NHL free agency 2019: 5 most improved teams this offseason
Which NHL teams improved the most during the offseason? We examine which teams did the most this offseason in NHL free agency to build up their squads this summer.
This offseason has been a fairly slow one for the NHL. However, several teams have managed to improve their roster immensely, whether it be through NHL free agency, the draft, trades, or a combination of the three.
With the pre-season starting in just over a month, the offseason is nearly complete. Let’s take a look at which five teams have done the most to help their cause.
New Jersey Devils
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Perhaps no team has done more to improve their roster since the start of the offseason than the New Jersey Devils. But to be fair, no team other than the Ottawa Senators had a larger room for improvement. Back in June when the St. Louis Blues won the Stanley Cup, they had a number of holes to fill. Credit general manager Ray Shero for finding a way to fill most of them.
Additions
Their biggest addition, without question, is Jack Hughes. The Devils drafted him with the first overall pick of the 2019 draft. Hughes should be an impact player in the NHL very soon, if not in his rookie year. He’ll likely be among the Calder Trophy finalists. At the very least, Hughes will be in that conversation.
The Devils also weaponized their cap space, trading for star defenseman P.K. Subban. Though he’s coming off a bad year, most of it was due to injuries. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if Subban bounces back strong. The Devils used the cap space as a weapon again to trade for Nikita Gusev, who led the KHL in points last season.
Wayne Simmonds is their other main addition. He’s coming off a very rough year, but on a one-year deal, he’s a good guy to bet on. Simmonds should bring a physical presence to the Devils and he should be a good net-front presence for them on the power-play as well.
They’re also getting Taylor Hall back healthy, which is huge. The Devils aren’t quite in the playoffs yet, but they’re definitely a fringe team. A tough Metropolitan Division might be too much for them to overcome unless they get strong goaltending.