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Poll: How Many Top 50 Free Agents Will Opt For Retirement?

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A week into free agency, the vast majority of PHR’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents are under contract. Unsurprisingly, many of those left unsigned are on the wrong side of 30 or even at or approaching 40. Veterans tend to be later additions in free agency, as teams aren’t rushing to sign them to long-term deals to be core pieces, but rather seek to use them to plug holes in the lineup after the fact. As of now, there are nine names in the Top 50 that are legitimate candidates for retirement. Some have offers on the table and are taking their time to make a decision, while other may not have much of a market and could have to choose between a PTO or calling it a career. How many will choose retirement this summer?

Justin Williams, 37, enjoyed a tremendous 53-point season with the Carolina Hurricanes this past season and looked far from done. GM Don Waddell hinted that the captain will return next season, but until pen meets paper it remains a question mark. Williams was a key piece of the Hurricanes’ run to the Eastern Conference Final last season and would be a major loss for the team. However, he could opt to go out on top as a player who has seen very little drop-off in production through his 30’s and hit his highest point total since 2011-12 last season. Williams can still play, but the question is whether he wants to.

Joe Thornton, 40, not only wants to play next season, but wants to play several more years. The future Hall of Famer has already had an illustrious career, but has yet to win that elusive Stanley Cup. Thornton would like to return to the San Jose Sharks, one of only two teams he’s played for in his 21-year career, and the Sharks should be able to find the space to bring him back after moving out salary via trade and free agency departures. However, Thornton’s asking price will play a part – he did top 50 points again last season – as will the Sharks’ interest in bringing back another retirement threat. Patrick Marleau, 39, left San Jose two years ago to join the Toronto Maple Leafs, but has since been bought out and all signs point to a desire to return to the Sharks. These two legendary Sharks are both capable of continuing their NHL careers, but can San Jose fit them both and are either willing to sign elsewhere at this point in their careers?

Brian Boyle, 34, enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2018-19 and netted a second-round pick at the trade deadline. He clearly still has value as a big, smart two-way forward, but the lack of attention he has garnered thus far in free agency is curious. Boyle did not make as much of an impact in Nashville post-trade as he did in New Jersey and teams may be skeptical of his production moving forward. Between a cold market and recent health concerns, Boyle may be considering calling it a career while he’s still considered an elite defensive forward. However, it would be a surprise if there isn’t a team in the NHL who could still use Boyle’s ability.

Dion Phaneuf, 34, is fresh off of a buyout and should be available at a bargain rate as he continues to cash paychecks from the Los Angeles Kings. Phaneuf stated earlier this off-season that he would be happy to land with a contender, but is also open to taking on a mentor role with a young team. That would seemingly make him a candidate to join a number of D-needy teams. Yet, a week into free agency there has been almost no noise surrounding Phaneuf. The veteran still plays a strong checking game, but his offense and mobility fell off a cliff last season, resulting in drastic career lows in production and ice time. Teams may be hesitant to invest at his current asking price. Phaneuf may be looking at a decision between a short-term, minimum deal or walking away.

Ben Lovejoy, 35, is also coming off an uninspiring season. The Dallas Stars still felt he was worth a deadline gamble, but Lovejoy failed to make much of an impact offensively with either the Stars or Devils pre-trade. An experienced journeyman defenseman, Lovejoy still plays a strong defensive game and has great awareness in his own zone. However, when it comes to moving the puck he can be prone to turnovers and when asked to contribute offensively, he offers little. At this point in his career, Lovejoy is an ideal No. 7 or 8 defenseman. However, does he want to continue his playing career only to be used sparingly as a depth player? That’s the question.

Thomas Vanek, 35, is a tricky case. While his 36 points this season marked a career low, it also came in just 64 games and was one of the top marks for the Detroit Red Wings. Vanek has been a tough player to get a read on in recent years because he has moved around so much and played in a variety of roles. The eye test, combined with a plethora of rumors so far this summer, suggest that he can keep playing. But does a decorated veteran really want to continue being a hired gun and deadline deal year after year? If Vanek can find some security in a short-term contract, he will stick around in the NHL and likely continue to be a great value as a player capable of 50 points. However, the respected veteran may also be ready to call it a career if the right fit doesn’t exist.

Niklas Kronwall, 38, and Deryk Engelland, 37, are both in the same boat. They will either return to their current teams – the Red Wings and Golden Knights respectively – or they’ll retire. Neither is looking to move at this point in their careers, nor can they command salaries that their teams cannot pay. Instead, the duo are both valued for their leadership and loyalty and can still play well enough in a regular role or, more likely, thrive in a depth role. The question for both is simply how much they have left in the tank and whether it’s time to quit while they’re ahead.

So what do you think? Nine players, all with good reason to retire but also to keep playing, with various market factors at work. How many suit up in the NHL next season and how many make a final announcement in the coming weeks?

Marc Methot Considering Retirement

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Veteran defenseman Marc Methot had a tough go of it in Dallas, playing in a combined 45 games over the last two seasons with the team. Battling lingering injury issues in his left knee, Methot has been sidelined for most of the past two years and hit the free agent market this summer with next to no noise thanks to questions about his health moving forward. To make matters worse, Methot underwent a cartilage replacement surgery last month that will extend his on-ice absence even further.

With all of these prominent questions and concerns, it should come as little surprise that the 34-year-old is at least considering retirement. Marc Brassard of leDroit reports that Methot is continuing to rehab after his recent surgery, but is unsure if he will be able to play next season. That does not mean that the respected veteran couldn’t continue to work at getting in game shape and try his hand at next summer’s market. After all, Methot is just a few years removed from being one of the league’s top shutdown defenders, a title he held for the better part of this decade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators. However, Brasssard believes that he is strongly considering hanging it up instead.

Brassard also points out that Methot has a desire to work in sports media, which could also drive his decision to retire. Methot will get a try out on Thursday, when he joins TSN 1200 Radio in Ottawa as a guest host. The appearance could also act to further update his playing status, so stay tuned.

 

Chris Butler Announces Retirement

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What’s better than going out in style? After a long professional career, Chris Butler has decided to retire after finally lifting the Stanley Cup above his head. Though he didn’t play in the postseason for the Blues, he was on the ice to celebrate their win after appearing in 13 games during the regular season. The 32-year old released a letter to fans about his journey and hopes to inspire the next generation of players from the St. Louis area.

Butler served as captain of the San Antonio Rampage this season, playing 51 games in the AHL to close out his career. A fourth-round pick from 2005, he went to the University of Denver and developed into a reliable two-way presence who quickly made the transition to the professional level. Suiting up for the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames and Blues over parts of 11 NHL seasons, he totaled 407 games played and recorded 86 points. On three different occasions he averaged more than 20 minutes a night for an entire season, but was never the lead offensive weapon from the blue line.

In his letter, he explains that lifting the Stanley Cup was never even his dream, he never got that far:

I could say the last five years being a member of the Blues organization was a dream come true but that would be a lie. It was a dream that never existed for me. Growing up in St Louis, as a hockey player, my dream was to someday be able to get a college scholarship and help my parents by paying for my education, that was it.

Butler did a lot more than that, earning close to $8MM in his career according to CapFriendly. Happy retirement, Chris.

Roberto Luongo Announces Retirement

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One of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the NHL is finally hanging up his pads (literally). Roberto Luongo took to Twitter to announce his retirement and detailed his decision in a long letter to fans of his, explaining that he would love to stay on as part of the Florida Panthers’ organization in some capacity:

…Once I’ve had some time to process this and make the adjustment, I’d love to be part of the Panthers organization. This is where my home is and I still love and want to be involved with hockey. At the end of the day, maybe I didn’t win the Stanley Cup on the ice, but perhaps I can still put my name on it in another way. It wouldn’t be quite the same, but it would still be quite the accomplishment.

His retirement brings with it more than just a vacancy in the Panthers’ crease. Because of the structure of his contract and the fact that he is retiring before it is completed, both Florida and the Vancouver Canucks will face cap recapture penalties for the next several seasons. Though there is some dispute over the exact numbers, the most recent estimate from Frank Seravalli of TSN had the Canucks facing a $3.03MM penalty for each of the next three years, while the Panthers would face a $1.09MM penalty for the same duration. Luongo had three years left on his deal that carried a $5.33MM cap hit, though the Canucks were retaining $800K of that. The actual salary however was set to drop to just $3.62MM total over those three years, meaning he’s not giving up very much compared to the ~$93MM he has already earned in his career.

Regardless of the cap implications that his retirement causes, Luongo’s presence in the NHL will be sorely missed. The sarcastic, humble personality that he crafted through social media and interactions with fans made him well-liked across the entire league, even as he continued to put up incredible numbers. Third all-time in wins with 489, he will go down as one of the best goaltenders to never win a Stanley Cup or Vezina Trophy. His best chance at the latter may have been in 2004, when he recorded a .931 save percentage while appearing in 72 games for the Panthers. Unfortunately the team wasn’t able to help him and his 25-33-14 record cost him votes to the eventual winner, Martin Brodeur.

Or perhaps it was 2011 when Luongo led the league in wins with 38 and took home the Jennings trophy as the goaltender for the team who allowed the fewest goals. His .928 save percentage was a huge part of the success for the Canucks that season, though he would eventually watch Tim Thomas accept the award after an otherworldly season. Overall, Luongo finishes his career with a .919 save percentage across 1,044 regular season games.

Obviously it is impossible to see a hole appear in the Panthers net and not immediately speculate on who will fill it next season. While the team has James Reimer under contract they have explored trading him over the last few weeks, and are still being linked to free agent Sergei Bobrovsky. Though the cap recapture penalty is annoying, it actually may be better for a team with the cap space of the Panthers than trying to navigate the tricky long-term injured reserve waters. Bobrovsky reportedly met with the Panthers in recent days, but is also headed to New York to have some further meetings.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Matt Hendricks Announces Retirement

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Brooks Orpik isn’t the only player hanging up his skates today. Michael Russo of The Athletic passes on the news that veteran forward Matt Hendricks will call it quits on a long professional career, joining the Minnesota Wild’s player development department instead.

Hendricks, 38, was originally selected by the Nashville Predators in the fifth round of the 2000 draft, and had a long and winding road to the NHL. Four years at St. Cloud State landed him nothing but a minor league contract, and the hard working forward had to grind through games for the Milwaukee Admirals, Florida Everblades, Lowell Lock Monsters, Rochester Americans, Hershey Bears, Providence Bruins and Lake Erie Monsters before ever sniffing the NHL. That first chance came with the Colorado Avalanche during the 2008-09 season, and Hendricks would never look back.

Still a journeyman at heart, the fourth-line center would end up playing for Colorado, Washington, Nashville, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Minnesota during his 607-game NHL career, recording 116 points and 722 penalty minutes along the way. Considered a natural leader everywhere he went, Hendricks was never much of an offensive player but continued to play important minutes for every team he went to. Never able to capture the Stanley Cup, he’ll retire with just 39 playoff games under his belt.

Brooks Orpik Announces Retirement

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The Washington Capitals won’t be bringing Brooks Orpik back for another season. The veteran defenseman announced his retirement from professional hockey today, indicating that his body just couldn’t handle the grind of another NHL season.

I’ve been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new. I’m excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I’ll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me.

Orpik, 38, was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins 18th overall in a very different era of the NHL. The 6’3″ 217-lbs defenseman had registered just 10 points in 38 games that season for Boston College, but was a feared physical presence at even that young age. Not drafted for his offensive ability, Orpik nevertheless put up a pair of solid seasons at both ends of the rink for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to start his career before jumping onto the Pittsburgh roster and not looking back. In parts of 11 seasons with the Penguins, Orpik played 703 regular season games and registered 2,187 hits. Every opponent knew when he was on the ice, but sometimes couldn’t do anything to avoid getting run over.

In 2009, Orpik would win his first Stanley Cup with the Penguins, logging more than 20 minutes a night and registering 112 hits in just 24 games. An Olympic silver medal followed the year after, and a second NHL title years later with the Washington Capitals. “Batya” as the Capitals teammates called him, was an integral piece of their locker room and still a playoff warrior on the ice.

Orpik will finish his career with 1,035 regular season games, 194 points and 3,148 hits.

Snapshots: Claesson, Talbot, Abbandonato

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The deadline to extend qualifying offers to impending restricted free agents arrives on Tuesday, and another intriguing name can be added to the list of those likely not receiving an offer and hitting the open market. The New York Post’s Larry Brooks reports that Rangers defenseman Fredrik Claesson will not receive a qualifying offer from the team. Brooks cites roster space as the reason that New York has opted not to retain the 26-year-old, who played in 37 games in his first – and now only – season with the Rangers. The team only would have merely had to offer Claesson a two-way contract worth $735K to hold on to his RFA rights, but apparently are content to let him leave. With four veteran blue liners already signed, recent acquisition Jacob Trouba as well as Anthony DeAngelo as restricted free agents, and top prospects Adam Fox and Libor Hajek pushing for ice time, the Rangers do have plenty of depth without Claesson. Nevertheless, the former Ottawa Senators starter should draw plenty of attention as a new addition to the UFA market. Claesson joins a growing list of talented players not expected to receive qualifying offers, including Vancouver’s Derrick Pouliot, Los Angeles’ Nikita Scherbak, and Edmonton’s Ty Rattie and Tobias Rieder. 

  • At 35 years old, veteran Max Talbot is calling it a career. TSN’s Pierre LeBrun revealed that Talbot has decided to retire and end his playing days, but will stay involved with the game as a development adviser for CAA, a top hockey agency. Talbot may have spent his twilight years overseas, playing the past three seasons in the KHL, but few will forget his accomplishments in the NHL. Talbot spent eleven season in the league, making a name for himself as a top two-way player. Talbot received votes for the Selke Award as the league’s best defensive forward in four different seasons and was one of the most dangerous shorthanded specialists in the league during the prime of his career. Talbot spent the first six seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping the team to a 2009 Stanley Cup title, and made stops in Philadelphia, Colorado, and Boston before heading for Russia in 2016.
  • As one pro career ends, another begins. QMJHL leading scorer Peter Abbandonato has signed with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, per TVA’s Mikhail Lalancette. It’s a two-year minor league deal for Abbandonato, who needs time to develop despite his impressive junior numbers. Abbandonato was a late-blooming forward, an undrafted and slightly undersized center who broke out this season in his final year of junior eligibility. The 21-year-old had a phenomenal season, though; he recorded 111 points in 68 games, including 82 assists, which also led the league and by a wide margin. Abbandonato then added 27 points in just 15 playoff games to help the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to a QMJHL title. Like fellow undrafted top junior scorer Justin Brazeau of the OHL, Abbandonato had no other option but to sign a minor league deal and show that his skill set is pro-ready. If he can do that, Abbandonato should earn an entry-level contract, perhaps even before his AHL contract expires.

 

Decision On Playing Future Coming Soon From Roberto Luongo

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The Florida Panthers have been linked to Sergei Bobrovsky since he made his intention to hit free agency known, but with Roberto Luongo and James Reimer still under contract it didn’t seem possible without an additional transaction. Recently a report surfaced that the Panthers are trying to find a trade for Reimer, but Luongo’s future still was unclear. Today, Frank Seravalli of TSN tweeted that a decision is expected to come from Luongo over the next few days on what he plans to do this season: play, retire, or start the year on long-term injured reserve.

Luongo, 40, has a lingering hip issue that has limited him in recent seasons and theoretically end his career if he decided not to push it further. That could be a solution for the Panthers, who could put his contract on long-term injured reserve for some additional cap flexibility or potentially trade it to a team looking to hit the cap floor. Luongo currently has three years remaining on his current deal, but is owed just over $3.6MM in actual salary on his extremely front-loaded deal. That structure is why retirement is a terrible option for the Panthers (and Vancouver Canucks, who signed the deal in the first place and are retaining some of the salary).

Deals like Luongo’s 12-year contract were outlawed in the latest CBA negotiations, with a cap recapture penalty being put in place for any player that retires early. The idea was to punish teams for adding years to a contract that were never meant to actually be played just to reduce the average annual value. Though there is no consensus currently on the exact numbers, Seravalli tweets that if Luongo were to retire right now the Canucks would face a $3.03MM cap recapture penalty for the next three years, while the Panthers would face a $1.09MM penalty for the same duration.

Still, there is always the option of playing again. While Luongo wasn’t his usual self last season due to the injury, he’s only one year away from a season in which he posted a .929 save percentage, his best since 2004. If the team can find a way to move Reimer, perhaps in a reduced role he could still be an effective option even at his high price tag.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Snapshots: Edler, Hiller, Grabovski

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The Vancouver Canucks may not be parting ways with Alexander Edler after all. Several reports including Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet have surfaced today that the two sides are making positive progress on a new deal, and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the biggest hurdle has been resolved. That would be Edler’s availability for the upcoming expansion draft, something that was a major sticking point in early talks. The Canucks previously had not wanted to give Edler a no-movement clause that would make him automatically protected in the draft, through Friedman doesn’t go into detail on how the two sides have resolved the problem.

Edler, 33, is coming off a six-year, $30MM deal with the Canucks and is still arguably their most important defenseman. While that may change soon with the emergence of Quinn Hughes, losing him would create a huge 24-minute-a-night hole on their blue line. Even in a season limited by injury Edler still managed to record 34 points in 56 games and would be a top option on the free agent market if left unsigned.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be bringing back either of their assistant coaches this season, as Friedman tweets that Jim Hiller is heading to re-join Lou Lamoriello with the New York Islanders. The team had already watched D.J. Smith take the head coaching position with the Ottawa Senators, meaning Mike Babcock will need to find a few new faces to join him behind the bench in 2019-20. Hiller ran the Maple Leafs’ powerplay which despite ranking eighth in the entire league at 21.8%, was still seen as a relative disappointment given the talent they had to offer. Still, he’s a very experienced coach that joins another excellent staff under Barry Trotz in New York.
  • Though Mikhail Grabovski hasn’t suited up for a professional game since the 2015-16 season, only today did he officially announce his retirement. The 35-year old was forced out of the game due to concussion issues, but was actually still under contract through the 2017-18 season. In fact, Grabovski will still earn a paycheck for the next two years from a 2013 buyout at the hands of the Maple Leafs. In 534 career games, the shifty center recorded 296 points playing for the Maple Leafs, Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals.

Minor Notes: Pettersson, Glass, Porter

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Emil Pettersson is heading back to the SHL after a pair of seasons in the AHL. The 25-year old big brother of Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson signed with the Nashville Predators in 2017, but was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in February of this year. Even with the change of scenery he wasn’t able to make it to the NHL, instead playing 61 total games at the AHL level and recording 38 points. Pettersson is heading back to the Vaxjo Lakers, the same club he left in 2017.

The Coyotes can retain his rights temporarily with a qualifying offer, but given the two-year contract he signed in Sweden he will likely become an unrestricted free agent before considering a return to North America.

  • After a lone season in France playing for the Bordeaux Boxers, veteran NHL forward Tanner Glass has announced his retirement. The 35-year old has apparently been offered a position with his former team the New York Rangers, though the Bordeaux press release doesn’t make it clear what his title would be. Glass played 134 of his 527 career NHL games with the Rangers, racking up 472 hits and 181 penalty minutes.
  • Kevin Porter is staying put after signing a one-year extension with the Rochester Americans of the AHL. The minor league deal is for the 2019-20 season, and keeps the Americans’ captain in town. The 33-year old Porter has played 249 games in the NHL over his career, but is much more well known for his years in the minor leagues where he has been a consistent producer for several teams. He recorded 39 points in 58 games last season and is a former Hobey Baker winner that can help the young Buffalo prospects navigate their first taste of professional hockey.

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