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From Adding Talent to Losing Captains: NHL Teams That Changed the Most This Offseason
The 2023-24 NHL offseason has been a whirlwind. Even before the Florida Panthers lifted the Stanley Cup, the frenzy of player movement had begun. Recently, the wave of signings and trades has started to taper off.
Most of the significant moves are now complete, leaving just a few notable veterans like Daniel Sprong, James van Riemsdyk, and Kevin Shattenkirk unsigned. With many major decisions made, it’s time to assess the offseason’s impact. Using last season’s goals above replacement (GAR) totals, we’ll evaluate which teams gained the most net value through trades, free agent signings, retirements, and other moves since the end of the 2023-24 regular season.
This analysis won’t consider rookies—so No. 1 draft pick Macklin Celebrini won’t factor into the San Jose Sharks’ calculations—but it will highlight which teams bolstered their talent base and which will need to replace lost production from last year.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a prime example, having acquired Jake Guentzel from the Carolina Hurricanes while also bidding farewell to captain and franchise icon Steven Stamkos. These and other moves left the Bolts with an even net GAR, placing them 16th out of 32 teams.
Let’s delve into the teams that stand out at both ends of the spectrum and then reveal the full rankings:
Top Additions (GAR):
- D Nikita Zadorov (4.6)
- C Elias Lindholm (4.0)
Top Losses (GAR):
- G Linus Ullmark (13.7)
- C Danton Heinen (7.0)
- LW Jake DeBrusk (6.2)
- D Matt Grzelcyk (3.3)
- C Jesper Boqvist (2.5)
The Boston Bruins are familiar with being on lists like these in recent years, having already endured the losses of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejčí last offseason, among other departures from their record-breaking 2022-23 team.
This summer, Boston parted ways with even more key players, most notably 2023 Vezina winner Linus Ullmark, who was traded to the Ottawa Senators in June. Although Jeremy Swayman had already taken over the starting goalie position with an impressive 2023-24 season, including the postseason, the Bruins’ dynamic goalie duo is no more. To compensate for the other losses, Boston will need both Zadorov and especially Lindholm to return to their peak performance levels from a few years ago.
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