Team Needs: Metropolitan Division
Pittsburgh Penguins
Team needs: Depth forwards, backup goaltending
Pittsburgh fired its general manager and head coach after another disappointing playoff exit, but in reality the 2013-14 Metropolitan Division winners aren't far from making a run at their first Stanley Cup final appearance since winning the title in 2009.
New general manager Jim Rutherford faces the task of rebuilding the Penguins' forward depth, as the team's lower lines put up dreadful possession numbers last season. The solution may come from within the division; soon-to-be unrestricted free agents Brian Boyle and Benoit Pouliot helped the New York Rangers reach the Cup final.
New York Rangers
Team needs: More scoring, cap space
The biggest challenge for the Rangers following their first Cup final appearance in 20 years will be keeping their roster intact. New York has 13 players under contract for next season at a whopping $53-million cap hit, leaving general manager Glen Sather with $17 million to spend on 10 players.
Some of those players - like restricted free agents Derick Brassard, Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello and UFA defenseman Anton Stralman - will be looking for a sizable raise. The team used a compliance buyout on the massive contract of veteran center Brad Richards, who carried a cap hit of $6.67 million until 2020. Knowing Sather, some of those buyout cap savings could go towards looking for scoring help in the form of UFAs like Paul Stastny, Thomas Vanek and Ales Hemsky.
Philadelphia Flyers
Team needs: Cap space, more mobile defense
Unlike the Rangers, Philadelphia has already used both of its compliance buyouts and new general manager Ron Hextall will need to get creative to free up enough space to fill the team's remaining roster holes.
Hextall resigned Brayden Schenn at an annual cap hit of $2.5 million, but still needs to sign four more players for a complete roster. Trading Scott Hartnell to the Columbus Blue Jackets for R.J. Umberger carried a total cap savings of just $150,000. Unloading more of the Flyers' more ominous contracts could prove difficult, especially with no-trade clauses. The blue line suffers from the same problem (Braydon Coburn, Luke Schenn and Nicklas Grossman have no-trades), which makes it difficult to add some much-needed speed to the defense.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Team needs: Defensemen, scoring support
It feels weird to say, but the Blue Jackets finally appear ready to take the next step towards becoming a contender. Columbus has plenty of cap space to lock up emerging star Ryan Johansen with a sensible deal and still have room for a few big free agent signings. Trading Umberger for Hartnell feels like a lateral move, but one a franchise with a young core can afford to make.
The primary focus of general manager Jarmo Kekalainen should be on building the blue line, which needs a couple more minute-eaters to compete with deeper offensive teams. Finding some scoring support for Johansen would also help the Blue Jackets get over the hump and challenge for the first playoff series victory in franchise history.
Washington Capitals
Team needs: Goaltending, defensive defensemen
The Capitals brought in Barry Trotz to coach their team in their latest attempt to establish a functional defensive system. New general manager Brian MacLellan would do well to find Trotz some quality defensive players to work with, which is something Washington has lacked in recent years.
Preventing goals begins and ends in the crease, where the Capitals have Braden Holtby as their sole goaltender. Perhaps making a push for UFA Ryan Miller is in MacLellan's plans, but he should also look at adding a reliable presence or two on the blue line with players like Rostislav Klesla available.
New Jersey Devils
Team needs: Scoring forwards, puck-moving defenseman
The Devils were the bad-luck team of 2013-14, but the biggest reason for their letdown was a lack of consistent scoring. 42-year-old Jaromir Jagr led the team in points while Travis Zajac (48 points) and Adam Henrique (43) struggled to find a rhythm throughout the season.
Signing a UFA winger who produces offense like Ales Hemsky or Matt Moulson should help New Jersey score more than the 197 goals it finished with last season. The Devils could also stand to get faster (and younger) on defense while they wait for RFA Adam Larsson to reach the potential that led general manager Lou Lamoriello to draft him fourth overall in 2011.
Carolina Hurricanes
Team needs: Defensemen, depth forwards
The Hurricanes could be in for an overhaul under new general manager Ron Francis. His top priority should be rebuilding the team's defense around Justin Faulk and Ryan Murphy, perhaps through adding reliable veterans like Willie Mitchell or Henrik Tallinder on short-term deals to save cap space.
Carolina also needs to rebuild its lower forward lines. RFAs Jiri Tlusty, Andrei Loktionov, Drayson Bowman and Nathan Gerbe will not command a large payday, freeing Francis up to peruse the plentiful depth-forward options in the UFA market. Picking the right needles out of that haystack will be Francis' first true challenge as general manager.
New York Islanders
Team needs: Defensemen, depth forwards
It's becoming harder to believe that the Islanders have finally moved beyond the rebuilding phase and can start contending for a playoff spot next season, but the maturation of Kyle Okposo as scoring support for John Tavares and the acquisition of goaltender Jaroslav Halak leave some room for optimism heading into the team's final season in Uniondale.
The Islanders need to get better on defense before they can truly contend. The team took a shot at improving by trading for the rights of veteran blue-liner Dan Boyle, but Boyle had no interest in signing. Finding some veteran forwards to plug into difficult defensive situations will be important for the development of young talent like Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson, who need to be free to focus on developing their offensive play.