In the NHL few fans, managers, owners and even media like to say the dreaded “R” word: rebuilding. It is a sign that their team has struggled, the level of talent decreasing as the team slides further down the standings. The reason could be many; core players aging, a limited budget, poor development of young talent or even outright incompetence. Whatever the reason there comes a time where a team just needs to start fresh, revamp the roster and make another go of it.

Rebuilds are dreaded for a reason. They take time and patience, and in that process, there are many games lost. People hold on the hope the players will get better, relying on young talent to step up and make a difference. It can be painful, sometimes very painful to watch and endure. The good thing is that the teams can get a high pick and obtain a top end talent through the draft. The news is even better when you consider that in recent years many of the top five picks in the first round have been able to step into the NHL immediately and make an impact for their team. The talent is getting better and is more NHL ready.

Below are five NHL teams that, due to varying reasons, need to start their rebuilding processes.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have been viewed as overachievers since the lockout, and that includes when they won the cup (as Rodney Dangerfield always said “no respect”).  After reaching the conference finals last year they have been consistently one of the worst teams in the league this season, dwelling in or near the cellar. This has prompted their GM Jim Rutherford to openly state the team will feature 50% new personnel when the opening roster is finalized.

The central group that led the Canes to their first cup has largely remained with the team, but now that many are aging and their skills fading the team cannot get the same kind of production out of them they once did. They are expected to be the biggest sellers at the deadline, getting what they can for any pending UFA. Look for them to seek out younger free agents next year to compliment their core players of Eric Staal and Cam Ward.

Dallas Stars

The Stars have much the same core of players dating back to the start of the decade. At the time Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen and Marty Turco helped make the Stars an elite team in the league. Now with most of them in their mid thirties or later they cannot play at the level that once made them a top team in the league.

                Former Star and now GM Joe Nieuwendyk will have a busy summer and likely busy trade deadline as he decides how he wants to proceed. There is no doubt the Stars need an infusion of young blood even though they have a fair share of younger talent. As much as the players above have given them good years, they need to move on from the past and look to the future. How Nieuwendyk will spend the approximate twelve million left by free agents Modano, Lehtinen and Turco will be a big factor in the team’s success for years to come. They already have some good young talent, but they need to rely less on aging veterans.

Edmonton Oilers

After their cup run following the lockout, former GM Kevin Lowe kept the majority of the roster intact, overpaying some in order to do so. Since then the team has been plagued by injuries and paying high prices for players that are not giving their money’s worth. Already Sheldon Souray has been put on the trading block, while this past offseason the Oilers tried but failed to acquire Dany Heatley from the Ottawa Senators.

                In other words, the team knows they need to make changes, especially dwelling in the cellar. Look for them to be active at the deadline and offseason as they begin an overhaul.

New York Rangers

                The Rangers keep hanging in there and find their way into the playoffs, but they never have enough to go far. If it were not for one Henrik Lundqvist, they likely would not even make it. The problem is the same as it has been for years in GM Glenn Sather, who continues to throw big money at players. While the Marion Gaborik deal is working out well (who would have actually thought he would stay healthy?), they still have three players in Wade Redden, Michal Roszival and Chris Drury making far more than they are worth. These albatrosses keep the team from adding the depth they need to succeed.

                Only if the Rangers finally replace Sather and dump one of the above-mentioned contracts will they finally be able to obtain the depth they need to make them true contenders.  

Toronto Maple Leafs

                The past summer saw the Leafs engage in a major overhaul to make the team competitive under new GM Brian Burke. It failed pretty badly, the Leafs taking over a month to win their first game and unable to be consistent the entire year. A big problem was that Burke did not make the team balanced enough.

                There is very little puck moving ability from the blue line, and the forwards are not providing the offense they need to win games. Goaltending has also been an issue, Vesa Toskala having a poor season while Jonas Gustavsson has had health problems, making it difficult to ascertain if he can be the Leafs goalie of the future. Look for Burke to sell off any pending free agents so he can continue to retool the team for the coming offseason.

                Furthering their plight is that their first round pick, which seems destined to be top five, is no longer their property. They dealt it along with their second round pick and the 2011 first round pick in order to obtain Phill Kessel from the Bruins. While Kessel is an impact player, the picks they surrendered may end up costing them more talent than they gained.

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