LOS ANGELES – The NHL’s silly season is winding down. The suits are at their cabins and the players are getting their last couple weeks at the beach in. There are only a few real questions now that need answered before the season starts. Where will Nazem 
Kadri and John Klingberg end up? Kadri and Klingberg were arguably the best forward and defenseman on the open market at the beginning of this process. Of Course the biggest question is will Phil Kessel be able to continue his Iron Man streak?
METRO-
PENGUINS- A-, GM Ron Hextall resigned Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell for a combined 2 million less than they made last season. He upgraded their defense by switching out Mike Matheson and John Marino for Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta. He slightly overpaid backup goalie Casey DeSmith and winger Kasperi Kapanen buy got Danton Heinen to resign for a criminally low one-year contract. He did not improve a below average bottom six.
RANGERS- B, The Rangers signed Vinnie Trocheck to upgrade at second line center but they are using Jaroslav Halak and Louis Domingue to replace Alexander Georgiev at backup goalie.
ISLANDERS- INC, GM Lou Lamoriello hasn’t done anything of significance.
DEVILS- B, The Devils signed two-time Cup winner Ondrej Palat to provide leadership upfront and Vitek Vanecek to provide stability in net, supposedly.
HURRICANES- B+, The Canes brought two big time veteran talents because they’re in win now mode. Max Pacioretty gives the Carolina an scoring assassin on the wing. Brent Burns adds firepower on the back end. They also got more depth with Ondrej Kase, Stephan Noesan and Ryan Dzingel but they lost some high-end scoring and tenacity by parting with Vinnie Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter.
CAPITALS- B-, The Capitals got a bona fide number one goalie by acquiring reigning Cup champ Darcy Kuemper. Dylan Strome was signed to replace Nick Backstrom if he doesn’t return. The Capitals did not get younger and are starting the season with several unhealthy players.
BLUE JACKETS- A+, Finally a supe- duper star decides to sign in Columbus. GM Jarmo Kekakainen got Johnny Gaudreau to sign in Ohio. He also signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson to protect him. Patrik Laine resigned with Columbus something last summer that would have been unthinkable.
FLYERS- C-, The Flyers got two players that could have played with them in 1975 Nick Deslauries and Tony DeAngelo. Unfortunately, its 2022. New Head Coach John Tortorella will coach like it’s 1975. Cancer survivor Oskar Lindblom was bought out to remove all feel-good stories.
ATLANTIC-
LIGHTNING – B-, GM Julien BriseBois signed defensemen Mikhail Sergachev, Erik Cernak and center Anthony Cirelli for eight years. They lost clutch winger Ondrej Palat and steady veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh. Center Nick Paul was retained. Veteran defenseman Ian Cole was brought in and Vlad Namestnikov returns.
PANTHERS- B+, The Panthers traded for superstar Matthew Tkachuk. They lost star Jonathan Huberdeau and top pair McKenzie Weegar. The Big Cats won the trade but it was a high price. The kicked rookie Coach of the Year Andrew Brunette to the curb for hockey lifer Paul Maurice.
BRUINS- C-, The Bruins kept their GM Don Sweeny but fired HC Bruce Cassidy and hired Jim Montgomery. Jake DeBrusk decided he wanted to stay in Boston. The Bruins traded for Pavel Zacha to help offset all of their injuries they begin the season with. Captain Patrice Bergeron remains unsigned as well.
SABRES- C-, Signing rugged defenseman Ilya Lubushkin counts as a splash signing in Buffalo.
RED WINGS- A+, GM Steve Yzerman hired Derek Lalonde to be his Head Coach. Ville Husso was signed to be his team with Alex Nedeljkovic in net. Signing 2nd line center Andrew Copp gives Detroit a strong 1-2 up the middle with 1st line center Dylan Larkin. Signing David Perron and Dominic Kubalik gives the Motor City added top six scoring. Ben Chariot and Ollie Matta give Detroit two defensive defensemen.
MAPLE LEAFS- C-, The Leafs are pinning their hopes in net on Matt Murray and Ilya Samsonov. Their big skater acquisitions were Calle Jarnkrok and Jordie Benn.
SENATORS- B-, The Senators stole scoring machine Alex Debrincat from Chicago. They also over paid Josh Norris and Claude Giroux. Cam Talbot should stabilize their goaltending. Dumping Pierre McGuire from the front office must be seen as a positive.
CANADIENS- C, The Habs had Kirby Dach fall into their hands but did little else except draft number one pick Juraj Slafkovsky. Slafkovsky is NHL ready.
CENTRAL-
JETS- D, The Jets hired nice guy retread Rick Bowness to be their Head Coach. They gave disgruntled primoadonna Pierre-Luc Dubois six million after he said he was leaving in two years.
WILD- C+, GM Bill Guerin picked goaltender Marc Andre Fleury over Cam Talbot. He traded star winger Kevin Fiala before he lost him for nothing for a Minnesota favorite son, oung defenseman Brock Faber. He hopes superstar Karill Kaprizov can get out of Russia.
PREDATORS- A, GM David Poile gladly took Tampa’s salary dump defenseman Ryan McDonagh. He locked up Filip Forsberg for the next decade. He added Nino Niedenrietter to an already deep forward crew.
BLACKHAWKS- D-, The Hawks idiotically gave Alex Debrincat away to Ottawa. Almost as bad they gave Kirby Dach to Montreal. They signed Max Domi and Andreas Athinasiou to fill out the roster. Both are fine middle six forwards but nothing more. They traded for goaltender Petr Mrazek to make sure everyone knows they’re tanking. Say a prayer for newly hired Head Coach Luke Richardson.
BLUES- C-, GM Doug Armstrong gave Robert Thomas a ton of money for a long time. Resigning huge defenseman Niko Mikkola for under two million was shrewd. Signing goalie Thomas Greiss to replace Ville Husso was not shrewd.
STARS- C, The Stars hired retread Pete DeBoer. DeBoer is not known for working with young goaltenders. Dallas’ prized asset is netminder Jake Oettinger. They signed young stud forward Mason Marchment but did not sign or replace defenseman John Klingberg.
AVS- B+, GM Joe Sakic locked up Cup winners Val Nichushkin, Josh Manson, Andrew Cogliano, Darren Helm and Artturi Lehkonen. He also is trusting his back-to-back Cup to Alexander Geogiev in net letting Darcy Kuemper go to free agency.
PACIFIC-
KRAKEN- B+, GM Ron Francis is trying to bring respectability to the Kraken after a underwhelming inaugural season. He upgraded his forwards by signing two-time Cup winner Andre Burakovsky and traded for scoring winger Oliver Bjorkstrand. Phenom Shane Wright fell into his lap in the draft. Broadcasting legend Ed Olczyk left Chicago for Seattle for even if they disappoint Edzo will be providing the color.
CANUCKS- B-, Vancouver resigned Brock Boeser to a reasonable contract but they overpaid for Ilya Mikheyev.
DUCKS- C+, The Ducks signed Ranger forward castoffs Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome. They resigned center Isac Lundestrom. Nothing sexy enough to entice Ryan Getzlaf to unretire.
OILERS- B-, GM Ken Holland resigned Evander Kane. It was a calculated gamble they had to take. They signed Jack Campbell to play goal. A gamble they didn’t have to take. Duncan Keith retired.
FLAMES- C-, The Flames lost Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Gaudreau strung Calgary out then left for Columbus. Tkachuk was traded to Florida. The Flames got Jonathan Huberdeau and McKenzie Weegar but now they’re probably going to leave nest summer. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov returns but his partner Erik Gudbranson will not.
KINGS- A-, GM Rob Blake traded for big time scorer Kevin Fiala and gave him a huge contract. He signed budding superstar Adrian Kempe to a team friendly deal. He signed depth guys Carl Grundstrom, Lias Andersson, Brandan Lemieux, Mickey Andersson, Gabe Valardi and Alex Edler.
COYOTES- C, The Coyotes acquired Zach Kassian, Nick Bjugstad and Patrik Nemeth. Couldn’t expect much more.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS- C-, The Knights fired Head Coach Pete DeBoer and hire former Bruin’s coach Bruce Cassidy. They gave Max Pacioretty to the Hurricanes. They resigned Reilly Smith.
SHARKS – B+, New GM Mike Grier fired HC Bob Boughner and hired former Ranger’s bench boss David Quinn . Grier’s other big move was dumping Pepsi for Coke at the Shark Tank.
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