With the Stanley Cup awarded and draft complete, all 32 NHL teams turn their attention to free agency beginning Wednesday. Each franchise faces unique challenges in building rosters capable of hoisting the trophy next June. From salary cap constraints to re-signing key players, front offices must make calculated moves to address roster holes and capitalize on their available resources.

The Boston Bruins ($7.72M cap space) need a top-six winger and right-shot defenseman after acquiring JJ Peterka. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres ($13.80M) emerged from draft week with significant flexibility following the Bowen Byram trade and Alex Tuch sign-and-trade, but still need to re-sign Peyton Krebs and address goaltending depth.

The Detroit Red Wings ($29.05M) have the most cap flexibility but face uncertainty around captain Dylan Larkin's potential exit. They must re-sign Simon Edvinsson long-term and find goaltending upgrades. The Florida Panthers ($5.87M) added Brady Tkachuk but now need to replace Sergei Bobrovsky in net.

The Montreal Canadiens ($10.98M) return to the conference finals and must re-sign several RFAs while potentially shedding Brendan Gallagher's contract. Each team's strategy reveals whether they're genuine contenders or rebuilding for future seasons.