In this week's Eastern Edge, we'll discuss draft day storylines that could affect fantasy outlooks for the 2023-2024 campaign.  

Boston Bruins – Financial Ruins for the Bruins

The Bruins cleared up a fair bit of cap space when they sent Taylor Hall to Chicago on Monday. Although they have more room to breathe now, they'll probably need to free up more money if 37-year-olds Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are coming back for another year. In addition, reports indicate that Boston is trying to retain free agent Tyler Bertuzzi. If the Bruins offload more salary by trading a defenseman (not names Charlie McAvoy or Hampus Lindholm) at the draft or shortly afterwards, I'd expect them to re-sign their big-name free agents. 

Buffalo Sabres – Victor So Long, Son!

The 27-year-old Victor Olofsson has shown strong goal-scoring ability during his time in Buffalo, posting a 30-goal pace in two of four seasons with the Sabres. Unfortunately, he's seen his role dwindle in recent years and with so much young talent emerging Buffalo, he doesn't seem to be part of the core group anymore. The team's cap situation isn't dire, so they could wait until the trade deadline to offload Olofsson, but I expect they'll listen to offers during the draft as well. A change of scenery could be beneficial for Olofsson, who certainly has the offensive talent to be a valuable fantasy hockey asset.

Carolina Hurricanes – No Care for the Cap

The Hurricanes have plenty of money to spend on big-name talent this offseason. They've also shown a willingness to weaponize cap space, trading for established players like Brent Burns and Max Pacioretty last summer. At this point, the question is not so much whether they're going to make a move, it's who they're going to make it for. Although new talent would help Carolina in its quest for the Cup, established assets may also take opportunity away from some of the younger Canes. If the team makes a play for a center like Mark Scheifele, that could mean a reduced role for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. If they snag a winger like Clayton Keller or Travis Konecny, I'd probably be less optimistic about Seth Jarvis' fantasy outlook.

Columbus Blue Jackets – Center Stage

The Blue Jackets were active earlier this month, fortifying their blueline through trades that brought Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson to town. I think the most impactful move they'll make at the draft will be towards the stage – to announce their third overall selection. It's expected they'll take one of Adam Fantilli or Leo Carlsson. Which player ends up in Columbus will likely depend on who Anaheim takes second overall. Scouting reports indicate that both Fanitilli and Carlsson are capable of making an impact in the NHL as early as next year. The Blue Jackets have been looking for a bona fide top center to slot in between Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. Could Fantilli or Carlsson be that guy?

Detroit Red Wings – DeLiver DeBrincat to DeTroit

Since Alex DeBrincat gave the Senators his list of preferred trade destinations, we've heard a lot of chatter about Detroit being a strong fit. With the Red Wings having two picks in the first round of Wednesday's draft (9^th and 17^th overall), they certainly have the assets to make a strong offer on draft day. Adding an elite offensive talent like DeBrincat would likely boost the fantasy value of other Red Wings he'd share the ice with.  

Florida Panthers – Wait and See, Free Agency

The Panthers don't have a first-round pick in this year's draft. That statement is true in 2023, and it's on track to be true in 2024 and 2025 as well, with the organization mortgaging its future to win now. I think Florida will have a quieter draft, but they could make some noise in free agency, having already shown interest in Tyler Bertuzzi.

Montreal Canadiens – Dubois? Too Low! (Tu Bois De L'eau)

What does drinking water have to do with Montreal's offer for PLD being too low? Absolutely nothing! But my ability to make French puns – much like Montreal's current trade package – is a little underwhelming. At present, it sounds like the Habs can't provide the same level of NHL-ready players that LA can. The Kings are currently frontrunners in the PLD sweepstakes, but there's still plenty of time for things to change ahead of Wednesday's draft. Although Montreal's been thirsty for offensive talent, it doesn't sound like they'll get Dubois.

*Editor’s note: This was sent in just before the Dubois trade officially happened so we left the paragraph as-is.

New Jersey Devils – The Devils You Know

Although the Devils don't have a first-round pick this year, previous first-round selections underlie an exciting roster that finished third in the league last year. Given the team's meteoric rise, New Jersey is an attractive destination for players rumoured to be on the move, such as Alex DeBrincat and Connor Hellebuyck. While there may be mutual interest between such players and the Devils, I don't think New Jersey is in a rush to spend top dollar on big names when they've already developed such a strong core.

New York Islanders – Bailing on Bailey

Although it may not happen at the draft, it sounds like the Islanders will be parting ways with Josh Bailey sooner rather than later.  Bailey's departure could create more opportunity for someone like Oliver Wahlstrom next season. Selected 11^th overall in 2018, Wahlstrom has been limited to just 12 minutes a night during his first three seasons in the NHL. A more prominent role in the top-six could help the 23-year-old forward take a step forward next year.

New York Rangers – Goodbye Goodrow?

The Rangers won't have too much cap space after they sort out new contracts for restricted free agents K'Andre Miller and Alexis Lafreniere,. To address that, New York could offer some draft capital for a team to take Barclay Goodrow and his $3.6 million cap hit for the next four years. Although such a move isn't mandatory, it would give the Rangers a bit more flexibility to fill out their roster during the offseason. 

Ottawa Senators – DeBrincat DeJa vu

It was shortly before the 2022 draft that the Senators acquired DeBrincat from Chicago. One year later, could we see DeBrincat shipped out from Ottawa? Although the draft is typically a good time for deals to be made, the Senators aren't under any pressure to get a deal done immediately. They still have time to make a deal before arbitration begins in August.

Philadelphia Flyers – Flyer Sale

With GM Daniel Briere trading top defenseman Ivan Provorov and listening to offers for virtually everyone, the Flyers could be busy on Wednesday. It'll be interesting to see if teams are willing to pay top dollar for a big-name talent like Travis Konecny. When all is said and done, I think a lot of fantasy managers will steer clear of the Flyers due to their lacklustre roster and rebuilding status. However, I see an opportunity to target players that are being undervalued simply because they play on a bad team. If promising talents like Owen Tipett and Morgan Frost are with the team next year, they could enjoy more prominent roles with fewer veteran forwards in the picture.

Pittsburgh Penguins – Trade 14^th Overall or Overhaul?

In possession of the highest draft pick the Penguins have had in a while, Pittsburgh's new President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas has a big decision ahead of Wednesday's draft. Does he trade the pick and get some help for the team's aging core? Or does he make the selection, investing in the era post-Crosby and Malkin? From my perspective, Dubas did a good job of maintaining Toronto's core while also acquiring valuable complementary pieces. Although Pittsburgh's core group is significantly older, I could see him employing a similar approach in this new role. In other words, don't be surprised to see the Penguins acquire a fantasy-relevant player in exchange for that 14^th overall pick.

Tampa Bay Lightning – A Raise for Ross

With his versatile play in Tampa, the 26-year-old Ross Colton has likely done enough to earn a contract that pays him north of $3 million a year. Unfortunately, the Lightning don't have an abundance of cap space and probably wouldn't be able to stomach such a cost. Tampa only has three picks (one in the 6^th round, two in the 7^th) in Wednesday's draft, so getting another for Colton would be valuable.

Toronto Maple Leafs – Leaf it Alone?

After sitting out of the first round of the 2021 and 2022 drafts, Toronto has the 28^th overall pick on Wednesday. The team's core is young enough for the player they draft to make an impact while the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander are still playing at a high level. However, Matthews and Nylander are both entering the final year of their contracts. The 23-24 campaign could be Toronto's last shot with this same core, so it might make sense to trade this pick for an established player who would have an immediate impact. I personally expect the Leafs to have a quieter draft, saving energy for free agency. They'll have to make tough decisions on a long list of their unrestricted free agents, including Ryan O'Reilly, Alex Kerfoot and Michael Bunting.

Washington Capitals – A Way to Matvei

There's been a lot of chatter surrounding Matvei Michkov, one of the top players of this year's draft. Although Michkov may be a top-3 talent, reports indicate he's likely to fall during the draft as he won't be able to play in North America for the next few years. Some see Washington as a good fit for the young Russian, as he could be mentored by Russian Great and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. One would have to be optimistic to think Michkov will be available when the Caps make their 8^th overall selection, so perhaps they try to move up a few picks? Could a roster player be sent packing during such a maneuver?