NHL Network: Bruce Boudreau on which team in the Central Division he thinks has had the most impressive offseason.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Erika Wachter: “As we take a look ahead to this year and the Central Division, Bruce. I know this is tough for you, but we’ve got some questions, really to kind of have an overall outlook and I want to begin with who has been the most impressive this offseason?”
Boudreau: “Well, I think when you look at it, pretty well free agency is done now. Teams have sort of got everything together in August. But you have to think that Nashville, with when, the way they went out and got star power to go with the team that you know, had a 17-game unbeaten streak, already this year.
Might, might be the team that did the best. I mean, I look at you know, Steven Stamkos is going to come and bring more instant credibility. Jonathan Marchessault, a Conn Smythe winner the year before. Brady Skjei, one of the top defenseman in Carolina who had one of the best defenses in the league. These are guys, Scott Wedgewood, pretty good backup, you know, you can play him at any time.
So I mean, I love the moves that they made, and so mean, if you look at the Central Division, you say, ‘Geez, you know what, Dallas? They sort of retooled, but are they as good on defense as the year before? We don’t know.’ I don’t think they are. But I mean, so I think Barry just said, ‘Hey, listen, let’s go for it. We can win this division if we just have a couple of additions.’ And they went out and got a couple of additions.
So I think Nashville is probably the, I wouldn’t say improved because they were okay, but I do think that they’ve got a really good chance to be the favorite or one of the favorites going in to the Central Division this year.”
Wachter: “And I have to imagine have any motivated Steven Stamkos on that group as well it’s really going to be fun to watch with that Nashville club.”