After a week of planning for the distant future of the team with the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, the free agency period looms on July 1.
Marc Bergevin has gone on record stating that he wants to acquire another defenceman, even after he plucked David Schlemko off the Vegas Golden Knights roster for a fifth-round pick. While it’s unlikely he’ll find his white whale in free agency, he can bolster his second pairing with several available options.
One of those options is former Red Wings and Rangers defenceman Brendan Smith, who is finishing up a two-year contract.