The 30 NHL teams who fell short in 2021 enter an intriguing off-season with their own question marks. Some teams, like the Buffalo Sabres, hope to put a plan in place for future success in their seemingly never-ending rebuild. Others, such as the Boston Bruins, aim to upgrade their roster for one more Stanley Cup run with their veteran core.
But first, every squad sans Vegas faces crucial decisions ahead of submitting their Expansion Draft protection list before Saturday’s deadline. Come next Wednesday, the Seattle Kraken will select from a pool of roughly over 300 players to kick off their inaugural season.