It’s like déjà vu all over again. The Toronto Maple Leafs. The first round. Another early playoff exit. Will the next 12 months play out differently or are we gearing up for yet another re-run?
Teambuilding
Roster Ruminations: Washington Capitals – May 2024
It’s clearly all about Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Gretzky’s goal scoring record at this point. We started hearing about the potential in the mainstream media a few seasons ago and Ovechkin has kept up the pace needed to get there on his current contract.
Roster Ruminations: Winnipeg Jets 2024
After missing the playoffs in 2022-2023, the regular season was a great success for the Winnipeg Jets this season. Their season came to a stop with a thud against the Colorado Avalanche in the first round, though. Are the Jets back?
Roster Ruminations: Los Angeles Kings – May 2024
The Los Angeles Kings dropped their third straight first round series to the Edmonton Oilers last week. What looked like a very promising young team a few seasons ago has stalled out. Is the rebuild still on track?
Roster Ruminations: Philadelphia Flyers – May 2024
The Philadelphia Flyers looked to be headed back to the post season for much of the 2023-2024 season. Sure, it was a bit of a surprise for a team that recently committed to taking a step back to rebuild their roster but they put in a valiant effort at making the postseason. Are they really that close after a quick re-tool?
Roster Ruminations: Buffalo Sabres – May 2024
The Buffalo Sabres playoff drought hit 13 seasons this year. The vibes have come and gone through the past couple of seasons, but it hasn’t been enough to put together a serious run at ending the playoff drought. Head Coach Don Granato paid the price this week, as he was let go. What will it take for the Sabres to find their way back into the postseason?
Roster Ruminations: Utah – April 2024
A new owner, new city and an organizational profile that leaves the door open for strategic decision making on the team building front. The possibility that this team resembles the Coyotes of recent seasons seems remote.
Roster Ruminations: Calgary Flames – April 2024
When Brad Treliving and the Calgary Flames decided to part ways following the 2022-2023 season, it opened the door for former fan favorite Craig Conroy to move to the big chair. Conroy stepped into a tenuous situation, with the team having just fallen flat in the first season of the post Gaudreau/Tkachuk era and he inherited a roster with seven notable pending UFAs.
Roster Ruminations: Vegas Golden Knights – April 2024
The Vegas Golden Knights burst onto the NHL scene in 2017-2018, going all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. They’re very close to clinching their sixth playoff berth in seven seasons and won their first Stanley Cup last June. The Golden Knights have operated differently too, building their contending roster through less conventional means.
Roster Ruminations: Tampa Bay Lightning – April 2024
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the closest we’ve seen to a dynasty in the salary cap era. Back to back Stanley Cups and a Stanley Cup Finals loss away from a three-peat, they Lightning went on a dominant run for a few seasons. Cracks are starting to show, however, with a first round loss to the Maple Leafs last spring and a likely wild card berth on tap this season. How long can the Lightning hang on as a contender?