Adam Proteau: Flames, Predators two of four NHL teams bound to be better this season With the NHL's unrestricted free agency period well underway, the entry draft over, and the trading season already yielding a few blockbuster deals, it's becoming clearer which teams will be better in 2016-17. Here are four of them.

I think the Devils had the best off season.

Vancouver flew under the radar and helped improve their team.

I have NJ to decline this season. Bottom 5 in the NHL. That's 1 of the worst defenses in the entire NHL if not the worst. Greene, Lovejoy, Moore, Merrill, Severson & ? Larsson was NJ's best defensive Dman by a significant margin last season & so far Shero has done nothing to improve it, in fact it's significantly worse. If they don't add a top 2 Dman or top flight #3 Schneiders save % is dropping from .924 to just under .910.

The added offense coming can only help so much. NJ will score more goals than last season but there actual goal differential which was minus 24 last season will be significantly worse next season. I'm think like minus 35.

Nothing about the Bruins? I believe the Atlantic division is a 2 team race: Boston and Tampa. I think the Bruins' depth down the middle with be hard to beat.

Nothing about the Bruins? I believe the Atlantic division is a 2 team race: Boston and Tampa. I think the Bruins' depth down the middle with be hard to beat.
- Bruiniak

Looking forward to reading more about your fantasy picks this year Adam. In a bit of a pickle with my keeper league, in a position where I can only keep one of Muzzin or Gostisbehere. Like the PP points from Ghost but his shot % scares me. Who would you keep?

Looking forward to reading more about your fantasy picks this year Adam. In a bit of a pickle with my keeper league, in a position where I can only keep one of Muzzin or Gostisbehere. Like the PP points from Ghost but his shot % scares me. Who would you keep?
- freelancer

I'm not Adam but I'd go with Ghost.

Quoting Striker777

I actually agree somewhat. People are saying the devils ripped off edm and while i agree they may have won based on talent, it will prove to be very difficult to replace larson. We may be more exciting, but i believe our goals against will shoot up.

I think the trade means shero and co really believe in severson to bounce back, as well as santini evolving to a similar shut down dman who can move the puck effectively. I dont know if i see this happening so soon.

Problem with NJ is their very far from really competing. Elite goaltending keeps them competitive. They are 4-5 good skaters away from being a real threat. I could make a decent argument they should trade Taylor Hall and Schneider to start a legit rebuild. Hall is on a great contract. Between those two they could pick up maybe 7 1st round picks. And then suck this year and grab a top 3 pick.

As the team is built right now they are a fringe playoff team.

Nashville looks like cup contender to me. Great work improving their team this year that was fairly close. Sucks for them Vesey didn't want sign because they would have pushed their offense up quite a bit. As far as cup teams go Johanson is a lower-end center. He's a 1c, but he's not in the crosby, toews, kopitar, thornton, etc category. Maybe it can work with their defense.

Nothing about the Bruins? I believe the Atlantic division is a 2 team race: Boston and Tampa. I think the Bruins' depth down the middle with be hard to beat.
- Bruiniak

Boston

Problem with NJ is their very far from really competing. Elite goaltending keeps them competitive. They are 4-5 good skaters away from being a real threat. I could make a decent argument they should trade Taylor Hall and Schneider to start a legit rebuild. Hall is on a great contract. Between those two they could pick up maybe 7 1st round picks. And then suck this year and grab a top 3 pick.

As the team is built right now they are a fringe playoff team.
- sditulli

Seriously. If those two can get "7" 1st round picks I would say you build your contender around them. Who would give you 3 1st rounders & the other 4??? Give your head a shake.

Seriously. If those two can get "7" 1st round picks I would say you build your contender around them. Who would give you 3 1st rounders & the other 4??? Give your head a shake.
- Kevin R

Plenty of teams. But depends on pick quality. Both have great contracts. Hall 4 more years at 6 per year. Schneider 6 more years at 6 per and is considered top 3 goaltender. He got the 8th pick overall before he was completely proven.

Lets see phil kessel brought in 2 1st round picks. Kapanen should count as one. Jordan Staal brought in 2 1st round picks (8th overall and a young brandon sutter who I believe was 9th overall). Any way rumors were GM's were willing to give up a guy like Larsson (I guess a 3d) and 2 1st for Hall.

If we are talking from contenders so picks are 20 and higher than 7 1st easily. If we are talking about a team like the Flames it would be a package. 6th overall pick this year, next years 1st, and a couple prospects for Hall and maybe an additonal 1st. Hall is 4th in p/60. And I'd call him a top 10 forward in the league. It would be a massive package for his contract. Can't value him based on what edmonton got in return since their idiots.

Dallas would have think about going all in on Schneider if he hit the market.

A package like 3 1st + a 2nd for one of their goalies for Schneder would make them a top 4 contender overnight.

The issue with building around Hall and Schneider for NJ is they just don't have the assets to add what they need. Schneider is 30, Hall 24. By the time they get those pieces Schneider will be old and Hall's contract will be expiring and hitting post-peak production.

Edmonton and Montreal are the safest bets to improve on their records. By a very wide margin.

Nothing about the Bruins? I believe the Atlantic division is a 2 team race: Boston and Tampa. I think the Bruins' depth down the middle with be hard to beat.
- Bruiniak

yikes... Good luck with all that. They sucked last 2 years with Bergeron and Krejci. Now they added an old 40 point third line Center. Doesn't move the needle. And they lost Ericksson.
Bruins will finish well behind Tampa, Florida, Montreal who will run away with the top 3. Bruins will fight Detrot and maybe Buffalo for a wild card. Won't make it ether.

7 first round picks for Hall and schneider ??? REALLY??? I don’t think Gretzky got that in his prime. LOL.

Edmonton and Montreal are the safest bets to improve on their records. By a very wide margin.
- DoubleDown

No love for Brouwer, the greatesr player in the NHL. He didn't move the needle, he broke the needle.

7 first round picks for Hall and schneider ??? REALLY??? I don’t think Gretzky got that in his prime. LOL.
- al3535

I just picked a number. For late round picks I think that is certainly doable.

FWIW Gretzky was traded for the 2nd overall pick 2 years prior (already had 50 goal, 100 pt season), the 7th overall pick the year before, 18th overall pick that year, 1st round pick 2 years later (20th overall), a 1st round pick 4 years later (16th overall). Plus 15 million in cash. Which is about $45 million today depending how you translate that. (inflation, NGDP growth, or league revenue growth). Actually by revenue growth in 2005 it was 2.29 billion and is now over 4 billion. So by league revenue growth 15 million might be 75 million today.

So the Gretzky trade today would be - 2nd overall, 7th overall, 18th, 20th, 16th plus about 75 million in today's NHL dollars.

You're forgetting the Leafs!!

...opens himself up for contempt.........

Tbh, it's hars to argue that the Habs is not the most improved team with Price, Weber, Shaw and Radulov coming in the lineup

So thats:
1) One of the best goalies in the world, having won pretty much every individual title
2) one of Team Canada's top duo Defenceman and one of the most respected players in the game
3) A 2 time stanley cup champion that played an important role in both cups
4) The best player/MVP of the KHL

Yes we lost Subban but these elements more than compensate for it

yikes... Good luck with all that. They sucked last 2 years with Bergeron and Krejci. Now they added an old 40 point third line Center. Doesn't move the needle. And they lost Ericksson.
Bruins will finish well behind Tampa, Florida, Montreal who will run away with the top 3. Bruins will fight Detrot and maybe Buffalo for a wild card. Won't make it ether.
- DoubleDown

Wow, lol!

Boston
- FLflames34

Not sure what is so funny. I honestly don't think anyone in the division has a better group of centermen. IMO, it is the most important position in hockey. Our D is not the best but it is nowhere as bad as Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Buffalo or Toronto. Rask is also the best goalie in the division.

Do not forget that the Bruins looked like they were going to win the division for a while this past season. All of this without the depth that they currently have.

Not sure what is so funny. I honestly don't think anyone in the division has a better group of centermen. IMO, it is the most important position in hockey. Our D is not the best but it is nowhere as bad as Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Buffalo or Toronto. Rask is also the best goalie in the division.

Do not forget that the Bruins looked like they were going to win the division for a while this past season. All of this without the depth that they currently have.
- Bruiniak

Umm, no. Not really.

Not sure what is so funny. I honestly don't think anyone in the division has a better group of centermen. IMO, it is the most important position in hockey. Our D is not the best but it is nowhere as bad as Detroit, Florida, Montreal, Buffalo or Toronto. Rask is also the best goalie in the division.

Do not forget that the Bruins looked like they were going to win the division for a while this past season. All of this without the depth that they currently have.
- Bruiniak

yeah cause he's better than Bishop and Price......