Best Of The Rest: Defense
We’ve already seen over half a billion dollars given out to free agents since July 1st, and many of the top names are off the board. 34 of our Top 50 Free Agents have already signed with teams, many of them to long-term deals. With the summer months still looming ahead of us, we’ll take a look at who is left on the market. Here are the best of the rest for defensemen on the open market:
(number in parentheses indicates ranking on PHR’s Top 50)
- Kris Russell (12) – There were many reports of Russell allegedly turning down a $17MM offer from the Maple Leafs this weekend, but agent Allain Roy made it clear that they were false. While he’s clearly been affected by the analytical approach many teams are employing, he’ll still likely get a large contract as teams miss out on other blueline opportunities.
- Luke Schenn (30) – How far has Schenn fallen, from being a top-5 pick in the draft, to being traded straight up for James van Riemsdyk. Now it’s hard to see him demand much more than $3MM a season to fill a bottom pair role. His age does help him however, as at just 26 he’s one of the youngest available free agent defenseman.
- Kyle Quincey (44) – Quincey was once an integral part of the Red Wings’ blueline, but after seasons plagued with injury and ineffectiveness he’s now looking to rebuild value on a one-year deal. Quincey is a pretty good bet as a bounce-back candidate on a bottom pair, and will probably be on the market again in 2017.
- Justin Schultz (NR) – Schultz wasn’t given a qualifying offer from the Penguins last month, and became an unrestricted free agent for the second time before his 26th birthday (which happens to be today). The former University of Wisconsin Badger signed with Edmonton after college but still hasn’t found his footing in the NHL. Still with huge upside, teams may look at him similarly to Michael Del Zotto from a few years ago.
- James Wisniewski (NR) – After a knee injury destroyed his entire 2015-16 season, Wisniewski was bought out by the Hurricanes last week. While he’s now 32-years old, the “Wiz” was once heralded as a borderline top pairing defenseman, and might still have some relevant hockey left in him. As the prices steadily increase for right-handed shots, Wisniewski might be a reasonable option for a team on a budget.
NHL Players Not Electing Salary Arbitration
24 players elected salary arbitration today, which means that 48 players eligible for salary arbitration elected not to go that route. While those remaining players might still be brought to arbitration by their team via club-elected salary arbitration, teams only have until tomorrow at 5pm to do so.
Most of the 48 players refraining from player-elected salary arbitration are AHL-dwellers, but a few have NHL experience. The following is a list of players with at least 10 NHL game experience who did not elect salary arbitration.
Fredrick Claesson – OTT
Nick Cousins – PHI
Stefan Elliot – NSH
Dennis Everberg – COL
Marcus Foligno – BUF
Derek Forbort – LA
Freddie Hamilton – CGY
Joey Hishon – COL
Sergey Kalinin – NJ
Petr Mrazek – DET
Jamie Oleksiak – DAL
Dmitry Orlov – WSH
Teemu Pulkkinen – DET
Max Reinhart – CGY
Jiri Sekac – ARI
Brody Sutter – CAR
The most interesting player not electing arbitration is Detroit goalie Petr Mrazek. The Czech goaltender took over the number one role in Detroit over Jimmy Howard last season, starting 49 games and going 27-16-6 with a .921 SV% and a 2.33 GAA. Mrazek is expected to compete for the starting job next season, and represents a cheaper option for Detroit between the pipes than the veteran Jimmy Howard.
Confused about the arbitration process? See our guide on the arbitration basics.
Red Wings’ Pulkkinen Out 4-6 Months
Red Wings forward and restricted free agent Teemu Pulkkinen is out four to six months following shoulder surgery writes Navin Vaswani. MLive’s Ansar Khan tweeted that the surgery was in early June while Vaswani indicates that the winger will definitely not be ready for the season.
It’s an interesting wrinkle in that the Red Wings are trying to acquire a defenseman via a trade and Pulkkinen’s name has been one linked as possibly being moved. This could also hurt Pulkkinen as the Red Wings are overwhelmed with forwards after signing Frans Nielsen, Thomas Vanek, and Steve Ott. Not returning until possibly December could make Pulkkinen the odd man out, or all but guarantee a chance of him being packaged in a deal for a #1 or #2 defenseman. The injury only casts more doubt on where Pulkkinen fits in with Detroit.
Last season, Pulkkinen had 12 points (6-6) in 36 games, but ended up being a healthy scratch despite a booming slapshot and a dizzying scoring performance in the 2015 Calder Cup playoffs with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Pulkkinen had 14 goals in 16 playoff games, and while expected to have a better chance to compete with Jeff Blashill as the Wings bench boss, Pulkkinen never saw the ice time many thought he would.
Atlantic Notes: Bruins, Lightning, Maple Leafs, Red Wings
Though Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshynski was initially surprised by David Backes signing in Boston, further review made it understandable. Backes adds another physical, goal scoring center to a team that already includes David Krejci and Patrice Bergeron. Wyshynski does warn that Backes arrives with a lot of miles and although he’s only missed 16 games since 2008, his style of play makes the five-year deal somewhat risky near the end of the contract. Regardless, the Bruins beefed up down the middle and have a more favorable look against the best teams in the division–and conference.
Other notes from the Atlantic:
- Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman continues his mastery of signing the team’s high end talent and Tampa Times writer Joe Smith reports that Nikita Kucherov should be the next name for Yzerman to cross off his list. Smith writes that Yzerman is optimistic a deal will get done and predicts that Kucherov could expect Filip Forsberg numbers in the range of a six-year, $36MM deal. But if there’s anything to be seen with Yzerman, it’s that he’s become a master of negotiations. Between Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman taking what was considered significantly less money to stay in Tampa, it should be expected that Kucherov will possibly take less to stay with a team that Yzerman continues to build into an Eastern Conference force.
- The Maple Leafs were very quiet with the exception of signing Matt Martin to a four-year, $10MM deal Friday. TSN’s Kristen Shilton writes that Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello felt that Martin filled a need for the rebuilding organization. The move was also precipitated by bench boss Mike Babcock wanting more toughness on the roster. The Toronto Sun’s Lance Hornsby writes that while the team didn’t come out and say it, Martin’s role will be that of a bodyguard for #1 overall pick Auston Matthews, and other Leaf youngsters. Lamoriello did admit that the signing was one to make his younger players feel “freer” on the ice.
- While the Red Wings inked Frans Nielsen, Thomas Vanek and Steve Ott, their moves weren’t applauded by everyone. The Detroit News’ Gregg Krupa wonders if general manager Ken Holland’s magic touch is beginning to wear off, and writes that the Wings’ top man shouldn’t be finished with his offseason moves quite yet. Colleague Bob Wojnowski agrees, adding that the Wings are a team “scrambling to find their way” and along with Krupa, opines that that the fanbase is growing restless with Holland’s loyalty to players like Darren Helm, who notched a five-year, $19.5MM deal before free agency opened. Craig Hagerman goes even further, writing that the Wings were one of three teams that actually got worse following Friday’s free agent frenzy. While he lauds the Nielsen signing, he questions the re-signing of Helm (registering a 30 point season twice in his career), Ott (no goals last season), and Vanek (bought out for underachieving).
Detroit Red Wings Sign Steve Ott
After signing Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen, the Red Wings have dipped back into the free agent forward market and signed veteran Steve Ott, according to Craig Custance of ESPN. Pierre LeBrun adds that he’ll earn $800K on the one-year deal.
Formerly a highly sought after two-way forward, Ott is coming off an injury plagued season that saw him play just 21 games for the St. Louis Blues. Soon to turn 34, the long-time Dallas Star will try to provide some leadership and responsibility to the fourth line of the Red Wings.
After signing defensive liability Thomas Vanek earlier today, Ott should add some consistency in their own end and perhaps see some time on the Detroit penalty kill. At just $800K, he’ll try to rebuild his value for one more multi-year contract after 2016-17. If he can reclaim some of the offensive ability he showed when he scored 22 goals in 2009-10, he’ll again be a wanted man when summer rolls around.
Red Wings Sign Thomas Vanek To One-Year Deal
Per Darren Dreger, the Detroit Red Wings signed forward Thomas Vanek to a one-year, $2.6MM deal.
Vanek was recently bought out by the Minnesota Wild. The 32-year-old winger never lived up to his $6.5MM AAV deal in Minnesota and was expected to get a shorter, cheaper deal. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland needed scoring help, and Vanek could be a bargain if he returns to the form that paid him handsomely.
Last season, Vanek had 41 points (18-23) in 74 games and is still a threat in the offensive zone. While his defense has continued to decline, perhaps Red Wings’ coach Jeff Blashill can guard him enough to maximize his scoring ability while minimizing his defensive impact.
Expect some movement out of Detroit over the next few months, as after the signings of Vanek, Frans Nielsen and Steve Ott they now have 17 forwards expected to compete for for NHL playing time.
Frans Nielsen Signs With Detroit
According to Red Wings beat writer Ansar Khan of MLive.com, Detroit has signed free agent center Frans Nielsen to a six-year contract minutes after the free agent frenzy began. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the deal is worth $5.25MM per season.
Nielsen will likely take the place of Pavel Datsyuk in Detroit’s top six, who retired early this offseason and had his contract traded to Arizona at last week’s NHL Entry Draft. Last year, Nielsen played in 81 games with the Islanders, scoring 20 goals while adding 32 assists, averaging 17:43 per game in ice time.
Nielsen had spent his entire NHL career on Long Island, playing in parts of ten seasons with the team. He has a total of 606 games under his belt, scoring 119 goals and adding 230 assists.
Free Agent Profile: Loui Eriksson
Once Steven Stamkos was crossed off several teams’ wishlist, a name that continues to rise to the top is Loui Eriksson. The one time Dallas Star and current Boston Bruin is a 30-year-old winger who could provide a scoring punch for any team that signs him.
Eriksson is coming off a season where he had 63 points (30-33), his best season statistically since 2011-12 when he was in Dallas. Fairly or unfairly, Eriksson was seen as the lesser of the two in the deal for Tyler Seguin and his first couple seasons in Boston didn’t entirely quiet that notion. Though he had 47 points in 2014-15 (22-25), it was a far cry from the three 30+ goal seasons Seguin produced in Dallas. Regardless, Eriksson has been a 20+ goal scorer six out of his nine NHL seasons.
Potential Suitors
After Stamkos re-signed with Tampa Bay, Eriksson had a lot of teams–possibly up to eight–kicking the tires. Vancouver, Montreal, Nashville, and San Jose are thinking about a future with the 31-year-old forward. Boston should not be counted out from re-signing him, either. The Hockey News listed Eriksson as one of the better bets to pick up during the free agent period because of his size, skill, and scoring prowess. Teams looking for scoring, Detroit and Buffalo also come to mind, may be intrigued should the bidding not get completely out of hand.
Expected Contract
PHR listed Eriksson #10 out of the top 50 free agents and had him staying with the Bruins. The predicted contract was six years, $27.5MM. While the price tag might go up due to Eriksson being one of the better goal scorers available, expect a yearly deal somewhere between $4.5-$5.25MM.
Red Wings Re-Sign Darren Helm
The Red Wings have reportedly agreed on a five year, $19.25MM deal with C Darren Helm, reports NHL analyst Aaron Ward.
Helm has spent his entire nine year career with the Red Wings after being a 5th round pick (132nd overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Last season, he picked up 13 goals and 13 assists in 77 games while adding a goal in five postseason contests. The speedy forward was also a cornerstone of Detroit’s penalty kill.
For his career, Helm has played in 443 games, scoring 72 goals and adding 90 assists. We had him ranked 28th on our Top 50 UFA list, projecting a 3 year, $9.75MM contract.
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press was the first to report a deal was close earlier this morning.
Atlantic Notes: Red Wings, Lightning, Bruins
The Detroit Red Wings are apparently talking more with Darren Helm after many analysts figured his time in Detroit was up. This all changed after Steven Stamkos was locked up in an eight-year deal with the Lightning. Craig Custance tweets that both Helm and the Wings will talk until tomorrow when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. An afterthought after Drew Miller signed a one-year extension, Helm could fill a need at center now that Stamkos is off the market, though it will not be the type of production Stamkos would have generated. Helm, 29, has spent his entire career with the Red Wings.
Nick Cotsonika wonders where the Red Wings go from here after not even getting a chance to talk with Stamkos. Cotsonika reports that Stamkos would have been the first bona-fide superstar signing for Detroit in quite some time, and that a quarter-century of success has its drawbacks in terms of not drafting generational talent due to having lower draft picks. The Red Wings, Cotsonika writes, will have to be deft at not only acquiring the right free agent, but outbidding other teams without overpaying.
Other Central Division notes:
- Speaking of Stamkos, Kevin McGran writes how the 25-year-old never intended to leave Tampa in the first place. Though he had the chance to be a “hometown hero,” Stamkos opted to stay with the Lightning where the opportunity to win a Cup remains very strong. McGran reports that not only did Stamkos sign for a very cap friendly $8.5MM, he did so knowing it was about $3MM less than what he could have received on the open market.
- DJ Bean reports that the Bruins would have preferred to trade Dennis Seidenberg instead of buying out his contract. Bean writes that a source told him that general manager Don Sweeney never approached Seidenberg with a trade scenario. Seidenberg’s contract included a no trade clause until December. Bean surmises that this either meant no one was interested in taking Seidenberg’s contract or if willing to take it, they would have expected a return similar to the Blackhawks Bryan Bickell trade that included Teuvo Teravainen.