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Free Agent Focus 2024

Free Agent Focus: Tampa Bay Lightning

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Lightning.

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Steven Stamkos – An unrestricted free agent for the second time in his career, the Lightning should be able to find a way to keep their captain this offseason. Earlier in the year, Stamkos was publicly upset with Tampa Bay’s management due to not having an extension before the start of the 2023-24 NHL season, but those tempers should have cooled. At 34 years old, Stamkos should still command a multi-year contract from the Lightning (or any team), which should lower his yearly AAV for the cap-strapped organization. Stamkos is a veteran of 1082 regular season games with two Stanley Cup rings under his belt and is coming off the seventh 40-goal season of his career. If he were to entertain the idea of leaving Tampa Bay this summer, plenty of teams would come calling.

F Anthony Duclair – After coming to the organization at the trade deadline from the San Jose Sharks, Duclair quickly became one of the better trade pickups this season. His trade value increased slightly in his last 10 games in the Bay Area, scoring seven goals and 10 points leading up to the trade with the Lightning. After being acquired by the organization, Duclair became a solid offensive contributor, scoring eight goals and 15 points in only 17 games in Tampa Bay. Although he carries plenty of value as a complimentary offensive piece, Duclair may be unable to extend his stay with the Lightning unless he takes a slight pay cut on his recent $3MM salary.

D Matt Dumba – Much like Duclair, Dumba was also acquired at the trade deadline, this time from the Arizona Coyotes. Unfortunately, with another change of scenery failing to bring out anything in his game, it appears the Lightning and Dumba will not continue their relationship. After being acquired from the Coyotes, Dumba suited up in 18 games for Tampa Bay, only tallying two assists while averaging 18:39 of ice time per night. On the open market, Dumba should be able to fetch a guaranteed contract from a team desperate for defensive depth, but it will not be anywhere close to his $3.9MM AAV after a tough 2023-24 season.

Other UFAs: F Tyler Motte, F Austin Watson, D Calvin de Haan, D Haydn Fleury, G Jonas Johansson

Projected Cap Space

This is where things have been tricky in Tampa Bay for the last several years. The team was already a little tight on cap flexibility heading into the offseason and then acquired defenseman Ryan McDonagh and his $6.75MM AAV from the Nashville Predators with no money going the other way. Thanks to the trade for McDonagh, the Lightning will have a little over $5MM to work with unless another move is made to free up space. Since the trade for McDonagh, and the team’s noted desire to keep Stamkos, trade rumors have circled over the past few days around Tanner Jeannot and his $2.665MM salary for the 2024-25 NHL season, although nothing is concrete at this point. Ultimately, Stamkos could surprise us all and take a well-below-market contract to keep the team competitive through his twilight years in the NHL, but that seems unlikely at this point. However, if the Lightning do end up freeing some cap space this summer, they have players to move without completely shaking the integrity of the lineup.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: Toronto Maple Leafs

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Maple Leafs.

Key Restricted Free Agents

D Timothy Liljegren – Liljegren would best be served to play on a team’s third pairing but given the lack of right-handed defenseman for the Maple Leafs this season he was thrust into second-pairing duty quite often and averaged nearly 20 minutes of ice time per game. That number dwindled to just 17 minutes per game in the playoffs as Liljegren appeared to lose the trust of former Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe. Liljegren draws a lot of criticism for his lack of detail with the puck on his stick as evidenced by his giveaway numbers (40 giveaways in 55 games), but he plays in all situations and is a good offensive producer on the powerplay. The 25-year-old will be looking for a sizeable raise on his previous $1.4MM AAV and should easily double that figure on a multi-year agreement.

F Nicholas Robertson – Robertson was a victim of Toronto’s cap crunch last season on more than one occasion and found himself playing in the AHL despite being one of the Maple Leafs’ better offensive producers in the bottom six. The 22-year-old registered 14 goals and 13 assists in 56 games despite playing just 11:23 a game and could be in line to see time in the top six next season if the Maple Leafs are unable to slide another high-priced forward into the lineup. Robertson is a good forechecker despite being on the small side at just 5’9” and 178 pounds, and he is also a strong play driver who can create scoring opportunities off the rush. Robertson will be looking at a bridge deal this summer and could come in at a figure around $1.5MM per season.

Other RFAs: F Connor Dewar, F Max Ellis, F Noah Gregor, D Maxime Lajoie, G Keith Petruzzelli, F Alex Steeves

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Tyler Bertuzzi – Bertuzzi had some struggles adjusting to life with the Maple Leafs and was much better in the second half of the season. The Sudbury, Ontario native finished with 21 goals and 22 assists in 80 games while providing solid work in the dirty areas of the ice-extending shifts along the boards and going to the net for rebounds. The 29-year-old settled for a one-year $5.5MM contract last summer and will be looking for term this time around. While he has shown that he can provide better than secondary scoring and is a decent skater with a physical element to his game, it’s hard to imagine him receiving a raise on a multi-year deal, but he could receive a similar AAV on his next deal. It’s also difficult to see him re-signing in Toronto given their laundry list of needs and pending salary cap crunch.

D T.J. Brodie – It’s hard to project what T.J. Brodie’s next contract will look like given that last season was a tale of two wildly different trajectories. Brodie was very good in the first half of the season, but appeared to lose a step down the stretch and only found his way into one playoff game for the Maple Leafs. During the regular season, the 33-year-old tallied a goal and 25 assists in 80 games while playing almost 22 minutes a night, but his finish to the year mirrored the previous season where his play also dipped, largely due to injury. Given the fact that the Chatham, Ontario native has lost some foot speed and has shown signs of wearing down the last couple of years, it’s hard to envision him being back with Toronto or topping his previous $5MM AAV. Brodie is still a capable third-pairing NHL defenseman and will likely get a multi-year deal this summer.

F Max Domi – Domi was another new addition to the Maple Leafs who struggled to fit in this past season. He started the year on Toronto’s third line but worked his way into the top six as the season inched on and injuries began to pile up. The 29-year-old fit in well with the Maple Leafs’ elite scorers as his quick pace and ability to distribute the puck allowed him to give Toronto’s scorers some good looks. Domi seems like the likeliest to return to Toronto as he has expressed an interest in doing so and figures to fit in the Maple Leafs’ salary cap structure. Domi posted nine goals and 38 assists last season in 80 games while playing up and down the lineup and should be in line for a multi-year deal above $4MM per season.

G Ilya Samsonov – Samsonov did not provide the Maple Leafs with consistent NHL goaltending this season and was barely able to hold onto an NHL spot. However, he was a much different goaltender in the second half of the year and finished the season sporting a 23-7-8 record with a 3.13 goals-against average and an .890 save percentage. Despite his better results in the backend of the season, Samsonov was still prone to giving up bad goals and had a hard time tracking pucks in traffic. He is simply not a goaltender the Maple Leafs can count on as a number-one netminder and will find an NHL job elsewhere this summer on a short-term deal.

Other UFAs: F Kyle Clifford, D Joel Edmundson, C Dylan Gambrell, D Mark Giordano, G Martin Jones, D John Klingberg, D Ilya Lyubushkin, G Matt Murray

Projected Cap Space

The Maple Leafs project to enter the offseason with roughly $18.5MM in available cap space which looks like a sizeable amount on paper given that the team’s top stars are already locked into contracts for next season. However, Toronto has a big hole to fill in their top-6 forward group as well as two holes in the top-4 of their defensive unit (one of which could be filled by Liljegren). The Maple Leafs also need to address their goaltending situation which has been a letdown in many of their early playoff exits. All of that will take up most of the remaining cap space available and could make it difficult to add depth to the bottom of Toronto’s lineup, which has been another area of concern for a top-heavy lineup. The team will also have to factor in several pending extensions to forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner as they are both a year away from unrestricted free agency and have to consider Matthew Knies and Joseph Woll who will be restricted free agents next summer as well.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: NHL Utah

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Free agency is now just a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the franchise formerly known as the Coyotes.

Key Restricted Free Agents

D Sean Durzi – Arizona took advantage of Los Angeles needing some cap space, flipping a second-round pick to land Durzi.  The move worked out extremely well for the then-Coyotes.  Durzi was thrust into a much bigger role than he had with the Kings and acquitted himself rather well, setting new career highs in assists (32), points (41), blocks (160), and ATOI (22:43).  He’s owed a qualifying offer of $2MM but stands to land considerably more than that, especially with salary arbitration rights.  A one-year deal could push past the $4MM mark but if Utah GM Bill Armstrong wants to try to lock him up to a long-term agreement that buys multiple years of club control, Durzi’s next contract could surpass $6MM per year.

F Barrett Hayton – After a breakout 2022-23 campaign, expectations were high for Hayton coming into this season.  However, things didn’t go as planned.  The 23-year-old missed 49 games due to a pair of injuries (hand and lower body) and when he was in the lineup, he wasn’t producing anywhere near the level that he was the year before, scoring just three goals while adding seven assists in 33 appearances.  His qualifying offer checks in at $2.13MM with arbitration rights which should allow him to get more than that based on his 2022-23 performance.  However, the long-term agreement that seemed likely a year ago probably won’t be coming this summer.

D Michael Kesselring – After getting a taste of NHL action last season, Kesselring played his way into a more prominent role in 2023-24.  He started the year in the minors but was recalled less than a month in and was up with Arizona the rest of the way.  Kesselring recorded a respectable 21 points in 65 games while averaging less than 16 minutes a night of ice time.  Although this is his first trip through restricted free agency, he’s already arbitration-eligible which could push his next contract higher than it might seem at first glance.  Without arbitration, his bridge deal could have been pegged around the $1.3MM mark but it should push past $1.5MM with his eligibility to go to a hearing where his 2023-24 performance would make a big difference in the award.

D J.J. Moser – Moser wasn’t counted on to play quite as many minutes this season but he still logged more ice time than everyone but Durzi.  A rare player to go from being drafted in the second round to being an NHL regular the following season, the 23-year-old is now entrenched as a key part of Utah’s back end for the foreseeable future.  He still has three years of club control remaining so Armstrong could opt for a second bridge contract which could still quadruple his $874K qualifying offer.  If they do look to work out a long-term agreement, it should check in closer to the $4.5MM mark.

D Juuso Valimaki – After being waived out of Calgary back in 2022, Valimaki has settled in as a quality regular on their back end.  However, he wasn’t able to match the 34 points he put up in his first season with the Coyotes who claimed him off the waiver wire, seeing his output cut in half this year.  Still, his qualifying offer checks in at only $1MM and while he has arbitration rights, the award shouldn’t be high enough to have Armstrong thinking about a non-tender.  He should at least double his salary from this season over the summer.

Other RFAs: F Curtis Douglas, F Jan Jenik, F Milos Kelemen, D Vladislav Kolyachonok, F Ben McCartney, D Victor Soderstrom

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Travis Boyd – When healthy, Boyd has been a decent secondary scorer.  Heading into this season, he was coming off two straight years of 34 points but he wound up clearing waivers in training camp although he was never sent down.  This year, he was limited to just 16 games due to a torn pectoral muscle although he still managed eight points despite averaging less than 10 minutes a night.  He also has plenty of experience playing down the middle which should help his value in theory.  That said, coming off a long-term injury, he’s likely heading for a contract around the league minimum.  However, of the many players who will find themselves in that situation in the coming weeks, he’s one with a bit more upside than most.

D Josh Brown – After being in and out of the lineup at times, Brown signed with Arizona in 2022 with the hopes of establishing himself as a full-timer.  While he played more than he sat both years, the 30-year-old was the seventh defender fairly frequently this season.  He’s a capable shot-blocker and plays with some snarl which will get him some interest in the summer but it’s likely to be for a depth role.  Those players will mostly be around the league minimum of $775K but Brown could check in slightly higher than that.

F Liam O’Brien – O’Brien led the NHL in penalty minutes this season while setting a new personal best in points (14) and hits (229).  There is still a role for some fourth line fighters across the league and as someone who can produce a little bit while playing that role, he should be able to garner some interest if Armstrong doesn’t re-sign him.  Having said that, this particular spot in the lineup is one that teams won’t want to spend much on so O’Brien might not be able to command too much more than the $800K salary he received this season.

Other UFAs: F Travis Barron, D Cameron Crotty, D Travis Dermott, D Steven Kampfer, F Justin Kirkland, D Patrik Koch, F John Leonard, F Bryan Little, F Ryan McGregor, F Nathan Smith, G Matt Villalta

Projected Cap Space

No team has more cap space than Utah this summer, checking in at over $43MM, an amount that could jump past $51MM if they were to fully utilized Shea Weber’s LTIR deal.  That doesn’t seem likely to happen but the days of this franchise being at the bottom of spending in terms of salary should be over now.  Their restricted free agents will take up a fair-sized chunk of this cap room but they’ll still have plenty of room to add multiple impact players this summer.  They could be players in free agency and on the trade front as a result.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: Vancouver Canucks

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Free agency is now just a bit more than a month away, and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free-agent situation for the Canucks.

Key Restricted Free Agents

D Filip Hronek – Talk about an ideal contract year. After an injury-plagued stint in Vancouver to end last season following his acquisition from the Red Wings, Hronek began the season on the team’s top defense pairing alongside Quinn Hughes and never looked back. He recorded career highs with 43 assists, 48 points and a +33 rating, although, as critics point out, most of that production came on an early-season tear. The 26-year-old had three assists in 16 games after the trade deadline and was limited to a goal and an assist in 13 postseason games, both coming in Games 6 and 7 of their second-round loss to the Oilers. With reports indicating his ask is in the $8MM neighborhood annually, the Canucks are likely to shop his signing rights around with an unwillingness to dole out that kind of cash with the way he ended his season.

G Arturs Silovs – A couple of months ago, Silovs wouldn’t have had anything to do with a “key restricted free agents” moniker after serving as the club’s AHL starter for most of the campaign. However, injuries to Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith forced him into action for Game 4 of the first round against the Predators, and the 23-year-old Latvian remained in the crease for the rest of their playoff run. While Demko would have been an upgrade if available, Silovs was serviceable, posting a .898 SV%, one shutout and allowed 0.2 goals above expected, per MoneyPuck. After posting a .898 SV% and 6-2-1 record in nine regular-season appearances over the last two seasons, he’s in line for a cheap deal to make him Demko’s full-time backup moving forward. Silovs, who led Latvia to a bronze medal at the 2023 World Championship, had a 2.74 GAA, .907 SV%, four shutouts and a 16-11-6 record in 34 games for AHL Abbotsford this season.

Other RFAs: D Nick Cicek, D Filip Johansson, F Linus Karlsson, F Aidan McDonough, D Cole McWard, D Jett Woo

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

D Ian Cole – While Cole had some notable individual blunders in the playoffs, he had a solid regular season in Vancouver that proved he’s still a fringe top-four blue liner as he enters his mid-30s. Much like his showing last season with the Lightning, he was a strong shutdown force, controlling 53% of expected goals at 5-on-5 despite 63.6% of his zone starts coming in the defensive end. Adding 11 points in 78 games as well, Cole is in line for a deal similar to the one-year, $3MM pact that brought him to the Canucks last summer. He turned 35 in February, so he can take a 35+ contract with performance bonuses to lower his cap hit artificially if Vancouver wants to bring him back but runs out of space. However, if he meets his performance bonuses and the Canucks can’t afford to accommodate them, they’ll be applied as a cap penalty in 2025-26.

F Dakota Joshua – A Maple Leafs draft pick back in 2014, Joshua has been on a steady rise since they moved his rights to the Blues shortly before the pandemic. He parlayed that into an everyday role with the Canucks upon reaching Group Six UFA status in 2022 and had a career year this season, posting 18 goals and 32 points in only 63 games while costing just $825K against the cap. He averaged solid third-line minutes at 14:23 per game and had nearly all of his production come at even strength, notching only one power-play point. The 28-year-old had positive relative possession numbers, too. Unfortunately, that means he’s one of the likelier candidates to have priced himself out of Vancouver, earning himself a multi-million dollar raise wherever he signs this summer.

F Elias Lindholm – The Canucks gave up quite a haul for Lindholm at the end of January, giving the Flames a large package that included a first-round pick and middle-six sniper Andrei Kuzmenko to acquire the 2022 Selke Trophy finalist. His performance in the regular season left much to be desired, potting only six goals and 12 points in 26 games after the deal. Still, he exploded back to form in the postseason with 10 points and a +4 rating in 13 games while logging nearly 20 minutes a night, tying for third on the club in scoring. That’s likely repaired a good chunk of his market value after having an extremely underwhelming contract year. After finishing the campaign with 44 points and a -14 rating in 75 games, he won’t command the upward of $8MM per season he left on the table for an extension in Calgary, but he should still get something in the $6MM-$7MM annually on a longer-term deal. Whether that comes in Vancouver or with one of his other expected suitors, namely the Bruins, remains to be seen.

D Tyler Myers – The final season of Myers’ bloated five-year, $30MM deal was his best hockey in Vancouver. He dropped down to a second/third-pairing role, averaging under 20 minutes per game for the first time in his lengthy career, but responded with 29 points and a 49.8% expected goals share at 5-on-5, his best as a Canuck. Vancouver and Myers would both like to see him back in a Canucks uniform next season, something they should be able to get done at a significant pay cut from his previous $6MM cap hit as he enters his age-34 season.

D Nikita Zadorov – Also an in-season trade pickup from Calgary, Zadorov quickly became a fan favorite in Vancouver and was, bar none, their second-best defenseman in the playoffs behind Quinn Hughes. The towering Russian rattled off four goals and eight points in 13 postseason contests, averaging over 20 minutes per game after logging 17:04 per game in the regular season after the trade. Reports indicate his camp is asking for a six-year deal at $6MM annually – likely too rich for the Canucks’ taste (or anybody’s taste, for that matter). If his camp gets the sense that he won’t be able to achieve that figure on the open market, it wouldn’t surprise anybody to see this generation’s Big Z end up back in Vancouver.

Other UFAs: F Teddy Blueger, G Casey DeSmith, F Sheldon Dries, D Mark Friedman, D Matt Irwin, F Sam Lafferty, G Zach Sawchenko

Projected Cap Space

The Canucks enter the summer with roughly $23.75MM in cap space. However,h they’re likely operating with an internal figure closer to $26.25MM with the final season of defenseman Tucker Poolman’s contract slated for long-term injured reserve again in 2024-25. It’s a solid chunk of change – they’re still below the $64.7MM floor for next season – but the space will disappear quickly as they have likely $13-15MM committed to either re-signing Hronek and Lindholm or for their replacements.

Take another $5MM out for what Zadorov will likely command for an extension at this stage, and it’s clear not everyone on this list will be back next season. They have a solid chance of retaining most of their expiring talent, but whether they want to pay market value for someone like Lindholm or look for a more undervalued replacement on the open market remains to be seen. Expect General Manager of the Year Award finalist Patrik Allvin to be one of the busier GMs this offseason as he navigates what could be a fair amount of roster turnover for the defending Pacific Division champions.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: Vegas Golden Knights

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Free agency is now just a bit more than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Golden Knights.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Pavel Dorofeyev – Dorofeyev made his long-awaited jump to the NHL this season, spending the entire year on the Golden Knights roster for the first time in his career. And while he missed five weeks of action in February and March due to an upper-body injury, Dorofeyev was still able to slot into a career-high 47 NHL games this season. He made the most of the opportunity, posting 13 goals and 24 assists and working into a routine role on the team’s power-play. The Russian winger has been a go-to pick for the top breakout candidate on Vegas’ lineups since he moved to North America in 2020. He fell just a bit shy of a true “breakout” this season, but he showed an impressive goal-scoring ability and seemed much more adjusted to the NHL. That likely sets him up for a cheap, short-term deal, though also likely due for a slight raise from the $925,000 salary he carried on his entry-level contract. In a year where Vegas’ cap space is as slim as can be, Dorofeyev seems to be the closest they have to a surefire re-signing. He’ll look to really stamp his mark in Vegas with a healthy year next season.

D Kaedan Korczak – Korczak was Vegas’ go-to call-up when they needed defensive help this season – something that happened plenty frequently, with each of Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, Nicolas Hague, and Zach Whitecloud missing significant time with injury. Those absences paved the way for Korczak to appear in 26 games. Playing through his official rookie season, Korczak scored one goal and nine points – recording identical scoring through 26 AHL games as well. Korczak stood tall when he was called upon this season but didn’t do much to warrant an everyday role. That should lead him to another cheap and short-term contract, though he could be the beneficiary of added ice time should any of Vegas’ seven NHL defensemen not return.

Other RFAs: F Ivan Morozov, G Isaiah Saville, F Mason Primeau, D Layton Ahac

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Jonathan Marchessault – Marchessault signed a hefty six-year, $30MM contract with the Golden Knights in 2018, after a dazzling 75-point sesaon in his first year with the team. He’s spent the six seasons since that signing establishing himself as one of Vegas’ first true icons, finding a way to make a strong impact in every season and earning the 2023 Conn Smythe Trophy during Vegas’ in first Stanley Cup win. But even after all of those accolades, Marchessault still saved his best for last – recording a career-high 42 goals on his way to 69 points in 82 games this season. He’s just the second Golden Knight to hit the 40-goal mark, joining William Karlsson’s 43-goal season in 2017-18. That fact maintains Marchessault’s value, even at the age of 33, and should set him up for a hardy raise from his previous $5MM salary. Vegas would need to make some cap-clearing moves if they wanted to bring Marchessault back. But with such an intricately-crafted lineup, Marchessault could be set to finally leave the franchise where he’s built a legacy.

F Chandler Stephenson – Vegas will watch with pain as they pay out the final cheque of Stephenson’s four-year, $11MM contract signed in 2020. The deal priced Stephenson at a $2.75MM cap hit – a price that quickly became one of the most team-friendly contracts in the NHL, as Stephenson solidified his strong role in the team’s middle-six. He’s stayed consistent in every aspect of the game – posting 51 points in 75 games this season after netting 64 and 65 in each of the last two years and remaining a dominant presence on the defensive side of the puck. There’s no telling what price tag he’ll ask on a new deal. At 30 years old, Stephenson still has plenty of hockey ahead of him. That, plus his strong scoring and two-way presence, could warrant a cost as expensive as $5MM, though he could be okay with another team-friendly deal for the sake of sticking with the team where he’s made his mark. But a free agency market is already building for Stephenson – and the promise of a flashier salary could entice him away from Sin City. He’ll be one of Vegas’ biggest losses, should he make that decision.

F Anthony Mantha – Mantha was seemingly an afterthought as the Trade Deadline approached. Even after posting 20 goals and 34 points through 56 games with the Washington Capitals, Mantha couldn’t warrant too rich of a trade return. He was dealt to Vegas for a 2024 second round pick and 2026 fourth round pick just ahead of the Deadline – making his debut with Vegas on March 7th. Mantha proceeded to record 10 points across the final 18 games of the regular season. That brought his scoring up to 23 goals and 44 points in 74 games, Mantha’s highest scoring since his 25 goals and 48 points in the 2018-19 season. That’s not necessarily phenomenal scoring but it was enough for Mantha to look comfortable among a Bruce Cassidy-led offense encouraged his power-forward, shoot-first style. Mantha’s chemistry with the team’s style, and ability to produce in an inconsistent third-line role, could be enough for Vegas to invite Mantha back – though he’ll need to settle for a price cheaper than his previous $5.7MM cap hit.  His style may also clash a bit too much with Dorofeyev – the younger, and likely cheaper, option. Mantha will have to market his value to teams, should he enter an open market full of moderately-priced goal-scorers.

G Jiri Patera – Jiri Patera is Vegas’ sole Group VI free agent this summer, after being leaned on for six NHL games this season. He posted a modest .893 save percentage in those appearances, bolstering his 11 wins and .903 save percentage in 25 AHL games. Those stats should be enough for Patera to earn a deal close to league-minimum, to once again serve as an AHL starter vying for an NHL roster spot. That could come with Vegas, though the team already has Adin Hill, Logan Thompson, Jesper Vikman, and Carl Lindbom signed to their goalie room. That room could be just a bit too crowded for Patera, who would otherwise be bound for unrestricted free agency.

Other UFAs: F Michael Amadio, F William Carrier, D Alec Martinez, F Sheldon Rempal, F Byron Froese

Projected Cap Space

The story of Vegas’ offseason is a story of slim-to-no cap space. They’re entering the summer with just shy of $900K in available cap space. That’s largely thanks to Noah Hanifin’s eight-year, $58.8MM contract extension kicking in, increasing his cap hit by nearly $6MM from his prorated $1.2375MM cap hit with Vegas this season, after 75 percent of his salary was retained in his Trade Deadline move. It seems the endless adding of expensive, star talent is finally catching up to Vegas – though fans have been fooled into thinking that many times before. The Golden Knights are likely set to lose one of their two notable UFAs – Marchessault and Stephenson – though they could move a depth defenseman like Brayden McNabb, or a pricey forward like Nicolas Roy, to build enough cap space to sign the other.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: Washington Capitals

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Free agency is now just a bit more than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Capitals.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Connor McMichael – Former first-round pick McMichael finally found consistent playing time and offensive success at the NHL level after bouncing back and forth between Hershey and Washington. Two years ago, the Ajax, Ontario native was a regular in the Capitals lineup, but last year he found himself back in Hershey. During the 2023-24 season, McMichael dressed in 80 NHL games tallying 18 goals and 15 assists while playing almost 16 minutes a night. The 23-year-old appears likely to start next season as the Capitals third line center and should receive a healthy bump in pay from the $832,500 he made this past year. Given his offensive breakout, it seems reasonable to guess that McMichael will find himself on a short bridge contract in the range of $2MM-$3MM per year.

F Beck Malenstyn – Malenstyn had a breakout season this past year dressing in 81 games while posting six goals and 15 assists. The 26-year-old was a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft and spent four years in the AHL with Hershey before finding full-time duty this season in Washington. Malenstyn might not have posted much in the way of offense, but he appeared to earn the trust of the Capitals coaching staff with his speed and work ethic. The Delta, British Columbia native started a whopping 92.2% of his shifts in the defensive zone (per Hockey Reference), a strikingly high number, especially for a younger player. As you might expect from that kind of deployment, Malenstyn posted terrible possession numbers with a CF% of 33.8% (per Hockey Reference).  Malenstyn figures to get a good bump from the $775K this past season as he is arbitration-eligible and could be looking at a salary that doubles what he took home last season.

Other RFAs: C Ethen Frank, G Mitchell Gibson, D Hardy Häman Aktell, F Alex Limoges, F Riley Sutter

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Max Pacioretty – The hope when Pacioretty signed with the Capitals was that he would get healthy and provide some offensive depth. While he suffered some serious setbacks, he did manage to dress in 47 games for Washington, his highest total since the 2020-21 season when he played 48 games. Pacioretty’s comeback was heroic after suffering back-to-back Achilles injuries, but his speed was badly diminished and he struggled at times to keep up with the pace of his counterparts. Pacioretty still managed to post four goals and 19 assists last year while collecting $2MM in salary and another $2MM in bonuses, however, his CF% fell to a career-low 46.9% at even strength. At 35, he will still find work in the NHL, but it likely won’t be with Washington given that the Capitals have so many younger (and faster) players pushing for NHL jobs.

F Nicolas Aubé-Kubel – The 28-year-old Aubé-Kubel had the second-best offensive season of his career this past year with six goals and 10 assists in 60 games while playing a career-high 12:12 per game. On the surface, it looks like a terrific season for the Slave Lake, Alberta native, but his increase in ice time was largely due to the Capitals’ injury struggles and his extra playing time was more of a necessity than anything else. Aubé-Kubel’s underlying numbers fell to a career-low as his CF% was just 43.4% and his FF% fell to 42.5% (per Hockey Reference). While he performed better than his fellow fourth-liners it seems highly unlikely that the Capitals will look to extend Aubé-Kubel and may opt to chase a replacement in free agency or find an internal one.

F Matthew Phillips – Phillips has been a solid AHL scorer for several seasons and finally got an extended look in the NHL this past year. It didn’t go as hoped for the 26-year-old as he posted just a goal and four assists in 31 games while being claimed off waivers twice. Phillips is in a unique position as a Group 6 UFA (meaning he is 25 years or older and has completed three or more professional seasons in which he’s played one or more professional games). At 5’8” and just 160 lbs, Phillips is very undersized by NHL standards, however, teams will be intrigued by his offensive skill and will likely offer him a two-way contract at the NHL minimum, with a healthy downside salary at the AHL level.

Other UFAs: D Lucas Johansen, D Chase Priskie, F Joe Snively

Projected Cap Space

The Capitals will head into the summer with around $6.7MM in cap space but could have upwards of $16MM depending on the status of center Nicklas Bäckström who appears likely to remain on LTIR for the remainder of his contract. The Capitals could also explore a trade for goaltender Darcy Kuemper who carries a $5.25MM cap hit for three more seasons, although that might be a tough task given his struggles last season. Up front, the Capitals have some holes to fill, particularly at center. Given his recent history, it seems likely that general manager Brian MacLellan will explore a short-term deal for a veteran or take a chance on a bounce-back candidate as they did with Dylan Strome in the summer of 2022. The Capitals could also be in the market for a depth defenseman as they have some uncertainty on the backend with Trevor van Riemsdyk’s struggles. A versatile veteran, van Riemsdyk can play on both sides of the ice, but adding another blueliner would give Washington some options heading into next season.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

Free Agent Focus: Winnipeg Jets

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Free agency is now just a bit more than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens.  There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well.  We begin our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Jets.

Key Restricted Free Agents

D Ville Heinola – This season didn’t quite go as planned for Heinola.  Hoping to earn a roster spot in training camp, he instead fractured his ankle late in camp, keeping him shelved until January.  Upon his return, he was assigned to AHL Manitoba and while he was quite productive with the Moose, he never got the call.  The best news for Heinola is that he’ll be waiver-eligible next season and it’s hard to see a scenario where he clears waivers.  Accordingly, instead of signing a two-way deal worth the minimum in the NHL with a higher AHL salary, he could simply elect to accept his $874K qualifying offer (even though it’d carry a $70K AHL salary) knowing that he’s highly unlikely to be in the minors next season.

F Cole Perfetti – Perfetti took a step forward offensively this season, notching 19 goals and 19 assists in 71 regular season games, not bad numbers for someone in his sophomore year.  However, he found himself in the press box most nights when it counted the most, ending his campaign on a bit of a low note.  At this point, it’s unlikely that either side would want to work out a long-term agreement; a bridge deal makes much more sense especially with him tailing off toward the end of the year.  That deal should check in somewhere around the $3MM range depending on how many years it goes for.

D Logan Stanley – In 2022-23, Stanley was a frequent healthy scratch and rarely played which led to some wondering if he’d be tendered a qualifying offer with arbitration rights.  Things really didn’t change this year.  The 25-year-old was limited to just 28 games (including playoffs) while averaging less than 14 minutes a night.  The qualifying offer is just $1MM and arbitration eligibility shouldn’t be too much of a concern here but if they see him squarely in seventh defenseman territory, how deep into seven figures do they want to go for that role?  Regardless of what happens, another one-year deal around this price point should be coming his way, either from Winnipeg or somewhere else.

Other RFAs: F David Gustafsson, D Artemi Kniazev, D Simon Lundmark, G Oskari Salminen

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

G Laurent Brossoit – The decision to return to Winnipeg certainly worked out well for Brossoit.  After spending most of 2022-23 in the minors, he was one of the top backups in the league this season, posting a 2.00 GAA along with a .927 SV% in 23 games.  He’s played well enough to earn a fair-sized raise on the $1.75MM he made this year which will price him out of what the Jets can afford.  That said, he has just 140 NHL appearances under his belt which might stop him from getting top-end backup money.  Still, he could push for closer to $3MM and potentially a multi-year deal, a solid outcome for someone who was in the minors not too long ago.

D Dylan DeMelo – The 31-year-old has shown slow but steady improvement throughout his career and is coming off his best performance so far, notching 31 points while averaging nearly 22 minutes a night during the season, both career-bests.  He also finished second in the league in plus/minus, checking in at +46.  Being a right-shot defender will certainly help bolster DeMelo’s market as well.  Four years ago, the four-year, $12MM deal looked a bit risky for someone who had exclusively been on the third pairing.  In the end, it was a bargain and DeMelo is now well-positioned to land another contract that long while adding at least a million per season more to that price tag.

D Brenden Dillon – Dillon isn’t going to hit the scoresheet very often but as far as dependable physical blueliners go, he’s a good one.  He has had that role for the past three years with the Jets, logging around 19 minutes a game while logging some big minutes shorthanded.  It appears that Winnipeg is leaning toward moving on (his leaving opens up a spot for Heinola) but Dillon should have a solid market this summer.  His set-to-expire contract carries a $3.9MM AAV and on a blueline market that isn’t the deepest in July, he should check in around that amount again on another multi-year agreement.

F Sean Monahan – The Jets parted with their first-round pick to bring in Monahan back in February and the fit was nearly seamless as he slotted in on their second line.  After several injury-riddled seasons, the 29-year-old actually led the NHL in games played with 83 which will certainly help his case, as will his 26-goal, 33-point showing.  His market will be an interesting one as there likely will be some teams still wary given Monahan’s injury history.  That likely takes a long-term agreement off the table.  However, he’s among the top few centers available and the market for those players can go up quickly.  A multi-year agreement past the $4MM mark should be achievable and if the demand is fairly high, $5MM or more shouldn’t be impossible to reach.

F Tyler Toffoli – After a breakout year with Calgary last season, it was fair to expect a drop-off in production.  Having said that, while his assists dropped by 17, he only went down by one goal, going from 34 to 33, putting him fourth among UFAs in that department.  His last trip through free agency didn’t go as well as he hoped, resulting in a four-year, $17MM contract that wound up being a team-friendly agreement rather quickly.  Now 32 and having shown he can produce with several teams, he should have a stronger market this time around.  That should give him a chance for another deal around the length of his last one with a price tag that pushes the $6MM mark.

Other UFAs: D Kyle Capobianco, G Collin Delia, F Jeff Malott, D Colin Miller, F Kristian Reichel, D Ashton Sautner, F Jeffrey Viel

Projected Cap Space

The Jets head into the offseason with a little over $13MM in cap space which clearly isn’t enough to bring back everyone.  They can likely afford to keep one of the two defensemen and it seems like DeMelo is their preferred option.  Up front, they might be able to keep one of Monahan or Toffoli but not both and that assumes that Perfetti winds up on a shorter-term contract.  They’ll also likely opt for a low-cost backup behind Connor Hellebuyck whose new seven-year, $59.5MM deal begins in July.  If they keep a forward and a defenseman, re-sign their RFAs, and add a cheaper backup, that might just about be it for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff this summer.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

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