With the offseason underway for a number of teams, and with the remainder to join them in a few weeks, we're looking at what's in store for each club in the coming months.

2016-17 Grade: F

In an era when NHL teams earn points for losing, the 2016-17 Colorado Avalanche proved to be the most inept.

Since the adoption of the shootout coming out of the 2004-05 lockout, no team has finished with fewer than the 48 points amassed over 82 games by the Avalanche this season. If we include the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign, Colorado's .296 point percentage also ranks dead last.

The next worst seasons were recorded by the Buffalo Sabres in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and it's no secret those rosters were not built to succeed, with a view to securing the best available talent through the draft.

To make matters worse, Colorado fell hard in the draft lottery, entering the proceedings with the best chance at securing the first overall pick and coming away with the fourth selection.

It doesn't get much worse than that.

Free Agents

General manager Joe Sakic's offseason to-do list features decisions to be made on a number of players who will need new contracts come July 1:

2017 Draft Picks

Prior to that date, the Avalanche have eight picks in the NHL Draft.

Summer Priorities

1. Get Sakic some help: At present, Sakic serves as the Avalanche's head of hockey operations, overseeing the big picture while also running things from the ground as GM. Team president Josh Kroenke sits above him, but the owner's son doesn't really bring much tangible puck knowledge to the table.

At this juncture in the team's history, Sakic desperately needs help, and Colorado would do well by bringing in an experienced executive to run the show as head of hockey operations while Sakic focuses on the GM role, or by hiring a GM to direct the ship and make some more informed moves to help improve the team, with Sakic's approval.

2. Determine which core players to build around: Amid the struggles of this past season, the likes of Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene were oft mentioned in trade rumors.

Sakic held his ground, but it's not known whether that was due to an affinity for the players or a lack of suitable offers. Sakic did say he wants the team to get younger and faster, with Mikko Rantanen and Tyson Jost set to play increasingly prominent roles.

A significant shakeup isn't out of the question here.

3. Make the most of the fourth overall pick: As mentioned above, a historically bad season produced a lower than expected first-round pick for the Avalanche, and while this year's crop won't reap a Connor McDavid or an Auston Matthews, an infusion of the best available talent would have been nice.

Sakic and Co. will now have to work a bit harder to figure out who to select with the pick, or weigh the merits of either trading up or packaging the selection in an even bigger trade.

2017-18 Outlook

Expecting the Avalanche to make the jump from 30th to the playoffs in the vein of the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs is a bit much, but a renewed emphasis on skill and speed, a bounce-back season for Semyon Varlamov - who spent much of the year on the shelf due to injury - and upgrades on the blue line should render Colorado at least somewhat competitive.

Still, pending offseason moves, the Avalanche will likely tumble back to the bottom of the Central Division next season.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The questions began right after an unlikely Game 5 win.

The Anaheim Ducks erased a 3-0 deficit late in the third period and went on to beat the Edmonton Oilers in overtime, setting up an opportunity to erase a dubious recent trend.

Here are three reasons why the Ducks will finish off the Oilers in Game 6.

Shake it off?

It's not that Anaheim won a pivotal Game 5, it's how the Ducks did it.

No one will soon forget that the Ducks scored three goals late in the third period with John Gibson on the bench to send the game to overtime, and the Oilers in particular were not pleased with what they saw as a clear goalie interference violation on the tying goal.

While momentum swings from game to game may be slightly overstated, there's no denying the Oilers weren't happy about how that one got away, especially considering their early 2-0 series lead has given way to a 3-2 hole.

That kind of collapse isn't easily forgotten.

It's a huge test of resiliency for the Oilers, and this is where the Ducks' playoff experience will pay off.

Getzlaf is dominating

Related to the above, Connor McDavid might be the best player in the world as soon as next season, but Ryan Getzlaf is giving the kid a lesson or two on what it takes to succeed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The veteran center sits in a tie with Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel for postseason goals (8), and Getzlaf's 15 points trail only Evgeni Malkin (17). And over the last three games against the Oilers - all Ducks wins - Getzlaf has basically taken over the series.

Here's what Getzlaf was up to in Games 3-5 after the Ducks dropped the series' opening two contests.

Getzlaf drew the primary assist on Corey Perry's overtime goal to cap Game 5's epic comeback, and the captain - who's certainly been leading by example - doesn't want that one win to define his team.

No Sekera

Oilers defenseman Andrej Sekera will be out for the remainder of the series, head coach Todd McLellan announced Sunday.

Sekera was the recipient of a hit from Getzlaf early in Game 5 that forced him to leave the contest with an undisclosed injury.

In 11 games this postseason, Sekera had registered one goal and two assists with 18 shots on goal in an average of 21:10 per night, ranking fourth among Oilers defensemen.

His absence will mean the addition of Eric Gryba into the lineup, bringing all of 11 games of playoff experience to the table. It'll also mean more minutes for the likes of Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, and Oscar Klefbom, giving the Ducks opportunity to pounce on an increasingly taxed defense corps.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Thought to be foes, a measure of respect exists between Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

In advance of Game 4 between the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, the Russian winger addressed the concussion suffered by Crosby in the previous contest, wishing him a speedy return.

Related - Niskanen: Retaliation from Penguins possible as 'hockey players are emotional'

"It's hard to see a player go down, and it's hard to see he get hurt," Ovechkin said Wednesday, per Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post. "He's a player you don't want that stuff to happen (to), so it's sad. I hope he's going to be fine and come back in the series."

The injury was caused by a hit to the head by Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen, an event immediately preceded by a hard slash by Ovechkin on the Penguins captain.

"It's hockey, you know?" Ovechkin said of the play. "We move forward, and they are. I'm pretty sure they're going to be strong on the puck, they're going to play physical, and it's going to be interesting game."

Ovechkin added he expects coutryman Evgeni Malkin to step up in Crosby's absence, as he's done in the past.

Game 4 is set for Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Different year, same story.

Once again, the Washington Capitals find themselves in grave playoff danger at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins, this time after losing two games on home ice to begin the second round.

As the series moves to Pennsylvania, things are not looking great for the Presidents' Trophy winners, although there's reason to believe a comeback is indeed possible.

Here are three ways the Capitals can overcome the Penguins.

Holtby in the spotlight

After pulling his star goalie in Game 2, head coach Barry Trotz maintained the belief that Braden Holtby - the reigning Vezina Trophy winner - can and will be the difference in the series.

The good news for the Capitals is Holtby has been able to bounce back quite positively after being yanked this season, per Katie Brown of NHL.com.

• Holtby was pulled Jan. 3 after giving up three goals on eight shots to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but then allowed three goals over his next five starts, recording three shutouts.
• His next loss came Jan. 16, an 8-7 overtime loss to the Penguins in which he allowed five goals on 26 shots. After that debacle, he went 13-0-1 over his next 14 starts.
• On March 6, Holtby allowed three goals on 11 shots to the Dallas Stars. He didn't actually rebound all that well here, losing the next two games while allowing nine goals on 56 shots.
• Holtby was pulled late in a 6-3 loss March 31 to the Arizona Coyotes. He went 2-1-0 over his next three starts to finish the regular season, allowing three goals and posting a shutout against the New York Rangers.

Altogether, the Penguins have registered six goals on 35 shots in the series, amounting to a .829 save percentage for Holtby.

He'll need to get back closer to the .925 success rate from the opening-round win over Toronto in order to give his team a chance to win.

Positive contribution from Shattenkirk

Trotz called out Kevin Shattenkirk after Game 2, saying the defenseman simply hasn't been good enough.

Through eight playoff games, Shattenkirk has recorded three power-play assists, 24 shots on goal and, to Trotz's dismay, a minus-seven rating. Add it all up and it's not what was expected when the Capitals acquired Shattenkirk from the St. Louis Blues prior to the trade deadline, nor from a player set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

In fairness, he has been paired with a bit of an anchor in Brooks Orpik, but Shattenkirk - who recorded 14 points in 19 regular-season games with the Capitals - needs to do more with the ice time afforded him.

Keep peppering Fleury with pucks

Luck has not been on Washington's side so far in this series.

Case in point: The Capitals have a 71-45 advantage in shots on goal, but have been outscored 9-4.

On top of that, Washington had more total attempts than the Penguins in both Game 1 (83-41) and Game 2 (88-45), per Hockey Stats.

The .944 save percentage posted by Fleury through two games is well above his career playoff average of .908, meaning at some point, the floodgates could and should open up for the Capitals. There's simply too much talent on the Capitals roster to keep off the scoresheet, even in a short series.

Time is quickly running out for the luck to change, however.

Game 3 is set for Monday in Pittsburgh.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sidney Crosby is doing it all for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In helping his team win Game 2 of a series against the Washington Capitals, the captain recorded a pair of assists, one of which was sparked by a key blocked shot that led directly to what would stand as the decisive strike.

Here's how it happened.

With Washington down by a goal late in the second period, center Marcus Johansson (90) entered the offensive zone in search of the equalizer. Crosby (87) can be seen as the first forward back, about to cross the blue line with a view to lending support to his defensemen.

Johansson stopped along the boards and decided to drop the puck back to Justin Williams (14). Crosby, with an eye on Johansson, put himself in position to quickly pivot and turn his attention from the center to the winger.

And as Williams prepared for a shot attempt, Crosby dropped to his knees to block it.

Williams' shot bounced off Crosby's knees, at which point the latter looked to get back to his skates in pursuit of the puck. Crosby, however, appeared to be tripped up by the Capitals forward, who clearly sensed danger.

Undeterred while laid out on the ice, Crosby poked the puck to Jake Guentzel (59), who was then able to cleanly exit the zone and fly down the ice on an odd-man rush with Bryan Rust (17).

Guentzel ultimately decided to hold on to the puck, firing it past Braden Holtby (30) and prompting a Capitals goalie change at intermission.

The full replay can be seen here.

Ever the humble superstar, Crosby didn't see anything special about his effort to set up what stood as the game-winning goal.

"Everybody knows that's part of it," he said of blocking shots, per Tom Gulitti of NHL.com. "Everyone's got to kind of do their part, depending upon their position and the situation. I don't think anybody overlooks that. I think we all understand how important it is to do different things and those details. A number of guys were blocking shots and doing all those things, so that's great to see."

Crosby's willingness to battle at both ends of the ice isn't lost on head coach Mike Sullivan, however.

"He's the best 200-foot player in the game, in my estimation," Sullivan said after the win. "He plays at both ends of the rink. He defends as well as he plays with the puck and creates offense.

"I've gained so much respect for him as a person in the time that I've been coaching him. That's something that I think you don't really gain an appreciation for a guy unless you get to see him on a daily basis."

The Penguins now head back to Pittsburgh with a 2-0 series lead, following two road wins, with Crosby and Co. well on the way to defending their 2016 Stanley Cup championship.

(Images courtesy: NHL.com)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers are set to duke it out for Central Division bragging rights in a second-round playoff series.

Here are three players who could make a huge impact and give their team the edge.

Rickard Rakell

In case you missed it, someone other than Corey Perry led the Ducks in goals this season for the first time in five years, and by a wide margin. That would be Rakell, who broke out to the tune of 33 goals in 71 games, with Jakob Silfverberg coming in a distant second with 23.

Rakell has remained productive in the postseason, recording two goals and three assists in Anaheim's four-game sweep of the Calgary Flames.

A big factor in the Swede's surge has been the shift from center to the wing, where he's found success playing alongside Ryan Getzlaf, who drew the primary assists on both of Rakell's goals against the Flames. It's not his natural position, but he's taking advantage.

"Playing more on the wing this year gives me different looks and more opportunities to score," Rakell said in late March, per Jared Clinton of The Hockey News. "It gives me more of a chance to find rebounds and have the puck closer to the net. It’s obviously easier to score from there."

Credit goes to head coach Randy Carlyle for making the adjustment and helping Rakell find his wings.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

It might sound odd to pump the tires of a player who failed to record a single point in the opening round, but here we are.

In truth, Nugent-Hopkins was one of the most important contributors in the Oilers' series win over the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks.

Flanked by Milan Lucic and Jordan Eberle, Nugent-Hopkins led Edmonton with 17 shots over the six games, and created several other chances that just didn't click. But for head coach Todd McLellan, the center's contributions at the other end of the ice have been equally important.

"He has the tools to be a tremendous two-way player. When you’re chosen at that spot in the draft (first overall in 2011), you often come in as a one-dimensional, offensive-type player," McLellan said, per Reid Wilkins of CHED 630.

"In his situation here, he was thrust into that role, and he produced, and that’s the way he was going to go. He had some good years, but the team didn’t win a lot. It’s always about the team. He’s been able to adjust and learn a few things."

While paying in that two-way role and being counted on to shut down the opposition, Nugent-Hopkins was a positive possession player against the Sharks, meaning he was on the ice for more shot attempts for than against.

If his line can start finishing its scoring chances, and if Nugent-Hopkins starts putting up points - thereby relieving some pressure from Connor McDavid - these Oilers could be a force.

John Gibson

When the Ducks traded Frederik Andersen to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer, it was with the intention to give Gibson - who's long been thought to be the heir apparent in Anaheim - the starting job.

In his first full season in that starting role, Gibson impressed with a record of 25-16-9 and a .924 save percentage, but was slowed through March with a lower-body injury. Backup Jonathan Bernier, who was indirectly acquired in the Andersen move, filled in admirably, but Gibson was always tabbed as the main man in net when healthy, and largely proved himself worthy against the Flames.

In three of the four games, Gibson stopped 101-of-106 shots against, good for a save percentage of .953. His series numbers were brought down by a poorer showing in Game 3, in which he was yanked after allowing four goals on 16 shots.

Provided that one start was a blip, Gibson appears ready to backstop the Ducks to new heights, fully justifying the decision to anoint him as the team's goalie of the present and future.

Betting Line

Prediction

The Ducks have flown under the radar in Carlyle's second tour of duty behind the bench, but there are reasons why Anaheim rose to the top of a competitive Pacific Division and earned home-ice advantage in this series.

For one, and as mentioned above, this isn't just Getzlaf and Perry's team, as the Ducks boast the kind of veteran savvy and youthful exuberance that takes teams deep into the playoffs.

On the blue line, for example, the likes of Shea Theodore and Brandon Montour have stepped up and in for the injured Cam Fowler and Sami Vatanen. The latter two could return any day, giving the Ducks seemingly impenetrable depth on the back end.

And up front, the scoring of Rakell and Silfverberg is balanced out by the shut-down ability of Ryan Kesler, who recently earned a nod as a Selke Trophy finalist, as well as Antoine Vermette, who remains a force in the faceoff circle. And Patrick Eaves, by the way, is looking like the best trade deadline pickup of them all at this point.

Make no mistake, the Oilers are an up-and-coming force, but these Ducks are skilled, tough, and hungry, and their experience will thwart Edmonton's surge - for the time being at least.

Ducks in six.

Schedule

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks are close to finalizing a deal with Travis Green to be the team's new head coach, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.

The former NHL center has served as head coach of the AHL's Utica Comets since 2013, and although Vancouver's farm team finished outside of the playoff picture this season, Green led the club to success in the past, including a Calder Cup Final appearance in 2015.

Green also coached the WHL's Portland Winterhawks to a league championship in 2013.

As a player, he logged 970 games over 16 seasons, recording 193 goals and 262 assists.

A formal announcement is expected within the next couple of days, per McKenzie.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Carey Price hopes to take care of unfinished business with the Montreal Canadiens.

Following a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the New York Rangers, the Canadiens' superstar goalie reiterated his desire to remain with the club.

"I want to stay here," Price said Monday, per John Lu of TSN. "I know we'll figure out a way to make all the pieces fit and bring a championship here."

Price can become an unrestricted free agent in 2018, and has the option to sign a contract extension with the Canadiens as soon as July 1. According to Amanda Stein of TSN 690, he's indeed open to begin discussions with general manager Marc Bergevin at that juncture.

Montreal's inability to get out of the first round shouldn't be pinned on Price, who recorded a .933 save percentage in six games against the Rangers.

And despite being bested by Henrik Lundqvist in the series, Price's next contract is expected to come in higher than the $8.5-million cap hit carried by the Rangers goaltender.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

What a ride that was.

The opening round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs has come and gone, leaving us with a couple days to rest and reflect on what was a sensational 12 days of hockey.

Here are five things that made the first round one to remember.

Working overtime

Playoff hockey is a sight to behold to begin with, but nothing compares to the drama that comes with teams battling for a single goal to get the win. And hockey fans experienced that back-and-forth more in this round than ever before.

When Game 6 between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals was unable to be settled in regulation, a new record was set with 18 opening-round contests having to be decided in overtime.

Each series featured at least one overtime result, with Washington and Toronto requiring at least one extra period to decide five of their six games.

Not for the faint of heart, to be sure.

Maple Leafs' budding success

Love them or loathe them, the playoffs are more compelling when the aforementioned Maple Leafs are involved, and they did more than enough to prove they belonged.

After beating out the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders by a single point in the race for the final wild-card spot, Toronto's young guns gave the Presidents' Trophy-winning Capitals all they could handle in what was without question the most exciting and talked-about series of the first round.

Toronto's trio of super rookies - namely Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner - all excelled on the big stage, giving Leafs fans hope that this is indeed just the beginning.

Few NHL teams garner the passion and ire of both local and outside fan bases, and Toronto once again proved to be the center of the hockey universe for a couple weeks.

Bank on longer runs in the near future.

Central Division turned upside down

The Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild entered the postseason as heavy favorites to meet in the second round, but the top two teams in the Central Division combined for a single win in series losses to the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.

A huge reason why the balance of power shifted so dramatically and so quickly was the play of Pekka Rinne and Jake Allen, who were near perfect in backstopping their teams to victory.

Excellence, defined.

And while this string of red-hot play may not last for one or both, it was certainly enough to disrupt the best-laid plans for a pair of apparent Cup contenders.

MacArthur's storybook comeback

The Ottawa Senators weren't sure whether Clarke MacArthur would ever be able to play for them again, and now they're wondering where they'd be without him.

Sidelined for the better part of two seasons as a result of a series of concussions, the veteran winger made his presence felt with two goals in six games against the Boston Bruins, including a series-clinching overtime strike in Game 6.

Head coach Guy Boucher talked about how inspiring it was when MacArthur scored his first goal in almost two years in Game 2, and expanded on what MacArthur means to the team after the series win.

"There's a lot of great stories in this room, but I don't think there's probably one better than that one," Boucher said, according to Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com. "You saw what he had to go through all year, and I think everybody wrote him off for sure, I think maybe himself at some point. But he fought through.

"He's the one that said, 'I'm coming back, Coach. I'll be available for the playoffs.' I wanted to believe him. I really did. But then you think, he hasn't played for two years? How good is he going to be?"

Good enough to clinch the series for the Senators, at least.

Oil change complete

The Edmonton Oilers are certainly making the most of their first playoff appearance in 11 years.

After a seemingly endless period of rebuilding, Connor McDavid and Co. disposed of the defending Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks in six games, serving notice they've officially arrived.

What's impressive is how they were able to rebound from a 7-0 loss in Game 4 and win the next two games in order to close the series out.

And the thing is, it wasn't all about McDavid - who recorded a team-high four points in the series - driving the bus; it was a full team effort.

Cam Talbot recorded two shutouts, Zack Kassian scored a pair of game-winning goals while hitting everyone in his path, Oscar Klefbom continued to emerge as a force on the blue line, and Leon Draisaitl once again proved to be as key as any young player on the roster.

Fans filled Rogers Place in order to watch the decisive Game 6 from San Jose on the big screen, emphasizing the reality that Edmonton is hungry for a winner, and these Oilers have the look of a team capable of making further noise.

All that, and we didn't even mention the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. That's the kind of opening round it was. Now on to the next.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It wasn't supposed to end like this for the Montreal Canadiens.

After finishing atop the Atlantic Division standings, the Canadiens find themselves bounced from the Stanley Cup Playoffs after six first-round games against the New York Rangers, leaving captain Max Pacioretty with an empty feeling.

"We had a great opportunity to do something this year," he said, according to Frank Seravalli of TSN. "It feels like a wasted effort."

For his part, Pacioretty finished the series with zero goals on a team-high 28 shots, and knows he'll have to answer questions about his inability to score over what will be a longer-than-expected offseason.

Pacioretty added he'll discuss his play in the series more following the team's exit meeting, per Seravalli.

It was a tightly contested series, with no game decided by more than two goals. As to why and what needs to change, Pacioretty passed the buck upstairs.

Pacioretty exits this season with 10 goals in 38 career playoff games with the Canadiens.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.