Keys to the Los Angeles Kings offseason
Greg Wyshynski of ESPN: Keys to the Los Angeles Kings offseason.
Find a head coach – The LA Kings winning percentage is basically the same under interim head coach Willie Desjardins as it was under John Stevens. Potential coaching candidates could include Todd McLellan, Marco Sturm and D.J. Smith.
Trade Jonathan Quick – Trading Quick may not be easy given the number of teams that could be looking for a starting goalie this offseason. He’s 33 with a $5.8 million cap hit for three more seasons. He has a history of injuries and no trade protection.
Ilya Kovalchuk – Does he want to remain with the Kings through a rebuild and/or will a new coach in LA be able to get him going again? Buyout proof contract and he has a no-movement clause.
The Kings have eight players under contract next year that will be over 30-years old. Dustin Brown, Kovalchuk and Dion Phaneuf all have trade protection.
Keys to the Ottawa Senators offseason
ESPN: Keys to the Ottawa Senators offseason.
Find the right head coach – The Senators are said to be looking for “a teacher,” “a listener” and “a communicator”
Become a salary dump – The Senators will have around $35 million in salary cap space this offeason. Teams looking to move some salary could include extra draft picks and prospects. Some players won’t be willing to waive their NTCs for the Senators. Would Milan Lucic be willing to go to Ottawa?
Cast a hex on Columbus – Can hope the Columbus Blue Jackets miss the playoffs, win a top-three lottery pick and then re-sign Matt Duchene – this scenario would have them the Blue Jackets first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 on a team likely without Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. Regardless, the Sens will get their first-round pick this year, and another first if they re-sign Duchene.