Hockeywiztalks Hockey Blog

The Ottawa Senators have never won a Stanley Cup since rejoining the NHL in 1993, but I think they have the pieces necessary to do so. Today, I will be trying to turn the Ottawa Senators into a Stanley Cup Contender and get them their first Stanley Cup victory. Before the Expansion Draft, the Ottawa Senators make one major trade. Ottawa Senators trade Evgenii Dadonov to the Seattle Kraken for a 2021 3rd round pick. Evgenii Dadonov hasn't quite fit in with the Ottawa Senators, perhaps going to Seattle might revive his career a bit. Ottawa Senators lose Derek Stepan to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. Before the 2021 Draft, one trade is made: Ottawa Senators trade Artem Anisimov, Ryan Dzingel to the Nashville Predators for Nick Cousins, Rocco Grimaldi. The Predators improve their depth on offense with the additions of Anisimov and Dzingel, while the Senators add some decent role players in Cousins and Grimaldi. The Ottawa Senators finished the 2020-21 season with the 4th w...

 The LA Kings are a few years removed from their dynasty years, but they are assembling the pieces to become a dynasty once again. This is how I would transform the LA Kings into a dynasty again. Before the Expansion draft, the LA Kings make two trades LA Kings trade Jonathan Quick to the Detroit Red Wings for a 2022 4th round pick.  This trade gives the Red Wings a solid goalie to tandem with Thomas Greiss, while Kings get to unload Jonathan Quick's contract. The LA Kings also trade Dustin Brown to the Seattle Kraken for 4th round pick '22.  If Dustin Brown scores 20 goals, the Kings also get a 2022 3rd round pick. This is a good trade for both teams because it gives the Kraken a good veteran presence in the locker room, while the Kings get to dump Dustin Brown's contract. LA Kings lose Matt Roy to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion draft. Before the 2021 draft, the LA Kings make one major trade. LA Kings acquire Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets for Adrian K...

 The Colorado Avalanche was a Dynasty in the NHL from 1996-2003, winning 2 Stanley Cups during that timeframe. If the Colorado Avalanche wants to become a dynasty, they will need to make a few adjustments to the team. At the trade deadline, two major trade is made: Colorado Avalanche trade Andre Burakovsky, Valeri Nischuskin, Conor Timmins, 2021 1st round pick to the Buffalo Sabres for Sam Reinhart, Colin Miller.   The Avalanche add Sam Reinhart and Colin Miller to bolster their depth for an extensive playoff run. The Avalanche also trades Greg Pateryn, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, and a 2022 4th rd pick to the Detroit Red Wings for Valtteri Filppula, Luke Glendening. The Avalanche add some key role players in Filppula and Glendening for a playoff run. The Colorado Avalanche ends up winning the Stanley cup in 6 games over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Before the expansion draft, the Avalanche trade Erik Johnson, 2023 1st round pick to the Ottawa Senators for Vitaly Abramov, 3rd r...

 The Philadelphia Flyers won back-to-back Stanley Cups in the 1970s, but since then they have yet to win the Stanley Cup again. The Flyers have some great players on the team, but I think they might need to make some adjustments to win it all. At the trade deadline, Philadelphia Flyers make one major trade: Philadelphia Flyers acquire Ryan Ellis, Erik Haula from the Nashville Predators for Oskar Lindblom, Phil Myers, German Rubtsov, and a 2021 1st round pick. The Flyers acquire Ryan Ellis, a top-pair defenseman to pair with Ivan Provorov. With the addition of Ryan Ellis, the Philadelphia Flyers make the playoffs but get eliminated in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Before the expansion draft, the Philadelphia Flyers trade Jakub Voracek to the Detroit Red Wings for a 2021 2nd round pick (from NYR), 2022 2nd round pick. The Flyers free up more than 8 million in cap space by unloading Voracek's contract, and at the same time add two 2nd round picks. Philadelphia Flyers lose Scott Laug...

 It has been 38 years since the New York Islanders last won a Stanley Cup, and although they have been doing well in the playoffs in recent years, the odds of them winning a Stanley cup are pretty thin, especially playing in arguably the toughest division in the NHL.  If the New York Islanders want to win the Stanley Cup, they will have to make some changes to the team. At the trade Deadline, the Islanders make one major trade: New York Islanders trade Anthony Beauvillier, Scott Mayfield, Michael Dal Colle, 2021 2nd round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for David Savard, Eric Robinson. The Islanders acquire David Savard, a reliable defensive-defenseman, who fits in perfectly with the Islanders. With the addition of David Savard, the Islanders manage to make it to the Conference Finals, where they are eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning. New York Islanders lose Cal Clutterbuck to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft   After the expansion draft, the New York Isl...

 It has been 54 years since the Toronto Maple Leafs last won a Stanley Cup, but they certainly do have the personnel on hand to win multiple Stanley Cups if they make some adjustments to the team. At the Trade Deadline, one major trade is made: Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Derick Brassard, Drake Cagguila from the Arizona Coyotes for Jimmy Vesey, 3rd round pick '21. The Maple Leafs get Brassard and Cagguila to bolster their depth for a deep playoff run. The Toronto Maple Leafs end up losing in the Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 6 games. Joe Thornton Retires after the 2020-21 season. Toronto Maple Leafs lose Zach Hyman to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion draft Before the 2021 draft, two major trades are made: Toronto Maple Leafs trade Travis Dermott, Alex Kerfoot, Ilya Mikheyev, 2nd round pick '21 to the Anaheim Ducks for Josh Manson, Max Jones. The Anaheim Ducks acquire Josh Manson and Max Jones, the two players will provide some physicality and toughness to t...

 It has been 30 years since the Oilers won their last Stanley Cup but with two of the best players in the world to build around, it is certainly possible to restore the glory days. At the trade deadline, two trades are made: Edmonton Oilers trade Jesse Puljujarvi, Caleb Jones, Zack Kassian, 2021 2nd round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for Dylan Strome, Philipp Kurashev. The Oilers add Dylan Strome and Philipp Kurashev to add some offensive punch to the lineup. The Oilers also trade Adam Larsson, Jujhar Khaira to the New York Islanders for Anthony Beauvillier, Scott Mayfield.  The Oilers add vital role players in Anthony Beauvillier and Scott Mayfield. The Edmonton Oilers make it to the 2020-21 season but lose in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Edmonton Oilers buyout James Neal ; the buyout costs 1.9 million per season until 2025. Edmonton Oilers lose Ethan Bear to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. Before the 2021 draft, the Oilers make one trade: Edmonton Oilers trade...

 The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that is stuck in no-mans-land; they aren't good enough to make the playoffs yet they aren't bad enough to be in the lottery. So the most logical thing the Blackhawks should do is to trade away their veteran players and rebuild for the future. At the trade deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks make one trade: Chicago Blackhawks trade Duncan Keith to the Boston Bruins for John Moore, 1st rd pick '21. The Bruins need a Left Defenseman to pair with Charlie McAvoy, and Duncan Keith is the perfect fit for this role. The Chicago Blackhawks miss the playoffs in the 2020-21 season and end up with the 8th pick in the draft. Chicago Blackhawks buyout Brent Seabrook; the buyout costs 833K until 2027. Chicago Blackhawks lose David Kampf to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. Before the 2021 draft, two trades are made: Chicago Blackhawks trade Jonathan Toews to the Minnesota Wild for Jordan Greenway, Alexander Khovanov, Calen Addison, 2021 1st round p...

 The New Rangers already have some nice pieces in place, but for some reason, they just can seem to put it all together. If they draft correctly and make the right trades, the Rangers have the potential to become a dynasty. At the trade deadline, the New York Rangers make one major trade: New York Rangers trade Pavel Buchnevich, Brendan Smith, Ryan Strome to the San Jose Sharks for Marc Eduord Vlasic, and a 2021 1st round pick. The Sharks retain 1 million of Marc Eduord Vlasic's annual cap hit. The Rangers get a Marc Eduord Vlasic, who has a terrible contract but will also gain a 1st round pick for taking on his contract. The Sharks get Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Strome, two top 6 forwards, and Brendan Smith, a top 6 defenseman. The New York Rangers miss the playoffs in the 2020-21 season and end up with the 5th pick in the draft. The New York Rangers lose Brendan Lemieux to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion draft. At the 2021 draft, the New York Rangers trade Jacob Trouba to the...

 The LA Kings are a rebuilding team right now, but if they make the right trades and draft correctly, they could become a dynasty. At the trade deadline, the LA Kings make one major trade: LA Kings trade Jeff Carter, Alex Aifallo to the Nashville Predators for Calle Jarnkrok, Rocco Grimaldi, and a 2021 2nd round pick. The Kings get Jarnkrok and Grimaldi, two solid role players, as well as a 2nd round pick for Jeff Carter and Alex Aifallo, a pending UFA. The LA Kings finish the 2020-21 season with the 4th worst record in the league. LA Kings lose Andreas Athanasiou to the Seattle Kraken in the Expansion draft. Before the 2021 draft, t he LA Kings trade Jonathan Quick to the Carolina Hurricanes for James Reimer, Brock McGinn, and a 2021 2nd round pick. The trade gives the Kings a reliable 1B to tandem with Cal Petersen, Brock McGinn, and a 2nd round pick. At the 2021 draft, LA Kings trade picks 58, 59 to the Detroit Red Wings for picks 51, and a 2022 2nd round pick. 2021 Draft 4-S...

 The Buffalo Sabres have the pieces in place to be the next dynasty in the NHL if they make the right trades and draft correctly in the next two years. While the process may take some time, it is not out of the possibility that the Sabres could become the NHL's next dynasty. At the trade deadline, the Buffalo Sabres make a huge trade: Buffalo Sabres trade Taylor Hall to the Winnipeg Jets for Nikolaj Ehlers, a conditional 2022 1st round pick. If Taylor Hall re-signs with the Winnipeg Jets, the Sabres get the Jets 2022 1st round pick. This is a straight one-for-one swap of Hall for Ehlers; the Sabres get a 1st round pick if Hall re-signs with the Winnipeg Jets.  Buffalo Sabres miss the playoffs in the 2020-21 season and end up with the 10th pick in the draft.  The Buffalo Sabres lose Cody Eakin in the Expansion draft to the Seattle Kraken. Buffalo Sabres buyout Kyle Okposo ; the buyout will cost them 1 million per season until 2025. Before the 2021 draft, the Buffalo Sabre...