Saros, Marchessault and more: Eight questions for eight NHL teams eliminated in Round 1

Credit: Apr 13, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) awaits the face-off against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports

The contenders for Lord Stanley’s cup have been culled by half, eight teams left to sift through the rubble as they head into the offseason after a tantalizing two-week taste of the playoffs.

With that, here are eight burning questions facing the eight NHL teams eliminated in Round 1:

1. Is this summer the right time for Nashville to trade Juuse Saros?

Certainly, Juuse Saros’ play in the Preds’ first-round loss to the Canucks took that conversation to another decibel level. It’s not that Saros struggled against Vancouver, it’s just that he appeared to be entirely gettable. Part of the reason you fend off offers for Saros at the trade deadline like GM Barry Trotz did in March is that Saros is capable of singlehandedly stealing a series. And he still may be in the future, but he was outduelled by Arturs Silovs and Casey DeSmith this time. Now what? Saros admitted on Wednesday that he wants to stay but also “somedays you think about it [a contract extension] a little more” than others. Did it get to him? He wants to be in Nashville. Could the Preds think twice? Saros will require a big commitment, he has a ton of value, and Yaroslav Askarov is waiting in the wings after a sterling season. Did Trotz tip his hand and hint a trade is on the table when he said an extension wouldn’t materialize before on July 1?

2. Are the Kings making a mistake not buying out P-L Dubois?

It sure feels that way. GM Rob Blake sat with president Luc Robitaille this week and said that the Kings do not plan to exercise a buyout of Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer. The fact that the question was not outlandish to ask publicly, one year into an eight-year deal, was telling. This is the Kings’ chance at a do-over, a get-out-of-jail card (even if not free) after a disastrous trade. They’ll never have this opportunity again. The NHL’s buyout window opens on the later of June 15 or 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final. Dubois turns 26 on June 24, the day of the last possible Game 7. Once he turns 26, the formula changes from owing him one-third of the remaining money, to two-thirds. If they’re able to execute a buyout before June 24, they will save themselves $31.7 million in real cash, and cut their losses at $24 million for one season of (little) work for Dubois. He was called out by his teammates, a non-factor in the regular and postseason, and took selfish penalties on top of that. The only thing worse than a mistake is doubling down on it.

3. Has Alex Ovechkin played his last Stanley Cup playoff game?

That feels like a fair question to ask, considering how the overmatched Caps went out with a whimper in Round 1, being swept by the New York Rangers. Coach Spencer Carbery, who should’ve received more consideration for the Jack Adams, chalked it up to Alex Ovechkin and Co. running out of gas after a furious second-half push to make the playoffs. Fair enough. But it’s just hard to envision a path for Washington to take a step forward and be more competitive next season. They barely cleared a historically low playoff bar in the Eastern Conference in the salary cap era at 91 points, needing tiebreakers to get in. And once they got there, ‘Ovie’ was held without a point in the postseason for the first time in his career. His assault of Gretzky’s all-time goal mark is on. The fact that Ovechkin got to 31 goals this season after having eight at the All-Star break only added to his legend. Just not sure if we’re going to see the 2018 Conn Smythe Trophy winner add to his playoff legacy again.

4. How can the Golden Knights possibly keep Jonathan Marchessault?

They all said the right things on locker cleanout day in Vegas. Pending free agent Jonathan Marchessault, one of the original Misfits, said he wants to be a Golden Knight for the rest of his life. GM Kelly McCrimmon said: “He’s a really important leader, important guy in our dressing room, so there is certainly a strong willingness from both sides to have real good discussions.” But the math still isn’t mathing. At least not how we see it right now. Marchessault, 33, is coming off a career year in goals (42) and second best in points (69). Unlike some of his other fortunate union members, Marchessault didn’t earn a full-time role in the league until he was 25. He’s made $29 million in earnings, which should set him for life, but it’s not the comfortable cushion to be taking hometown discounts. The Golden Knights have to know that. And besides, there doesn’t seem to be much room. It appears as if Vegas slid Marchessault’s money to Tomas Hertl. That hurts, but it seems to be reality, and sound business practice for a team that has been equally aggressive in acquiring and dispatching key pieces.

5. Do the Winnipeg Jets need a new voice?

Happy trails to Rick Bowness, who announced his retirement earlier this week after 38 years and 2,760 games behind an NHL bench. That is an incredible accomplishment. Bowness was just named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. Bowness said he knew “it was time,” and this was a challenging year. He spent two different parts of the season away from the Jets, once starting in October to tend to his wife after she suffered a seizure, and again for his own medical procedure in March. During those absences, associate coach Scott Arniel took the reins and Winnipeg didn’t skip a beat. Arniel, 61, was a Jets 1.0 player and got a crack as the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach from 2010-12, but only lasted one season and a half. Typically, coaches are better the second time around, and he’s been on an NHL bench consecutively as an assistant for the 10 years since. But is Arniel what the Jets need, or in light of their gentleman’s sweep at the hands of the Avalanche, do they need to go external to find their next bench boss?

6. What will Julien BriseBois do to give the Lightning a jolt?

One year ago, after the Bolts were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Leafs, GM Julien BriseBois shocked the staff by reassigning chief amateur scout and assistant GM Al Murray. It was Murray, one of the most well-respected scouts in the game, who had mined so much of Tampa’s late-round talent over the years – not to mention hit on the top picks. But BriseBois told staffers then it was to give the group “a jolt,” perhaps after he perceived some complacency. BriseBois is exacting, calculated and ruthless. He plays for keeps. He is also one of the NHL’s biggest wild cards, someone who doesn’t tip his hand. Now that the Lightning lost in the first round for a second spring in a row, what does he have in mind to increase the jolt on the Richter scale? Let captain Steven Stamkos walk to free agency? Make changes to the coaching staff? Trade a core player? You should never feel too comfortable in predicting what BriseBois will do next.

7. How much impact will Patrick Roy have on Isles’ personnel decisions?

That question sounds like a loaded one given the criticisms of Roy’s previous tenure in Colorado, but it’s not meant to be at all. Unlike when Saint Patrick grappled with and was given some measure of control in Colorado, we all know that Lou Lamoriello is the boss. But Lamoriello acknowledged that he put Roy in a difficult position bringing him in when he did. That the Isles cruised past the muck into the playoffs was a positive sign; they responded well to Roy. But they also didn’t have much to show for it in Round 1, and do not appear to be on anyone’s list of teams who are expected to be an authentic Stanley Cup threat next season. After they’ve been the definition of ‘mid’ for most of the last few seasons, with a pile of players locked up long-term, Isles fans are clamoring for change. Lou and Roy aren’t going anywhere, tied at the hip now. As Roy prepares for his second season back in the league, will he be able to work collaboratively to make any stylistic suggestions for how Lamoriello approaches the offseason? For Islanders fans, Roy putting his stamp on Long Island seems to be the only hope.

8. How do the Toronto Maple Leafs shake a loser’s mentality?

Form whatever opinion you want about the path that the Leafs chart next, whether you believe change should start at the top with Brendan Shanahan, coach Sheldon Keefe or the Core Four who seemingly can never score four goals in a playoff game. One of the most startling aspects of the Leafs’ playoff failures over the past eight years isn’t so much that they lack a killer instinct as Shanahan once said, but that a mentality seems to permeate the organization from top to bottom that is conducive to losing. A paranoia, a fear of pressure, a pall and heavy burden from the ghosts of playoffs’ past all appear to be real emotions that envelope the Leafs. They seem so concerned about the eyeballs and the market and the pressure cooker that they believe they play in (which may be real or perceived depending on the day) that it’s getting in their way. Figuring out how to flush that may be more critical than any coaching or core change, but players feel and internalize all of that.

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