Speculation: Teams looking for a top 4 OFD

[Meeqs]

Over the next year or so there will be a couple of high end top 4 offensive Dmen in their primes who will likely be available. So ignoring the player themselves, which teams do you think would be most interested/in need of this type of player and what do you think would be some pieces they might be willing to move for it and what restrictions they might have.

The point of this thread is to get an idea of which teams over the next year would be the most likely destinations for this type of player so when they come up in conversation we can have a good idea of the state of the league and have better knowledge on some likely possibilities.

For example: Tor could likely be a team looking for D help over the next few years but they are limited in cap space and in what they could return in a deal. They have a good amount of puck movers but a more defensive oriented guy could be a big help.

Click to read more...

 

[AndreRoy]

Tampa doesn’t have a need for such a player. They could use a good defensive 5D (preferably a RD) on a cheap one-year deal next season but may not have the cap space for one; a top four offensive defenseman is definitely not a need for them however.

 

[57special]

MN is unlikely to pay for such a player.

 

[BlueDream]

Blues could use a two-way LHD.

 

[smitty10]

Edmonton needs one desperately.

Toronto needs a top 2 guy to round out their top pairing. Losing Gardiner this summer will hurt. I feel he will sign with the Oilers. Hainsey comes off the books too, which frees up space.

 

[Mr Plow]

Benning has been abundantly clear about his desire for a RHD PPQB.

 

[rt]

Blues could use a two-way LHD.

Any interest in Alex Goligoski? The Coyotes are in the basement again and there doesn’t appear to be much hope. He’s about to age out of the rebuild.

 

[ToDavid]

Teams are moving away from strictly defense oriented defensemen. A defenseman doesn't necessarily need to be skilled in the offensive zone but puck moving is king these days. The best defender in the world will get steamrolled if they're constantly giving the puck away instead of getting it up the ice with possession.

Tor's defense isn't bad because we have puck movers and lack defenders, it's bad because our entire right side is devoid of good NHL players (bit of an exaggeration on Zaitsev, I've liked his game for the past few weeks).

 

[Kamiccolo]

Teams are moving away from strictly defense oriented defensemen. A defenseman doesn't necessarily need to be skilled in the offensive zone but puck moving is king these days. The best defender in the world will get steamrolled if they're constantly giving the puck away instead of getting it up the ice with possession.

Tor's defense isn't bad because we have puck movers and lack defenders, it's bad because our entire right side is devoid of good NHL players (bit of an exaggeration on Zaitsev, I've liked his game for the past few weeks).

The weakness is their inability to move the puck as a group. Boston exploited this by dumping it on their side, and the only move they had was 1) off the glass and out or 2) force a play to their partner to move the puck up the ice.

If they have any hope of winning a cup, the defense needs to be balanced out or even better retooled on the right side to allow this improvement.

Losing Gardiner is going to make the problem even worse because Dermott is good at moving the puck but not Gardiner good.

Leafs will be in the market for at least 3 new D this offseason. Oz is good but he's a bottom pair / 7th D. Liljegren will take one of those spots as his game reflects the teams needs. Sandin is another one. These guys are a few years away though.

Toronto's defense is "bad" because

A) Dj Smith has a poor system that has been figured out

B) The right side can't move the puck and therefore panics and coughs up the puck when pressured (and on the left side Gardiner can do the same in high pressure games)

The only reason it is not as bad as many say on here is that they sleep on how good the LD is. It carries the entire core.