Ahead of the NHL draft and free agency - which opens July 1 - we're looking at three teams from each division facing integral summers. Next up, the Eastern Conference's Metropolitan Division.
New York Rangers
(101 Points)
Needs: Revamp blue line, extend RFA forwards
The Rangers could - and should - look very different next season.
Their first-round playoff exit was predictable, given their heavy reliance on Henrik Lundqvist and their putrid possession numbers. One reason they ranked 26th in even-strength Corsi For percentage was their overmatched defense corps, and that group needs to be improved upon this summer.
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The trading of Keith Yandle's rights to the Florida Panthers was likely the first domino in what needs to be an overhaul of the blue line by general manager Jeff Gorton.
Dan Boyle is leaning toward retirement, and he's not making any friends on the local beat, so it's time to cut bait with the 39-year-old one way or another. The Rangers reportedly don't plan on buying out Dan Girardi, but they should either do that or try to trade him, although his declining skill set and unfavorable contract won't make that easy.
Girardi and Marc Staal are on the books for a combined $11.2-million per season until 2019-20, and Staal's deal runs until 2021. Those deals essentially cost them the flexibility to re-sign Anton Stralman and Yandle.
They do have a solid group of talented, relatively young forwards. Gorton needs to lock up restricted free agents Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, and Kevin Hayes, all of whom have shown promise and should improve next season.
New York Islanders
(100 Points)
Needs: Replace Kyle Okposo, be selective with their own free agents
The Islanders won their first playoff series in 23 years, but they were dismantled by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round and will no doubt look to retool this summer with the goal of a deeper postseason run.
Okposo is likely headed for free agency and it certainly doesn't sound like GM Garth Snow plans on signing him if he hits the market, so the Islanders will probably need to fill the void by acquiring a playmaking winger either in a trade or during the free-agent frenzy in July.
The Islanders have 10 pending free agents, seven of which are forwards, and they'll have about $14 million in cap space.
Parting with the likes of Marek Zidlicky, Steve Bernier, and Matt Martin (all of whom will be unrestricted) should give them a little more room to add a top-line winger, and Snow should still have space to sign UFA forward Frans Nielsen, as well as RFAs Shane Prince, and Ryan Strome.
Philadelphia Flyers
(96 Points)
Needs: Add scoring forward(s), re-sign Brayden Schenn
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall knows his No. 1 offseason priority is bolstering his group up front.
Philadelphia is blessed with Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Wayne Simmonds, but beyond that, the top-six could use a boost.
Brayden Schenn is a pending restricted free agent coming off a career year with 26 goals and 59 points, and his production has improved every season, so Hextall will likely have to give him a big raise.
The Flyers don't have a ton of cap space, with about $10.5 million and eight pending free agents, but they need scoring depth more than anything else.
As long as a potential Schenn extension doesn't prevent Hextall from adding further offense, he'll be expected to take care of both items on the agenda.
