NHL · 1 year ago

5 Biggest Early Losers of the 2024 NHL Offseason

Zack Cook

Host · Writer

Columbus Blue Jackets
It's hard to figure exactly what direction the Columbus Blue Jackets are heading in. Sean Monahan is a solid fit for this great from a veteran standpoint, but will he be able to stay healthy for the duration of the contract? His injury history suggests that's unlikely. The Blue Jackets are focused on building up their team from the draft, yet this has been an ongoing process for much of recent memory. Will this finally be the year that the Blue Jackets turn a corner and contend for a playoff spot? We wouldn't count on it.

Stanley Cup Odds: +40000

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Detroit Red Wings
Even after bringing back Patrick Kane on a one-year deal and signing Vladimir Tarasenko, we're not quite sure what to make of the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings core doesn't scream contending for the Stanley Cup, while their free agent moves don't exactly move the needle to a point of even solidifying their playoff chances. In addition, the Red Wings have drafted a player of a similar mold three straight years in a row in the NHL Draft. Maybe the Steve Yzerman plan isn't so great after all.

Stanley Cup Odds: +4200
Los Angeles Kings
It's been a strange offseason for the Los Angeles Kings. On one hand, some might label them as a winner for getting out from underneath the Pierre-Luc Dubois contract. We certainly wouldn't go that far with the other deals the Kings made once free agency opened up. You can make a really strong case that Joel Edmundson is a ticking time bomb on the ice, while the Kings have yet to really solve their goaltending situation. The Kings core isn't getting any younger, and their management team hasn't done them any favors with the moves they've made.

Stanley Cup Odds: +2200
Dallas Stars
This one might surprise some people. The Dallas Stars are still very much in the mix for a Stanley Cup next season, but they haven't exactly had an inspiring offseason. The moves they made on defense make their core worse than the ones they've run out there recently. The Stars lost a big piece up front in Joe Pavelski due to retirement, even if he was only a shell of the player he's been during their postseason run. With some big contracts coming up for their young stars, we're not sure that Dallas made the right decisions to start the offseason.

Stanley Cup Odds: +1000

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Seattle Kraken
If you're looking for a team that had one of the top spending days to kick off free agency, the Seattle Kraken are right in the mix. Signing Brandon Montour and Chandler Stephenson will make the Kraken better right now, but how will this contracts age? Our money is on not very well. Montour is already showing a decline in his play, while Stephenson doesn't provide the offense needed to justify the term or dollar value he received. The Kraken are in no mans land right now, which isn't a position you want to be in in professional sports.

Stanley Cup Odds: +6500
Columbus Blue Jackets
It's hard to figure exactly what direction the Columbus Blue Jackets are heading in. Sean Monahan is a solid fit for this great from a veteran standpoint, but will he be able to stay healthy for the duration of the contract? His injury history suggests that's unlikely. The Blue Jackets are focused on building up their team from the draft, yet this has been an ongoing process for much of recent memory. Will this finally be the year that the Blue Jackets turn a corner and contend for a playoff spot? We wouldn't count on it.

Stanley Cup Odds: +40000

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
Detroit Red Wings
Even after bringing back Patrick Kane on a one-year deal and signing Vladimir Tarasenko, we're not quite sure what to make of the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings core doesn't scream contending for the Stanley Cup, while their free agent moves don't exactly move the needle to a point of even solidifying their playoff chances. In addition, the Red Wings have drafted a player of a similar mold three straight years in a row in the NHL Draft. Maybe the Steve Yzerman plan isn't so great after all.

Stanley Cup Odds: +4200

5 Biggest Early Losers of the 2024 NHL Offseason

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