ESPN data: Blackhawks, Predators added most value in offseason

After the initial wave of free agency, many felt the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators were arguably the two most improved teams in the NHL.

Now, there’s statistical information to back up that assertion.

According to ESPN’s Neil Paine, in terms of added and subtracted goals above replacement, which measures a player’s total individual contribution to his team, the Blackhawks were the No. 1 team in terms of added value heading into next season with the Predators right behind them.

Chicago improved its offense with the additions of forwards Teuvo Teravainen (12.3 GAR), Tyler Bertuzzi (7.2 GAR), Ilya Mikheyev (3.6 GAR) and Craig Smith (3.3 GAR) plus defensemen T.J. Brodie (5.4 GAR) and Alec Martinez (3.2 GAR).

Parting ways with the likes of Taylor Raddysh, MacKenzie Entwistle and Reese Johnson also helped the club by cutting bait with some of its most underperforming players.

Per Paine, the Blackhawks improved by 56.5 goals above replacement (plus 30.6 on offense, plus 15.5 on defense and plus 10.4 in goal.)

“No team needed more help on offense last season than Chicago, which finished last in scoring at a sub-replacement level of 2.17 goals per game,” Paine wrote. “The Blackhawks picked up [two] 20-plus goal scorers … and they also simply gained by subtraction, with a number of their most unproductive forwards from a year ago going elsewhere. … The Blackhawks should be among the most improved teams in the NHL next season.”

The Predators made the biggest splash on Day 1 of free agency, signing three of the top five available free agents in 40-goal forwards Steven Stamkos (16.2 GAR) and Jonathan Marchessault (14.7 GAR) plus top-pairing defenseman Brady Skjei (16 GAR.)

According to Paine, Nashville improved by 33.9 goals above replacement (plus 27.9 on offense, plus 2.8 on defense and plus 3.2 in goal.)

“The Preds needed more depth, and they got that in the form of Stamkos, Skjei and Marchessault,” Paine wrote. “The additions are a bit of a risk; a team that already ranked fifth oldest a year ago just built its offseason around three guys who'll be on the wrong side of 30 next season. But if they continue to hold up, Nashville will be a much scarier team to deal with.”

The Washington Capitals (plus-31.5 net GAR added), San Jose Sharks (plus-26.1 net GAR added) and Toronto Maple Leafs (plus-24.3 net GAR added) round out Paine’s top five most improved teams.