It's the beginning of August, and hockey may not be the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning. But both NHL and EASHL teams are preparing for next season by signing free agents and trading players.
During the offseason, teams try to maintain a winning lineup or build one that can win in the future. In the NHL, the process can be a long one. It takes time to build the perfect lineup by drafting promising young players and mixing them with older, more established players.
For EASHL teams, the schedule is tighter. Since there are monthly seasons, you have to be on top of your game from the very beginning if you want to make the playoffs at the end of the "regular" season.
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