EASTERN CONFERENCE
Buffalo Sabres: Missed Stanley Cup Playoffs for seventh straight season, the second longest drought behind the Carolina Hurricanes (nine). … Elite center Jack Eichel, 21, has 121 points (49 goals, 72 assists) in 128 games over the past two seasons. … Buffalo won the 2018 NHL Draft Lottery and likely will select 18-year-old Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, which would address a weak point of its roster. … Center prospect Casey Mittelstadt, 19, should provide added depth behind Eichel and Ryan O'Reilly, 27. … Buffalo's power play (19.1 percent this season, 20th in NHL) led the League at 24.5 percent in 2016-17. … Forward Sam Reinhart, 22, and goaltender Robin Lehner, 26, can become restricted free agents July 1.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Lost to Washington Capitals in six games in first round of playoffs. … Have never won a postseason series, but that could change soon with a young core of forwards Pierre-Luc Dubois (19), Alexander Wennberg (23), Oliver Bjorkstrand (23; can become restricted free agent July 1), Sonny Milano (22) and defensemen Seth Jones (23), Zach Werenski (20) and Markus Nutivaara (24). ... Left wing Artemi Panarin, 26, had 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) in 81 games, improving on point totals from his two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played with elite right wing Patrick Kane. Panarin and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky can become unrestricted free agents July 1, 2019.
Florida Panthers: Missed playoffs for second straight season after winning Atlantic Division in 2015-16. … Their top two centers, Aleksander Barkov, 22, and Vincent Trocheck, 24, had NHL career highs with 78 and 75 points, respectively. … Roberto Luongo, 39, had a .929 save percentage in 35 games but is the oldest goalie in the NHL and has an injury history. … The Panthers have playoff hopes next season with young defensemen Aaron Ekblad (22), Mike Matheson (24) and a surplus of prospects, led by forwards Owen Tippett, 19, and Henrik Borgstrom, 20.
Ottawa Senators: Missed playoffs after making Eastern Conference Final in 2017. … Elite defenseman Erik Karlsson, 28, and top-line center Matt Duchene, 27, can become unrestricted free agents July 1, 2019. … Right wing Mark Stone missed time because of injuries but had 62 points (20 goals, 42 assists) in 58 games; the 26-year-old can become a restricted free agent July 1. … Ottawa has the No. 4 pick in the draft and will rely heavily on young defenseman Thomas Chabot (21) and center prospect Colin White (21), who missed most of the season because of a wrist injury.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Arizona Coyotes: Missed playoffs for sixth straight season, the third longest drought behind the Hurricanes (nine) and Sabres (seven). … Forward Clayton Keller, 19, is a Calder Trophy finalist after scoring 65 points (23 goals, 42 assists) in 82 games. … The Coyotes are discussing a long-term contract with top defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson; the 26-year-old can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2019. … Arizona signed goaltender Antti Raanta, 29, to a three-year contract after he went 21-17-6 with a 2.24 goals-against average, .930 SV% and three shutouts in 47 games. … Arizona has the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft and likely will incorporate center prospect Dylan Strome, 21, into their lineup next season.
Minnesota Wild: Lost to Winnipeg Jets in five games in first round of playoffs. … Hired general manager Paul Fenton on May 21, replacing Chuck Fletcher. … Signed forward prospect Jordan Greenway, 21, to an entry-level contract March 26; the 21-year-old had two points (one goal, one assist) in five playoff games. … Top defenseman Ryan Suter (ankle), 33, and left wing Zach Parise (broken sternum), 33, may miss the start of next season. … Forward Jason Zucker, 26, had an NHL career-high 64 points (33 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games this season. Zucker and defenseman Matt Dumba, 23, can become restricted free agents July 1.
Nashville Predators: Lost to Jets in seven games in second round of playoffs; made 2017 Stanley Cup Final, losing to Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. … Left wing Filip Forsberg, 23, tied his NHL career high with 64 points (26 goals, 38 assists) despite being limited to 67 regular-season games. … Goaltender Pekka Rinne, 35, and defenseman Ryan Ellis, 27, can become unrestricted free agents July 1, 2019. Backup goalie Juuse Saros, 23, can become a restricted free agent this July 1. … Finnish forward prospect Eeli Tolvanen, 19, is expected to take on a significant role next season.
St. Louis Blues: Missed playoffs because of loss to Colorado Avalanche in regular-season finale; made Western Conference Final in 2016. … Elite right wing Vladimir Tarasenko, 26, has the second-most regular-season goals over the past four seasons (149 in 319 games) behind Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (185 in 324). … Robby Fabbri, 22, who missed this entire season and much of last season because of left knee injuries, can become a restricted free agent July 1. … Goaltender Carter Hutton, 32, went 17-7-3 with a 2.09 GAA, .931 SV% and three shutouts and can become an unrestricted free agent. ... The Blues elevated defenseman Vince Dunn, 21, to the first power play this season and are expected to utilize forward prospects Tage Thompson, 20, and Sammy Blais, 21, next season.
San Jose Sharks: Lost to Vegas Golden Knights in six games in second round of playoffs; made Stanley Cup Final in 2016. … San Jose signed left wing Evander Kane, 26, to a seven-year contract May 24. Kane had 54 points (29 goals, 25 assists) in 78 games for the Sharks and Buffalo Sabres, and found chemistry on San Jose's top line with center Joe Pavelski, 33, after being acquired Feb. 26. … Joe Thornton, 38, is one of the best active NHL players to never win the Stanley Cup but has dealt with knee injuries in each of the past two seasons and could become an unrestricted free agent July 1. … The Sharks got significant offensive contributions from forwards Timo Meier, 21, Kevin Labanc, 22, and defenseman Dylan DeMelo, 25. Forward Tomas Hertl, 24, and DeMelo can become restricted free agents.
Winnipeg Jets: Lost to Golden Knights in five games in Western Conference Final. … The young core, led by forwards Patrik Laine, 20, Mark Scheifele, 25, Nikolaj Ehlers, 22, and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, 25, and veterans Blake Wheeler, 31, and Dustin Byfuglien, 33, have the Jets in position to reach the Cup Final in the next few years. … Center Paul Stastny, 32, who centered Laine after being acquired from the Blues on Feb. 26, can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. … Left wing Kyle Connor, 21, led all rookies with 31 goals in 76 games. … Hellebuyck and defensemen Jacob Trouba, 24, and Josh Morrissey, 23, can become restricted free agents this summer. Wheeler can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2019. … Forward Jack Roslovic, 21, is a potential impact player next season.
Vancouver Canucks: Missed playoffs for third straight season. … The top line of right wing Brock Boeser, 21, center Bo Horvat, 23, and left wing Sven Baertschi, 25, was productive when healthy this season. Boeser, a Calder Trophy finalist with 55 points (29 goals, 26 assists) in 62 games, sustained a back injury March 5 and missed the rest of the regular season, but he's expected to be ready for training camp. … With longtime forwards Henrik Sedin and Daniel Sedin retiring, the Canucks should shift their focus to top prospects in forwards Elias Pettersson (19), Adam Gaudette (21) and goaltender Thatcher Demko (22). … Vancouver has the No. 7 pick in 2018 draft.
Vegas Golden Knights: Lost to Capitals in five games in Stanley Cup Final during historic inaugural season. … Coach Gerard Gallant is a Jack Adams Award finalist, and George McPhee is a finalist for NHL General Manager of Year. … Forwards James Neal, 30, and David Perron, 30, can become unrestricted free agents July 1. … Center William Karlsson, 25, and defensemen Shea Theodore, 22, and Colin Miller, 25, can become restricted free agents. Karlsson, selected by the Golden Knights from the Blue Jackets in the NHL Expansion Draft, broke out for 43 goals to finish third in the NHL behind Ovechkin (49) and Laine (44). Left wing Jonathan Marchessault, 27, signed a six-year contract extension Jan. 3 and finished second on Vegas in regular-season points (75) behind Karlsson (78). … Rookie forward Alex Tuch, 22, is expected to occupy a top-six role next season. … Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (33) and defenseman Nate Schmidt (26) can become unrestricted free agents in 2019. Fleury went 29-13-4 with a .927 save percentage and four shutouts in 46 regular-season games before going 13-7 with a .927 and four shutouts in 20 playoff games.
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