[Buffalo News] Que se passe-t-il avec les rivaux de la division Atlantique des Sabres ? Voici un aperçu de leurs mouvements hors saison

2 Comments

1. professorwhiskers87 3 mois ago

   Paywall. Can someone be kind and copy/paste?

2. HarambeWest2020 3 mois ago

   >#What’s up with the Sabres’ Atlantic Division rivals?

   >**BOS**: The Bruins haven’t missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2016 and managed to eclipse 100 points last season despite the retirement of centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci. Losing to the Panthers in Game 6 of the second round convinced general manager Don Sweeney to spend $85 million on two of the top available free agents in Lindholm and Zadorov, but Boston traded its recent Vezina Trophy-winning goalie, Ullmark, to create the cap space to sign those players. Jeremy Swayman is now the unquestioned No. 1 in Boston, backed by a defense that helped the Bruins allow the fifth-fewest goals in the NHL last season. Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy will determine whether the club can be a Cup contender, but young players on this roster must also make an impact. Can second-year forward Matthew Poitras center the third line after appearing in 33 games as a rookie? Justin Brazeau was an important depth scorer once he joined the Bruins from Providence late in the season, but can he play a full-time role? Will 23-year-old defenseman Mason Lohrei take another step? Depth is a concern at this stage of the offseason, but it’s difficult to envision the Bruins taking a step back.

   >**TBL**: The Lightning’s miserable performance at 5-on-5 last season led their general manager, Julien BriseBois, to overhaul the roster, headlined by their longtime captain, Stamkos, signing with Nashville as an unrestricted free agent. Sergachev was also traded to Utah in a move that helped Tampa Bay get younger and created enough cap space to sign Guenztel, who has produced at least 20 goals in seven consecutive seasons. Tampa Bay’s defense is still among the strongest in the division because it reacquired McDonagh before parting ways with Sergachev, but the Lightning’s bottom six isn’t as strong as it was during the recent Stanley Cup runs. The club will need Atkinson to produce and bounceback seasons from depth forwards such as Conor Sheary to complement the high-end play it will receive from Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and others. There’s no question this team is worse, though, after losing its longtime captain and a top defenseman.

   >**TOR**: It’s unclear what to expect from the Maple Leafs under their new coach, Craig Berube, and after an offseason in which they lost Bertuzzi from their top six. Tanev and Ekman-Larsson were necessary adds for the blue line, but neither is the No. 1 defenseman this team needs. Toronto needs the latter to be an effective quarterback for one of the power-play units, and it was a significant risk to give a six-year contract to Tanev when he’s 34 and plays a rugged style that leads to injuries. The forward group is arguably one of the best in the Eastern Conference – but the top guys need to finally perform in the playoffs. Can Berube get more out of Mitch Marner, or should the Maple Leafs finally trade the hometown-area kid? Can Joseph Wall stay healthy and become the No. 1 goalie? Will young forwards such as Matthew Knies and Pontus Holmberg realize their potential? This team desperately needs contributions from young, cheap players given how much of its cap space is allocated to Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares. Berube needs to get the group to play with more structure – the same challenge facing Ruff in Buffalo.

   >**FLA**: The Stanley Cup champions lost their top defenseman, Montour, a few important depth players and most of its tough bottom-six forwards. General manager Bill Zito has proven that he can find effective replacements. Remember, he signed Evan Rodrigues last summer after Florida lost Anthony Duclair, one of several moves that positioned the club for a championship run. Recent first-round pick Mackie Samoskevich must take a middle-six role on the wing after he scored 22 goals as a rookie in the American Hockey League. The Panthers managed to retain their top talent, particularly former Sabres winger Sam Reinhart, who received an eight-year contract extension this summer, but their power play may regress with Montour and Ekman-Larsson gone. The Panthers still have the pieces to be a top contender. They should again rank among the best in the NHL in goals against after finishing last season with the best mark. Driedger or Spencer Knight will back up Sergei Bobrovsky. This team’s identity, particularly the combination of speed and skill with a physical streak, influenced Adams’ decision to overhaul his forward depth chart this offseason. Florida will need its new fourth line to provide the physical presence that Lomberg, Stenlund and Okposo brought during the playoffs. Maurice’s options include Nosek, Greer, Entwistle, Jesper Boqvist and Jonah Gadjovich.