vancouver Canucks – 42 pts, 8th in Pacific

This roster is officially a disaster. It seemed so far-fetched that Quinn Hughes would get dealt this season. Now he’s in Minnesota. The rebuild is officially underway. Their top prospects are now Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and Tom Willander. Other than that, there isn’t much NHL talent in the system, despite Abbotsford winning the Calder Cup last season. Trading Silovs looks like a major mistake now because the contracts in their crease are a disaster. It’s going to be a tough watch for Vancouver fans for a while.