2022 NHL Offseason Grades: Pacific Division

Photo: NHL.com

With the 2022 NHL Draft in the books and most of the key unrestricted free agents under contract for the 2022-23 camapign, teams have changed their teams for the better, worse, or maybe not much. NoVa Caps concludes their annual offseason grades by reviewing the offseason moves made by Pacific Division teams.

Seattle Kraken

Acquired: C John Hayden (one-year, $750,000 contract), G Martin Jones (one-year, $2 million contract), LW Andre Burakovsky (five-year contract, $5.5 million cap hit), D Justin Schultz (two-year contract, $3 million cap hit), C Shane Wright

Re-signed: RW Karson Kuhlman (one-year, $825,000 contract)

Lost: RW Austin Czarnik, D Hadyn Fleury

The Kraken improved their forward group with the additions of Burakovsky and Wright (the fourth overall pick in the NHL Draft), brought in defensive depth by signing Schultz, and replaced goaltender Chris Driedger (who will miss the first 3-5 months of the season with a torn ACL) with Martin Jones.

Grade: B+

Trending: Up

Anaheim Ducks

Acquired: C Ryan Strome (five-year contract, $5 million cap hit), RW Frank Vatrano (three-year deal, $3.65 million cap hit)

Re-signed: N/A

Lost: D Jacob Larsson, RW Buddy Robinson

The Ducks added some much needed forward help with two players that can play in their top-six group.

Grade: A-

Trending: Up

San Jose Sharks

Acquired: GM Mike Grier, C Nico Sturm (three-year contract, $2 million cap hit), D Markus Nutivaara (one-year, $1.5 million contract), D Matt Benning (four-year contract $1.25 million cap hit), LW Oskar Lindblom (two-year contract, $2.5 million cap hit), C Steven Lorentz, G Eetu Makiniemi, Conditional 2023 Third-Round Pick, C Luke Kunin

Re-signed: G Kaapo Kahkonen (two-year contract, $2.75 million cap hit), Kunin (two-year contract, $2.75 million cap hit)

Lost: D Brent Burns, C Lae Peterson, LW Rudolfs Balcers, C John Leonard, 2023 third-round pick, Head Coach Bob Boughner, G Zach Sawchenko

Grier’s first offseason in San Jose has been busy as he added depth and parted ways with long-time Sharks blueliner Burns. The next order of business is to replace Boughner.

Grade: B

Trending: Up

Vancouver Canucks

Acquired: D Christian Wolanin (one-year, $750,000 contract), G Collin Delia (one-year, $750,000 contract), RW Ilya Mikheyev (four-year contract, $4.75 million cap hit), C Curtis Lazar (three-year deal, $1 million cap hit)

Re-signed: RW Brock Boeser (three-year contract, $6.65 million cap hit)

Lost: D Brad Hunt, RW Matthew Highmore, G Jaroslav Halak

The Canucks upgraded their forward group with the signings of Mikheyev and Lazar. Center J.T. Miller, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, has been in trade rumors but it would be smart to hang onto him unless they get blown away by an offer.

Grade: A-

Trending: Up

Vegas Golden Knights

Acquired: G Michael Hutchinson (one-year, $750,000 contract), Head Coach Bruce Cassidy

Re-signed: RW Reilly Smith (three-year contract, $5 million cap hit)

Lost: LW Max Pacioretty, D Dylan Coghlan, Head Coach Pete DeBoer, LW Mattias Janmark, RW Evgenii Dadonov

Bringing in Cassidy was a good move as was re-signing Smith but trading Pacioretty and Dadonov for zero return? The Golden Knights were cap strapped after acquiring center Jack Eichel last season but they could not even get a draft pick for either forward? Oh, they also had to attach a young blueliner in Coghlan to get the Carolina Hurricanes to take Pacioretty.

Grade: D

Trending: Same

Los Angeles Kings

Acquired: Assistant coach Jim Hiller, LW Kevin Fiala

Re-signed: Fiala (eight-year contract, $7.9 million cap hit), LW Brendan Lemieux (one-year, $1.35 million contract), D Alexander Edler (one-year, $750,000 contract), RW Carl Grundstrom (two-year contract, $1.3 million cap hit), C Lias Andersson (one-year, $750,000 contract), LW Adrian Kempe (four-year contract, $5.5 million cap hit)

Lost: D Olli Maatta, D Troy Stetcher, 19th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, RHD Brock Faber

The Kings brought in a much-needed finisher in Fiala for favorable value with the Wild needing to shed money. They also re-signed some key pieces, including Kempe to a very nice contract after he had a 35-goal season.

Grade: A-

Trending: Up

Edmonton Oilers

Acquired: Janmark (one-year, $1.25 million deal), C Greg McKegg (two-year, two-way contract), G Jack Campbell (five-year contract, $5 million cap hit), 32nd overall pick in 2022 NHL Draft, future third-round pick

Re-signed: D Brett Kulak (four-year contract, $2.75 million cap hit), RW Evander Kane (four-year contract, $5.125 million cap hit)

Lost: RW Josh Archibald, G Mikko Koskinen, G Mike Smith, D Duncan Keith, RW Zack Kassian, 29th overall pick in 2022 NHL Draft, future second-round pick

The Oilers finally got their goaltender in Campbell, added forward depth, escaped from some bad contracts (and the price to get out of Kassian’s wasn’t so bad), and re-signed two key additions from last year to reasonable deals.

Grade: B+

Trending: Up

Calgary Flames

Acquired: C Kevin Rooney (two-year contract, $1.3 million cap hit)

Re-signed: D Nikita Zadorov (two-year contract, $3.75 million cap hit), RW Trevor Lewis (one-year, $800,000 contract)

Lost: LW Calle Jarnkrok, RW Ryan Carpenter, LW Johnny Gaudreau

After losing Gaudreau, who tied for second in the NHL with 115 points last season, the Flames only added Rooney and are now in danger of parting with right-wing Matthew Tkachuk, who wants out of Calgary. Losing Jarnkrok did not make them any better either.

Grade: F

Atlantic Division Offseason Grades

Central Division Offseason Grades

By Harrison Brown