Poll: How Many Top Unsigned Free Agents Will Play In NHL This Season?
Following a massive first day of free agency late last month, not to mention several more signings since, it may seem that there aren’t many big-name free agents left on the market. Yet, quietly there is still and abundance of quality players left unsigned. This includes ten of PHR’s Top 50 UFA’s i.e. 20% of the players that we believed were the best available. It also includes another 13 players who played in 40+ games out of 56 this past season. There’s also Bobby Ryan, who was on pace for 22 points in 53 games before season-ending injury, which would have made him the highest scoring player still unsigned, and Artem Anisimov, whose nine points in 19 games is the second-best per-game mark among remaining UFA’s. With a nice round number of 25 top players still unsigned, which still ignores plenty of other capable NHLers, how many of these can be expected to play in the NHL next season? Time is running out and so are roster spots. Late-offseason signings are not impossible and a fair number of PTO’s are expected in camp this year, but realistically how many of these players will be able to land an NHL deal?
The top available name may also be the hardest to predict because his market is just one team and he isn’t ready to play. Future Hall of Fame goaltender Tuukka Rask (No. 14) remains a free agent and at 34 and recovering from major surgery it is fair to be skeptical that he will ever play again. The career Bruin reportedly will only play in Boston and recent comments by some of his teammates suggest that they expect him to do so at some point this year. But with Linus Ullmark signing a substantial contract to play alongside rookie sensation Jeremy Swayman, do the Bruins need Rask, especially coming in cold mid-season?
While Rask stands out as the only high-end goalie left available, the same cannot be said for forwards. Kyle Palmieri (No. 16), Tyler Bozak (No. 35), Casey Cizikas (No. 36), Zach Parise (No. 37), Nikita Gusev (No. 41), Alex Chiasson (No. 47), and Eric Staal (No. 48), as well as the aforementioned Ryan and Anisimov are all unsigned. Several of these names – Palmieri, Cizikas, Parise – have been linked to the New York Islanders, but no deals have been announced. All three have seemingly done enough to earn new contracts, but are still waiting. Bozak, meanwhile, was arguably the best of the players still available last season, with the top points per game mark even in a season plagued by injury. Gusev is a unique talent that has the chance to excel in the right system, Chiasson is a hard-working, consistent contributor, and Staal is one of the most respected veterans in the game. Ryan and Anisimov each showed that they still have gas left in the tank. It is hard to envision any of these players not playing this season, unless it is their own decision. Yet, none have signed on yet.
On the blue line, top talent is more scarce. Only Sami Vatanen (No. 43) and Erik Gustafsson (No. 44) remain from the Top 50 list and while each brings considerable strengths, they also have major weaknesses. With that said, each has been a regular in the NHL and are perhaps even more valuable as a depth option. Will Vatanen and Gustafsson find the right spot once more this season?
Among the players who were regulars in 2020-21 even though they may not come to mind as top options is a mix of aging veterans, versatile depth players, and discarded youngsters. Legends Patrick Marleau and Zdeno Chara lead the way as players who should be able to find a home if they want to keep playing just purely based on their Hall of Fame pedigrees, but lack the impact they once had. Other veterans still searching for work include Derick Brassard, Travis Zajac, and Jason Demers. Capable bottom-six forwards like Riley Sheahan, Colton Sceviour, Mark Jankowski, and Tobias Rieder are still available, as it stay-at-home defender Erik Gudbranson. Finally, formerly promising prospects Ryan Donato, Jimmy Vesey, and Dominik Kahun are all still looking for another chance.
Each player brings their own case for why or why not they should be employed in the NHL this season. All have been impact players in the league, but in a game progressively more dominated by younger players, history is no longer enough on its own to win a job. The supply of talent in the NHL currently seems to be greater than the demand, even with the expansion to 32 teams. Is there enough room for these 25 top players to find a new team this summer?
How Many Top Unsigned Free Agents Will Play In NHL This Season?
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11-15 29% (219)
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16-20 28% (218)
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6-10 22% (169)
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21-24 10% (75)
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1-5 6% (43)
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All 25 4% (28)
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None 2% (13)
Total votes: 765
Latest On Zdeno Chara
With one more full season, Zdeno Chara would take the lead among all NHL defensemen in career games played. He currently sits in fifth, just 43 games behind the leader Chris Chelios, who played until he was 48. Chara isn’t quite that old at 44, and is coming off a relatively effective season with the Washington Capitals. If he intends on playing again this season as expected, there’s an old rival interested in his services. According to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic, the St. Louis Blues have expressed interest in Chara, as they did in the 2020 offseason before he signed with the Capitals.
Chara and the Blues know each other very well from their 2019 Stanley Cup Final, which went the full seven games and resulted in St. Louis’ first franchise championship. As usual, the veteran defenseman was dealing with injuries by the time the title series came around—this time playing with a broken jaw—but still managed three points in the seven games. Chara is up to 200 playoff games in his career, but hasn’t been able to hoist the trophy since 2011.
It also wouldn’t be the first defenseman from that 2019 series that the Blues would be targeting; they signed Torey Krug to a seven-year, $45.5MM contract last fall after losing captain Alex Pietrangelo to free agency. But as Rutherford writes, Chara is a long-shot for the Blues, as the veteran defenseman would like to stay as close to his family in Boston as possible with everything else equal.
There is still a place for Chara in the league, as a defenseman that is deployed almost solely in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill, but he’s obviously not what he used to be. He agreed to a one-year deal last season that paid him just $795K in base salary with another $730K in potential performance bonuses, but even that may be more than he gets this time around. He averaged just over 18 minutes this season for the Capitals, the first time since 1999 that he was under the 21-minute mark over a full season.
Several College Prospects Become Free Agents
The middle of August is usually not a significant one on the prospect front but each year, some college prospects who have exhausted their eligibility become unrestricted free agents starting August 16 if they don’t sign an entry-level contract. Here is this year’s list plus their original affiliation and where they’ve signed, if applicable:
F Kasper Kotkansalo (DET, 71st in 2017) – signed in Finland
D J.D. Greenway (TOR, 72nd in 2016) – AHL contract with Boston
D Matthew Cairns (EDM, 84th in 2016)
G Keith Petruzzelli (DET, 88th in 2017)
F Todd Burgess (OTT, 103rd in 2016) – AHL contract with Winnipeg
F Bryce Misley (MIN, 116th in 2017) – AHL contract with Minnesota
F Kale Howarth (CBJ, 148th in 2017)
F Aapeli Rasanen (EDM, 153rd in 2016) – signed in Finland
G Kris Oldham (TB, 153rd in 2015)
F Patrick Holway (DET, 170th in 2015)
G Garrett Metcalf (ANA, 179th in 2015)
D Croix Evingson (WPG, 211th in 2017)
D Matthew Hellickson (NJ, 214th in 2017)
If the list seems a little smaller than usual, there’s a reason for that. With the pandemic adding an extra year of eligibility, some players that would have been on this list have instead opted to go back to college for a fifth season and their rights will be retained longer as a result. In Petruzzelli’s case, he’s expected to be going back to college as well but was removed from Detroit’s reserve list along with the other players above.
Free Agent Profile: Derick Brassard
For the third straight year, veteran center Derick Brassard finds himself still looking for a contract well after the free agent market opened up. Not much has changed for him over that stretch and he remains a depth offensive option for teams to consider in the coming weeks.
Last season, the 33-year-old caught on with the Coyotes just as training camps were on the horizon, inking a one-year, $1MM contract. Brassard spent the majority of the campaign in a middle-six role, mostly on the third line but moving up to the second when needed. It’s basically the role he has held for the past few years and the results were pretty much the same.
Brassard’s per game output dipped a bit compared to his 2019-20 showing but still managed to pick up 20 points, putting him in a tie for the player with the most points still standing on the free agent market (Kyle Palmieri had more but is believed to have an agreement with the Islanders). He has even chipped in on the power play (seven goals over the last two years) and has won nearly 54% of his faceoffs over that stretch.
So why is he once again looking for a contract? Brassard’s defensive zone play has never been a strong point and while that was okay earlier in his career when he was putting up 40 or more points, teams aren’t as willing to give him playing time with him producing less. His own-zone performance isn’t going to suddenly improve so these year-to-year deals are likely what it’s going to continue to be for Brassard.
Stats
2020-21: 53 GP, 8-12-20, -10 rating, 12 PIMS, 67 shots, 50.0 CF%, 14:48 ATOI
Career: 905 GP, 194-309-503, -35 rating, 419 PIMS, 1,781 shots, 50.2 CF%, 16:05 ATOI
Potential Suitors
There are a couple of possible types of suitors for Brassard at this stage. The first is a team that is looking for a bit more depth down the middle and doesn’t want to pay up for someone like Tyler Bozak. The other is a team with some young centers that wants either an insurance policy or to bring him in to allow one of those pivots to spend more time in the minors.
In the first group, Seattle is down their top center for the first few months with Yanni Gourde out following shoulder surgery and while they signed Marcus Johansson who can fill in down the middle, Brassard, a natural center, could be a better fit. Montreal lost Phillip Danault with the only replacement down the middle being Cedric Paquette who spent most of last season as a winger. With an inexperienced group at center, Brassard could replace someone like Eric Staal who was acquired midseason from Buffalo. Minnesota still doesn’t have a particularly strong group at center, particularly when it comes to offensive upside and Brassard would give them another option without breaking the bank for the eventual Kirill Kaprizov contract.
The second group features teams that aren’t likely to make the playoffs. Columbus, where his career started after they made him the sixth-overall pick 15 years ago, is firmly in a rebuild and are banking on some unproven players making the jump. Brassard would be an insurance policy and with Max Domi out to start the year, he could have a lineup spot at the start. Anaheim has forced some of their younger players in when they haven’t been ready which hasn’t worked particularly from a development standpoint. Brassard’s presence could allow someone to spend more time with AHL San Diego. As for Ottawa, they’re believed to be sniffing around for a veteran forward and with Chris Tierney being in trade speculation dating back to last season and entering the final year of his deal, Brassard would be a low-cost option to carry in case they wind up moving Tierney at some point.
Projected Contract
Brassard has made our Top 50 UFA list in the past but didn’t this time around. He made $1MM last season and $1.2MM the year before. Another small dip at this stage is likely and a one-year deal for the veteran should check in somewhere around $900K. At a price tag that could be buried entirely in the minors, he’ll be a low-risk pickup for whoever winds up signing him in the coming weeks.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nashville Predators Turning Focus To Mattias Ekholm Extension
The Nashville Predators locked in Juuse Saros this week to a four-year, $20MM contract, but the work doesn’t end there for GM David Poile. The executive told ESPN radio that the focus will now turn to an extension for Mattias Ekholm.
Now that we’re past the Juuse situation, we’re going to turn our focus now to Ekholm. I actually spoke with his agent yesterday afternoon and we’re going to talk either later this week or next week on that.
Ekholm, 31, is heading into the final season of his six-year, $22.5MM contract signed in 2015 that turned into one of the best bargains in the NHL. Originally a fourth-round pick in 2009, Ekholm has been a key member of the team’s blueline since 2014 and has averaged at least 22:52 in each of the last five seasons. This year he had 23 points in just 48 games and is part of the reason why someone like Ryan Ellis was deemed expendable this offseason. The Predators moved Ellis to the Philadelphia Flyers in a deal that cleared some cap and added some more young forward talent, but still have Ekholm and captain Roman Josi to anchor the back end.
While Josi is locked in long-term, Ekholm would be one of the top free agents if he hit the open market next summer. An extension would likely have to include a substantial raise on his current $3.75MM cap hit, with a contract like Jake Muzzin‘s recent four-year, $22.5MM deal being an easy comparable. The fact that Ekholm will be 32 whenever his next contract begins is a big factor, but he has shown no real signs of slowing down to this point. The Predators have three depth defensemen–Mark Borowiecki, Matthew Benning, and Ben Harpur–all coming off the books after this season, which could free up a little bit of space depending on their replacements. The trio currently combines for $3.8MM.
There’s another big fish in Nashville scheduled for unrestricted free agency after this season though, as Filip Forsberg will be reaching the end of his six-year, $36MM deal. Poile also explained the team’s gameplan on an extension with the 27-year-old forward:
Shortly before training camp we’ll reach out to Filip Forsberg and his camp to sort of get a lay of the land as where Filip’s thoughts are right now. Those are the next two priorities.
Once again, Forsberg was a driving force behind Nashville’s offense (such as it is), scoring 32 points in 39 games. Incredibly, that was actually the most by any forward on the team despite him missing a good chunk of the season, showing just how important Forsberg is to the team overall. Nashville is basically running it back with almost the same group up front this season after only really bringing back Mikael Granlund in free agency, though several young players should be given a bigger role. Newcomer Cody Glass joins Eeli Tolvanen (who does not yet have a contract as an RFA) and Philip Tomasino as the team’s net wave of forward talent that could really tip the scales toward contending again.
It’s Forsberg though that will need to be the focus in a few weeks, as relying on the development of those young players without a consistent offensive player like him in the mix will be a difficult task. Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene have both been huge disappointments thus far, Viktor Arvidsson was traded this offseason and even Calle Jarnkrok, who finished second among all Nashville forwards this year, was lost to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft. Losing Forsberg in free agency would create a giant hole up front similar to the one Ekholm would leave on the back end, meaning these two negotiations are extremely important if the Predators want to stay competitive in the short-term.
Free Agent Profile: Nikita Gusev
A few years ago, Nikita Gusev’s stock was at an all-time high. After his third straight dominant season in the KHL, Vegas (who acquired his rights from Tampa Bay in an expansion-related trade) was finally able to bring him over to North America by burning the only year of his entry-level deal without him playing a single game. Months later, they realized they wouldn’t be able to afford him and flipped him to New Jersey for second and third-round selections.
The Devils promptly handed him a two-year, $9MM contract, a sizable commitment for someone who had never played in the NHL before. Still, it seemed like a reasonable move as they had openings in their top six so he’d have a chance to be an impact player right away. His first season was pretty good with 44 points in 66 games and while there were some bumps along the way, that’s legitimate second-line production.
Things didn’t go as well last season, however. Gusev’s role lessened to the point where he was scratched at times and after he cleared waivers and no trade partner materialized, he accepted a contract termination and signed for less money with Florida to get an opportunity down the stretch. He did well with that, notching five points in 11 games but in the playoffs, he was scratched once again.
At 29, Gusev is certainly still young enough to play in the NHL for several more years and his first season with New Jersey showed that he has the ability to produce in the NHL. That makes him an intriguing option among those still looking for a place to play in 2021-22.
Stats
2020-21: 31 GP, 4-6-10, -12 rating, 2 PIMS, 72 shots, 57.9 CF%, 14:21 ATOI
Career: 97 GP, 17-37-54, -27 rating, 14 PIMS, 230 shots, 51.5 CF%, 14:35 ATOI
Potential Suitors
Gusev could go a few different ways here, changing the potentially interested teams in the process. If he’s looking to maximize money, the options will be limited. But if he’s open to a one-year deal around the $1MM mark (similar to what he did with Florida), he becomes a low-risk option for some cap-strapped teams that are looking to make an incremental gain offensively.
In the first scenario, Buffalo makes some sense as a fit. There would be an opportunity for Gusev to play an important role, potentially in their top six where he’d have a chance to put up a level of production closer to his first season. Detroit could use him although he’d be a little lower on the depth chart; the same could be said for Nashville who could certainly benefit from an influx of offense as could San Jose. In each of these scenarios, a one-year deal would also create the possibility of trying to move him at the trade deadline. It didn’t work for New Jersey last season but with a better showing and a cheaper contract, the odds of a trade happening would be better by the 2022 deadline.
If he’s willing to sign a cheaper contract, Colorado stands out as an appealing option. The Avs are typically a high-scoring team and Gusev would add some firepower to a forward group that lost Brandon Saad (free agency) and Joonas Donskoi (expansion) this summer. Philadelphia has a shot at deploying four lines with decent offensive upside and someone like Gusev would further push them in that direction.
Projected Contract
Gusev ranked 41st on our Top 50 UFA list with a projected one-year, $2MM contract. That type of contract could be on the table closer to training camp if he wants to sign with a rebuilding team but if he wants to play on a playoff-bound team, he may need to come in closer to half of that. At that price tag, he could wind up being quite a bargain.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Profile: Erik Gustafsson
Can you remember the 60-point season that Erik Gustafsson had just a few years ago? It seems like a decade has passed since that 2018-19 campaign, when he scored 17 goals and 60 points for the Chicago Blackhawks, trailing only Brent Burns, Mark Giordano, Morgan Rielly, John Carlsson, and Keith Yandle in scoring among NHL defensemen. One would think the 29-year-old could call up any GM in the league and iron out a contract with that kind of upside, but now he sits on the open market without a deal two weeks into free agency.
It’s what Gustafsson has done in the interim that has people worried. He returned to Chicago the next season and had 26 points in 59 games, but was so suspect defensively that he generated just a third-round pick at the deadline for the Blackhawks. His play down the stretch and in the bubble with the Calgary Flames was good enough to land him a $3MM salary for 2020-21 with the Philadelphia Flyers, but still inconsistent enough to limit the term to just one year. Once again he was moved at the deadline, only this time it was for a seventh-round pick from the Montreal Canadiens, directly showing how much his lustre had faded.
Still, you can’t just ignore the fact that Gustafsson has the 25th most points from a defenseman over the last three seasons. He averaged nearly 21 minutes a night over that stretch, and played in 16 of Montreal’s playoff games during their recent Stanley Cup run. There’s still NHL value in the offensive defenseman, even if his deployment has to be carefully determined.
Stats
2020-21: 29 GP, 1-11-12, -1 rating, 0 PIM, 33 shots, 57.2 CF%, 16:43 ATOI
Career: 250 GP, 29-102-131, -4 rating, 71 PIM, 425 shots, 55.6 CF%, 19:35 ATOI
Potential Suitors
The question really is–like with any player left in free agency–whether or not Gustafsson is willing to play for a contract near the league minimum. There are contenders who could use a depth option like him to drive play in certain situations, as long as he’s willing to come aboard cheaply. The Vegas Golden Knights, for instance, still likely need to add a defenseman after trading away Nick Holden, but don’t really have any cap space to work with. The Toronto Maple Leafs also don’t have a very long depth chart on defense, even after adding players like Alex Biega and Carl Dahlstrom. Toronto’s powerplay struggled immensely last season, so perhaps a player like Gustafsson could be used in a part-time role until they trust Rasmus Sandin in that spot.
If he wants to maximize his earning potential though, Gustafsson may be better off pursuing an opportunity on a rebuilding club. The Buffalo Sabres have a motley crew of defensemen heading into the season, with none outside of Rasmus Dahlin really demanding offensive deployment now that Rasmus Ristolainen is gone. Even the Arizona Coyotes, despite bringing in Shayne Gostisbehere, Conor Timmins and Anton Stralman could potentially use another NHL defenseman. The Coyotes have Victor Soderstrom waiting for his chance, but is bringing him up right now the best move for his development?
The issue now is how many teams have already filled out their depth charts. There’s just literally no room on some rosters for the veteran defenseman, meaning it could potentially be a long wait for him this summer.
Projected Contract
Gustafsson actually ranked 44th on our Top 50 UFA list, but even there we projected a one-year, $1MM contract. Even reaching that number may be a challenge at this point in free agency, with teams already cap committed with so many other options. That 60-point season is a distant memory at this point, meaning a deal near the league minimum or even–shockingly–a professional tryout may be in store. The thing is, that actually may be a huge bargain for whoever gets him, as there is still a way to squeeze real value out of what he does well.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Free Agent Profile: Alex Chiasson
Two years ago, Alex Chiasson entered free agency in an ideal situation. He was coming off his first season with Edmonton and had a career year which gave him considerably more leverage than he had the year before when he hit the open market. That landed him a two-year deal to stay with the Oilers but things haven’t gone as well since then so the veteran has hit free agency in a different situation than he had last time.
After his first season with the Oilers, it looked as if the 30-year-old was finally living up to the potential he had shown in flashes in his previous stops. 22 goals in 73 games is certainly decent for someone who had largely been a role player up to that point but unfortunately for him and the Oilers, Chiasson was only able to manage 20 goals over the last two seasons combined, spanning 110 contests.
Still, Chiasson stands 6’3 and has shown a bit of a scoring touch with the man advantage, tallying 19 goals over his three seasons with Edmonton. While he certainly wasn’t a play driver on their power play, he still filled a useful role on it. Between the size and power play ability, he’s an intriguing depth option for teams even if he doesn’t fill the prototypical style that many teams covet in their bottom six (physical with an ability to kill penalties).
Stats
2020-21: 45 GP, 9-7-16, -10 rating, 33 PIMS, 65 shots, 45.6 CF%, 12:29 ATOI
Career: 564 GP, 101-101-202, -40 rating, 329 PIMS, 798 shots, 48.1 CF%, 13:51 ATOI
Potential Suitors
How much Chiasson wants will largely dictate his market. If he’s willing to back to playing for close to the league minimum, he becomes an intriguing pickup for some cap-strapped teams that are looking for an incremental boost. Otherwise, his options will be limited to teams that project to have ample cap space that could also be open to taking a flyer on him rediscovering that scoring touch from two years ago. For this exercise, we’ll look at the teams with cap space and assume that a cheap deal isn’t on the table just yet.
In the East, the Devils have been quite active already this summer but someone like Chiasson would add some more offensive upside to their depth forwards and they still have plenty of cap space to bring him in. The Blue Jackets don’t have a lot of firepower in their bottom six and also have ample cap room for the winger. One of his former teams in the Senators could have a use for Chiasson if they want a younger forward to get some more development time with AHL Belleville as well.
Out West, the Wild should still have enough cap room by the time they re-sign their two big RFAs to add Chiasson in a depth role. The Predators are currently projected to have some inexperienced players in their bottom six and could use Chiasson as a piece to allow someone to spend more time in the minors. The Avalanche didn’t really replace Joonas Donskoi and while Chiasson is at a lower level than he is, he’s someone that can move up into the top six at times if needed and Colorado still has a bit of wiggle room with their cap.
Projected Contract
Chiasson ranked 47th on our Top 50 UFA list with a projected two-year, $3.2MM contract. At this point, landing that contract seems unlikely as at this point of free agency, teams are bargain shopping and won’t be swayed by that 22-goal campaign. A one-year pact that’s closer to $1MM may be more realistic now and considering his power play production with Edmonton, he could be an interesting pickup for several teams at that price point.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Free Agent Profile: Sami Vatanen
Few defensemen have seen their stock drop as significantly as Sami Vatanen’s has the last couple of years. Two seasons ago, he was a fixture in New Jersey’s top four. Even in 2020-21, he had plenty of playing time but had a soft free agent market to the point where he had to take more than a 50% pay cut to simply stick with the Devils.
Last season certainly only made things worse. Vatanen was dropped to a spot on the third pairing for New Jersey and didn’t fare particularly well. Widely speculated as a surefire trade candidate at the deadline, the Devils couldn’t find a taker and simply wound up waiving him where Dallas scooped him up. His role didn’t really change and neither did his performance, sending him to the open market coming off the worst season of his career.
Nevertheless, there is still enough upside with Vatanen that landed him on our Top 50 UFA list for the second year in a row, albeit at a much lower spot this time around. The 30-year-old saw his production fall off a cliff last season but before that, he had averaged 28 points per game over the previous six seasons. Sure, his days of being a 30-plus-point blueliner are probably done but something in the high teens/early 20’s is still a possibility; he did that as recently as 2019-20.
Vatanen is also a right-shot defender which is something that many teams are often coveting, particularly at the trade deadline. He’s someone that can still play on the second power play unit if needed and log 15 or more minutes at five-on-five. That’s not an exciting profile compared to the player he was but he can still fill a useful role.
Stats
2020-21: 39 GP, 2-4-6, +3 rating, 20 PIMS, 55 shots, 52.3 CF%, 17:01 ATOI
Career: 473 GP, 47-153-200, -5 rating, 212 PIMS, 860 shots, 49.9 CF%, 20:48 ATOI
Potential Suitors
Given that he can’t be commanding a sizable salary based on the year he had, he’s someone that a contending team may be looking to add for cheap now. Conversely, a rebuilding team could view Vatanen as someone that can hold a spot to allow a prospect to develop a little longer in the minors before looking to move him down the stretch.
In the East, the Blue Jackets don’t have much in the way of proven right-shot defensive depth with long-time fixtures Seth Jones and David Savard departing over the last few months. They’re not looking to win now but Vatanen’s presence could allow someone like Andrew Peeke to spend a bit more time in the AHL. Savard’s new team in Montreal still could use a right-shot defender with Chris Wideman currently projecting to be on their third pairing despite not being in the NHL the last two seasons. Pittsburgh could use Vatanen in the role vacated by Cody Ceci who signed in Edmonton but Vatanen’s price tag would need to come pretty close to the minimum which he may not be willing to do at the moment.
Arizona’s defensive makeover still needs another couple of players and for all of the contracts the Coyotes have taken on, they still have plenty of cap space. Calgary only has two proven righties on the back end if they don’t want to shift one of Juuso Valimaki or Oliver Kylington to their off-side and could fit Vatanen in on the third pairing. Vatanen’s original team in Anaheim added some low-cost depth blueliners to contend for a roster spot but he’d still represent an upgrade on those players if they wanted to try to rebuild his value and flip him later on.
Projected Contract
Vatanen ranked 43rd on our Top 50 UFA list with a projected one-year, $1.5MM deal. At this point, it stands to reason that he’d have taken an offer like that had it been there so he may have to take a further pay cut once again. If he can bounce back offensively, his next contract, whatever it winds up being, has the potential to be a team-friendly one.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Coyle, Forbort Expected To Step Into Top Roles For Bruins
With the unexpected departure of David Krejci, the unknown status of injured Tuukka Rask, and a shockingly busy first day of free agency that included adding a number of top names, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Boston Bruins and how they may look next season. With so many possible lineup combinations and the team having yet to even practice together once, it would be understandable to leave fans wondering how the team may be structured in 2021-22. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy is not afraid to hint at his plans. Speaking with beat writer Eric Russo, Cassidy was open about who he sees stepping into some of the most important vacancies in the Bruins lineup.
First and foremost on the minds of most is who will step into Krejci’s role as second line center, especially after Taylor Hall was re-signed following stellar production with Krejci and Craig Smith. Well, despite some speculation to the contrary, Occam’s Razor prevails. Third line center Charlie Coyle will indeed get the first shot at centering the second line, as Cassidy called him the “obvious choice”. Coyle may be coming off of the worst offensive season of his career, but the two-way forward will be healthy this season following off-season knee surgeries and will look to return to form, which is a player whose career full-season scoring pace is 40 points. Cassidy notes that with Hall and Smith having experience playing together and Coyle and Smith also having played together, the familiarity that the three would share makes it an easy initial choice as the team’s second line. However, Cassidy does note that free agent additions Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek both play their best at center as well and could be next in line if Coyle is not a fit.
On defense, while some were content with the Bruins’ most frequent top pair of Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, not everyone was convinced. Count Cassidy among that group. The head coach opined that the role may have been asking too much of Grzelcyk. He believes that free agent addition Derek Forbort, who plays a much more defensive and physical style, could in fact be the better match with McAvoy. Cassidy stated that between competing for that role and likely playing alongside Brandon Carlo on the top penalty kill unit, Forbort will be expected to play “big minutes”. Of course, Forbort will have to prove himself worthy, as Grzelcyk has the advantage of being the incumbent. Cassidy noted that Mike Reilly will likely continue to play with Carlo, but that too could change if Grzelcyk is bumped from the top pair.
Elsewhere on the roster, Cassidy firmly stated his support for Connor Clifton as getting the first shot as the regular third pair right-handed defenseman in the wake of Kevan Miller‘s retirement. However, he also noted that youngsters Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen as well as recovering veteran John Moore all have experience playing their off side and will compete for opportunity. In the bottom-six, Cassidy offered a vote of confidence for Jake DeBrusk retaining his starting job as third line left wing, while also advocating for top prospect Jack Studnicka to get a look for a roster spot. With the versatility of additions Haula, Nosek, and Nick Foligno, there are plenty of potential combinations on that third line and there is a high likelihood of a more offensive fourth line in Boston than in years with the overflow of the third line position battle matched with the likes of Curtis Lazar and Trent Frederic. In goal, Cassidy did not just announce free agent splurge Linus Ullmark as the new starter; in fact quite the contrary. Cassidy expects Ullmark and breakout rookie Jeremy Swayman “to compete for the majority of the starts.” While Ullmark was compensated like a starter by the Bruins in both salary and term, Cassidy notes that Swayman will be given a fair chance to “come in and potentially be the No. 1.”
How it all plays out in Boston remains to be seen, but Cassidy did not hold anything back about his thought and plans for the current roster. That should give fans of the Bruins and their Atlantic Division rivals something more concrete to consider as the days tick down to the start of the regular season.