Pro Hockey Rumors Originals

Free Agent Profile: Tyler Motte

August 2, 2022 at 8:59 pm CDT | by John Gilroy 2 Comments

With their sights set on a Stanley Cup, the New York Rangers found themselves active buyers at last year’s trade deadline. Though the team made a few additions, forward Andrew Copp, who the team acquired from the Winnipeg Jets, stole most of the attention. However, the team would have one of the more underrated deadline pickups, bringing in two-way energy forward Tyler Motte from the Vancouver Canucks. While it was the likes of Copp, Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin that drove the Rangers offense up front, Motte showed through his complete game just how valuable he was to a team that was able to make a deeper playoff run than many had anticipated.

At age 27, Motte is a veteran of six NHL seasons, spending time with the Rangers and Canucks, as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks, who originally drafted him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft. He debuted in 2016-17 with Chicago, but was dealt that offseason alongside Panarin to the Blue Jackets. Columbus dealt him just a few months later in the trade that brought Thomas Vanek the other way from Vancouver. Motte spent parts of five seasons in Vancouver prior to this season’s trade to the Rangers, where he would interestingly be teammates with Panarin on the third different team in as many seasons played together.

Never known much for his offensive game, Motte has made a career for himself out of being a high-energy and defensively reliable forward who can play in all situations. This season represented arguably his best, putting up seven goals and eight assists in 58 games, all of those coming in the 49 games he played for Vancouver. His highest point total came in 2018-19, where he had 16, however that came over 74 games. Where Motte becomes increasingly valuable is his ability to contribute on the penalty kill and to play in his own zone, which most notably includes a career 71% defensive zone starts percentage versus 29% in the offensive zone. In other words, Motte is capable and trusted to play important shifts of defensive hockey for his teams.

This summer is Motte’s first on the open market, coming off a two-year, $2.45MM contract that featured a $1.225MM AAV, having previously been an RFA. Although news has been quiet in regards to his free agency, there was plenty of chatter surrounding the veteran ahead of the market opening up, having impressed with his overall game and his poise in the Rangers playoff run, where he contributed two goals in 15 games. Despite the lack of interest, Motte’s game, and presumably lower price tag, will be enticing to clubs looking to add a smart, veteran winger to their bottom-six with a playoff run in mind.

Stats:

2021-22: 58 GP, 7-8-15, +2 rating, 22 PIMs, 101 shots, 39.9 CF%, 67.9% dZS%, 14:01 ATOI

Career: 269 GP, 35-27-62, -22 rating, 76 PIMs, 403 shots, 39.4 CF%, 71.0 dZS%, 12:56 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Motte’s game is one that could suit any one of the NHL’s 32 teams, from playoff teams and Cup-contenders looking to add a smart, hard-worker that knows what he’s doing, to young up-and-coming teams that could add a veteran to help their inexperienced talent take another step, to rebuilders who are looking to add a spark that will help the rest of the team play the right way. Still, while there is likely no shortage of good fits, many teams are facing a cap crunch or a roster crunch, and adding a player like Motte, who as good as he is in his own zone, doesn’t bring much offensively, is a tough sell.

Some had wondered if a reunion with the Rangers could be in the cards for Motte. The fit is right, especially after his stint with the club, but with just over $1MM in salary cap space, bringing the forward back could be tough. Speaking of reunions, the Blackhawks could be an interesting option, as the team has stripped down many of its key parts, looking to start over with a more extensive rebuild. The organization has brought in several veterans in free agency including Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou both on one-year deals and could look to do the same, perhaps retrieving an asset at this year’s deadline for what could be a popular rental.

The Minnesota Wild, who are actively looking for another forward could be an option, with ample cap space to accommodate Motte. However, it’s unclear what kind of player they would want, the team losing 85 points in the departure of Kevin Fiala and though there’s no option readily available to replace that production, there are other options out there that could provide more offensively than Motte can.

Projected Contract:

Motte came in 37th on PHR’s 2022 Top 50 UFAs list, predicting a landing spot with the Nashville Predators on a projected contract of four-years and $7MM, an AAV of $1.75MM. That contract would have represented a relatively significant raise for Motte and a doubling of term from his previous contract. At this point in free agency, with many teams spending all they had allotted on the free agent market, it’s unlikely Motte will be able to secure a contract of that length or salary. Still, Motte has proven he is worthy of a guaranteed one-way contract and there are more than a handful of teams remaining with salary cap space and a roster spot to offer. There is plenty of time until training camps open up and a couple of notable pieces remaining on the free agent market, chief among them being Nazem Kadri. As teams continue to gain clarity with additional signings and possibly miss out on a target they still have, Motte could see his own market gain some traction, even if it is not for the contract he might have hoped for or that we predicted for him.

Arbitration Breakdown: Jesper Bratt

August 1, 2022 at 11:30 am CDT | by Ethan Hetu 1 Comment

While most of the players who had early arbitration dates have settled in recent days, that hasn’t been the case yet for the Devils and Jesper Bratt. They have until the start of the hearing on Wednesday to reach an agreement; once the hearing starts, they will have to go through the process and wait for the award.

We previously covered how these negotiations have reportedly been “very difficult,” but it seems both sides may be attempting to avoid the arbitration process. Ryan Novozinsky of NJ.com reports that the Devils are “trying to find a reasonable middle ground for both parties,” indicating that there could be an intensification of contract talks before the process begins.

Filings

Team: $4.15MM
Player: $6.5M
Midpoint: $5.325MM

(via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)

The Numbers

Jesper Bratt had flashed incredible skill and offensive talent before. Ever since he made the NHL as a fast-rising sixth-round pick, many in New Jersey believed in big things to come for the diminutive Swedish winger. In 2021-22, those big things finally came. Bratt led the Devils in scoring, potting 26 goals and 73 points in 76 games. He showed that he had strong chemistry with the Devils’ crop of budding stars, including the team’s franchise player, Jack Hughes.

Bratt’s style is electrifying. Despite his size, he’s a play-driving winger who can single-handedly create offense for his linemates. He’s a pass-first playmaker who has the scoring touch to score 20+ goals consistently. He’s not a defensive player by any means, but he’s also not one to ignore his defensive responsibilities and actively hurt his team in his own end. Finding a player like Bratt is extraordinarily difficult, making it extremely important that the Devils find a way to retain Bratt long-term as they attempt to return to contention after a prolonged rebuilding phase.

It wouldn’t be fair to assess Bratt’s case without conceding that there is a bit of risk to investing in him, as with any breakout player. From a pure numbers perspective, Bratt’s 2021-22 season was his first as a true top-of-the-lineup difference-maker. Bratt’s next-most productive season was his rookie year, when he scored 35 points. If the Devils don’t believe Bratt’s breakout season is repeatable, then caution on their part is advisable.

But Bratt’s play last season gave little indication that his numbers were unsustainable. In fact, Bratt’s play indicated that there could still be some unreached upside in his game. Most followers of the Devils are eagerly hoping for the announcement of a long-term pact with Bratt, and it’s easy to see why.

2021-22 Stats: 76 GP, 26G 47A 73pts, 16 PIMS, 197 shots, 17:26 ATOI
Career Stats: 307 GP, 70G 133A 203pts, 54 PIMS, 590 shots, 15:39 ATOI

Potential Comparables

Comparable contracts are restricted to those signed within restricted free agency which means UFA deals and entry-level pacts are ineligible to be used. The contracts below fit within those parameters. Player salaries also fall within the parameters of the submitted numbers by both sides of this negotiation.

Drake Batherson (Senators) – Batherson represents the lower end of the Bratt comparables. Coming off of a season where he scored 34 points in 56 games, Batherson inked a six-year, $4.975MM AAV contract extension with Ottawa. As a still-developing former top prospect, Batherson’s deal was all about projection. The Senators believed that Batherson would quickly emerge as a top-of-the-lineup scoring threat, as evidenced by the backloaded structure of the deal. They were right, and Batherson exploded for 44 points in 46 games in an injury-shortened 2021-22 campaign. Since Batherson was able to justify a long-term extension at $4.975MM AAV based on a 50-point pace, Bratt, as a near point-per-game player, should naturally see that cap hit as an absolute floor for his next deal, and only on a one or two-year term.

Jake Guentzel (Penguins) – Another contract that was made with projection in mind, Guentzel signed a six-year, $6MM AAV deal in the winter of 2018. He did so as a Stanley Cup champion, with a near point-per-game shortened rookie season and an incredible playoff run under his belt, a run where he posted 13 goals and 21 points in 25 games. One could certainly make the argument that Guentzel’s case at the time was stronger than Bratt’s is now, thanks largely to his playoff production, but one must remember that Guentzel did not have nearly as much NHL experience as Bratt does now and, perhaps more importantly, Guentzel had the privilege of sharing the ice with Sidney Crosby, which some could have argued had inflated his production. That proved not to be the case, but nonetheless, Bratt has been tasked with driving play as a lead contributor more than Guentzel had to that point in his career. With Guentzel as a comparable, Bratt could reasonably argue for an AAV at or above the $6MM mark.

Projection

This is an arbitration case that is a bit simpler to project than the one for, say, Yakov Trenin. Bratt is an indisputably talented player who has the points and box score numbers to back up that talent. The Devils’ filing for a number in the $4MM range is not an authentic representation of what they believe Bratt is worth, it’s simply a negotiation tactic to give them an upper hand with the arbitrator.

With just how well Bratt played last season, his filing for $6.5MM is not entirely unreasonable. He is playing in a league that pays second-line players such as Kevin Hayes north of $7MM on their own long-term contracts, after all. But like most arbitration cases, Bratt’s final award is likely to be in between his ask and the Devils’ “lowball” number.

One aspect of this battle to keep in mind is the effect the arbitration process can have on the relationship between the team and the involved player. The unique difficulty of Bratt’s negotiations with the Devils has been widely reported, and it’s definitely possible that missteps in the process could light ablaze and cause a reportedly shaky bridge between the Devils organization and Bratt to burn.

Ultimately, even in the unlikely event that Bratt is awarded the totality of his $6.5MM filing, that’s not going to be the biggest risk the Devils take in this process. It’s their failure to complete a long-term deal with Bratt before the arbitration process that could truly cost them, as they are set to enter an arbitration trial, the sort of battle that has catalyzed the exit of many talented NHLers in the past. Hopefully for the Devils’ sake, though, it won’t get to that point, and the Devils and Bratt agree to a mutually acceptable contract extension.

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

Arbitration Breakdown: Yakov Trenin

July 31, 2022 at 3:00 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu 4 Comments

While most of the players who had early arbitration dates have settled in recent days, that hasn’t been the case yet for the Predators and Yakov Trenin. They have until the start of the hearing on Tuesday to reach an agreement; once the hearing starts, they will have to go through the process and wait for the award.

Filings

Team: $1.35MM (two years)
Player: $2.4MM (one year)
Midpoint: $1.875MM

(via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)

The Numbers

Trenin finally broke into the NHL in 2020-21, becoming a full-time player with the Predators. While he had just 11 points in 45 games, but he added two goals in the team’s six-game playoff run and cemented his place as an everyday NHL-er. With that year as a base point, this past year was when Trenin really made a name for himself in Nashville.

Functioning as part of the Predators’ “Herd” line with rookie Tanner Jeannot and veteran Colton Sissons, Trenin became a fan favorite, playing with the sort of passion that wows crowds and flusters opponents. Trenin’s line became central to the Predators’ desired “Smashville” team identity under coach John Hynes, and Trenin’s work ethic and physical style earned him an increased role.

In 80 games, Trenin had just 24 points. On paper, that’s not notable offensive production by any means. But 17 of those points were goals, and Trenin also had three goals in the team’s four-game playoff sweep at the hands of the eventual champions, the Colorado Avalanche. All of Trenin’s goals came at even strength, as he saw virtually no power-play time. Trenin also made himself valuable on the defensive side of the ice, skating as a second-unit penalty killer for most of the year.

In total, the package of skills Trenin brings to the table is intriguing. Trenin’s old-school, passionate game is one that has endeared him to fans and coaches alike. He scores goals at even strength, and perhaps he could even hit 20 goals with some shooting luck if we consider 17 to be a baseline. And, in addition to all that, Trenin is a capable penalty killer, effective defensive winger, and important member of a Predators line that looks like a set-in-stone trio for years to come. The points don’t jump off the page, and he doesn’t have an extensive track record, but if he can repeat his 2021-22 performance, he’s the kind of player that any team in the NHL would love to have.

2021-22 Stats: 80 GP, 17G 7A 24pts, 46 PIMS, 136 shots, 14:40 ATOI
Career Stats: 146 GP, 24G 17A 41pts, 77 PIMS, 223 shots, 13:00 ATOI

Potential Comparables

William Carrier (Golden Knights) – Carrier is admittedly on the lower end of comparable players, as his goal-scoring hasn’t come close to the heights Trenin has been able to reach. While Trenin’s 17-goal season dwarfs Carrier’s career high of eight in 54 games, if we set aside goal scoring, the comparison becomes clearer. Carrier has a relatively similar play style to Trenin: highly aggressive, physical, with a pace-pushing, always-active tempo. But since Carrier is an inferior goal-scorer and does not offer the same defensive/penalty-killing value, his $1.4MM cap hit should be seen as a floor for any Trenin contract.

Max Comtois (Ducks) – Finding a comparable for Trenin is difficult given the unique offerings present in Trenin’s game, but Comtois is a solid one nonetheless. More of an offensive player than Trenin, he signed a two-year deal with the Ducks after a breakout 2020-21 campaign, a deal worth just a shade over $2MM per year. Comtois scored 16 goals and 33 points in just 55 games in his platform year, better production than Trenin, but did so with more power-play opportunities than Trenin and a role higher in the lineup. He also doesn’t provide the sort of defensive value Trenin provides, although he wasn’t asked to shoulder much of a defensive load by coach Dallas Eakins. The Predators could simply point to Comtois’ scoring numbers and argue that Trenin, as a less productive player, has to be worth less than Comtois’ deal, but such a case would be discounting the intangible ways Trenin impacts the game.

Projection

Trenin is a difficult arbitration case to project because his overall value on the ice is difficult to capture on a piece of paper. The “points” column of a scoresheet might be the single most important area of evaluation for a player when it comes to contract negotiation, and that’s where Trenin’s case is weakest. But everywhere else, Trenin presents a strong case to be worth the $2.4MM he’s demanding. He’s a genuinely useful third-liner who has a ton to like in his game.

That being said, the lack of comparables doesn’t help Trenin, as there isn’t a sort of precedent-setting contract to guide an arbitrator. Additionally, the recent contract for Comtois, who was significantly more productive, coming in at around $2MM AAV, doesn’t help him in his chase of a number above that mark. Perhaps Trenin’s lack of experience, as this past year was his first true full regular season in the NHL, is what will hurt his case the most.

But, even with that in mind, after laying out all the positives in his game, it’s really difficult to make a compelling argument for why Trenin is worth less than $2MM on his next contract. He scores goals, brings all the sorts of physical intangibles coaches and fans want to see, and can kill penalties and provide legitimate defensive value.

With that whole package of skills brought to the table, the dollar values of the filings from each side may feel a bit low. That means this arbitration case will be a fascinating one to follow as we inch closer to August 2nd.

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

Free Agent Profile: Evan Rodrigues

July 31, 2022 at 10:59 am CDT | by John Gilroy 4 Comments

As he was enjoying a breakout season at the age of 28, many believed Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues had put himself in perfect position to hit the open market this summer. A center who was good in his own end, Rodrigues finally found offensive success making him a true two-way forward and a perfect fit in almost any team’s middle-six. Given the Penguins cap situation and needing to re-sign Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Rickard Rakell, it appeared that Rodrigues would be too rich of an asset to remain with the club and could move on with a payday elsewhere. However, more than two weeks after the start of free agency, Rodrigues remains unsigned, with very little buzz around his name. After a season with 19 goals and 24 assists, shattering previous bests, it’s interesting to find Rodrigues still without any bites, at least that we are aware of.

Prior to this season, Rodrigues’ previous career best in points had been 25, which had come in 48 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 2017-18, a similar points-per-game pace to this season. That season was the forward’s first of a two-year contract that carried a $650K AAV. In 2018-19, Rodrigues took a step back, hitting what was then a career-high 29 points, but doing so in 74 games. An RFA, Rodrigues was awarded a $2MM salary via arbitration for the 2019-20 season. After that summer of 2019 arbitration award, Rodrigues struggled to rebound, recording just 24 points in 80 games between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins over the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. This year, however, Rodrigues was able to show he is capable of being the player he was in 2017-18 with his 43-point breakout performance.

So, the question remains: what is holding Rodrigues’ market back? Of course, he’s not exactly teammate Sidney Crosby, but he has shown he has plenty to offer. One concern would be that, over six seasons with regular NHL games played, the veteran has only ever matched his 2021-22 production once, back in that 2017-18 season. Another concern is consistency. Looking closer at this season, Rodrigues was a borderline All-Star-caliber player, recording 32 of his 43 points in just 46 games prior to the All Star break. A dominant first-half indeed, he regressed to only 11 points in 36 games after the break.

Rodrigues’ pros and cons provide a basis for a negotiation, but still don’t get to the answer of why he’s still on the market? The answer may lie in the fact that Rodrigues recently turned 29 years of age and is coming off of his best season to date. He could very well view this as his best chance to secure a contract with very attractive term and salary, and is not willing to settle on either front. From a front office perspective, Rodrigues has shown flashes of being a 40-point, or maybe even 50-point player, but absent certain stellar stretches, he’s mostly been a 25-30 point player. Given the cap crunch all 32 teams are facing and having potentially found more statistically consistent players on the free agent and trade markets already, teams are weary of giving Rodrigues what he’d want (term and salary) without knowing which kind of player he really is.

Stats:

2021-22: 82 GP, 19-24-43, +3 rating, 14 PIMs, 243 shots, 59.8 CF%, 15:50 ATOI

Career: 316 GP, 53-76-159, -30 rating, 77 PIMs, 701 shots, 53.7 CF%, 14:24 ATOI

Potential Suitors:

Even if the market is slow and he doesn’t wind up with the contract he was hoping for, Rodrigues shouldn’t have an issue actually finding a suitor when he and teams are ready. The player Rodrigues was in the first half of this year was intriguing, but the player he has been for a majority of his career, that of a reliable two-way, bottom-six center that could give flashes of offense is always in demand, from Cup contenders to middle of the pack teams to rebuilders.

What exactly the veteran’s contract expectations are and how much, if at all, he is willing to compromise, will dictate what teams are able to be in the market for him. His poise and ability to play for a perennial contender like the Penguins, alongside the likes of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang stands to show that Rodrigues can handle the bright lights and the pressure that playoff and playoff-implicating games bring. Competitive teams who could use another forward for their middle or bottom-six, such as the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, or even a reunion with the Penguins, make sense, but these teams are all close to, if not over, the salary cap.

Teams that are trying to get over or away from the salary cap floor, like the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, and Chicago Blackhawks, could be options for Rodrigues, all of whom not only can pay, but may want to pay for their own reasons. Maybe not some of the most attractive options, they could give Rodrigues an expanded role, valuing his leadership and providing more opportunities to repeat his offensive production. The Minnesota Wild, New York Islanders, and Calgary Flames, who could use another secondary-scoring option and have the cap space to make a solid offer along with an opportunity to be competitive may also be very strong options for Rodrigues, who could have the best of both worlds in terms of contract and competitiveness in those destinations.

Projected Contract:

Rodrigues came in 24th on our Top 50 UFAs list in early July. There, we projected a three-year, $3MM AAV contract with the Minnesota Wild. The Wild could very well be in the mix for Rodrigues, but at this point, it’s unlikely the forward will find the contract we had projected for him with a competitive team like the Wild, Islanders, Flames, Oilers, Rangers, or Penguins, all of whom are mentioned above. But, if a contract along those lines is a sticking point, it might not be out of the realm of possibility that a team like the Ducks, Coyotes, or Blackhawks could make the offer, betting on Rodrigues’ production and his value as an asset down the road. Ultimately, given his career track record, it’s still unlikely at this point in time that the 29-year-old is headed towards a PTO in training camp, even if it does mean taking what might be seen as an underwhelming offer.

Free Agent Profile: Phil Kessel

July 30, 2022 at 7:47 pm CDT | by Josh Erickson 24 Comments

In his peak throughout the 2010s, Phil Kessel was a consistent 30-goal threat, displaying his electric shooting talent en route to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins (and with the Toronto Maple Leafs before that). While Kessel’s move to Arizona for the last three seasons may have left him forgotten in some circles, he’s coming off his best season in three years.

Despite a career-low 4.6 shooting percentage, Kessel will pitch his relatively high point total, especially given the poor state of affairs in Arizona, to convince teams he’s still a credible threat. And, looking at his strong play-driving numbers from last season, he may have a point. Despite seeing his ice time dip to its lowest point during his three years in Arizona, Kessel still managed to finish within 11 points of the team lead at age 34.

It’s not often that a 34-year-old is on the open market with a strong reason to invest in a rebound season, but that’s the case with Kessel. Even if his defense hasn’t been pretty lately, it was never a selling point to his game. Considering his career average shooting percentage sits over 10 percent, expecting Kessel to have a stronger offensive season in 2022-23, at least in terms of putting pucks in the net, is a safe bet.

His Stanley Cup pedigree should also make him an attractive option for teams looking for affordable depth to help push them over the hump to a Stanley Cup.

Stats

2021-22: 82 GP, 8-44-52, -24 rating, 40 PIMs, 175 shots, 45.3 CF%, 16:41 ATOI
Career: 1204 GP, 399-557-956, -148 rating, 372 PIMs, 3700 shots, 49.3 CF%, 18:02 ATOI

Potential Suitors

Kessel should find a home before a lot of other veterans are forced to settle for PTOs as training camps begin. While he’s not what he used to be, he still had more than 50 points last season. With his low price tag, he should be an attractive option as teams continue to tinker with their rosters during the month of August.

There could be a spot for him in the bottom six of a retooled Calgary Flames forward group. While Jakob Pelletier is a strong candidate to make a jump to the NHL next season after a strong season in Stockton, Kessel could challenge other veterans such as Milan Lucic or Sean Monahan for playing time at a cheaper price and more goal-scoring upside. He could go Cup-chasing with the Colorado Avalanche as well, as they’ve lost some depth forwards such as Andre Burakovsky and Nicolas Aube-Kubel. He could also stand to be a solid secondary scoring option for the Minnesota Wild after they lost Kevin Fiala.

If he wants to head back East, the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers are a trio of teams that could use him in their bottom six.

Projected Contract

Kessel came in 23rd on our Top 50 UFAs list in early July. While he likely won’t command the $2MM AAV we predicted at this point, there’s still a solid chance he could earn seven figures and not have to settle for a league minimum deal. It all likely depends on the cap situation of the team Kessel opts to sign with, as after over $90MM in career earnings, per CapFriendly, money likely won’t be a huge factor in his decision.

PHR Mailbag: Offer Sheets, Sabres, Kane, Blue Jackets, Kings, Fletcher, Predictions

July 30, 2022 at 1:59 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 4 Comments

Topics in this edition of the mailbag include offer sheet candidates in Vegas, Buffalo’s offseason, Chuck Fletcher’s future in Philadelphia, and much more. If your question doesn’t appear here, check back in last weekend’s mailbag.

aka.nda: Any thoughts you’d like to share on the Golden Knights? As a Kraken fan, earlier, I was hoping they’d offer sheet Nicolas Roy, which I’m told is uncommon. Seems like he could be had for a deal. Think any teams are contemplating offer sheeting anyone out there, not just VGK’s?

While there have been a couple in recent years, offer sheets are still indeed quite rare. In a marketplace where many teams are looking to clear money, it’s hard to think that there are teams that will be willing to place an above-market offer to try to land a restricted free agent. It doesn’t help that a lot of the teams that have enough cap space (plus their own draft picks) to attempt to go this route are teams that aren’t particularly interested in trying to compete right now and thus are likely disinclined to do an offer sheet that will cost them draft picks.

I think you’re correct in identifying Vegas as a team that’s particularly vulnerable to an offer sheet. Roy, in particular, is a viable candidate. His camp clearly knows that as by not filing for salary arbitration earlier this month, he’s still eligible to receive one. A one-year offer sheet in the second-round pick tier ($4.2MM) might be enough to get him to sign as it would represent a substantial raise from the minimum salary he received the last two years. Defenseman Nicolas Hague is another player who would be an intriguing offer sheet candidate.

I’m intrigued to see what Vegas is going to do. They’ll clearly be in LTIR after acquiring the rest of Shea Weber’s contract and Nolan Patrick could wind up there for the season as well with the uncertainty surrounding his future. Notwithstanding the various mechanics involved with the timing of those placements that can affect the actual cap space, that’d give them around $7.5MM to work with, to use a simple number. Is that enough for Roy, Hague, Keegan Kolesar, and at least one other forward making the minimum?

If that’s the plan, they’re going to hold out and try to get Hague to take a really cheap one-year deal (he didn’t have arbitration eligibility) and then there might be enough left to commit a medium-term contract to Roy that buys out a UFA year or two. But even with that, they’ll be ‘creative’ with their LTIR usage all season long. If nothing else, they’re clearly used to navigating that situation.

sabres3277: Do you think the Sabres did enough in free agency or should they be interested in Nino Niederreiter to add some grit and physicality to the forward position?? Or maybe get involved in making a trade for some more forward help while not bankrupting the future??

Let’s look at Buffalo’s free agent additions since the market opened up. Eric Comrie came over to be a platoon partner with Craig Anderson in goal and they added Ilya Lyubushkin to add some grit and physicality on the back end. (Niederreiter signed in Nashville not long after this question was posed.) That’s a pretty small list of additions.

Allow me to pose a question back for a moment – what is Buffalo’s goal this season? Their actions (or lack thereof) tell me that it’s not time to flip the switch to try to win. What they did was shield their youngsters – Comrie’s addition allows Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to go back to AHL Rochester and Lyubushkin gives a bit of protection to a back end whose next-oldest player is Jacob Bryson who’s only 24.

In that spirit, yes, they did enough in free agency. What little they did was for their youngsters and they’re going to try to continue to develop their young core. That’s basically all they really needed to do so I think GM Kevyn Adams did enough by not doing much of anything.

That said, I have no issues with them adding a forward in the right scenario. So many teams are looking to clear up cap space and teams with that space can leverage future assets for taking that deal on. If there’s an expiring contract that a team needs to shed and that team is willing to part with a draft pick and/or prospect to make that happen, Buffalo would be wise to jump on that. There will be injuries and some youngsters will struggle so another forward certainly wouldn’t hurt and if that forward can be flipped with retention at the deadline for more future assets, even better.

That’s the type of trade to make for them right now, not one that requires moving future assets away. There will come a time for that type of move (I’m thinking a couple of seasons from now for them to start that transition) but it’s not yet.

@Joebad34TD: What is the current rumor on Patrick Kane’s trade destination, and is Buffalo a potential team of interest for both parties?

The latest on Kane is that there’s a report that Chicago is listening to offers and a report that they’re not listening to offers. Admittedly, that’s not a lot to run with here but the uncertainty is an accurate depiction of where things stand. At this point, his camp hasn’t approached the team about a trade and the Blackhawks have already said they won’t go to him to try to move him.

At this point, I think just about everyone thinks that will change at some point. Chicago appears to have no interest in trying to compete next season (or for a few years) and that’s unlikely to appeal to Kane at this stage of his career. In all likelihood, his thoughts are probably similar to that of Jonathan Toews’ opinions which were voiced earlier this week.

As we’ve seen in recent weeks, it’s hard to move money and Kane has a cap hit of $10.5MM. That’s a lot of money. At the trade deadline in February, three-quarters (give or take) will be paid which is a lot easier for contenders to absorb, particularly if the Blackhawks are willing to retain on the contract to facilitate a trade. Whoever is a playoff contender and has some needed cap flexibility will be the ones to watch for at that time.

Buffalo clearly isn’t a playoff contender so they have no reason to trade for Kane. Yes, he’s from there and they’ll probably kick tires on him in free agency but a team that’s expected to not be all that close to the postseason chase shouldn’t be gearing up to try to acquire what likely will be the top rental player available at the deadline. Unless there was a guarantee that acquiring him early would result in an extension, don’t expect to see them linked to Kane next season.

baji kimran: If Columbus offered Arizona Jake Bean, Alexandre Texier, Gustav Nyquist, and two #1 draft picks for Jakob Chychrun, would that be enough to get a deal done? The point is the Jackets are trying to acquire Chychrun and free up cap space to sign Laine If not, what do you think would be acceptable to the Coyotes? Also, how long will Johnny Gaudreau have to appear on podcasts and apologize for signing with the Blue Jackets?

Clearly, the scenario has now changed since the question was posted with Patrik Laine re-signing and Oliver Bjorkstrand being the cap casualty but that’s an offer that I think Arizona would give serious consideration to. Bean is a little too far removed from being a first-rounder to automatically be one of the three first-round elements they’ve been believed to be seeking but two firsts is a strong start while Bean and Texier are youngsters that could be around for a while and should more than offset taking on the rest of Nyquist’s deal. Such a move probably isn’t happening now but there’s a framework for a deal that might be enough to meet Arizona’s high asking price.

As for Gaudreau, I hope the public appearance tour has come to an end. No matter how much he tries to smooth things over, it’s not going to make any sort of difference for most Calgary fans. He informed them less than 24 hours before the start of free agency that he wouldn’t re-sign, preventing the Flames from getting anything in return for him. Even if he had signed closer to home in New Jersey, there would have been resentment with that decision. Now, compare what happened to what Matthew Tkachuk did (which happened after this question was posed), that’s going to paint Gaudreau in an even more negative light.

He decided to leave Calgary which was his right having qualified for unrestricted free agency. But fans of the Flames aren’t going to simply shrug their shoulders and go ‘Oh well, it was fun while it lasted’. No, they’re going to be upset, understandably so, no matter what Gaudreau says publicly. The sooner he realizes that, the better.

bigalval: How would you grade the Kings’ offseason? I think they have done a great job and Kopitar’s contract has two years left and Quick has one year left so it will free up some more money thoughts?

Johnny Z: To add to this: what LD will they pursue?

I’d have their summer in the B/B- range. I don’t mind the Kevin Fiala trade but I don’t like the contract. He has one season with more than 25 goals and 55 points under his belt. They’re paying him like he’ll be a 75-point player for the duration of that deal. I don’t think he will produce at that level consistently in a lesser offensive environment.

Adrian Kempe’s contract was going to be painful thanks to his platform season but $5.5MM for a player who, until 2021-22, produced at the level of a third-liner, is risky, to put it lightly. Is he a 35-goal player moving forward? Probably not. Is he a 25-goal forward? Even that I’d be hesitant to agree on.

These contracts basically took them out of the market of trying to add a left defenseman. They barely could afford to bring Alex Edler back and will have to pursue one-year deals with Michael Anderson and Sean Durzi to stay cap-compliant. Sure, they’re better with the addition of Fiala but they still have a back end that thins out fairly quickly.

Yes, there is some cap flexibility on the horizon with their expiring contracts but a good chunk of that will be eaten up as their younger core comes off their entry-level deals. They’re not going to be in cap trouble but for as close as they’re going to get this year, I thought they’d have tried to shore up more than just finding an improvement on Dustin Brown. It’s not a bad offseason and they’ll be in the playoff race hence the grade in the B range but I don’t think they got enough accomplished for the cap space they had two months ago.

DonnieBaseBallHOFer: Please make Fletcher’s moves (or rather lack thereof) make sense…Give a 50+ year fan some glimmer of hope?

Feels like the whole next season is just built on Ifs…if this guy comes back, if Torts can turn things around…Please tell me there is more of a plan than this?

EMoney123: When do the Flyers cut Chuck Fletcher loose considering salary cap, poor roster construction, and the poor PR of not signing Gaudreau?

The lack of moves actually makes some sense to me. From his standpoint, his team on paper should have been better last season. Frankly, I don’t disagree with that; they should have been better than what they were. Where we disagree is on whether this roster is good enough to contend when everyone is healthy. I’m not as confident in that as Fletcher seems to be.

I even understand the lack of movement. We’ve seen the cost of moving money this summer. It’s not pretty. Would it have been justifiable to part with a high pick or top prospect (or a combination of picks and prospects) to clear James van Riemsdyk off the books? As a non-playoff team, probably not. One could quibble about adding Anthony DeAngelo on that contract but with Ryan Ellis’ availability appearing to be in question again, I can’t fault the logic of looking for insurance although if everyone is healthy, that’s a very pricey back end. That’d be a good problem for them to have at this point.

There are a lot of ifs with this team and if they hit on most of them, they can be in the Wild Card mix. They didn’t hire John Tortorella for his long-term coaching acumen; he’s someone that has a shorter-term shelf life with an expectation of short-term success. The boost from him, the return to health of some key players, and a bounce-back year from Carter Hart and voila, that’s the plan to return to being in the playoff battle.

As for Fletcher’s future, I’m always hesitant to publicly speculate on people losing their jobs. That said, I think he is running out of moves to make if things don’t go as planned again. He has played the coaching change card and with how tough it is to move contracts this summer, the roster basically is what it is and most of it (with van Riemsdyk being a notable exception) are players that he has brought in or signed to their current deals. This is his team, for better or for worse. If this doesn’t work, ownership will have to consider if Fletcher is the right one to make the necessary connections and with the way last season went, there may not be much of a leash left for him.

The Duke: All-knowing and -seeing Crystal Ball, which team sweaters will the following players be wearing at puck-drop in October (please note after the trade deadline, if appropriate): Scheifele, Zadina, Tarasenko, Barrie, and Gibson?

I can’t quite tell if the crystal ball is just on a long summer break and just taking the easy answer or not but the response it gives me is that all of those players are staying with their current teams for a while.

Mark Scheifele – Winnipeg is facing a situation where Pierre-Luc Dubois doesn’t seem likely to stay with them long-term. Knowing that, they’re not really in a spot where they can afford to move Scheifele.

Filip Zadina – Earlier this summer, I’d have thought he was a viable trade candidate. But at this point, a lot of the roster shuffling has been done and they’re not going to get top value for him. The prudent move now is to see how he fares under new head coach Derek Lalonde and it will be another sizable evaluation period.

Vladimir Tarasenko – I’d be surprised if he’s in a St. Louis uniform in October 2023 but the Blues are under no obligation to trade him and clearly, they showed they can make things work even with a trade request. They’re trying to win now and that’s a task that’s a lot harder without him than with him.

Tyson Barrie – If there’s someone on this list that could move by October, it’s Barrie. Edmonton needs to free up cap space but I don’t think they want to move Barrie, even with Evan Bouchard in place to take on a bigger role. Moving him would really thin out their back end though (and it’s already not the deepest) which is why I think their preference would be to trim from the forward group and keep Barrie to start the season.

John Gibson – He has no interest in leaving Anaheim and teams aren’t able to take on a $6.4MM AAV for the next half-decade. There will come a time where a trade might be feasible but that probably won’t be in 2022-23.

jawman74: How do you see the East shaking out next year with Detroit, Ottawa, and Columbus all stocking up this offseason, Washington still able to compete, Boston and the Islanders hoping for a last hurrah with their cores, and the contenders all staying contenders?

It’s still a bit early for these types of predictions as I think there’s another domino or two to drop before the season gets underway in October. But with the look of the rosters as they currently stand, here’s how I could see things going.

Atlantic Division: Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Florida have taken some hits to their roster but all three should be in the playoffs next season. Ottawa has made two big additions up front and those additions plus their young core should be enough to get them in as well. Boston’s injuries might dig them too deep of a hole to get out of and while Detroit has made some nice additions, I think they come up a little short as things stand. Buffalo and Montreal are clearly out of the mix already.

Metropolitan Division: Pittsburgh is old but they’re good enough to be in the thick of things. The Rangers are certainly in the mix as well and while Carolina has lost some good pieces, they’ve also added some good ones and should be in there as well. I’m a little leery with Washington and their injuries but that core can’t be counted out; they’ll be in the Wild Card mix. I don’t think Columbus and New Jersey have done enough to get in yet and Philadelphia would need a lot to go right to get there. That leaves the Islanders. Right now, I don’t think they’re a playoff team but I do think they have a move of note coming that could still change things for them. The parity of this division is certainly impressive though.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Roster Crunch Coming For Calgary Flames

July 25, 2022 at 4:30 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu 9 Comments

The Calgary Flames have had quite the offseason. In a span of one month, they’ve lost two pillars of their franchise: Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk. Yet in the same month, they’ve added a Hart Trophy contender in Jonathan Huberdeau and a top-of-the-lineup all-around defenseman in Mackenzie Weegar. It’s clear from GM Brad Treliving’s actions that the Flames are intent on building on last season’s 111-point campaign and competing for a Stanley Cup, despite the roster turmoil. They certainly look poised to do so, boasting a roster that includes a Vezina Trophy contender in net, a balanced, skilled forward corps, and a stout defense.

Outside of negotiations on a new contract for RFA defenseman Oliver Kylington, the team looks decently set, outside of one crucial area. As things currently stand, there’s a bit of a logjam on the Flames’ defense. The recent addition of Weegar, the extension of Nikita Zadorov, and the signings of Nicolas Meloche and Dennis Gilbert have left the Flames with nine defenders on one-way contracts, with a tenth on the way once Kylington’s contract is settled.

NHL teams typically carry seven defensemen on their active roster, rarely carrying more unless there are special circumstances, typically injury-related considerations, in play.

At a glance, a solid chunk of the Flames’ defense is set in stone. The pairing of Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson is rock-solid, and since Kylington’s breakout season in 2021-22 came next to Chris Tanev, it’s definitely possible coach Darryl Sutter wants to keep them together. And then there’s Zadorov and Weegar, two players who belong in the Flames’ nightly lineup.

So, as things currently stand, the Flames have six proven NHL defensemen on their roster, occupying the six slots in the nightly lineup typically reserved for defensemen. The result of this abundance of riches is that Treliving will need to make a choice about how he pursues the construction of his opening night roster, and each route is not without its risks.

The first route Treliving can follow when it comes to his defense is to simply keep the five of their NHL caliber defensemen on their opening-night roster, (Tanev is hurt and will be on long-term injured reserve for the first few months of the year) carry one defenseman in their sixth slot on the bottom pairing, and then hold a training camp battle amongst the remaining one-way blueliners for the job of seventh defenseman.

This route would be the simplest and would be the route that allows the Flames to hold all of their established defensemen on their roster, something few other teams can boast. But the downside to this route would be only one defenseman in the group of Meloche, Gilbert, and Connor Mackey would be guaranteed to remain with the Flames, the rest would be exposed to waivers.

Season-opening waivers can be the best time to attempt to sneak a player on a one-way deal to an AHL affiliate, as most teams are dealing with a roster crunch and waiving their own players. Then-Carolina Hurricanes goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is a perfect example of this, as he cleared season-opening waivers in 2020-21 before making his way to the Hurricanes’ roster and finishing as a Calder Trophy contender by the time the season concluded.

But even with that in mind, could the Flames reasonably expect to waive three defensemen on one-way contracts and keep them all? It’d be a major risk, especially if one of those waived players is Juuso Valimaki, who is just 23 years old and boasts first-round pedigree.

If the Flames don’t want to leave the fate of the lower half of their defense corps up to chance, they could also opt to subtract from their impressive group of six NHL defensemen in order to add to their forward corps or get their hands on a different type of valuable asset.

Kylington sticks out in this regard. Andersson and Weegar are unlikely to be traded, and Tanev and Hanifin have the right to limited no-trade protection on their contracts. Zadorov is extremely unlikely to be dealt as a new signing. That leaves Kylington as the clear choice for the Flames if they choose to deal a defender to clear their logjam, and his ongoing contract standoff only emphasizes that point.

Kylington was once regarded as a top prospect and has been someone Flames fans for many years had hoped would finally turn his hyped prospect status into tangible NHL results. This year, he just did that. The freedom Tanev’s elite defensive play provided Kylington allowed the 25-year-old to make the most of his tantalizing tools, and he finished 2021-22 with nine goals and 31 points in 73 games. He showed he could be a threat as a transitional defenseman and even flashed improvements to his all-around game. He could net the Flames a strong return, perhaps even a young forward from a team in need of defensive help.

Trading Kylington would be a tough pill to swallow after he finally had the break-out season the organization had been waiting for, but it would also help alleviate the Flames’ (admittedly good) problem of having so many NHL defensemen. If the Flames want Valimaki to see regular minutes next season, this may be the route to take.

Whatever direction the Flames choose, they’ll have to do something. As things currently stand, at least some combination of defensemen in Calgary will be available to other teams, either via a trade or waivers. If Treliving wants to control who stays and who goes, he’ll need to be decisive.

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

PHR Mailbag: Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Dubois, Ducks, Canadiens, Offseason Winners, Subban

July 24, 2022 at 6:52 pm CDT | by Brian La Rose 14 Comments

Topics in this edition of the mailbag include Toronto’s goaltending situation, discussion on whether or not Detroit should have another move in them this summer, early offseason winners, and more. If your question doesn’t appear here, watch for it in next weekend’s mailbag.

lapcheung39: If the Murray/Samsonov experiment fails, do you see the Leafs trading for a goalie who is capable to handle the load?

I don’t see that happening. To this point, GM Kyle Dubas has shown an inability or an unwillingness to commit to any long-term goaltending solution. There are no real trade options that meet all of the following criteria – a clear and proven upgrade on both netminders, affordable on the cap, being on a team that’s likely to sell at the trade deadline, and on a short-term contract (since they want to keep flexibility for when the contracts for their core forwards expire). Unless one of those somehow becomes available, Toronto won’t really have an opportunity to upgrade during the season.

I’m not as down on Toronto’s goaltending moves as some are. Knowing the need for affordability and flexibility, their options were going to be limited. While there’s certainly a risk of this blowing up, there is definitely an upside play as well. If one of Matt Murray or Ilya Samsonov shows that he can live up to the promise of just a couple of years ago, the Maple Leafs will have a good goalie on their hands. Good isn’t great but considering the limited amount they’re able to commit to the position, good will have to be good enough.

gowings2008: Yzerman obviously added some nice pieces to the Red Wings in the past couple of weeks, but they still lack that true star up front. I think Raymond could develop into that, but is there a chance they maybe trade for that type of player? Maybe a Barzal or Tkachuk, for example, as they both fit the core age group.

Johnny Z: I still see at least one more move this summer for Stevie Y. Would it be taking on a bad contract with a huge sweetener, or signing one of the 2 top FA’s left and then clearing out someone in that roster spot, or bidding for a Matthew Tkachuk or a Chychrun…What say, you oh Swami?

What’s the old saying, you have to learn to crawl before you can walk and walk before you can run? That’s what comes to mind when I think of Detroit. Their offseason signings thus far look like GM Steve Yzerman saying the time has come to try to get back to a playoff spot and get their young core some postseason experience. Their rebuild has been a crawl (a long crawl, at that) and getting to the playoffs is the learning to walk part. It’s hard to skip that stage and go right to running (becoming a year-in, year-out contender).

Could they trade for that player? Absolutely. Will that trade come this summer? I’d be surprised if it did. If I’m Yzerman, I want to see how their young core handles their first taste of a playoff push and perhaps a series or two to help determine what type of star player they need. It’s hard to make that determination now.

If they want to get in on the bidding for the top free agents, that’s another thing. (I still could see John Klingberg fitting there, even with Moritz Seider and Filip Hronek.) If you can get a core piece for free without having to trade for it, that’s great. But I don’t think the time is right for them to make the type of franchise-altering splash on the trade front. And if they want to take on a pricey expiring contract with a sweetener, that wouldn’t be the worst outcome either as long as they keep enough cap space to build enough in-season room to add at the trade deadline.

W H Twittle: What realistic options do the Jets have with Pierre-Luc Dubois? Should they offer 8M$×7 or something similar to see whether it really is “Habs or nothing” for Dubois? Or should they focus on trading him? And which teams could be interested in Dubois for possibly only two years?

I’ve been intrigued with the Dubois situation and the fact he accepted his qualifying offer at $6MM is curious. If that was the plan all along, he could have just filed for arbitration and likely got more money. Was not filing a leverage play that went wrong? If Dubois hopes this route helps facilitate a trade to Montreal, I’m not sure it does. All things equal, the Canadiens probably would have preferred a long-term deal that had two RFA years in it to knock a few hundred thousand off the AAV of a max-term agreement instead of one which is the best they (or any other team) can do now.

I think it also needs to be noted that there’s an important word missing from the various leaks saying Dubois wants to play in Montreal. The word that’s missing is ‘only’. At no point has it been definitively been said that he only wants to play in Montreal. Is that his preference? It sure seems like it. But it’s not a Montreal or bust scenario. At least, that’s not what his camp is indicating.

What does appear to be clear is that his long-term future isn’t with the Jets. That means the options are to trade him now, trade him midseason, or trade him next summer. Dubois accepting the qualifying offer makes the second option much more plausible. If they try to move him at the deadline, there’s a lot less salary remaining for a team to take on plus the potential for retention is higher (unless Winnipeg is in the thick of the playoff hunt in which case trading him next summer becomes the likely scenario). A trade deadline move would have several contenders interested and ready to pay a sizable return. Even if a long-term agreement isn’t guaranteed, two playoff runs and a chance to try to extend him is still worth quite a bit. They’re still in good shape to get a good return.

The trade deadline scenario makes it hard to peg teams as we don’t know who all will be in the mix yet and, more importantly, who will have cap space to do it. But if you want a wild card team for a trade this summer? I’d say Colorado. If Nazem Kadri doesn’t re-sign, could the Avs flip someone like Samuel Girard (a young top-four blueliner signed for five more years) and J.T. Compher to get a two-year improvement down the middle and potentially even an insurance policy if they can’t get Nathan MacKinnon signed for some reason? (That’s not a precise trade proposal, by the way, just a general thought.) I could see that being a Plan B for them or any other team that wants but doesn’t get Kadri.

JustPete: The new Ducks GM recently said that he’s not done and that they are looking to add a forward and a defenseman. The Ducks are also below the minimum cap level. It sounds to me that he is looking to pick off some solid players from teams that are over the cap and must shed some contracts. If true, who are the most logical teams/players in your view? Thanks.

Their lack of activity this summer tells me they’re not looking to win now. That makes them a prime candidate for this type of move although they’d be looking for future assets, not necessarily solid players. In other words, they’ll take on an overpriced expiring or short-term contract if they’re properly incentivized; they don’t have to be looking for impact players at this point. That gives them a lot of options right now.

Off the top of my head, Patric Hornqvist (Florida), Tanner Pearson and Jason Dickinson (Vancouver), Jason Zucker (Pittsburgh), Warren Foegele (Edmonton), Scandella (St. Louis), and Jonathan Drouin (Montreal) stand out as options as players that are on short-term deals (one or two years each) and could provide some utility to them while they’d still likely be able to pick up a future asset or two. A player or two off that shortlist could be possibilities.

There’s also the ability to facilitate a Kadri or Klingberg signing or a trade if a team needs to free up money. Those are harder to peg down in terms of which contract(s) could go but there should be an opportunity to get involved on that front as well.

big boi: Do you see the Habs trying to move Price and Gallagher’s contracts in the near future? If so, how?

Carey Price is coming off a season that saw him play in five games, several of which he didn’t play all that well in. He then admitted that if his knee doesn’t get any better, he doesn’t see how he could play again. That’s not the profile of a goaltender that has any trade value before factoring in that he’s the highest-paid goalie in NHL history and has four years left on his contract. I simply don’t see a team wanting to offer anything for him, even those who are trying to get creative with LTIR space. And while the Canadiens likely need to trim money, they’re not going to part with multiple high picks and prospects to move Price at a time when they’re firmly in a rebuild. Nothing happens trade-wise on his front for a while, if it ever happens at all.

As for Brendan Gallagher, what’s the market for a player coming off a seven-goal season? Not very good. Then you add in the five years left on his contract at $6.5MM per. That changes his market value from not very good to non-existent. Similar to Price, it’s a contract that would require retention and/or future assets to move. They shouldn’t be doing that with where they are in the rebuilding process.

There are easier contracts to move. They have several veterans on expiring contracts that could be flipped for someone making a little less to free up cap flexibility or they could look to move someone like Drouin, Joel Armia, or Mike Hoffman, either taking a cheaper player back or with a smaller incentive than it’d take to get out of Price and Gallagher’s contracts. Those are much more plausible moves for Montreal to make.

@Banksy56: Team that’s had the best offseason so far?

Right now, strictly looking at the on-ice situation, I’d say Ottawa. Alex DeBrincat is a legitimate top-line winger that immediately bolsters their top line. Claude Giroux is on the downswing of his career and the third year of his deal might be a bit iffy but he’s not too far removed from being a top-line player himself. The Sens don’t need him to be that, however; instead, he can help anchor a second line. Their returning players now allow them to run three solid scoring lines.

On top of that, they got Joshua Norris locked up on a max-term contract and some more stability between the pipes with Cam Talbot replacing Murray. And after all of that, they still have enough cap room to try to upgrade the back end. They’ve had cap space for a long time and they’re using it to their advantage now. This team is much-improved and should have a good chance of pushing for a playoff spot which is huge for their young core from a development perspective. I’m intrigued to see how this all works long-term (DeBrincat needs a pricey deal this summer as does Tim Stutzle) but they’ve had a very good last few weeks.

Columbus is another team that comes to mind by landing Johnny Gaudreau and being able to get a four-year deal done with Patrik Laine. That’s two star players locked up for the next four years to go with their young core. But losing Oliver Bjorkstrand for a middling return stings, especially since it’s in part due to the terrible contract given to Erik Gudbranson. That’s enough to take them out of the top spot for the best offseason in my books.

MoneyBallJustWorks: Where does P.K. Subban end up and with what type of deal?

At the beginning of free agency, I thought Toronto was where he’d land on a one-year deal around $2MM or so where he could slot into the vacancy opened up by the departure of Ilya Lyubushkin. They don’t look like as good of a fit now with them opting for cheaper depth defenders in Victor Mete and Jordie Benn and likely having to move out a veteran simply to re-sign RFA Rasmus Sandin. So, let’s take them off the table for now.

Anaheim is a team that needs to add money and they have openings to fill on their back end. As far as a soft landing goes, a possible top-four role in California looks like a pretty good one. If Edmonton moves Tyson Barrie to free up cap space, Subban could fit as a lower-cost replacement. But I like Anaheim right now on a one-year deal in the $1.5MM or so range with an eye on flipping him at the trade deadline if they’re out of the playoff picture.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

PHR’s 2022 Top 50 NHL Unrestricted Free Agents

July 20, 2022 at 12:00 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 32 Comments

Originally published July 12th.

What an offseason it has been already. A 40-goal scorer, an 85-point powerhouse, and a two-time Stanley Cup champion were all dealt within a few days of each other, as Alex DeBrincat, Kevin Fiala, and Ryan McDonagh all found new homes. The draft brought its own fireworks, with Juraj Slafkovsky completing his rocketship rise to be selected first overall, and players like Alexander Romanov, Kirby Dach, and Zack Kassian all finding themselves on the move.

After all of that, the focus is now on the free agent market and this week’s feeding frenzy. Wednesday afternoon a huge number of players will hit the open seas, able to pursue money and glory with a new team. Depending on what happens over the next 48 hours there are first-line players, future Hall of Famers, and award winners available, along with plenty of depth options. With the salary cap only barely inching upward, teams will have to carefully decide which veteran to pay and which to let go.

After giving teams plenty of time to announce extensions (you couldn’t wait a few days to sign, Valeri Nichushkin?), it’s time to unveil our Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agent List. The rankings were voted on by the PHR writing team, based on a combination of talent and projected demand, not necessarily their total dollar amounts.

All predictions are independent and have no bearing on each other, while each player is presumed to be signing a one-way contract. Retirement, Europe, and professional tryouts are real possibilities for many of them, but those options have not been used as predictions. The voting was done after Colin White was bought out but before the qualifying offer deadline, meaning players like Dylan Strome and Ilya Samsonov were not included.

1. Johnny Gaudreau – Philadelphia Flyers – 7 years, $70.0MM ($10.0MM AAV)

A unanimous selection in the top spot, Gaudreau is one of the best players to ever make it to unrestricted free agency in their prime. His career-best 115-point season was good enough for second in the NHL (tied with Jonathan Huberdeau), and he won’t turn 29 for another month. Gaudreau should become one of the highest-paid players in the league on Wednesday–or before if he’s able to work out a deal with Calgary–and is the jewel on top of an impressive group of free agents this year.

Signed in Columbus, 7 years, $68.25MM ($9.75MM AAV)

2. Nazem Kadri – Seattle Kraken – 6 years, $48.0MM ($8.0MM AAV)

Kadri established himself as a quality number two center in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, hitting a career-high 61 points in 2016-17. This year, however, Kadri had a true breakout season, becoming a star with 28 goals and 87 points, followed up with a tremendous playoff en route to a Stanley Cup. Soon to be 32 years old, Kadri is in line for a major payday from what should be a long list of suitors but could see his term reigned in a bit given his age.

Signed in Calgary, 7 years, $49MM ($7.0MM AAV)

3. Patrice Bergeron – Boston Bruins – 1 year, $5.0MM

This Boston Bruins legend will find himself in the Hockey Hall of Fame someday, but until then, his future remains a question. Bergeron left it up in the air at the end of the season, with some recent reports suggesting he would return to the Bruins on a one-year deal, though nothing has materialized yet. If there was any indication that the legendary center would be willing to go somewhere other than Boston, he likely ends up in the second spot on our list. As it stands, he’ll have to settle for third place.

Re-signed with Boston, one year, $2.5MM in base salary and $2.5MM in games played bonuses

4. Evgeni Malkin – Washington Capitals – 3 years, $21.0MM ($7.0MM AAV)

A career-Penguin, Malkin’s tenure in the Steel City may be coming to an end shortly, with no new deal in place. The three-time Cup champ has dealt with his share of injuries the past few seasons and though that may affect his value, his production has not dropped off when he is on the ice, recording 144 points in his last 129 regular-season games. At 36 (on July 31st), Malkin may not get a long-term deal but brings plenty of value to a team looking to add a dynamic veteran to their lineup.

Re-signed in Pittsburgh, 4 years, $24.4MM ($6.1MM AAV)

5. John Klingberg – Carolina Hurricanes – 6 years, $42.0MM ($7.0MM AAV)

Regarded as one of the better puck-moving defensemen of his generation, Klingberg is set to hit the open market for the first time in his career this summer, and recent reports suggest will not be returning to Dallas. Klingberg’s production has fallen off a bit since his 67-point 2017-18, but as a heads-up, veteran right-handed defenseman he will always be a valuable commodity in the NHL.

Signed in Anaheim, 1 year, $7MM

6. Claude Giroux – Ottawa Senators – 3 years, $19.5MM ($6.5MM AAV)

Giroux was a part of one of the biggest trade deadline blockbusters in recent history when he was dealt to the Florida Panthers, ending his time in Philadelphia after exactly 1,000 games (and 900 points). The veteran has been linked to a handful of teams already and rightfully so, given his still-stellar production. He may not be capable of being the centerpiece for a team at this point in his career but could be the extra weapon an established group needs to take the next step, much as he was expected to be for Florida this spring.

Signed in Ottawa, 3 years, $19.5MM ($6.5MM AAV)

7. Vincent Trocheck – Pittsburgh Penguins – 6 years, $36.0MM ($6.0 AAV)

Far from the biggest name on this list, Trocheck has been one of the most proven commodities in the league throughout his career. The veteran center peaked in 2017-18 with a 75-point season, and though he hasn’t hit that since he has shown he can be a point-producing two-way pivot capable of playing in a team’s top-six, something NHL teams have shown to value highly year after year.

Signed with Rangers, 7 years, $39.375MM ($5.625MM AAV)

8. Darcy Kuemper – Washington Capitals – 4 years, $22.0MM ($5.5MM AAV)

If there was ever a time for Kuemper to be a free agent, this is it. The 32-year-old goaltender was given the net in Colorado and didn’t disappoint, recording a .921 save percentage and 2.54 goals-against average in 57 games before helping to lead the Avalanche to a Stanley Cup Championship, contributing despite several postseason injuries. The fact that the goaltending market is incredibly thin this year should only drive his price skyward, and land him a contract that will take him close to retirement.

Signed in Washington, 5 years, $26.25MM ($5.25MM AAV)

9. Andrew Copp – New Jersey Devils – 5 years, $30MM ($6.0MM AAV)

Copp has spent his career as a gritty middle-six forward that could contribute a little bit on offense. This season was a different story with that little bit growing to 53 points. Eighteen of which came in just 16 games after a trade to the New York Rangers, adding another 14 in 20 playoff games in a deep run. The forward will now look to cash in on his strong performance this offseason.

Signed in Detroit, 5 years, $28.125MM ($5.625MM AAV)

10. Ondrej Palat – Detroit Red Wings – 3 years, $15.9MM ($5.3MM AAV)

As an NHLer, Palat has only ever known the Tampa Bay Lightning, appearing in 628 regular season games and 138 playoff games, which has included four Stanley Cup final appearances, winning two of them. Despite the Lightning clearing some cap space by moving McDonagh, it’s still a tight squeeze in Tampa Bay. Palat is coming off another quality regular season and the strongest playoff performance of his career, where he had 21 points in 23 games. Now, he will have the chance to choose where he brings his Stanley Cup pedigree.

Signed in New Jersey, 5 years, $30MM ($6.0MM AAV)

11. Ryan Strome – Dallas Stars – 5 years, $29.0MM ($5.8MM AAV)

Drafted fifth overall in 2011, Strome failed to live up to the lofty expectations associated with being a high pick and was eventually dealt by the New York Islanders to the Edmonton Oilers in 2017. After a subsequent trade to the New York Rangers, Strome broke out in 2019-20, establishing himself as the team’s number two center, and one of the best in that role in the entire league. After three consecutive strong seasons in Manhattan, Strome will hit the market looking to provide offense up the middle to a team willing to pay.

Signed in Anaheim, 5 years, $25MM ($5.0MM AAV)

12. Andre Burakovsky – Buffalo Sabres – 4 years, $20.0MM ($5.0MM AAV)

Burakovsky never put up more than 38 points in a single season with the Washington Capitals before being dealt to the Colorado Avalanche in 2019. He took a step forward out west, hitting 45 and 44 points in 58 and 53 games respectively, taking another step this season, notching 61 points in 80 games. The winger’s production should lead to a contract with both appealing salary and term, however questions regarding his consistency could play a factor in just how much he can get on the open market.

Signed in Seattle, 5 years, $27.5MM ($5.5MM AAV)

13. David Perron – St. Louis Blues – 2 years, $12.0MM ($6.0MM AAV)

In his career, Perron has played for the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, and Vegas Golden Knights. As a veteran who is almost always good for at least 50 points per season, Perron will be expected to have plenty of demand should he reach the open market, which may make it hard to predict where he goes. But in trying to answer that question, it’s worth remembering that, despite playing for five different teams, he has only ever signed an NHL contract with the Blues. That’s not a guarantee, but it certainly is food for thought.

Signed in Detroit, 2 years, $9.5MM ($4.75MM AAV)

14. Jack Campbell – Edmonton Oilers – 5 years, $27.5MM ($5.5MM AAV)

One of the highest-drafted goaltenders over the past 15 years, Campbell went 11th overall to the Dallas Stars in 2010. After struggling for years to put it all together, the 30-year-old netminder found his groove in Los Angeles and then became the starter in Toronto. Now sitting with a career .915 save percentage in 142 appearances, there are some betting on him as a true starter and that’s likely what will drive a big payday this week.

Signed in Edmonton, 5 years, $25MM ($5.0MM AAV)

15. Evander Kane – Edmonton Oilers – 5 years, $32.5MM ($6.5MM)

If you looked at nothing but numbers, you might wonder why a 30-year-old winger who scored at a near 50-goal pace last season would be ranked this low. It’s anything but numbers for Kane though, and his drop down the list represents how the market sees him. Among some teams in the league, he is completely off-limits, while even the Edmonton Oilers–where he found instant chemistry with Connor McDavid–are worried about offering him a long-term contract. There’s no doubt that he can be a force in the league, but with a grievance hearing still weighing over his free agency and a history of off-ice concerns, his market isn’t anywhere near as big as it could be.

Re-signed in Edmonton. 4 years, $20.5MM ($5.125MM AAV)

16. Josh Manson – Anaheim Ducks – 4 years, $16.0MM ($4.0MM AAV)

Watching Manson in Colorado’s defense-activating system, you could be forgiven for thinking he was known more for his offense than anything else. During the team’s Stanley Cup run he was routinely jumping into the rush and ended up scoring three goals on 39 shots, showing that he might be a little more than the stay-at-home role he’d settled into for the Anaheim Ducks. Manson still isn’t an excellent puck-mover but brings a high level of physicality, strong defensive instincts, and now the experience from a successful Stanley Cup run. The fact that he’s right-handed and 6’3″ only adds to his profile and should intrigue plenty of teams around the league.

Re-signed in Colorado, 4 years, $18MM ($4.5MM AAV)

17. Reilly Smith – Vegas Golden Knights – 3 years, $15.0MM ($5.0MM AAV)

An original misfit, Smith found a home with the Vegas Golden Knights, operating as a top-six winger for the last five seasons and racking up 230 points in 321 games. His outstanding penalty-killing ability is part of what makes him stand out as a free agent option, a talent that many offensive players don’t possess. His versatility and popularity make him a good fit to return to Vegas, though until a deal is actually announced, there will be teams circling like sharks, hoping to get a chance.

Re-signed in Vegas, 3 years, $15MM ($5.0MM AAV)

18. Mason Marchment – Calgary Flames – 5 years, $22.5MM ($4.5MM AAV)

This should have been the best moment of Marchment’s life. Cashing in on a huge payday after working his way from undrafted minor league free agent playing in the ECHL, to a near point-per-game performer for the Florida Panthers. Unfortunately, the unexpected death of his father and San Jose Sharks scout Bryan Marchment has put a dark cloud over the proceedings. No one would fault the 27-year-old free agent for taking his time before signing a deal but there will certainly be teams calling, wanting to add an in-your-face physical winger that showed he was capable of hanging with the big boys, posting 18 goals and 47 points in 53 games this season.

Signed in Dallas, 4 years, $18MM ($4.5MM AAV)

19. Nino Niederreiter – New York Islanders – 4 years, $16.8MM ($4.2MM AAV)

Speaking of versatile, physical wingers, Niederreiter had a nice bounce-back campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes this season, racking up 24 goals and 44 points in 75 games. While he may not be a dynamic first-line player, there’s a lot to be said about a big, fast, forward that is capable of scoring 20+ goals and racking up 100+ hits every year. He doesn’t penalty kill, and he won’t drive offense on a line, but if you want to add some juice to the middle six, this Swiss forward still has plenty of game left.

Signed in Nashville, 2 years, $8MM ($4MM AAV)

20. Ben Chiarot – Los Angeles Kings – 3 years, $10.5MM ($3.5MM AAV)

It’s safe to say that the Florida Panthers might regret paying a first-round pick (and more) for Chiarot at the deadline, given he ended up averaging just 17 minutes a night for them in the postseason. That doesn’t mean his market will be limited this summer though, as teams look at the length, mobility, and frankly the meanness of this 31-year-old defenseman. Chiarot can be brutally effective in front of his own net, is coming off a career-high 26 points, and has the experience of a Stanley Cup run under his belt. Even if Florida wasn’t a perfect fit, teams will be calling.

Signed in Detroit, 4 years, $19MM ($4.75MM AAV)

21. Ilya Mikheyev – Tampa Bay Lightning – 3 years, $11.4MM ($3.8MM AAV)

When agent Dan Milstein called Mikheyev the best undrafted KHL free agent since Artemi Panarin, many people scoffed at the notion. He just might have been correct though, as the 27-year-old has developed into a valuable two-way presence that is among the most effective penalty-killers in the league and just scored 21 goals in 53 games. With blinding speed and an active stick, Mikheyev is able to disrupt just about any kind of play and quickly counterattack. If his offensive skills were just a little more polished, we might be looking at a dominant player. As it is, he’ll fit into most team’s middle-six and change the makeup of their short-handed units.

Signed in Vancouver, 4 years, $19MM ($4.75MM AAV)

22. Paul Stastny – Colorado Avalanche – 1 year, $3.0MM

Stastny and Winnipeg appeared to be a perfect fit but the veteran center has expressed a desire to play for a contender as his career starts to inch near completion. The Jets don’t look like they’re going to be that over the next few years, meaning the 36-year-old might go chasing a deal somewhere else. It might surprise some to know that Stastny had 21 goals and 45 points this season, while still being an excellent faceoff option (even if he’s not always playing the middle anymore). For teams looking for some experience a little further down in the lineup, you could certainly do worse than a pivot with 800 points in his career.

23. Phil Kessel – Nashville Predators – 2 years, $4.0MM ($2.0MM AAV)

A lot of the same things could be said about Kessel, who just continues to suit up for every game his team plays, and rack up points at a strong pace. The iron man hasn’t missed a game in more than a decade, and still had 52 points in 2021-22 despite now being 34 years old. He’ll turn 35 before next season begins, has always been questioned on his conditioning, and isn’t the same offensive talent he was in his prime, but Kessel still deserves a spot somewhere around the league, snapping passes around on the powerplay and firing bullets past goaltenders from his off-wing.

24. Evan Rodrigues – Minnesota Wild – 3 years, $9.0MM ($3.0MM AAV)

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Rodrigues, who has only just established himself as a top-six player this season, racking up 19 goals and 43 points while playing a ton of minutes with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. Can the undrafted forward be relied on to produce with less-skilled linemates, or is he a product of opportunity in Pittsburgh? That’s the risk involved with any multi-year deal for the 28-year-old, and a question that could keep his pricetag reasonable this week.

25. Nick Leddy – Anaheim Ducks – 3 years, $9.6MM ($3.2MM AAV)

It’s now 851 regular season games and another 130 playoff contests for the 31-year-old Leddy, who continues to long big minutes wherever he goes. Still a smooth skater that can glide around the ice or carry the puck through the neutral zone, it was an up-and-down year for him in Detroit and then St. Louis, following a deadline trade. Because of that and the seven-year, $38.5MM contract that he’s coming off of that seemed like an overpayment by the end, there might be a bit of a buy-low opportunity here for a savvy front office to add experience at a decreased cost. Leddy isn’t really a difference-maker anymore but he can certainly still carry a regular role.

Re-signed in St. Louis, 4 years, $16MM ($4.0MM AAV)

26. Frank Vatrano – New York Rangers – 4 years, $14.0MM ($3.5MM AAV)

While the focus was on some of the other trade deadline acquisitions in New York, Vatrano made one of the biggest impacts, scoring eight goals and 13 points in just 22 games down the stretch. The versatile winger can chip in from the third line or hold his own as a complementary piece in the top six, and has done nothing but find the net over the past four seasons. Since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, Vatrano has 76 goals in 277 games–an 82-game pace of 22 goals–despite averaging just over 14 minutes a night.

Signed in Anaheim, 3 years, $10.95MM ($3.65MM AAV)

27. Nikita Zadorov – Columbus Blue Jackets – 3 years, $9.0MM ($3.0MM AAV)

There was a time that Zadorov was a frustrating mix of defensive lapses, brutal giveaways, and huge open-ice hits. The hits are still there but after work with Flames coach Darryl Sutter this season, it appears as though the first two issues may have been corrected. Zadorov was part of a very effective third-pairing in Calgary and the team outscored opponents 49-38 with him on the ice. He even reached a career-best 22 points, and racked up 106 shots on net in 74 games. Still, his inconsistent history might make teams a little wary of giving him a long-term deal.

Re-signed in Calgary, 2 years, $7.5MM ($3.75MM AAV)

28. Brett Kulak – Edmonton Oilers – 2 years, $5.0MM ($2.5MM AAV)

One of the more underappreciated parts of the Oilers’ long playoff run might have been the performance of Kulak, who continued to provide quite, effective defense whenever he was on the ice. The 28-year-old is never going to be a big, bruising, force on the backend, but instead uses his mobility and reach to shutdown rush chances. It was also a good time to record a career-high of 21 points, though teams won’t be after him for his offense.

Re-signed in Edmonton, 4 years, $11MM ($2.75MM AAV)

29. Calle Jarnkrok – Detroit Red Wings – 2 years, $6.0MM ($3.0MM AAV)

In 2016, after a breakout 16-goal season, Jarnkrok took security over everything and accepted a six-year, $12MM contract with the Nashville Predators. It ended up costing him some serious money, as he became a consistent two-way presence who certainly could have landed more than $2MM per season through his arbitration years, not to mention his first few eligible UFA seasons. Now 30, it’s been seven straight seasons of double-digit goals for the pending free agent, who can play both center and winger effectively enough to help any team.

Signed in Toronto, 4 years, $8.4MM ($2.1MM AAV)

30. Max Domi – Toronto Maple Leafs – 1 year, $2.5MM

Domi’s 28-goal, 72-point 2018-19 campaign seems like ancient history as he heads to market, following a season that saw his playing time drop to just 13 minutes a night. The idea that he can be relied on as a full-time center has been forgotten, and some of the goal-scoring issues from his early career have returned. There’s no one doubting his ability to create for teammates when he is engaged, but too often he settles for perimeter play despite having the strength and toughness to compete in more difficult areas. Still, as one of the younger options on the market–Domi only turned 27 in March–there will likely be teams tantalized by his previous results and confident they can get him back to that level.

Signed in Chicago, 1 year, $3.0MM

31. Alexander Edler – Calgary Flames – 1 year, $3.0MM

Remember when it seemed like Edler might be ready for retirement after struggling throughout the 2020-21 season? It doesn’t seem so dire for the 36-year-old defenseman this time around, after registering 19 points in 41 games with the Los Angeles Kings in a depth role. He’s not going to log 24 minutes a night anymore but there is something to be said for 966 games of NHL experience. To paraphrase Mike Babcock, when speaking about a similarly-aged Ron Hainsey: “he knows where to stand.”

Re-signed in Los Angeles, 1 year, $750K salary + $750K performance bonuses

32. Ilya Lyubushkin – Toronto Maple Leafs – 2 years, $3.0MM ($1.5MM AAV)

Lybushkin couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity just before free agency than he received this year. A midseason trade took him from the floundering Coyotes (where he had spent his entire career to that point) to the playoff-bound Maple Leafs, where he had a chance to showcase himself on a wider stage. While his weaknesses still showed–namely his footspeed, or lack thereof–Lyubushkin proved he could be a reliable depth option on the right side, capable of suppressing offense and adding physicality.

Signed in Buffalo, 2 years, $5.5MM ($2.75MM AAV)

33. Andreas Athanasiou – Arizona Coyotes – 2 years, $5.0MM ($2.5MM AAV)

He’s probably not ever going to come close to the 30-goal season he had in 2018-19 but Athanasiou’s blazing speed remains intriguing as he gets set to hit the open market again. In his injury-shortened season, he managed 11 goals in 28 games and there is still something to be said for a player who can generate regular odd-man rush opportunities, even if he’s not the best at converting them. If he’s looking at another one-year deal, there’s not a ton of risk in signing the speedster.

Signed in Chicago, 1 year, $3.0MM

34. Erik Gudbranson – Calgary Flames – 2 years, $4.0MM ($2.0MM AAV)

The 30-year-old has bounced around a lot in recent years, playing for half a dozen teams going back to 2018. But Gudbranson found a good home in Calgary as he provided his usual physical style on their third pairing while also chipping in with career numbers offensively. Teams shouldn’t expect him to suddenly become a consistent point contributor but his value is back on the upswing after being dragged down by an above-market contract not too long ago. He might not draw much attention on the first day of free agency but Gudbranson will be a fallback option for several teams.

Signed in Columbus, 4 years, $16MM ($4.0MM AAV)

35. Tyler Motte – Nashville Predators – 4 years, $7.0MM ($1.75MM AAV)

When healthy, Motte has been an effective energy winger. He can play on both wings, kill penalties, throw plenty of hits, and even chip in offensively from time to time. As far as fourth-liners go, that’s a quality combination. However, the issue is that the 27-year-old has had trouble staying healthy the last several years, including with the Rangers who added him at the trade deadline only to lose him a few weeks later. Teams generally don’t want to pay high price tags for fourth-liners but Motte should draw plenty of interest as if he can stay healthy for an entire season, he can be a very effective role player.

36. Justin Schultz – Arizona Coyotes – 1 year, $1.5MM

Schultz is now five years removed from his peak offensive output that saw him put up 51 points and at the age of 32, it’s unlikely he’s going to suddenly rediscover his scoring touch. But as a secondary producer from the back end and a right-hand shot, Schultz will have some suitors this summer at a lower price tag than the $4MM he made the last two seasons. Worth noting, that Washington dropped his ice time to a career-low 16:55 in 2021-22 which is likely an indicator of where interested teams should be slotting him onto their depth chart.

Signed in Seattle, 2 years, $6.0MM ($3.0MM AAV)

37. P.K. Subban – Seattle Kraken – 1 year, $2.0MM

Subban’s stock has fallen sharply compared to his best days in Montreal and New Jersey dropped him down their depth chart last season as he averaged a career-low 18:18 per game, a sign that they felt he is no longer a top-four defender. That opinion is likely shared across the league but in a limited role, the 33-year-old should be able to contribute for a few more years and as a right-shot defender, the King Clancy Award winner should have a decent market this summer.

38. Ian Cole – Washington Capitals – 1 year, $1.5MM

The 33-year-old has been a throwback stay-at-home physical defender throughout his 12-year NHL career. At this stage, he’s not someone that should be counted on to play upwards of 20 minutes a night but for teams looking for an edge on their third pairing while playing heavy shorthanded minutes, Cole is someone that should generate some attention once the top blueliners start to come off the board.

Signed in Tampa Bay, 1 year, $3.0MM

39. Vladislav Namestnikov – San Jose Sharks – 1 year, $1.75MM

Namestnikov has bounced around a lot in recent years, suiting up for five teams in the past three seasons alone. However, the 29-year-old has continued to be sought after for his versatility and consistent secondary production; Namestnikov has had at least 28 points in six of the past seven years. He shouldn’t be counted on to play in the top six when a team is fully healthy but as a third-liner that can move up when injuries arise, he’d fill a useful role for several teams.

Signed in Tampa Bay, 1 year, $2.5MM

40. Jan Rutta – Detroit Red Wings – 2 years, $3.5MM ($1.75MM AAV)

After being more of a depth player through his first four NHL seasons, Rutta had an opportunity to play a regular role with Tampa Bay and made the most of it, logging over 16 minutes a night while chipping in with 18 points. He has his limitations but as a right-shot defender, there should be several teams interested in a veteran third-pairing option with considerable playoff experience if Tampa Bay isn’t able to re-sign him before free agency opens up.

Signed in Pittsburgh, 3 years, $8.25MM ($2.75MM AAV)

41. Mattias Janmark – Boston Bruins – 2 years, $4.0MM ($2.0MM AAV)

Janmark hasn’t been able to break out offensively over his six-year NHL career, only surpassing the 30-point mark once. However, he can play up and down the lineup, kill penalties, and play all three forward positions. That type of versatility is always intriguing to teams and with strong speed, the 29-year-old should be able to generate enough interest to secure a multi-year commitment where he’ll likely once again hover around the 25-point-mark.

Signed in Edmonton, 1 year, $1.25MM

42. Colin White – Montreal Canadiens – 1 year, $1.2MM

White looked to have a breakout year in 2018-19 when he had 41 points, seemingly setting himself up to be a big part of Ottawa’s future plans. But he has struggled to produce and stay healthy since then, notching just 51 points in 130 games over the last three seasons combined. That led to Ottawa buying out the 25-year-old earlier this month. At his age, there should be several teams interested in buying low, especially since he still has another year of team control after 2022-23.

Signed in Florida, 1 year, $1.2MM

43. Colin Miller – Chicago Blackhawks – 1 year, $1.0MM

Miller’s stock has certainly fallen compared to his two strong seasons in Vegas as things simply haven’t gone well in Buffalo over the last three years. But the 29-year-old still has enough offensive talent–including a blistering point shot–to draw the attention of teams that are looking for a bit more production from their back end, albeit at a considerable drop in pay from the $3.875MM he has made in each of the past four years.

Signed in Dallas, 2 years, $3.7MM ($1.85MM AAV)

44. Zach Aston-Reese – Toronto Maple Leafs – 3 years, $4MM ($1.33MM AAV)

While Aston-Reese hasn’t been able to come close to matching the offensive production that made him a highly sought-after college free agent, the 27-year-old has been able to carve out a role as an effective energy fourth liner. He has ranged between 13 and 17 points over his four NHL seasons and recorded 231 hits in 2021-22 between Pittsburgh and Anaheim. That should help him to generate some interest as several teams will be looking to add grit this summer.

45. Nicolas Deslauriers – New Jersey Devils – 3 years, $7MM ($2.33MM AAV)

At a time when true enforcers are largely being phased out of the league, Deslauriers has been able to carve out a steady role for himself. On top of being one the more prolific fighters, the 31-year-old can chip in with a few goals, plenty of hits, and even kill some penalties. Minnesota indicated that they’d like to keep him but Deslauriers should be able to receive more on the open market than what they can afford to pay for their end-of-roster players.

Signed in Philadelphia, 4 years, $7.0MM ($1.75MM AAV)

46. Olli Maatta – Tampa Bay Lightning – 1 year, $1.5MM

While Maatta has been maligned in recent years for his cumbersome contract, it largely overshadowed his performance with the Kings where he still contributed on their third pairing. Still just 27, Maatta can kill penalties and log 16-18 minutes a night. That’s not a particularly exciting profile but at a much more affordable price point, he should garner interest from several teams on the open market.

Signed in Detroit, 1 year, $2.25MM

47. Colin Blackwell – Vancouver Canucks – 3 years, $3.6MM ($1.2MM AAV)

Every team needs versatile bottom-six contributors, and that’s exactly what Blackwell brings to the table–even if he doesn’t offer the size that many teams are after. The 5’9″ forward had endless energy and can chip in offensively when given the chance, scoring 22 goals and 42 points over his last 105 games. Coming off the first season of his career with a one-way contract, he’ll try to secure a few dollars more than league minimum this time around and hopefully land a full-time lineup spot.

Signed in Chicago, 2 years, $2.4MM ($1.2MM AAV)

48. Anton Stralman – Buffalo Sabres – 1 year, $1.0MM

He won’t get anywhere near the $5.5MM he has earned over the last three seasons but Stralman was still relatively effective this year for the Coyotes, logging more than 21 minutes a night and scoring 23 points in 74 games. Don’t expect him to see the ice that much for a contender but even at 36 (his birthday is August 1) he’ll be a solid contributor somewhere if he wants to continue playing.

49. Calvin de Haan – Ottawa Senators – 1 year, $1.5MM

There is nothing flashy about de Haan’s game, he can’t produce much offense, and he’s no longer going to log 20 minutes a night. What he can do, is help a penalty kill and offer a stabilizing presence next to a young player. The fact that he has plenty of experience on both sides of the ice makes him a nice target for rebuilding clubs that might be moving pieces in and out, or a contender looking to add some depth to the chart without overspending.

50. Eric Comrie – Toronto Maple Leafs – 2 years, $2.4MM ($1.2MM AAV)

With 19 solid appearances last year for the Jets, Comrie enters the market as a sneaky option for bargain bin hunters that need a second goaltender. He has just 28 games at the NHL level, and a good chunk of those have been rather poor performances. But with his game rounding into shape over the last two years, and Comrie only just turning 27 a few days ago, there’s enough upside left for someone to take a chance on a multi-year deal.

Signed in Buffalo, 2 years, $3.6MM ($1.8MM AAV)

Free Agent Focus: Boston Bruins

July 13, 2022 at 9:45 am CDT | by Brian La Rose 8 Comments

Free agency is almost upon us. There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. Next up is a look at the Boston Bruins.

Key Restricted Free Agent

F Jack Studnicka – We’re using the term ‘key’ here loosely but that’s simply because Boston doesn’t have any pending restricted free agents that were full-timers in the NHL last season. Or were even in the NHL for a quarter of the games. The closest is Studnicka who got into 15 games in 2021-22 and 20 the years before but the 2017 second-round pick hasn’t been able to establish himself yet as a full-time NHL regular. Now waiver-eligible, Boston could look to make Studnicka an offer for the league minimum but on a higher AHL salary or even a one-way deal in exchange for keeping the cap hit down. Those deals are quite common for players in his situation and it should play out like that here as well.

Other RFAs: D Jack Ahcan, F Matt Filipe

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Patrice Bergeron – The soon-to-be 37-year-old has been a fixture in Boston’s lineup for the last 18 years, spending many of those as an elite two-way center. While he’s getting up there in age, Bergeron was still quite productive last season, finishing third on the team in scoring with 65 points in 73 games while winning the Selke Trophy for the fifth time in his career. If he was to test the market, he’d have no shortage of interest and could command a raise on the $6.875MM he made on his expiring deal. Of course, Bergeron won’t be testing the market and has made that clear already with his options either being re-signing with Boston or retiring; RDS’ Francois Gagnon reports (Twitter link) a deal has been agreed to and will be announced soon. With the Bruins having limited cap space and a desire to bring David Krejci back from the Czech league, Bergeron will need to take less than market value or an incentive-laden deal to work around their cap situation.

F Curtis Lazar – The other player Boston picked up in the Taylor Hall trade, Lazar had one of his best NHL seasons in 2021-22, collecting 16 points while recording a career-high 186 hits. He can kill penalties and has been close to a 50% player at the faceoff dot over the last three seasons. Gritty fourth liners always generate some interest on the open market and the 27-year-old should be no exception as he’ll get a contract that’s above the $800K he made in each of the last two years.

D Josh Brown – After having a limited role in Ottawa, the Bruins picked up the 28-year-old at the trade deadline to give them some extra depth for the playoffs. He rarely played the rest of the way, suiting up in just six games down the stretch and once in the postseason. While that doesn’t help his cause heading into free agency, Brown has shown over his four seasons that he’s a serviceable depth defender that can bring some physicality into the mix. He’ll have a bit of interest as a result.

Other UFAs: F Anton Blidh, G Callum Booth, D Kodie Curran, F Steven Fogarty, F Jesper Froden, G Troy Grosenick, F Cameron Hughes

Projected Cap Space

At the moment, Boston has just over $2.3MM in cap space which certainly doesn’t give them any room to work with while Bergeron and Krejci would need to take contracts that are well below market value. Accordingly, GM Don Sweeney will need to be active on the trade front to create some space if they’re going to be active in adding to their roster this summer.

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

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