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Poll: Who Will Be The First Top RFA To Sign?

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It’s the question on everyone’s mind. When will these restricted free agents sign? The workday on the second last Friday of August has almost come to an end and there is still a huge list of unsigned stars with no real progress being made. Whether they are all waiting on Mitch Marner or Brayden Point to set the market or not, we’re starting to get closer and closer to the start of training camp and real contract holdouts beginning. We’ve already heard one player has contacted a European squad to give them a place to train, and there will undoubtedly be more.

So who breaks the dam? When Colin White signed earlier this week there was hope that things were finally progressing, but instead there has been deafening silence around the league. Even with small tidbits of information coming out from situations surrounding Zach Werenski and Brock Boeser, there still doesn’t seem to be any movement. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney explained today that things with Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy are going “not as fast as everybody would like” but that he’s confident they will be with the organization for a long time.

It’s not even just the top players that are still out there without a contract. Names like Kevin Fiala, Brendan Perlini and Adrian Kempe are still without deals for one reason or another and may still be waiting on the high-profile players to be finished first. That’s a tough place for any young player to be in, especially when you’re not quite as established as someone like Point or Marner. Missing training camp would be a huge detriment to their careers, meaning they’re likely watching the news wire just as closely.

When will things change? Who will finally decide that the waiting game is taking too long? Cast your vote below and make sure to explain why in the comments. We’ve included the top names, but feel free to explain why another player may be the one to kick things off.

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Minor Transactions: 08/23/19

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As the RFA market shows slight signs of movement, other teams are still working to fill out their organizational depth charts. We’ll keep track of all the minor moves around the world of hockey and fill you in right here. Keep checking back as this page will be updated throughout the day:

  • Three defensemen have jumped right from their NHL entry-level deals down to ECHL contracts today. All three are returning to the teams they spent the majority or entirety of last season with. The first, Chris Martenet, was a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2015. Martenet is a hulking 6’7″ defenseman whose skills and skating never quite caught up to his stature. He has opted to stay with the Brampton Beast on a one-year deal, the team announced. Next, the Orlando Solar Bears are happy to have Cody Donaghey back for another year, after the blue liner recorded 43 points in 64 games last season. Although Donaghey, a prospect of the Ottawa Senators and then San Jose Sharks, has just one AHL game to his credit, he has proven to be an adept puck-mover in the ECHL. Finally, Michael Downing will return to the Florida Everblades on a one-year deal, the team announced. Downing, who was in fact an effective AHL regular early in his career, still failed to live up to his fourth-round selection back in 2013 by the Florida Panthers, as well as a his standout collegiate career with the University of Michigan. Nevertheless, he stands the best chance of the trio of fighting his way back to the AHL level.
  • After spending more than half the 2018-19 season in the AHL, Craig Wyszomirski has signed with the ECHL’s Indy Fuel. The 26-year old defenseman recorded seven points in 34 games split between the Utica Comets and Ontario Reign, while playing the rest of the season with the Manchester Monarchs at the ECHL level. The former Merrimack College stalwart will have to try again to prove he is good enough to play in the higher minors.
  • Josh Winquist is trying to prove the same thing after playing just five games last season due to injury. Once a solid offensive contributor at the AHL level, the 25-year old has signed on with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL to resurrect his career. The last time he played a full season in the ECHL he put up 53 points in 55 games for the Orlando Solar Bears.
  • After four years at Bowling Green State University, Stephen Baylis is trying to catch on with the Los Angeles Kings organization and will participate in their rookie tournament. Baylis ended his college career as captain of the Falcons, scoring 22 points in 37 games last season. The 25-year old was undrafted out of the CCHL.

Bill Guerin Planning To Meet Kirill Kaprizov

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Bill Guerin has plenty on his plate after taking over as general manager of the Minnesota Wild just a few weeks from training camp, but Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that one of the first things he did was call the agent for prospect Kirill Kaprizov to set up a meeting in Russia. Kaprizov was drafted by the Wild back in 2015 but has had an extremely complicated relationship with the organization since and has continued to play in the KHL. Former Wild GM Paul Fenton set up a similar visit in 2018 when he took over from Chuck Fletcher.

Kaprizov, 22, is considered one of the best offensive players currently outside of the NHL. The undersized forward scored 30 goals and 51 points last season for CSKA Moscow, his third consecutive season with at least 40 points. While there’s no guarantee that he would find success in North America, he has long been one of the most intriguing prospects in the game and one that Guerin and the Wild would love to get their hands on.

After all the meetings, negotiations and confusion, perhaps there is a resolution in sight between Kaprizov and the Wild. His contract with CSKA expires in April of 2020 and he has expressed an interest in coming over—though it hasn’t been an enthusiastic guarantee to be sure. Guerin will now be the third Wild GM to try and convince Kaprizov that he belongs in the NHL. The Wild will retain his exclusive draft rights indefinitely.

Morning Notes: Seattle, Matthews, Tkachuk

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The Seattle expansion franchise have announced few new employees including GM Ron Francis, but fans across the hockey world are waiting for another kind of announcement–the team’s name. That might be coming sooner than you think, as CEO Tod Leiweke explained on a Facebook Live broadcast yesterday (via NHL.com):

We’re working on it every day. I think it’ll be the first quarter of next year, perhaps around the All-Star Game (Jan. 24-26 in St. Louis) when there’s a reveal.

I had names a year ago that if pressed into launching in 2020, we would have been ready. But we’re so much better positioned because we’re now learning not just what we are, but what we’re not, and that’s really going to inform the name.

The team’s nickname has been a constant question from readers here at PHR, with suggestions like Kraken, Metropolitans and Sockeyes all thrown around. We’ll have to wait just a little longer to find out who will be hitting the ice in 2021 alongside the league’s other 31 teams.

  • Auston Matthews is ready to take over as captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs if the team decides to offer it to him, but he’s happy if someone else is the choice. The Maple Leafs center spoke with Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) while practicing at home in Arizona and noted that there are several excellent options to be the next Toronto captain. The team has operated without one since trading away Dion Phaneuf in 2016, but now that their young core has a little more experience in the NHL it may be time to sew on the “C.” Among other things, Matthews also explains that his biggest goal for this season is staying healthy and playing in all 82 games, something he has failed to do the last two years.
  • Speaking with TSN at the Hockey Night In Brampton event this week, Calgary Flames forward Sean Monahan gave his thoughts on the ongoing Matthew Tkachuk negotiations. Monahan says he’s “not too concerned” about the fact that Tkachuk is unsigned and believes that the young forward won’t want to miss any of training camp. The 21-year old Tkachuk exploded offensively last season, racking up 77 points in 80 games while still being the irritating physical presence he has become known for.

Evgeny Kuznetsov Receives IIHF Suspension

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Washington Capitals forward has received a four-year suspension from the IIHF, banning him from all international hockey competitions due to a positive test for cocaine at the recent World Championships. Earlier this summer, a separate video was circulated which showed Kuznetsov in a hotel room beside an unidentified white powdered substance, but after denying he ever took illegal drugs and stating that the video was from 2018, he was cleared by the NHL. In light of this news, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has released this statement:

We have been fully briefed by the IIHF with respect to the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Washington Capitals’ Player Evgeny Kuznetsov.

Unlike the IIHF, cocaine is not considered a performance enhancing drug and is therefore not a Prohibited Substance under the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program.  Instead, it is considered a drug of abuse that is tested for and for which intervention, evaluation and mandatory treatment can occur in appropriate cases.

Here, we understand that Mr. Kuznetsov has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL and NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program.

Mr. Kuznetsov has also agreed to an in-person meeting with Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss his situation and review his conduct prior to the start of Training Camp preceding the 2019-20 season. We intend to reserve further comment on any additional actions that may or may not be taken with respect to today’s announcement (disciplinary or otherwise) pending the completion of the Commissioner’s meeting with Mr. Kuznetsov.

Kuznetsov has not been suspended by the NHL and as of this moment is currently still able to take part in training camp next month. The team released a statement on this issue:

We are aware of the positive test result and related international sanction that has been imposed on Evgeny Kuznetsov. We are disappointed with this development and take this occurrence seriously. We understand that Evgeny has voluntarily sought help through the education and counseling program provided for in the NHL/NHLPA collective bargaining agreement and has agreed to a regular testing protocol relating to his involvement with that program. In addition, we are committed to ensuring he has the necessary support required to work through this situation. We will remain in contact with the NHL as they determine the next steps. Because of the sensitive nature surrounding this matter, there will be no further comment from us at this time.

Kuznetsov himself also released a statement through the team, explaining that he will accept the four-year suspension.

Recently, the IIHF notified me that, due to a positive test for a banned substance, I would be suspended from international competition for four years. I have made the decision to accept this penalty. Representing my country has always been so close to my heart and something I take so much pride in. Not being able to put that sweater on for four years is very hard to take. I have disappointed so many people that are important to me, including my family, teammates and friends. From the first day I took the ice in D.C., the Washington Capitals organization and our fans have been nothing but great to me and my family. I feel absolutely terrible for letting you down. I realize that the only way I can win you back is to take ownership of my situation and my actions from this point forward.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New Jersey Devils

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

New Jersey Devils

Current Cap Hit: $72,788,333 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Mackenzie Blackwood (one year, $698K)
F Jesper Bratt (one year, $749K)
F Nico Hischier (one year, $925K)
F Jack Hughes (three years, $925K)

Potential Bonuses:

Blackwood: $132.5K
Hischier: $2.85MM
Hughes: $2.85MM

Hischier has yet to emerge as a legitimate top line star but there is certainly cause for optimism that he will take a step forward this season.  He may not be able to get to the top of the RFA class a season from now but a long-term pact would undoubtedly make him one of the highest-paid players on the team.  It’s too early to project what a second contract for Hughes would look like but he’s expected to become a star in short order so his next deal will likely be quite an expensive one.  Bratt very quietly nearly duplicated his rookie season production despite playing in 21 fewer games.  A long-term deal isn’t likely given who else they need to sign to big-ticket contracts but a decent season from him could have a bridge pact in the $2.5MM or more range.

Blackwood didn’t have a great year in the minors but more than held his own in his first action at the NHL level.  He’ll push for more minutes than a typical backup may get but he’s a good candidate for a bridge contract next summer.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Andy Greene ($5MM, UFA)
F Taylor Hall ($6MM, UFA)
F John Hayden ($750K, RFA)
D Mirco Mueller ($1.4MM, RFA)
F Kevin Rooney ($700K, UFA)
F Wayne Simmonds ($5MM, UFA)
D Sami Vatanen ($4.875MM, UFA)

With all due respect to Hischier, Hall is far and away GM Ray Shero’s top priority when it comes to players on expiring contracts.  Last season didn’t go as well as his Hart Trophy campaign but he still averaged over a point per game in an injury-riddled campaign.  He is their franchise player and it’s no coincidence that the team has been aggressive this summer in an effort to try to help entice him to stay.  No matter what, it will take a lot more than that alone to get him to sign on the dotted line.  Artemi Panarin set a new benchmark for wingers earlier this summer when he signed for over $11.6MM per season and Hall could certainly command a similar price tag.  The good news for the Devils is that not a lot of teams will be able to afford that and they’ll be one of the teams that can.

Simmonds signed what would appear to be an inflated contract based on his performance last season but the one-year term makes it a worthwhile gamble for both sides.  If he rebounds, he’ll position himself better for a multi-year deal a year from now and the Devils will get a good return on their investment.  If not, it’s an expiring contract whose money can be directed towards Hall and Hischier.  Hayden was brought in from Chicago this summer with the hope that he can push for a fourth line role which is similar to Rooney’s situation.  Neither will likely land much bigger deals a year from now.

Vatanen hasn’t really been able to ascend to a top role like they were hoping when they got him but he’s still a strong presence in their top four.  His production has also dipped in recent years which won’t help his value; instead of being a player that could plausibly eclipse the $6MM mark, he’s probably going to check in a little lower than barring a big uptick in points.  Greene has been a fixture with New Jersey for more than a decade but he’s clearly on the back nine of his career.  Assuming he hovers around the 20-minute mark once again, he could still command a two-year deal (despite being in a 35-plus situation) but it will have to come with some sort of small pay cut.  Mueller took some strides towards establishing himself as a regular last season but will still be in a battle for playing time.  How he fares will determine if a small raise is on the horizon or a non-tender because of his salary arbitration eligibility.

Two Years Remaining

D Connor Carrick ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Blake Coleman ($1.8MM, UFA)
F Nikita Gusev ($4.5MM, UFA)
F Kyle Palmieri ($4.65MM, UFA)
F Travis Zajac ($5.75MM, UFA)

Palmieri doesn’t get a lot of attention but with four straight seasons of at least 24 goals, that will change when he hits the open market at 30. While teams are more hesitant to spend big on players that age, he should still easily be able to hit the $6MM mark or more depending on the term.  Zajac saw his production jump back into the mid-40’s after an off year in 2017-18 but overall, he’s a better fit on the third line than somewhere in the top six which makes this deal on the pricey side.  Gusev is going to be an interesting one to follow.  He was a terrific player in the KHL but this will be his first NHL action.  As a result, this could wind up being a bargain, a disaster, or pretty much anything in between.  Coleman has already made his three-year bridge deal a team-friendly one after a career-best 22 goals.  He’s also a very physical player and power forwards with a scoring touch tend to get big contracts so he could be looking at a good raise two years from now.  Something similar to what Micheal Ferland got (four years at $3.5MM per year) is plausible.

Carrick got the opportunity to play big minutes down the stretch after being acquired and made the most of it.  It’s likely he’ll have a lesser role this season but even if he can hold down a spot on the third pairing, they should get a reasonable return on this deal.

Three Years Remaining

D Will Butcher ($3.733MM, UFA)
G Cory Schneider ($6MM, UFA)
D P.K. Subban ($9MM, UFA)
F Miles Wood ($2.75MM, RFA)

Wood’s production dipped a bit last season despite a small uptick in ice time.  At 23, it’s not a significant concern at this point but given the extra depth the team now has, his deal could become a bit expensive if he doesn’t get back to his 2017-18 level.

Subban was brought in as a salary cap dump from Nashville but he instantly becomes New Jersey’s top defender.  He’s probably not a true number one option but he’s the closest they’ve had in a while.  His price tag is on the expensive side (it was the richest deal for a blueliner until this coming season) but it’s a justifiable price to pay to give their back end a boost.  Butcher’s production dropped from 41 to 30 points last season and in the process, he may have cost himself a shot at a long-term deal.  Instead, the two sides went with a short-term pact.  If Butcher can establish himself as a consistent offensive threat, this could be a bargain for the Devils while paving the way for a much bigger payday three years from now.

Schneider is coming off a rocky season.  Thanks to struggles and hip issues, he went a year without a win and his contract was looking like a huge anchor.  However, he showed signs of improvements down the stretch and fared well at the World Championships which should give him another chance to be the starter next season.  His deal isn’t the bargain it was when he was among the top goalies in the league not long ago but they can still get some value from it now.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Damon Severson ($4.167MM through 2022-23)

This deal raised some eyebrows when it was signed a couple of years ago but Severson’s performance last year makes it look like a team-friendly pact now.  He had a career season offensively with 39 points while logging over 22 minutes a night.  That type of production is worth a lot more on the open market than what he’s getting.

Buyouts

F Mike Cammalleri ($1.667MM through 2020-21)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Salary Cap Recapture

F Ilya Kovalchuk ($250K through 2024-25)

Still To Sign

F Pavel Zacha

Zacha continues to be somewhat of an enigma.  The production has been there in spurts but without much consistency.  That makes him a prime candidate for a one-year deal this summer, especially since he’ll have arbitration eligibility next offseason.  At this stage, he probably won’t get too much more than his qualifying offer which was just over $874K.

Best Value: Hall
Worst Value: Zajac

Looking Ahead

Even with their offseason spending, the Devils have plenty of salary cap flexibility for the upcoming season.  They may not be able to say that for 2020-21, however.  Hischier’s next deal will be a big increase on his current cap hit while Hall, if they can re-sign him, will command a big raise.

Looking at the big picture, Shero has the team well-positioned with a lack of long-term commitments that should allow them to lock up their core youngsters without much concern and still leave some wiggle room.  That’s a pretty good spot to be in as long as they can put that flexibility to good use, something they were able to do this summer but didn’t accomplish in the previous few offseasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Snapshots: Rangers, Boeser, Koivu

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The Rangers appear to be sticking to their guns when it comes to their remaining restricted free agents in winger Brendan Lemieux and defenseman Anthony DeAngelo.  Larry Brooks of the New York Post reports that the team has no apparent inclination to move off the qualifying offers that they tendered back in June which were worth just over $874K each.  Neither player had salary arbitration rights which limited their options while they don’t have a multi-year track record to really command a bigger deal either.  New York is also tight to the salary cap which is playing a factor as well.  The duo could try to solicit an offer sheet where the compensation thresholds would be low but beyond that, it appears the waiting game for these two will continue.

Elsewhere around the league:

  • While the contract Canucks RFA winger Brock Boeser is seeking is believed to be similar to that of San Jose winger Timo Meier, don’t expect it to have a similar structure. Postmedia’s Ben Kuzma notes that the asking price remains four years at a $7MM AAV (Meier came in at four years at $6MM per), but GM Jim Benning isn’t a fan of the back-loaded structure that creates a highly-inflated qualifying offer at its expiration.  A four-year deal would carry some risk in that it would take him a year away from UFA eligibility but at the same time, it would carry a lower AAV which would be helpful given their salary cap situation.
  • Wild center Mikko Koivu expects to be ready for training camp after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus and ACL last season, reports Jessi Pierce of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, it’s likely that he will be limited during the preseason as a precaution. The 36-year-old is entering the final year of his contract which carries a $5.5MM cap hit and with his output dipping in recent years, it will be interesting to see if the 14-year veteran will get a chance to stay with the only NHL team he has ever known or if new GM Bill Guerin will opt to move on.

Remaining Unsigned Restricted Free Agents

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Originally published on August 9th

The NHL is extremely quiet today with just one transaction, the one-year two-way contract for Hunter Warner. That’s the way it has been on the restricted free agent market for some time, with very few non-arbitration deals coming down the pipe. In fact with just over a month before training camps open, 46 restricted free agents remain unsigned for the upcoming season. Among them are some of the most impressive young talents in the game and several others who are still promising prospects. Still more of the players are those who will play overseas in 2019-20 and were qualified in order for a team to retain their exclusive negotiating rights.

The full list of unsigned restricted free agents is as follows:

Anaheim Ducks:

(none)

Arizona Coyotes:

F Emil Pettersson – Will not sign, playing in SHL

Boston Bruins:

F Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson* – Will not sign, playing in SHL
D Charlie McAvoy*
D Brandon Carlo

Buffalo Sabres:

(none)

Calgary Flames:

F Matthew Tkachuk
F Andrew Mangiapane
F Spencer Foo – Will not sign, playing in KHL

Carolina Hurricanes:

F Saku Maenalanen
F Roland McKeown

Chicago Blackhawks:

F Brendan Perlini
F Victor Ejdsell – Will not sign, playing in SHL

Colorado Avalanche:

F Mikko Rantanen
D Sergei Boikov – Will not sign, playing in KHL

Columbus Blue Jackets:

F Lukas Sedlak – Will not sign, playing in KHL
D Zach Werenski

Dallas Stars:

D Julius Honka
D Niklas Hansson – Will not sign, playing in SHL

Detroit Red Wings:

G Patrik Rybar – Will not sign, playing in Liiga

Edmonton Oilers:

F Jesse Puljujarvi

Florida Pantherss:

F Maxim Mamin – Will not sign, playing in KHL
F Juho Lammikko – Will not sign, playing in Liiga
F Denis Malgin

Los Angeles Kings:

F Adrian Kempe

Minnesota Wild:

F Kevin Fiala
F Joel Eriksson Ek – Signed for two years, $2.975MM
D Louie Belpedio

Montreal Canadiens:

(none)

Nashville Predators:

(none)

New Jersey Devils:

F Pavel Zacha

New York Islanders:

F Anthony Beauvillier
F Joshua Ho-Sang – Signed for two years, $1.4MM
F Michael Dal Colle – Signed for one year, two-way, $874K

New York Rangers:

F Brendan Lemieux
D Anthony DeAngelo

Ottawa Senators:

F Colin White* – Signed for six years, $28.5MM

Philadelphia Flyers:

F Travis Konecny
D Ivan Provorov

Pittsburgh Penguins:

D Marcus Pettersson

San Jose Sharks:

(none)

St. Louis Blues:

F Ivan Barbashev

Tampa Bay Lightning:

F Brayden Point
F Adam Erne – Traded to DET, signed for one year, $1.05MM

Toronto Maple Leafs:

F Mitch Marner

Vancouver Canucks:

F Brock Boeser*
F Nikolay Goldobin

Vegas Golden Knights:

D Jimmy Schuldt*

Washington Capitals:

(none)

Winnipeg Jets:

F Kyle Connor
F Patrik Laine
G Eric Comrie

*Not eligible for offer sheet

2007 NHL Draft Take Two: Ninth Overall Pick

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Hindsight is an amazing thing, and allows us to look back and wonder “what could have been.” Though perfection is attempted, scouting and draft selection is far from an exact science and sometimes, it doesn’t work out the way teams – or players – intended.  For every Patrick Kane, there is a Patrik Stefan.

We’re looking back at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and asking how it would shake out knowing what we do now.  Will the first round remain the same, or will some late-round picks jump up to the top of the board?

Here are the results of the redraft so far, with their original draft position in parentheses:

1st Overall: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (1)
2nd Overall: Jamie Benn, Philadelphia Flyers (129)
3rd Overall: P.K. Subban, Phoenix Coyotes (43)
4th Overall: Logan Couture, Los Angeles Kings (9)
5th Overall: Max Pacioretty, Washington Capitals (22)
6th Overall: Jakub Voracek, Edmonton Oilers (7)
7th Overall: Ryan McDonagh, Columbus Blue Jackets (12)
8th Overall: James van Riemsdyk, Boston Bruins (2)

The first player on our list that ended up below where he originally went is van Riemsdyk, who drops six spots but remains in the top-10. The big winger from New Jersey would have fit in perfectly alongside some of the other impressive young forwards in Boston and certainly would have been an upgrade over Zach Hamill. Alas, he was already gone when the actual draft happened and the Bruins didn’t have a chance to put van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel together—a duo that would find themselves skating together in Toronto years later.

While Hamill played just 20 NHL games and never recorded a single goal, van Riemsdyk has made a living off of putting the puck in the net. The 30-year old winger has scored 228 goals in his 675-game career, putting him sixth among all players drafted in 2007. Interestingly his 441 points put him ninth however, behind several names that we’ve yet to see in our redraft series.

Still, it’s easy to see why our voters believe he’s the right choice here. After scoring a career-high 36 goals in 2017-18, van Riemsdyk ended up back in Philadelphia where he registered another solid season. With 27 goals and 48 points in just 66 games he showed he could still be an effective top-six option and deserving of the $35MM contract he signed in 2018.

After Boston whiffed on their pick, the San Jose Sharks were on the clock. Not only would they pick one of the best players from the draft with their first selection, but San Jose would have one of the best drafts in the entire league. Logan Couture was the ninth selection of the first round, five spots after he went in our redraft. The OHL center was actually considered something of a reach by the Sharks given he was ranked #19 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The team actually traded up to secure Couture, sending the St. Louis Blues an extra second-round selection to swap picks in the first (the Sharks had already added an extra first by trading Vesa Toskala and Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple Leafs).

After going back to the Ottawa 67’s for two seasons there were actually some who doubted whether Couture would really be a top offensive player at the professional level. After all he never really did have a dominant OHL season, trailing John Tavares in the scoring race by 14 points in 2008-09 despite being two years older. He never even got the chance to suit up for Team Canada at the U20 World Juniors.

Maybe junior hockey just wasn’t made for Couture though, as it didn’t take long for him to show the world what he was all about when he reached the professional ranks. In his first full season he recorded 53 points in 42 games for the AHL’s Worcester Sharks and made his presence known in the playoffs for San Jose with four goals in 15 games. The following year he recorded his first 30+ goal season and finished second in Calder Trophy voting to Jeff Skinner. He never looked back. Though Couture’s 240 career regular season goals are impressive, it’s his postseason performances that have made him into such a superstar in the league. With 48 goals and 101 points in 116 playoff game he has put himself among the elite in terms of “clutch” players in the NHL. Add in that he’s capable at both center and the wing and can play the powerplay and penalty kill and there isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t pay up to get Couture on their roster.

Unfortunately in our redraft, the Sharks will never get a chance to pick him. The talent is getting thinner but there are still several names worth considering.

With the ninth pick of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, who should the San Jose Sharks select? Cast your vote below!

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