The 2024-25 NHL season is still a few months off, which is fortunate for teams needing to bolster their rosters this offseason. These four potential playoff contenders have the most work left to do.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have made significant moves this offseason, re-signing veteran forward Patrick Kane and acquiring forward Vladimir Tarasenko from the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Kane will enhance the Red Wings’ power play, and Tarasenko remains a highly effective top-line winger.
However, there is one major issue for the Red Wings: they were already one of the league’s better offensive teams last season, ranking ninth in goals scored. Their real problem was defense, as they finished 24th in goals against. So far this offseason, they haven’t addressed their defensive weaknesses, making it difficult to envision an end to their eight-season playoff drought, particularly in the highly competitive Atlantic Division.
The Red Wings still have some salary cap flexibility and need to find a way to use it to strengthen their defense.
New York Rangers
Despite the Rangers reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three years, they still have significant flaws to address, particularly in their defensive zone play. The most crucial adjustment needed is increasing mobility on defense to aid in transitioning out of the defensive zone and providing more support for their goalie, Igor Shesterkin.
They have attempted to tackle this issue by trying to trade captain Jacob Trouba, who has seen a sharp decline over the past two years. However, his $8M per year contract and no-trade clause have complicated these efforts.
If they return next season with the same roster and defense, they will likely continue winning many games and may go far in the playoffs. However, to become a Stanley Cup contender, changes in their defense are essential.
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets have been one of the least active NHL teams this offseason, losing more talent than they’ve gained from their 52-win team. Like the Red Wings and Rangers, their biggest need is on defense, where they lack both impact players and depth.
Their success during the 2023-24 season was largely due to their strong forward depth and the MVP-caliber performance of starting goalie Connor Hellebuyck. However, there’s no guarantee they can replicate that success this season.
They’ve lost significant forward depth with the departures of Tyler Toffoli and Sean Monahan, and expecting Hellebuyck to achieve another .920 save percentage season is a tall order. They need to bolster their defense before the season starts.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights are known for their pursuit of major moves and are often one of the most proactive teams in the NHL. However, this offseason, they’ve been surprisingly quiet, having lost free agents Jonathan Marchessault and Chandler Stephenson and traded goalie Logan Thompson.
Their roster remains strong, but the lack of activity raises questions about whether they have a major move in the works. Could they be targeting Toronto’s Mitch Marner? They need to replace a significant amount of offense and missed out on signing Steven Stamkos, so this situation is worth keeping an eye on.
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