The offseason is when NHL GMs usually make their biggest, boldest moves. It’s a manager’s chance to finally weaponize cap flexibility, trade chips, dip into the free-agent market and engage in a flowing trade market to execute their blueprint.
We’re at the halfway point of the 2024-25 season, which is a sensible time to re-evaluate every club’s biggest offseason acquisitions (we won’t dig into every depth addition unless there’s been a noteworthy impact). Half a season isn’t long enough to make a final verdict for trades or signing, especially as players acclimate to new cities, teammates and coaches, but it’s enough of a sample to reflect on the early return on investment. Earlier, we analyzed the Eastern Conference, now it’s time to look out West.
Let’s dive in.
Notable additions: Brian Dumoulin (acquired in exchange for a fourth-round pick), Robby Fabbri (acquired alongside a fourth-round pick in exchange for Gage Alexander)
Early returns: The Ducks had a surprisingly quiet offseason, sticking to just a couple of low-risk fliers.
Dumoulin has been deployed in a heavy shutdown role, averaging over 20 minutes per game, while absorbing the toughest matchups and the highest number of defensive zone starts among all Ducks blueliners. He’s held up reasonably well in this difficult assignment. Yes, Anaheim’s been decisively outshot and out-chanced during his shifts, but he’s only been on the ice for 2.09 goals against per 60 at five-on-five.
Fabbri scored a career-high 18 goals and 32 points in 68 games for the Red Wings last year but is having an up-and-down 2024-25 campaign. He’s missed some time with an injury and has only produced 10 points in 28 games, which is underwhelming because he’s been handed a consistent top-six opportunity, averaging over 17 minutes per game.
Notable additions: Anthony Mantha ($3.5 million x one year), Kevin Bahl (acquired alongside a first-round pick in exchange for Jacob Markstrom), Jake Bean ($1.75 million x two years), Justin Kirkland ($775,000 x one year)
Early returns: Mantha was off to a promising start with the Flames (seven points in 13 games along with quality play-driving numbers), but suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Bahl, the secondary piece from New Jersey in the Markstrom trade, is establishing himself as a top-four mainstay for the Flames. The giant 24-year-old defensive defenseman has played a crucial supporting role next to Rasmus Andersson on Calgary’s shutdown pair.
Bahl isn’t yet at the point where he’s winning these matchup minutes — the Flames have conceded slightly more shots, scoring chances, and goals than they’ve created with Bahl on the ice — but the fact that he’s effectively holding his own in a role where he’s averaging 21:32 per game and defending against the opposition’s star players is promising considering the massive step-up in responsibility and challenge compared to his role with New Jersey last year.
Bean has been competently handled sheltered third-pair minutes.
Kirkland thrived in a bottom-six role and emerged as a fan-favorite underdog story, but an ACL injury also cut his season short.
Notable additions: Tyler Bertuzzi ($5.5 million x four years), Teuvo Teravainen ($5.4 million x three years), Alec Martinez ($4 million x one year), Laurent Brossoit ($3.3 million x two years), TJ Brodie ($3.75 million x two years), Ilya Mikheyev (acquired as a cap dump, Blackhawks received a second-round pick and gave up a fourth-round pick), Pat Maroon ($1.3 million x one year), Craig Smith ($1 million x one year)
Early returns: The Blackhawks were supposed to take a step after a busy summer where they acquired several veterans to boost the supporting cast around Connor Bedard. Colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s Net Rating model even crowned them the most improved team in the offseason. The early return on the spending spree has been a mixed bag.
Chicago’s blue line is one of the biggest issues. Newcomer Brodie has been a liability most nights. He’s averaged fewer than 16 minutes per game and has gotten lit up defensively. During Brodie’s five-on-five shifts, the Blackhawks have been outscored by a whopping 33-14 goal differential. Martinez, the other veteran signing expected to stabilize the back end, has performed decently but has only managed to stay healthy for 15 games.
GM Kyle Davidson’s work up front has been much better. Bertuzzi’s signing is a win — he’s on pace for 27 goals and has gotten hot riding shotgun with Bedard lately, potting six goals in his last nine games.
Teravainen’s been dynamite on the power play. 13 of his 28 points this season are on the man advantage, which is one of the catalysts behind the Blackhawks’ power-play catapulting to 12th best in the NHL. You’d like to see him be more impactful at even-strength, however. Teravainen’s only notched three goals and 12 points at five-on-five this season, while bouncing up and down the club’s top nine.
Taking Mikheyev on as a cap dump is working out well. He’s chipped in with eight goals in 40 games and has driven robust two-way results. Mikheyev’s 47.7 percent control of on-ice five-on-five shot attempts is the best mark among Chicago forwards. He’s the Blackhawks’ only forward who doesn’t have a negative goal differential during his five-on-five shifts.
Brossoit hasn’t been able to play a single game this season because of knee issues.
Tyler Bertuzzi has gotten hot riding shotgun with Connor Bedard. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Notable additions: Oliver Kylington ($1.05 million x one year), Parker Kelly ($825,000 x two years), Calvin De Haan ($800,000 x one year),
Early returns: Colorado only touched the fringes of its roster last summer.
Kylington hasn’t panned out despite looking like a shrewd low-risk, modest upside signing at the time. He had a disappointing start to the season, was even forced to play forward at times, and has been sidelined with an injury since Nov. 27. None of Colorado’s depth defense acquisitions have hit between Kylington, Erik Brännström (who had a disappointing preseason before being shipped out to Vancouver) and De Haan.
Kelly is a competent fourth-line quality forward. He’s had to play a bigger role than what’s ideal because of the Avs’ poor forward depth and injuries. He’s a black hole offensively, but his defensive metrics are sound.
GM Chris MacFarland’s offseason work may not have yielded much, but acquiring Mackenzie Blackwood (.940 save percentage) and Scott Wedgewood (.917 save percentage) midseason has miraculously fixed the club’s goaltending woes.
Notable additions: Matt Dumba ($3.75 million x two years), Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25 million x three years), Casey DeSmith ($1 million x three years), Colin Blackwell ($775,000 x one year)
Early returns: The Dumba contract was a questionable decision the moment it was signed and it doesn’t look any better now.
Dumba hasn’t come anywhere close to providing top-four value. He’s averaging just 15:40 per game, struggled so mightily at one point that he was a healthy scratch, missed some games in December with an injury and has only contributed two points in 23 games.
Thankfully, Lyubushkin is working out better as a right-side defense stabilizer. The physical, stay-at-home defenseman is eating the second-toughest matchups on the Stars’ blue line. He doesn’t have the best play-controlling metrics but the Stars own a plus-five goal differential during his five-on-five shifts. Lyubushkin has also logged the second-most minutes on Dallas’ penalty kill, which ranks second-best in the NHL.
DeSmith has exceeded expectations as the club’s backup. The 33-year-old has posted an impressive .916 save percentage and saved nearly five goals above expected according to Evolving-Hockey’s model.
Notable additions: Viktor Arvidsson ($4 million x two years), Jeff Skinner ($3 million x one year), Vasily Podkolzin (acquired in exchange for a fourth-round pick), Ty Emberson (acquired in exchange for Cody Ceci and a third-round pick)
Early returns: Arvidsson got off to a slow start, scoring just five points in his first 16 games before getting hurt in mid-November, but he finally appears to be finding his groove. The diminutive shot-first forward has piled up seven points in his last seven games. He’s had an underwhelming first half, but given his long history of top-six success, his modest $4 million cap hit and his recent hot streak, I’d expect him to live up to his contract in the second half of the season.
Skinner is the big, costly miss. He’s on pace for just 30 points and owns ugly defensive numbers, with the Oilers carrying a minus-eight goal differential during his five-on-five shifts. Skinner’s ice time is plummeting, as he’s averaged less than 10 minutes in the last eight games. It’s frustrating to see Skinner eat up $3 million when the Oilers let Dylan Holloway, who’s on pace to crack 60 points, walk away on just a $2.29 million cap hit.
Podkolzin has been a really pleasant surprise. His 28-point pace might not jump off the page but he’s made a consistent impact with his speed, energy, physicality and forechecking. Podkolzin’s two-way impact has been stellar and he’s grown into a valuable penalty killer.
Notable additions: Darcy Kuemper (acquired in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois), Warren Foegele ($3.5 million x three years), Joel Edmundson ($3.85 million x four years), Tanner Jeannot (acquired in exchange for a second and fourth-round pick)
Early returns: The Kings are one of the top teams in the NHL standings even though Drew Doughty has yet to suit up for a single game this season. A large chunk of that success can be traced back to better-than-expected results from the club’s offseason haul.
Foegele has been a perfect fit up front. He is on pace for just shy of 25 goals and 50 points and his defensive metrics are elite (the Kings have surrendered less than 1.50 goals against per 60 during Foegele’s five-on-five shifts). Foegele leads the Kings in five-on-five points and ranks top-20 among all NHL forwards with 11 five-on-five goals.
Kuemper is having a commendable bounce-back campaign in L.A. He’s had a couple of brief absences due to injuries but has played to a sterling .920 save percentage as the Kings’ starter. He’s suffered just two regulation losses in 19 games.
Edmundson’s contract looked like a potential overpay when it was signed, but he’s modestly exceeded expectations too. He has effectively chewed up over 20 minutes per night. Edmundson’s even-strength analytics are poor, but it hasn’t stopped the Kings from decisively outscoring opponents with him on the ice. He’s also put up sparkling defensive numbers on the Kings’ top-10-ranked penalty kill.
Jeannot’s offensive totals are underwhelming (eight points in 36 games), but he’s found his fit and identity over the last month or so. He’s been physical, aggressive, hard to play against and was performing well on the Kings’ second line with Quinton Byfield and Foegele during Trevor Moore’s absence.
Notable additions: Yakov Trenin ($3.5 million x four years)
Early returns: Minnesota is one of the league’s best bounce-back stories this season, but it’s been on the back of internal improvement rather than splashy acquisitions. GM Bill Guerin, who’s still hamstrung by the Ryan Suter and Zach Parise buyout penalties, could only afford to dole out one significant contract and it went to Trenin.
Trenin is a defensive dynamo with his size, speed, work ethic and ability to win battles. He isn’t delivering enough offense for a $3.5 million player though, as he’s registered just seven points in 37 games.
Notable additions: Steven Stamkos ($8 million x four years), Jonathan Marchessault ($5.5 million x five years), Brady Skjei ($7 million x seven years), Scott Wedgewood ($1.5 million x two years)
Early returns: The Predators were crowned offseason winners, but it’s instead been a nightmare season. You can’t pin all the blame for that on their new acquisitions — pretty much every returning Predators player has regressed compared to 2023-24 — but the July 1 fireworks didn’t translate to the added offensive juice that the front office was hoping for.
After scoring 40 goals and 81 points last season, Stamkos is on pace for a pedestrian 24 goals and 50 points. Part of that is because the Predators lack the top-six playmakers and play-drivers to set Stamkos up in prime scoring locations.
In early December, the Preds shifted Stamkos from wing to center and bumped him up to the top line to play with Filip Forsberg and Jonathan Marchessault. That proved to be a significantly better fit (he’s scored 12 points in 14 games since the transition), but given that he turns 35 in February, how many seasons can Stamkos be expected to do the heavy lifting as a top-line center?
Marchessault is on pace for 28 goals and 60 points, which is solid when you consider how anemic the team around him has been offensively. Marchessault didn’t score a single five-on-five point through his first 20 games, but he’s been on a tear lately with nine goals and 17 points in his last 13 games. All things considered, he’s been full value for his $5.5 million cap hit.
Skjei isn’t living up to expectations offensively or defensively. He’s only scored three goals and 13 points in 41 games, a far cry from the 13 goals and 47 points he registered last season and the 18 goals he piled up in 2022-23. He and Roman Josi failed to mesh early in the season and have since been separated. Skjei’s 3.03 expected goals against per 60 rate is the worst mark among all Preds defenders, which doesn’t reflect well on his defensive impact.
Notable additions: Jake Walman (acquired as a cap dump, Sharks received a second-round pick), Tyler Toffoli ($6 million x four years), Yaroslav Askarov (acquired alongside a third-round pick in exchange for a first-round pick, David Edstrom and Magnus Chrona), Alex Wennberg ($5 million x 2 years), Barclay Goodrow (claimed off waivers), Cody Ceci (acquired alongside a third-round pick in exchange for Ty Emberson), Carl Grundstrom ($1.8 million x two years), Ty Dellandrea ($1.3 million x two years)
Early returns: San Jose’s front office made shrewd decisions that have helped the club ice a more competitive and entertaining product.
Walman might be the biggest trade steal of the offseason. The Sharks didn’t just get him for free, they were given a second-round pick by the Red Wings. Walman has scored 25 points in 31 games, with his 0.81 points-per-game clip ranking top-10 among all NHL defensemen this season. He isn’t just racking up empty calorie points either, he’s made a profound two-way impact at even strength.
During Walman’s five-on-five shifts, the Sharks have been break-even in shots and have a plus-two goal differential. Both of those are by far the best numbers among all Sharks blueliners. He’s done it all while averaging nearly 23 minutes per game.
Toffoli is producing at a team-high 28-goal pace and is delivering quality two-way results. He’s been everything the Sharks could have hoped for as a steady veteran offensive leader.
Askarov has made a picture-perfect first impression in the Bay Area. He dominated the AHL to the tune of a .938 save percentage but now has a clear NHL opportunity following the Mackenzie Blackwood trade. Askarov is running away with that chance, posting a blistering .923 save percentage in seven big league games.
Claiming Goodrow off unconditional waivers was a head-scratching decision in the summer and still looks baffling now. Goodrow isn’t performing like an everyday-caliber NHL forward (four points in 39 games and terrible underlying numbers) yet he’s on the books at a $3.64 million AAV through the 2026-27 season.
Wennberg has been a solid third-line center for the Sharks. He’s made a positive defensive impact, while also chipping in with 20 points in 43 games. It was also smart for San Jose, which has an abundance of cap space, to pay him a generous, above-market value of $5 million AAV to keep the term down to just two years.
Ceci’s been serviceable in a tough minutes role and should be a useful trade deadline chip as a rental. It was a clever move considering San Jose already received a third-round pick for taking him on in the summer.
Notable additions: Brandon Montour ($7.14 million x seven years), Chandler Stephenson ($6.25 million x seven years), Josh Mahura ($775,000 x one year)
Early returns: GM Ron Francis took two big swings in the offseason — one appears to have hit while the other is a potentially catastrophic miss.
Montour has been Seattle’s best defenseman this year. He’s already scored eight goals and 23 points in 41 games and is chewing up a team-high 23:57 per game. Montour’s two-way results, once you adjust for contextual factors using a tool like Evolving-Hockey’s RAPM model, have been decisively positive too.
Stephenson’s seven-year deal already looks like a massive headache. He’s one of the worst two-way play drivers in the league — his 34 percent expected goal share at five-on-five ranks dead-last among 358 NHL forwards who have played at least 300 minutes this season. Stephenson’s been productive on the power play so his overall point totals aren’t too bad (27 points in 41 games), but make no mistake, he’s an even-strength anchor who can’t drive offense and struggles defensively.
Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg have been great fits in St. Louis. (Scott Rovak / NHLI via Getty Images)
Notable additions: Philip Broberg (acquired via offer sheet), Dylan Holloway (acquired via offer sheet), Alexandre Texier (acquired in exchange for a fourth-round pick), Mathieu Joseph (acquired as a cap dump, Blues received a third-round pick), Ryan Suter ($775,000 x one year), Radek Faksa (acquired in exchange for future considerations)
Early returns: Doug Armstrong’s bold dual offer sheet of Broberg and Holloway may have been a stroke of genius.
Broberg’s been a terrific all-around top-four addition. He has scored 14 points in 30 games and excelled defensively, surrendering just 1.36 goals against per 60 during his minutes. He should continue thriving in the second half, especially now that Cam Fowler’s addition on the left side will take some weight off Broberg’s shoulders.
Holloway is second on the Blues with 15 goals and is on pace for 61 points. He’s big, fast, dynamic and skilled. Holloway’s evolving into a play-driving ace — the Blues have controlled 54 percent of expected goals and outscored opponents 30-19 with him on the ice at five-on-five.
Joseph’s been a disappointment. After scoring 35 points in 72 games with the Senators last year, he has mustered just four points in 26 games. It’s not a costly error because the Blues received a third-round pick for taking on his contract, but they need him to bounce back because he’s on the books for next season at a $2.95 million AAV too.
Texier and Faksa have both been OK fourth-line caliber forwards who have each missed some games because of injury.
Suter logged huge minutes in the first half because of Nick Leddy’s injury. He didn’t exactly succeed in that role, but the fact that he wasn’t an outright liability has to be deemed a win given his age and his league minimum cap hit. Suter’s been able to settle closer to an 18-minute-per-game role since Fowler’s acquisition and has offered steady defensive play in that timeframe.
Notable additions: Mikhail Sergachev (acquired in exchange for Conor Geekie, JJ Moser, a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick), John Marino (acquired alongside a fifth-round pick in exchange for two second-round picks), Ian Cole ($3.1 million x one year), Kevin Stenlund ($2 million x two years)
Early returns: Utah made a high-risk trade for Sergachev — in terms of acquisition cost and with the seven seasons left on his contract at an $8.5 million cap hit, especially coming off an injury-plagued year. It’s too early to make a long-term read on the trade, but the early dividends have been promising.
Sergachev is averaging nearly 26 minutes per game — his workload has been even heavier than expected because of Sean Durzi and John Marino’s long-term absences — which ranks second-highest among all NHL players. He’s held up well in those grueling minutes, with Utah creating more shots, scoring chances and goals than it allows during Sergachev’s five-on-five shifts. Sergachev’s been a high-end offensive producer, scoring eight goals and 29 points from the back end. He’s the all-situations No. 1 defenseman they needed.
Marino has yet to appear in a game because of injury.
Cole has been forced to play a bigger role than expected because of the back-end injuries, averaging a career-high 20:58 at 35. He’s prone to taking a lot of penalties and in an ideal world, he’d be deployed more like a No. 5 defenseman, but he’s been steady and solid defensively for the most part. He’s certainly been full value for his $3.1 million cap hit.
Notable additions: Jake DeBrusk ($5.5 million x seven years), Danton Heinen ($2.25 million x two years), Vincent Desharnais ($2 million x two years), Kiefer Sherwood ($1.5 million x two years), Derek Forbort ($1.5 million x one year), Kevin Lankinen ($950,000 x one year)
Early returns: The Canucks were forced to navigate a tricky, challenging situation last summer with eight notable pending UFAs and not a ton of cap flexibility. Vancouver’s front office did an above-average job renovating the roster given the tough hand they were dealt, but they also made mistakes that have plagued the team this season.
DeBrusk is one of the best bang-for-buck top-six forward signings of the entire offseason. He’s on pace for 34 goals at a favorable $5.5 million cap hit.
Lankinen, who was signed in late September, has been a savior as the club’s de facto starting goaltender. Thatcher Demko’s missed most of the first half and without Lankinen, the next goalie up would have been Arturs Šilovs, who’s struggled mightily this year. Lankinen’s given the Canucks solid, above-average goaltending, delivering a .904 save percentage and saving 5.4 goals above expected in 28 games. There’s no chance the club would be in a playoff position without him.
Sherwood has been a breakout top-nine player, with his $1.5 million AAV looking like a steal. He leads the Canucks with 10 five-on-five goals and is behind only Quinn Hughes for the club’s five-on-five points lead. The speed, relentless energy and physicality (he leads the NHL in hits by a country mile) he brings are arguably just as important as the secondary offense.
Vancouver’s blue line has been an Achilles heel all season though, and that’s where management has taken a ton of criticism.
The Canucks loaded up on too many big, stay-at-home defensemen by signing Forbort and Desharnais to a group that already included Carson Soucy and Tyler Myers. Vancouver’s bottom-four defense was disastrous at breaking the puck out early in the season and has only been exposed further during Filip Hronek’s long-term injury. The blue line is the club’s biggest concern this season and the responsibility for that falls on management’s shoulders.
Notable additions: Ilya Samsonov ($1.8 million x one year), Alexander Holtz (acquired alongside Akira Schmid in exchange for Paul Cotter and a third-round pick), Victor Olofsson ($1.075 million x one year), Tanner Pearson ($775,000 x one year)
Early returns: Vegas was forced to let several quality players walk in the offseason for salary cap reasons yet the club sits No. 1 in the league standings. None of their summer additions were flashy, but between having Noah Hanifin and Tomas Hertl for a full season, a dominant campaign from Jack Eichel’s line and several breakout performances from depth contributors like Brett Howden, Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar, you can understand why the Golden Knights are such a deep, complete team.
Samsonov is thriving as Vegas’ backup, rocking a .907 save percentage and saving 6.1 goals above expected at a tidy $1.8 million cap hit.
Holtz hasn’t panned out (just three goals in 41 games), but Olofsson and Pearson have been quality bargain finds.
Olofsson was hurt for a chunk of games but has been excellent when healthy, scoring nine goals and 14 points in 20 games. Pearson, meanwhile, has chipped in with eight goals and 18 points in 41 games. He’s a savvy, low-maintenance veteran who can provide a reliable 200-foot game — scooping that up for just $775,000 is nice work.
Notable additions: Eric Comrie ($825,000 x two years), Haydn Fleury ($775,000 x one year)
Early returns: The Jets didn’t make many noteworthy offseason moves beyond extending Dylan DeMelo.
Comrie has re-emerged as a dependable backup in his second tour of duty with the club. He’d struggled the last two years in Buffalo, even spending time in the AHL, but has pieced together a .904 save percentage in nine games. He’s only won three of those nine games, which doesn’t look great on the surface, but I’d argue that’s mostly because he hasn’t gotten enough run support in those starts.
Fleury is a capable No. 6/7 option. He struggled when Dylan Samberg’s injury forced him to temporarily step up into the top four (he and Neal Pionk controlled just 40 percent of scoring chances and were outscored 9-5 in nearly 200 five-on-five minutes together), but you can’t fault him for that because top-four duties are well above his league-minimum pay grade.
(Top photo of Steven Stamkos: Mike Carlson / Getty Images)
