While there is plenty of trade talk in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline each year, there is also an uptick in pending free agents signing contract extensions. These are often done to ensure that the player won’t wind up being dealt as a rental while it also gives teams a better idea of what they have to spend beyond the season in case that plays a role in their deadline strategy.
Earlier this season, Kyle Turris was the first prominent unrestricted free agent to take himself off the open market when he signed a six-year, $36MM extension upon being dealt to Nashville. Odds are that someone else of note will do so in the next month leading up to the February 26th deadline.
Who will be the next potential free agent to put pen to paper on a new contract before deadline day? Make your predictions by voting in the poll below. Players are listed in the order that they appeared in our midseason UFA power rankings (1-10, 11-20, honorable mentions) from earlier this month.
Who will be the next pending UFA to sign an extension?
James Neal (Golden Knights)
32.12%
(229 votes)
John Tavares (Islanders)
17.39%
(124 votes)
Mikael Backlund (Flames)
8.56%
(61 votes)
Zdeno Chara (Bruins)
7.29%
(52 votes)
John Carlson (Capitals)
6.17%
(44 votes)
None of these will sign an extension
3.79%
(27 votes)
Patric Hornqvist (Penguins)
3.65%
(26 votes)
James van Riemsdyk (Maple Leafs)
3.51%
(25 votes)
Josh Bailey (Islanders)
3.51%
(25 votes)
Paul Stastny (Blues)
1.82%
(13 votes)
David Perron (Golden Knights)
1.68%
(12 votes)
Leo Komarov (Maple Leafs)
1.54%
(11 votes)
Daniel Sedin (Canucks)
1.12%
(8 votes)
Michael Grabner (Rangers)
1.12%
(8 votes)
Evander Kane (Sabres)
0.98%
(7 votes)
Calvin de Haan (Islanders)
0.70%
(5 votes)
Mike Green (Red Wings)
0.70%
(5 votes)
Henrik Sedin (Canucks)
0.70%
(5 votes)
Luca Sbisa (Golden Knights)
0.70%
(5 votes)
Joe Thornton (Sharks)
0.56%
(4 votes)
Patrick Maroon (Oilers)
0.56%
(4 votes)
Tyler Bozak (Maple Leafs)
0.42%
(3 votes)
Jack Johnson (Blue Jackets)
0.42%
(3 votes)
Ian Cole (Penguins)
0.42%
(3 votes)
Lars Eller (Capitals)
0.28%
(2 votes)
Thomas Vanek (Canucks)
0.14%
(1 votes)
Erik Gudbranson (Canucks)
0.14%
(1 votes)
Rick Nash (Rangers)
0.00%
(0 votes)
Total Votes: 713
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shouldn’t the Sedins just be grouped together.