Today the first round eliminated teams the Maple Leafs, Oilers, Predators, and Panthers
1ST Round Elimination NORTH and CENTRAL
1st Toronto Maple Leafs 0 35-14-7 77 29 34 187-148+39
2nd Edmonton Oilers 0 35-19-2 72 31 35 183-154+29
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2nd Florida Panther 0 37-14-5 79 26 36 189-153+36
4th Nashville Predators 0 31-23-2 64 21 26 156-154+2
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto was shell shocked by how they lost in seven games to the Canadiens after having a three game lead and after finishing first in the North with a record of 35-14-7 and finishing 10.5 games above .500 and do not have a first round pick at the draft. On the Goalies Jack Campbell made a huge impact with the Maple Leafs starting with 11 straight wins and looks like he will be the starter next year but the question mark is on the backup. Freddie Anderson their starter for a few season and David Rittich who they acquired at the trade deadline are both UFA’s and most likely won’t be back. So they either get a backup via Trade or Free Agency or they bring up a youngster like Joseph Woll to be Campbell’s backup. On the Defense they need to keep their top 4 intact. I know some people who are saying that Morgan Rielly should be traded with a year left on his contract but I don’t think they trade him and some think Justin Holl will be exposed in the expansion draft but I don’t think they will. Sandin should play on the third pair next year and they should go to either Free Agency or Trade or resign Zach Bogosian to have a third D Pair on the right side. On the Offense they need to reshuffle their lines. Signing Zach Hyman should by priority number one as he plays in the top six. They should also go out and get another top six forward who is on the cheaper side and can play with either Tavares or Matthews. And they need to either sign or trade for one or two bottom six forwards and bring up young players like Nick Robertson and Adam Brooks who bring speed and scoring ability to the bottom six and then maybe they can get past the first round.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers were stunned after being swept or losing in four games to the Jets after finishing second in the North with a record of 35-19-2 and finished 8 games above .500 and have the #19 overall pick at the draft. On the Goalies they need to shake it up. Mikko Koskinen will most likely be bought out or traded because he is not playing up to his contract and with Mike Smith a older goalie and a UFA the Oilers should try to fix this. The Oilers should look at the best starting goalies on the trade market and Free Agency and try to sign a goalie who can make the big saves and also gat a backup maybe in a Koskinen trade. On the Defense Kelfbom’s health is the biggest question mark right now. If Klefbom is healthy they should put him back in the top four probably behind Nurse. Signing Adam Larsson to a extension should be another priority as he is a great top 4 defensemen and is important to their backend. And lastly Evan Bouchard should get a chance to be a regular next season if they let Tyson Barrie go and can try to prove he is a top 4 defensemen. And on the Offense they still need help for McDavid. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has a very good chance of him heading to Free Agency and not resigning. If so the Oilers will need a top six forward who can score often. They will also need to reconstruct their bottom six as a lot of depth players are heading for Free Agency and signing a couple of cheap bottom six forwards who can score would be smart and bringing up a player like Raphael Lavoie to help score might get the Oilers past the first round next year.
Florida Panthers
Florida exited after the first round losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 6 games after finishing second in the division with a record of 37-13-5 and were 12 games above .500 and have the #25 overall pick at the draft. On the Goalies they have a problem. Sergei Bobrovsky will enter his third year of a seven year contract next year with 10 million and has not played well. Spencer Knight won his first four regular season game and won a playoff game and looks like the goalie of the future but Chris Driedger who is a UFA was the Panthers best goalie and they certainly want to keep him but with Bobrovsky’s contract I don’t think they will. On Defence they have a dilemma with Keith Yandle. Yandle has been a good player for the Panthers but was scratched half of their postseason games so if they can somehow move his contract to free up cap space and make room for a young defensemen it would be good. having a young player take over for Yandle like Mats Kierstad or going to Free Agency or the Trade Market so they can get a young D-Men makes sense. And on Offense don’t change much from what they had this year. As long as the Kraken do not touch any of there forwards in the expansion draft and they keep intact. Alex Wennberg is a Pending UFA but after acquiring Sam Bennett at the trade deadline and how good he played at second line center they can let Wennberg go. And also young kids like Alexsi Heponiemi, Grigori Denisenko, Eetu Luostarinen, and Mason Marchment should all have a more prominent role with the team next year and should push to make it to the second round next year.
Nashville Predators
Nashville was eliminated in the first round by the Carolina Hurricanes in six games after finishing fourth in the Central with a record of 31-23-2 and were 4 games above .500 and have the #18 overall pick at the draft. On the Goalies Jusse Saros played outstanding in the second half of the season and will in all fairness be the teams starter next year and is going to get a big contract as he is a pending RFA and will be the backbone of their defensive play but the backup is a ?. Pekka Rinne their longtime goalie is a pending UFA and is quite possibly not going to be resigned so the two options for backup are sign a veteran goalie in Free Agency or bring in goalie and first round pick Yaroslav Askarov to be backup this upcoming season. On Defence it should be just a matter of getting younger. Assuming no defenders are taken in the expansion draft they could have youngsters Fabbro and Carrier man the right side and they still have there three best defenders and Borowiecki and Benning are two veteran players who can play on that third line. Unless they decide to move Ekholm which I think they won’t i don’t see any changes for there blue line. And on the Offensive side try to keep competitive. In the expansion draft my thoughts on the Predators are use whatever means necessary to give Seattle Ryan Johansen and get the $8 Million dollars off their back. Then to key parts of their offense this season Mikael Granlund and Eric Haula who are both heading for Free Agency and if they don’t resign will need to be replaced. So if they don’t resigned them they should call upon young players like Phil Tomasino and either sign or trade for a middle six forward who can play center and if they do this maybe they will make it past the first round next year.
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