The Chicago Blackhawks won the Central Division last year, only to be swept in the first round by the Nashville Predators. That propelled the Preds from 16th-seeded squad to Stanley Cup finalist. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues look to retool on the fly after handing the Minnesota Wild a first-round upset loss. (Free agents are unrestricted unless otherwise noted.)
Chicago Blackhawks
Needs: The Blackhawks made big changes following their premature exit from the playoffs. They still need to strengthen their defense, but a challenging cap predicament must be resolved first.