Posts Tagged ‘Free Agency
Ray Emery Russia Bound
After leading Ottawa to the Stanley Cup finals only a season ago, the enigmatic and somewhat troubled goaltender appears to be done in the NHL, for now. Emery reportedly received very little interest in free agency after being bought out by the Ottawa Senators last month and is on the verge of signing a one-year deal with the newly formed Continental Hockey League in Russia. My how quickly they fall in sports.
Pittsburgh Penguins: The Rollercoaster Off-season and Janne Pesonen
It hasn’t been a pleasant off-season for the Penguins in some respects as they are starting to pay the price for all that young talent. They lost, or threw away, hometown hero Ryan Malone who went on to sign a 7-year deal with the very busy and freshly deconstructed Tampa Bay Lightning. They lost Malone for a number of reasons not the least of which was the fact that they spent most of the free agent period focusing exclusively on speedy winger Marian Hossa, whom they’d acquired at the trade deadline. Sidney Crosby had gone on record saying he didn’t want to start this coming season the way he’d started the previous, which is without a true scoring winger. He was essentially looking for the Jaromir Jagr to his Mario Lemieux or the Jari Kurri to his Wayne Gretzky.
Despite the pressure being applied by the young captain the Penguins had to be careful. It’s always been Pittsburgh’s plan to retain and preserve the powerful nucleus that is Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury. Both Malkin and Staal will be due new contracts next year while Fleury needs one now. This prevents the Penguins from being particularly aggressive and their antiquated building, one of the oldest in the league, also limits their ability to turn a profit. With this in mind, the Penguins offered Marian Hossa a long-term deal, reportedly around 7 years, for a little over $7 million a season. This was less than he would get on the open market but Hossa had stated that he wanted to stay and that he wanted to be on a winning team. Surprisingly, Hossa asked Pittsburgh’s management to give him time just to see what the open market would bring. The Penguins, trusting like a small child with a questionable stranger, obliged.
The result was, to Penguins fans and management, a slap in the face as Marian Hossa ultimately took less money for a one-year deal to sign with the very team that had eliminated them in the Stanley Cup finals only a few months earlier, the Detroit Red Wings. Now, I don’t necessarily begrudge Hossa for his decision. Right now, they’re the best team in hockey and he kept true to his word in that he wanted to win and it wasn’t about money. There were a number of reports claiming that Edmonton Oilers were offering $9 million plus for 7-8 years and yet Hossa took less money to go to a team that, at least on paper, should be battling for the cup again next year.
My problem with the Hossa situation has nothing to do with Hossa but everything to do with Pittsburgh’s management. Why, on earth, would you allow Hossa to go to free agency and still put everything, and everyone, else on the backburner? Doing so cost them shots at more productive wingers like Michael Ryder and Radim Vrbata. The Penguins should have given Hossa a deadline and moved on without him when it wasn’t met. They may have found that they got a different result or at least would have had a better shot at higher caliber replacements. Instead, they were left with the poor man’s version of the consolation prize with Miro Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko.
It’s not all bad news though as the Penguins were somehow, despite reports of him clashing with Michel Therrien, able to lock up the hard-hitting Brooks Orpik to a six-year $22.5 million contract. Orpik was a monster in the playoffs for the Penguins and his take-no-prisoners approach to dealing out punishment is unique amongst a defensive core built around puck movement and the transition game. The Penguins also signed Evgeni Malkin to a five years worth $43.5 million contract, which is nearly identical to the contract Sidney Crosby signed last year. The Penguins also secured another important, if not vital, piece of the nucleus when they announced that Marc-Andre Fleury had signed a new seven-year deal worth $35 million. However, getting Jordan Staal resigned is going to be more difficult as he’s reportedly looking to play a more offensive role, something that is difficult when guys’ named Malkin and Crosby play in front of you.
The team appears to have some stability moving forward, something that’s desperately needed after an off-season that showed a number of fan-favorites the door, I’m looking at you Jarkko Ruutu. Speaking of agitators the Penguins did make another signing yesterday when they snagged Ruutu’s former linemate Matt Cooke and brought him into the fold for two-years. He plays a similar game but has more offensive upside and is an effective penalty killer. He was one of the players I was quietly hoping to see in Pittsburgh and I think he’s going to be a valuable piece of the team moving forward. In fact, I’ll make a bold prediction and say that he’ll get close to his career best in goals (15 goals in 2002-03) playing with Jordan Staal on the third line. He should consistently play more minutes than Ruutu.
The last signing the Penguins made is a very interesting one and it’s a name few in the US have heard before. Janne Pesonen, a left wing currently in the SM-Liga, has signed a one-year two-way deal with the Penguins. Little is known about Pesonen other than the basic stats. He’s 26 years old, 5-11, 180lbs, shoots left and was originally drafted by the Ducks in the fourth round of the 04 draft. Like many players in the Elite Leagues overseas, he seemed to develop a bit later than expected and has been tearing up that league for the last few seasons. Last season he scored 34 goals and added 44 assists in only 56 games. The scouting report on him claims that he’s got great speed and tremendous hands, two things that we’ve come to expect from players coming out of the Elite Leagues. In fact, some scouts have claimed that he’s better than the highly sought after Fabian Brunnstrom, who signed with the Dallas Stars a few months ago. The level of competition overseas is higher than most developmental leagues in the US or Canada so he may be able to jump right in, but the game is a bit different. It’s played on international ice rinks, I believe, and, as a result, emphasizes skating and transition. In fact, a number of NHL players who went overseas to play during the lockout were sent home due to “poor conditioning and skating ability.” They simply couldn’t keep up on that surface. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if he’s the real deal. It won’t take much for him to secure a spot on the top two lines as the Penguins are desperate for wingers with speed and a scoring touch. While few know his name now, the Penguins are quietly hoping that that won’t be the case for much longer.
Blake Wheeler, The First Free Agent Signing
We’re still two weeks from the start of the free agent period and yet there’s already been a signing. While it can’t be official until July 1st, it appears that Blake Wheeler has signed, or intends to sign, a two-year deal with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins weren’t even mentioned as a potential suitor so it’s quite a surprise and a potentially tremendous signing for the Bruins. It’s apparently a two-year deal worth a maximum of $875,000 per season with the potential to make over a million more per season off of performance bonuses. The Bruins will also get Patrice Bergeron back so with the experience gained through a surprising performance in the first round last year, the 16th overall pick in Friday’s draft and a host of blooming youngsters this could be a team headed for great success. They also have money to spend, so they aren’t done yet and are still pursuing Marian Hossa should the Penguins fail to sign him.
Here’s some information I previous posted about Blake Wheeler:
Blake Wheeler (Winger) – Wheeler was drafted in the first round, fifth overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004. The Coyotes attempted to get him signed and offered him more guaranteed money than he’ll receive in free agency but Wheeler turned down the deal. I’m guessing he didn’t know if he was going to get to play and saw an opportunity to impact where he’d spend the next three years. According to NHL rules, when a player declares that they are turning pro prior to completing college their team has 30 days to sign them. If they fail to do so, that player becomes an unrestricted free agent and his team receives compensation equal to the pick that was used for that player plus one round. This means that since the Coyotes drafted him in the fifth overall in the 1st round they will receive the fifth pick in the 2nd round of the draft. This could be a great thing for the Coyotes as it gives the already youth filled team five picks in the first two rounds of what is considered to be one of the deepest drafts in a long time. All of this was a first for the NHL so it remains to be seen what will happen to Mr. Wheeler. Being that he’s a Minnesota native, it’s easy to assume that the Wild are his first choice. At age 21 and with no NHL games under his belt, no one really knows what he’ll be able to do but at 6-5 214 lbs he has the size to at least survive the NHL game. Whether he can produce offensively in the NHL like he has in every other league remains to be seen but it’s not often teams get a chance to sign a 21 year old fifth overall draft pick in free agency.
The Rest of the UFAs
We’re rapidly approaching the silly season and with little activity on the RFA front I think we could be in for some excitement in the next few weeks. Will Patrick Marleau still be a Shark or will he land in Columbus? Who will move up in the draft? Will anyone pay Alexei Yashin any money? All of these things will be answered soon enough and here are the rest of the UFAs that are worth some attention.
Ray Emery (Goaltender) – Ray Emery is not yet a free agent, but he will be in a matter of days. All signs point to the Senators buying him out of his contract. Due to Emery’s age Ottawa will only have to pay him one-third of his salary. Last season Emery took the starting reins away from Martin Gerber last and led the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals but my how times change. In that season, 2006-07, he started 56 games and ended with a 2.47 GAA and a .918 save percentage. He was 33-16-6 and was even better in the playoffs where he had both a 6 game and 4 game win streak including 3 shutouts. He had wrist surgery in the off-season, signed a new three year deal worth $9.5 million and then the wheels began to come off. After a number of high profile clashes with local police, teammates and coaches and a blistering start by the Senators and Martin Gerber during which they won 15 of their first 17 games Emery took a backseat. This didn’t sit well and Emery’s attitude slowly pushed him away from the Senators as the team, as a whole, began to struggle. Now it appears that the Senators are ready to move on and after unsuccessful attempts to deal him they apparently just want to cut their losses and walk away. I think it’s important to point out that while Emery made a lot of mistakes the Ottawa team was a mess top to bottom. It was a chaotic environment in which the coach was fired and the GM took over before suffering a first round sweep in the playoffs. Had the Senators not had such a great start, their second half of the season would have put them among the lower rung teams in the NHL all of this with Emery on the bench. Emery clearly has a ton of talent and at only 25 years of age he still has a lot of developing to do. Someone will take a chance on him and I’d be surprised if a new environment didn’t ignite his passion. Perhaps a stronger coach is also needed to help him get his head straight and focused on his career. Chicago apparently showed interest at the deadline. He might be a good fit with all the youth on that team.
John-Michael Liles (Defenseman) – Liles has never quite lived up to the lofty expectations associated with him but he is a solid, smooth skating, puck moving defenseman who may be entering the prime of his career despite the recent decrease in production. He’s never put up less than 32 points in a single NHL season and managed a career best 49 points with 14 goals in 2005-06. He followed that up with a similar season in 2006-07 in which he scored 14 goals and had 44 points. His numbers last season were down to 32 points and 6 goals but even at that level he’s still a valuable commodity. It’s also interesting to note that he’s never finished a season in the NHL with a negative plus/minus. In fact, he’s only had one season with a negative plus/minus, -2 in 5 AHL games, since 2000-01 when he played for Michigan State. I’m actually surprised that Colorado is allowing him to walk. In the right environment I think he’ll break the 50 point plane for the first time and there are a number of teams willing to give him that chance. Buffalo could step up and ease the wounds of losing Brian Campbell by replacing him with a nearly identical player like Liles.
Cory Stillman (Winger) – At age 34 Cory Stillman is a classic example of how long a productive NHL career can last. He scored 21 goals and added 25 assists in 55 games for Carolina before being traded to the Senators along with Mike Commodore for Joe Corvo and the recently signed Patrick Eaves. Stillman’s goal production fell in Ottawa but his point production stayed on target finishing 24 games for the lowly Senators with 3 goals and 19 points. He was limited to 5 goals and 27 assists in an injury-filled season last year but scored 21 goals and 76 points for the Hurricanes in 2005-06. He understands how to find open space and has a natural scoring touch that will make him an attractive, second-tier free agent come July 1st. There are a number of teams that will be searching for scoring depth and an experienced player like Stillman could also be valuable to a young team. He should sign a 2-year deal worth just a little more than the $1.75 million he made over the last 3 seasons.
Andrew Brunette (Winger) – After a career year in 2006-07 in which he scored 27 goals and totaled 83 points, Brunette’s production fell sharply back down to 19 goals and 59 points. Now, it’s valuable to remember that 59 points has been roughly his average per season prior to last year so it appears as though that was quite the anomaly. Regardless, at 34 years old I think the Avalanche are going to be looking to get a bit younger up front unless Brunette is willing to come back for relatively cheap. He made $1.6 million last season and I have a funny feeling he’ll be getting a raise from someone.
Jason Williams (Center/Winger) – The 27 year old forward is a tough player to judge. On one hand he’s been incredibly productive in the OHL, AHL and in Finland and showed flashes of brilliance this year in an injury riddled season where he scored 13 goals and had 23 assists in 43 games. On the other, his best NHL production came in 2005-06 for Detroit where he scored 21 goals and 37 assists for the Red Wings. Outside of 05-06, the best he’d been able to muster was 32 points in 78 games. He could be a player that is just now coming into his own and, if he can stay healthy, perhaps he could return to the 60 point mark or he could be wildly inconsistent for the rest of his career and always be a bit of an enigma. Regardless, he’ll certainly find a new home but the Blackhawks seem to be ready to move on without him. His contract this year wasn’t too bad at $1.6 million but his potential may net him a small raise. He’s a player to keep an eye on next season.
Matt Cooke (Winger) – Cooke was acquired at the deadline by the Capitals for Matt Pettinger, a player who plays a very similar game. Cooke is a hard skating, physical, grinding pest who can kill penalties and generally get under the skin of his opponents. He has broken the 40 point mark once in his career 5 years ago but generally averages around 10 goals a season with 30 points. He’s a great player for any team that’s looking to add grit and, frankly, I thought he played pretty well in Washington so I won’t be shocked if he stays. Another good location would be the Pittsburgh Penguins who still need to add grit especially if they let Jarko Ruutu and Georges Laraque, both unrestricted free agents, walk.
Curtis Joseph (Goaltender) – At 41 years of age “Cujo” no longer has quite the same bite as he did in his younger years but with one playoff performance he proved, to me at least, that he can still be valuable. In game 3, Joseph stepped in to take over for Kiprusoff after he allowed 3 goals on 5 shots to start the game. Not only did he make some remarkable saves but he also led the Flames to a comeback win that put the Flames up 2-1 in the series. He was signed in January by the Calgary Flames to help shoulder some of the load from Miikka Kiprusoff and only played in 9 games, starting 5, and finished with 3 wins, 2 losses and a GAA of 2.55. While he’s certainly not a starting goaltender, though looked like one in Game 3, I think he can be a great mentor and steadying presence for a young team with a young goaltender.
Kristian Huselius (Winger) – Kristian Huselius is the definition of streaky. He tends to score in big bunches and then go on long droughts. For example, last season he scored 5 goals and 8 assists in 4 games, then went four games without a single point before going on a 5 game scoring streak where he buried 6 goals and 6 assists. He then scored only one goal and one assist in his next 12 games before getting 6 assists in 5 games. His production does this all season long and he finally finished with 25 goals and 66 points in 81 games. This was down from last season where he scored 34 goals and 43 assists in what was ultimately a more consistent year. Kristian needs to play with a true centerman who can get him the puck but he also seems to suffer from confidence issues at times. He also hasn’t scored a goal in the playoffs since game 2 and game 3 of the Flames’ matchup with the Anaheim Ducks back in 2005-2006 so his playoff production is certainly in question. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that at $1.4 million he was quite a deal and I can’t help but feel like his lack of consistency had something to do with not fitting into the defense-first system of the Flames. Perhaps opening him up to a game based more on skating and puck movement will help his production and confidence. Regardless, someone will giving him a solid raise. The amount of that raise, however, depends on how much a team believes his environment impacted his consistency and whether or not the 29 year old can find success on a more offensively oriented team.
Mike Peca (Center) – The multi-time Selke Trophy winner was limited to 65 games this year and managed 8 goals and 26 assists in that span for the still developing Blue Jackets. It’s been a few seasons since Peca has been able to participate in the majority of the games for his team and his offensive production is nowhere near where it was from his early years but he can still be a good leader for a young team and is still a tremendous defensive forward. He made $1.315 million which wouldn’t be an awful salary for a player like him if he could stay healthy. At 33 I have a feeling he won’t be throwing in the towel just yet but I’m doubt he’ll be back with the Blue Jackets.
Mike Commodore (Defenseman) – Commodore was traded by the Hurricanes to Ottawa in a deal that sent he and his teammate Corey Stillman to the Senators for Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves. The Senators were looking to get tougher in their own end while the Hurricanes are desperately ni search of a puck moving defenseman. It didn’t quite work out as Ottawa had hoped as the 28 year old defenseman seemed to have some trouble adjusting the Ottawa system. Of course, it could have also been that the team was simply a mess and Mike just got put in a bad situation. Regardless, Commodore is 28 years old, 6-5 228lbs and plays a physical, nasty brand of hockey that is still a key component for a winning team. 2006-2007 was his one good offensive season where he put up 29 points but in general he’s more valuable to his team in the defensive zone. I think Commodore is a very valuable player to have and at 28 years old he may be in the prime of his career. A team like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who appear to be on the verge of losing Brooks Orpik, should take a look especially if he’s not asking for much of a raise over the $1.3 million he made last season.
Chris Kelly (Center/Winger) – 27 year old Kelly is a versatile forward who has consistently scored more than 10 goals and 30 points in each of his last three seasons. He has also proven to be durable playing complete seasons in his first two years and missing only 7 games in 2007-08. He was a productive player in the OHL scoring more than 70 points I three consecutive years so perhaps a change of scenery will be good for him. He made $1.26 million last year and he may get a small raise, but he could be an interesting signing for a team that’s looking to add a role player with some offensive upside.
Jim Vandermeer (Defenseman) – Vandermeer played for three teams last season, the Blackhawks, the Flyers and finally the Flames and the moving around didn’t seem to impact his play. He’s a tough nosed, stay-at-home defenseman with good size, 6-1 208 lbs, and a tiny bit of offensive upside. He made $1.225 million last season and at 28 years of age he could be in position to get a raise if a team believes he’s entering the prime of his career. Regardless, he’s one of those fundamental guys you need to have on your team especially since he can pitch in occasionally on the powerplay.
Radim Vrbata (Winger) – I hate to say I told you so, but I did. One of the last disasters of the old Blackhawks era was sending Radim Vrbata to the Phoenix Coyotes for Kevyn Adams. I predicted then that Vrbata would continue to grow, as he had in his previous seasons, and likely post career bests. Well, he scored 27 goals, nearly double his total from the previous season and 9 goals more than his career best, and finished the season with 56 points in 76 games. Vrbata made only $1.225 last season and will certainly get more than that in the open market if he makes it that far. Initially the Coyotes had stated that they wanted to retain the speedy winger but he may want to test the waters. Regardless, at 26 years old I think he may be the best “middle of the road” free agent on the market and could get a deal around $3-4 million depending on how a team judges his potential.
Jarko Ruutu (Winger) – Ruutu is a veteran pest in every sense of the word. Previously known for taking bad penalties, Ruutu surprised everyone with a good performance in the first couple of rounds in the playoffs. He showed tenacity, which is easy for him, but he also showed maturity and defensive accountability. I think that performance most likely upped his value a bit and despite being a favorite in Pittsburgh, I’m guessing he won’t be back. He’s occasionally shown remarkable hands for a guy known more for throwing fists than firing pucks, but his game is still mostly centered around annoying the hell out of the other team. I’m sure he’d love to play with his brother Tuomo Ruutu in Carolina, but I doubt that’ll happen. Regardless, his $1.15 million from last season is roughly what I’d expect him to fetch in the open market.
Brooks Orpik (Defenseman) – Brooks Orpik was a beast in the playoffs. His four hit shift in the finals was a sight to behold. He was what the Pittsburgh defense lacked and now he it appears they’re going to lose him as well. He’s a brutally physical player he deals out punishment with the best of them. However, he manages to stay out of the box more than you’d expect finishing the season with 57 penalty minutes which is considerably less than the 124 minutes he earned in 2005-06. He will be a great addition to whoever pursues him and a team like the San Jose Sharks, if they’re unable to get Brian Campbell locked up, could benefit greatly from a player of his caliber. He will leave one of a couple gaping holes in Pittsburgh and hole that has been historically difficult for them to fill. In fact, I think losing Orpik may ultimately be more painful than losing either Marian Hossa or Ryan Malone. He was bargain for the Penguins at only $1.075 million and he’ll likely triple that come July 1st.
Ron Hainsey (Defenseman) – Hainsey’s production ramped up at just the right time as he went from 17 points in 2005-06 to more than 30 in each of the last two seasons. At 27 he’s set himself up for a nice pay raise over the $900k he received this year and apparently the Blue Jackets wanted to give it to him. However, it’s been reported that he wants to test the free agent waters first so Columbus may have to up their offer or get in line. He’s a solid puck moving defenseman with good size, 6-3 211 lbs, and decent hands. All 8 of his goals this season came on the powerplay and 15 of his 24 assists also came with the man advantage so anyone looking for a player to run their powerplay will certainly take a look at Hainsey.
Anti Miettinen (Winger) – Anti Miettinen is coming off his best year in the NHL where he scored 15 goals and had 34 points in 69 games. He showed some productivity on the powerplay and also finished with his best plus/minus of his NHL career (+4). The Stars took him to arbitration last season so they may be willing to let the 27 year old go and perhaps a new environment will help boost his production a bit. At $885k he may be looking for a $500k raise or so but he’s also the kind of player that could head overseas to make more money.
Pascal Dupuis (Winger) – Pascal Dupuis was the name everyone glossed over in the deal that sent Marian Hossa to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christenesen, Angelo Esposito and a first round pick. Interestingly enough he turned out to be one of the Pen’s best forwards in the playoffs. He’s a versatile player that can kill penalties and also chip in with some offense (2 goals and 10 assists in 16 games for the Penguins). He was one of the many mistakes Therrien, Pittsburgh’s coach, made during the playoffs. He simply wasn’t on the ice enough considering how well he was playing. He was a physical, hard working and energetic presence and 14 minutes on the ice in the finals was simply not enough. However, he’s one of the few Pittsburgh free agents that I expect to be retained. Pittsburgh needs more players that can fill any role, including defense, and a $700k raise over the $880k he made last year seems about right.
Branislav Mezei (Defenseman) – The former 10th overall pick in 1999 has never lived up to the expectations set before him. He’s never scored more than 2 goals or 7 points in a single season and finished this year with a career worst plus/minus of -13. It’s clear that he needs a new environment and at 27 there’s still time for him to be a more productive player.
Eric Nystrom (Winger) – Nystrom was taken 10th overall in 2002 by the Flames and he has yet to play a full season in the NHL. In the 46 games he’s played thus far in the last 4 years he has 3 goals and 7 assists. He’s a great skater and only 25 years old but I’m guessing that the Flames are looking to move on without him. He’s still young and better suited for a skating, transition based game, something Calgary does not do, so it’s tough to know what to expect from him in the coming season. I think he’ll sign a one or two year deal and we’ll quickly find out what he’s made of.
Branko Radivojevic (Winger) – Radivojevic is a role player that has occasionally seen some time on the top line in the offensively thin Wild lineup. He scored more than 10 goals only 3 times in 8 seasons but he’s shown inconsistent bursts of production with 24 points last year and 32 points in 2003-04. He has the size, 6-2 210 lbs, to play a good checking role but unless someone can transform him into a Tomas Holmstrom-type player he may never find the kind of consistency that will make him a mainstay on the man advantage. Regardless, the Wild are desperately in search of offense at this point and he’ll most likely land somewhere else, including Russia.
Niklas Hagman (Winger) – Hagman had set himself up for a very nice raise in the off-season and then the playoffs came. After being a pleasant surprise for the Dallas Stars with 27 goals, he completely disappeared when they needed him most scoring only 2 goals and an assist in 18 playoff games. Hagman could be a great player to have around as he gives the Stars scoring depth and allows them to build two offensive lines. At $675k Hagman was a steal and unless he intends to break Dallas’ bank I think he’ll remain a Star.
Mark Streit (Defenseman/Winger) – Mark Streit is one of the top priorities in Montreal at the moment. He’s as versatile as defenseman come, playing both the wing and defense throughout the season, and his 7 powerplay goals and 27 powerplay assists prove that he’s a tremendous quarterback. His 13 goals and 49 assists were far and away career bests and the Canadiens have stated that they fully intend to retain the 30 year old. However, he only made $600k last season and in a year that is relatively light on free agent defenseman it’s going to cost the Canadiens 3-4 times that to keep him.
Ty Conklin (Goaltender) – The 32 year old was possibly the biggest surprise of the regular season. After Marc-Andre Fleury went down early with a high ankle sprain, followed closely by top star and captain Sidney Crosby, the Penguins were left wondering what would happen to their season. What followed was a story of hockey legend with the aging veteran backup stepping in and playing his best hockey in years. He played 33 games, was 18-8-5 and finished with a 2.51 GAA and a .923 save percentage. It was the most games he’d played since 2003-04 and it couldn’t have come at a better time for both the Penguins and Conklin himself. Fleury returned from injury and regained the reins but no one in Pittsburgh will forget what Conklin did for this team as they wouldn’t have even been able to smell the playoffs without him. Not bad for a guy making $500k. The question now is whether or not someone will watch the film and believe that he should be a starter. It’s hard to argue against it.
Dan Ellis (Goaltender) – Dan Ellis had a remarkable rookie campaign going 23-10-3 with a GAA of 2.34 and a save percentage of .924. His performance down the stretch not only got the Predators into the playoffs but also gave them a legitimate shot at defeating the top seeded Detroit Red Wings in the first round. He finished the 7 game series with a 2.52 GAA and a .938 save percentage. He also finished the round with two remarkable performances. In game 6, a 2-1 loss, he faced 54 shots and stopped 52 of them. In game 7, he faced 42 shots and stopped all but two. He gave his team a chance to win the series and for that he should be rewarded. The good news for Ellis is that his performance guaranteed him the starting role for next season and a contract that will reflect his status. For Chris Mason, the Predators goalie who was pegged as the starter after they shipped Tomas Vokoun to Florida in the off-season, it likely spells the end of his time in Nashville. Mason stands to make $3 million in 2008-09 and the same in 2009-10 so it’ll be interesting to see if anyone shows interest after a rough season. Ellis, meanwhile, should make a little more than that. However, if the Predators are unable to get Ellis signed prior to July 1st expect the Ottawa Senators to make a huge play for him and chances are they won’t be the only ones.
One RFA Down: Canes sign Eaves
The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have signed 24 year old right winger Patrick Eaves to a three-year contract. The deal is worth $4.2 million with Eaves earning $1.1 million next season, $1.4 in 2009-10 and $1.7 million in 2010-11. Eaves was acquired, along with Joe Corvo, from Ottawa in the trade that sent Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore to the Senators.
Eaves had shoulder surgery in late March and was limited to only 37 games this season. In those 37 games he scored 5 goals and totaled 15 points. He has yet to achieve the same level of success he experienced in his rookie season (05-06) where he scored 20 goals and added 9 assists in only 58 games but the Hurricanes are hoping that a new environment and a healthy start will get him back on track. The Canes are looking to secure scoring depth after moving Stillman at the deadline and they will be betting on guys like Eaves and Tuomo Ruutu to provide that offensive spark.
The List: Part 1
While we may still be on the verge of one of the most exciting finishes in recent Stanley Cup memory I can’t help but look forward to the next season of the NHL: free agency. I’m breaking the list into a few posts but here is the first section:
Jaromir Jagr (Winger) – Jagr has been the topic of a number of news stories. Some expect him to go home (overseas) and finish out his career where he would stand to make more money. Others claim he won’t play for anyone but New York. Regardless, Jaromir won’t retire but the Rangers don’t have a ton of cash to spend. I’m guessing they’ll offer him a bonus heavy contract worth around $5 million and then it’ll be up to Jags.
Marian Hossa (Winger) – Hossa has always been a productive player in the regular season and one of the most natural goal scorers in the league. Hossa’s career-worst year was ultimately his last in Atlanta as the Thrashers were unable to re-sign him and thus were forced to trade him at the deadline for a great return. The greatest knock against Hossa was always his inability to produce in the off-season so many questioned the price the Penguins paid, Colby Armstrong Erik Christensen Angelo Esposito and a 1st round draft pick, but this has simply not been the case. His performance has not only silenced his critics but also ensured that he’ll receive a hefty contract in the off-season. The Penguins won’t be able to afford him, they’d risk losing Malkin or Staal if they did, and the two teams that wanted him most at the deadline will be the front runners: Boston and Montreal. He should command somewhere around $7-8 million per season.
Joe Sakic (Center) – Many great things have been said about the ageless wonder that is Joe Sakic so I won’t repeat them. He’s now 38 years young and perhaps it’s starting to show. Of course, it doesn’t show in his production but he was limited to only 44 games last year, where he put up 40 points. It was the smallest number of games he’s played in a single season for his entire career. While Avalanche management has said they won’t pressure Sakic into a decision I think an injury-riddled season and embarrassing second round loss to the Wings means he’ll come back to the Aves for one more year.
Wade Redden (Defenseman) – After putting up 36 points in 64 games in 06-07, Redden fell to the same number of points in 80 games during the 07-08 campaign. This was also well off his mark from 2002-2006 where he averaged well over 40 points per season. The Senators attempted to move him at the deadline but his no-trade clause allowed him to block the trade. Redden made $6.5 million last season and could make the same if a team believes that a change of scenery will be good for him. Otherwise, he’ll need to take a slight pay cut but he’ll certain be of interest to a number of teams. He’s the second best UFA as of right now and if Campbell doesn’t hit free agency then Redden’s value goes way up.
Sergei Fedorov (Center) – A player that many, including myself, believed to have nothing left, Sergei’s career was rejuvenated when he was traded at the deadline from the Blue Jackets to the Russian dominated Capitals where he frequently played alongside the great Alexanders (Ovechkin and Semin). He had 9 goals and 28 points in 50 games for Columbus and 13 points in 18 games for the Capitals. He would serve as a great mentor to the young talent in Washington and the Capitals have said that if he’s willing and somewhat affordable (around $2 million + bonuses I’m guessing after making $6 million this year), they’d love to have him back. He’d be a fool to turn it down unless he intends to go overseas and play in the new Continental Hockey League where he stands to make more money. This could be a trend during this year’s offseason.
Rob Blake (Defenseman) – The veteran defenseman, and hip-check master, seems to have run out of gas and interest in the last couple of seasons. After averaging around 50 points from 1997 to 2006, he’s mustered only 31 and 34 in the last two seasons. Apparently there were teams interested in him at the deadline but he used his no-trade clause to block any potential suitors and if he doesn’t retire, apparently he’ll stay in LA. He’ll certainly have to take a pay cut to do it, but that’s where his family is and I think he’s at the point in his career where winning is secondary.
Markus Naslund (Winger) – Naslund has seen a steady decline in offensive production over the past 5 seasons. In 2002 he scored 48 goals and had 104 points, a career best, but the following years were not as kind with 84 points in 2003-2004, 79 in 2005-2006, 60 in 2006-2007 and finally 55 last year. While the Vancouver Canucks are a team desperate for offense it appears that they are ready to move on from one of their most well-known players. Naslund, now age 35, can still be quite useful to a number of teams especially as a second line winger but he can’t expect to make $6 million again.
Jose Theodore (Goaltender) – Possibly the best “feel good” story of the regular season Jose Theodore, a once highly touted prospect, found life and confidence in the thin air of Colorado. He finished the season 28-21-3 with a save percentage of .910 and a GAA of 2.44. It didn’t appear as though he would be the starter in Colorado but he quickly ripped the reins from Peter Budaj and never looked back. While an illness, and the dominant play of the Wings, hurt his performance in the second round of the playoffs he almost singlehandedly won the first round for the Avalanche against the Wild. He was as dominant as any goalie I’ve seen in a long time. He finished the 6 game series with a save percentage of .94 and in the last two games of the series he faced 75 shots and only allowed 3 goals. Apparently he wants to stay in Colorado, which is not exactly shocking. However, the $6 million he made last season is way too much to spend on a goalie who, while dominant last season, has been a mess since being booted out of Montreal in 2005.
Mats Sundin (Center) – One of Canada’s golden children, Mats Sundin has been one of the most consistent producers in the NHL over the last 16 years, most of which have been with the Maple Leafs. However, a rift seems to have been created between Mats and Leafs management as they asked him to waive his no-trade clause at the deadline. Mats politely declined and finished the season in Toronto with many assuming he’d just re-up with the Leafs in the off-season. This no longer appears to be certain as Mats has publicly claimed that he he’s not quite sure what he’s going to do and has “many options” to consider. Frankly, Mats has never won a cup and Toronto is a long ways from it. At age 36, he’s running out of time and I’d say there’s a 70% chance that he’ll be leaving Toronto.
Olaf Kolzig (Goaltender) – “Ollie the goalie” has been a Washington Capital for the entirety of his nearly 20 year career. The era, it seems, is at an end as he was unseated, and apparently blindsided, by the acquisition of Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline. Huet quickly took over the reins and led the Capitals to the playoffs and a dynamite 7-game series with the Flyers. Kolzig apparently ripped his nametag off of his locker, skipped the following mandatory team meetings and is clearly done in Washington. However, if he thinks he’s going to go somewhere and start he’s most likely done all together.
Peter Forsberg (Center) – Who knows what’s going to happen with Peter Forsberg as injuries prevented him from participating in most of the round against the Red Wings. At this point, I think he’s laced them up for the last time.
Adam Foote (Center) – Foote is a tough stay-at-home defenseman that a number of teams would like to have. However, the $4.6 million he made last season will need to be cut down by over a $1 million per season as he’s simply not worth that kind of money anymore.
Pavol Demitra (Center/Winger) – The injury-riddled yet very talented Pavol Demitra hasn’t played a full season since 01-02 and hasn’t played more than 70 games but once in the last four years. He continues to produce offensively, though at a lesser rate than he did during his younger days, so he still has value for a team in need of depth. The Wild will most likely let him go and spend that money on a player they can depend upon to be in the lineup. The most likely suitor appears to be the Vancouver Canucks who’s GM just happens to be Demitra’s former agent.
Brad Stuart (Defenseman) – Brad Stuart has had a great playoff run with the Detroit Red Wings and has showed good chemistry with Nicklas Kronwall so he should be a Red Wing next year. Apparently Detroit agrees and the deal will be discussed after the playoffs have concluded.
Martin Straka (Center/Winger) – An injury plagued season limited the 35 year old to 65 games but it doesn’t quite explain his drop in production from 70 points, including 29 goals, in 77 games last year to only 14 goals and 41 points in 07-08. While he might still be able to help a team that needs scoring depth, he would need to accept a relatively cheap deal as the $3.3 million he earned this season is far too much to spend on a player who seems to be reaching the end.
Michael Ryder (Winger) – The Canadians tried desperately to move Ryder at the deadline after his production fell from scoring 30 goals in each of the last two season to netting only 14 in 07-08. However, at 28 years old Ryder still has a number of years left in him and perhaps a new, less publicly brutal environment will do wonders. I think he’ll easily find a new team and, if teamed with a solid pivot, return to previous form. The Canadians must regret sending Mike Ribiero out of town to Dallas; will they feel the same about Ryder?
Cristobal Huet (Goaltender) – Possibly the most shocking deal at the deadline had the Canadians sending veteran, and starting, netminder Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals for a second round draft pick. The move clearly ignited Huet as he led the Washington Capitals to a remarkable, and unprecedented, run into the playoffs where they fell just short losing in overtime in game 7. However, he is clearly the new starting goaltender in Washington as Olaf Kolzig has played his final game for the Caps. While Huet is 32, he seems to have a good amount left in the tank and should be re-signed to a 2 or 3 year deal.
Brendan Shanahan (Winger) – Shanny is another one of the aging veterans that could potentially be available at the trade deadline for a team looking to increase scoring depth. It was a strange season for Shanahan who seemed snake-bitten early in the year and was struggling to find the net despite leading the league in shots on goal for a short period of time. He eventually pulled it together and finished with 23 goals and 33 assists which was down 6 goals and 10 assists from last year despite having played in 6 more games. At age 39 he’s quickly approaching the end of his career but if he’s willing to accept a reasonable deal, not unlike the $2.5 million he earned last season, then the Rangers could bring him back. At that price, I’d be surprised if no one showed interest but it looked like Shanny was going to retire last year and perhaps he’ll finally pull the trigger in the next few weeks.
Daymond Langkow (Center) – Langkow has spent the last three seasons predominantly playing with Flames’ superstar Jarome Iginla. As a result, he’s had back-to-back career years scoring more than 30 goals in each of the last two seasons. However, the Flames are always in search of more offense and players to compliment the dynamic Jarome Iginla so I’m not quite certain what to expect here. He only made $2.4 million last year which is a considerable bargain considering the production. He may be in a position for a raise that the Flames aren’t willing to provide. Regardless, I think he’s a great second line center and at 32 years of age he still has a few seasons left.
Brian Rolston (Winger) – At age 35 Rolston is rapidly reaching the end of his career but you wouldn’t know it by his goal totals. Since coming to Minnesota from Boston, he’s scored at least 30 goals in each of the three seasons though his 45 assists in his first year stand as a career best while his overall points have declined each season. At $2.4 million he was a bargain, but he won’t be as much of a bargain if the Wild intend to retain him. The Wild, on the other hand, are searching for offense so shipping a 30 goal scorer out of town unless you have someone ready to replace him isn’t exactly the smart thing to do. Chances are the Wild will lock him up for 3 years at somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 million per season.
Michal Rozsival (Defenseman) – Rozsival seems to have hit a plateau in terms of production but he continues to be a solid defenseman with a good amount of offensive upside for the Rangers who desperately need to strengthen their defense. Rozsival will not be available come July 1st.
David Vyborny (Winger) – 07-08 was a dreadful season for the 33 year old winger as his production fell by nearly 40 points. While he was slowed by injuries, 26 points in 66 games is far off the pace he’d set in his earlier years and the Columbus Blue Jackets, still in search of their first playoff berth, are ready to move on without him.
Dominik Hasek (Goaltender) – After an apparently self-imposed demotion in the first round of the playoffs it appears that the cagey veteran will finally hang them up. When healthy he can probably still be a solid goaltender, especially as a backup, but I can’t imagine him coming back after the way this postseason played out.
Jason Smith (Defenseman) – While the 34 year old stay-at-home defenseman was better suited for “old-time hockey,” he’s consistently been a solid, no non-sense player for the Flyers after being acquired in the deal that sent Joni Pitkanen and Geoff Sanderson to Edmonton in exchange for Smith and Joffrey Lupul. However, the Flyers intend to get faster on the back end and lock up their future stars in this off-season and Smith doesn’t appear to be a part of those plans despite a solid playoff performance. I think he’ll find a new home as teams still need players like him to win championships.
Sean Avery (Winger) – The quintessential pest, Avery plays the annoying game probably better than anyone in the league. However, the difference between him and lot of other “pests” is that Avery can play with skilled players and has a decent offensive upside. In fact, the Rangers became somewhat of a different team when they added him to the lineup last year and he was one of their best players in the post-season. However, the team took him to arbitration last season and it was ugly with New York’s GM saying that Avery was “a reasonably effective player as well as a detriment to the team.” Avery was a detriment to the team? He averages almost a point-per-game and the team only lost 6 games out of 29 with him in the lineup prior to the post season last season and he’s a detriment? Avery responded with less emotion than would be expected of a player known for troublesome outbursts when he said “It’s hard not to take something like that personally and not to be emotional about it. I know this is part of the business, I know this is part of the process, but it’s extremely disappointing to read something like that coming from Slats [GM Glen Sather] and not to be offended by it. I certainly don’t think I was a detriment to the team.” Well, he didn’t quite get the ruling in arbitration he wanted but he is now an unrestricted free agent. While his production was down in the regular season he was great in the post-season. Apparently he wants to stay in New York but will he take a beating to do it? Thus far, the New York Post is reporting that there have been no discussions between Avery’s agent and the Rangers. Of course, Avery did rupture is spleen in the playoffs so perhaps the Rangers are waiting for more news on his recovery before committing to him. Regardless, rumors are that he loves New York and that the Islanders would be very interested if he were to leave the Rangers. Apparently he wants somewhere in the neighborhood of $3.5 million per season while the Rangers are looking for him to sign a deal worth $2.75 per year.
Vaclav Prospal (Center/Winger) – Prospal seems comfortable playing with talented players and his 71 points in 80 games last season showed that he can do it well. He was great for the Flyers after coming over at the deadline from the Tampa Bay Lightning and showed tremendous chemistry with Daniel Briere but his disappearance in the last two rounds of the playoffs may have punched his ticket out of cash-strapped Philadelphia. He’ll easily find a new home for someone looking to add a second line winger.
Brian Campbell (Defenseman) – The trade deadline day was a sad day for Campbell and Buffalo. After losing Daniel Briere and Chris Drury to free agency last year the Sabres were paranoid about losing Campbell and getting nothing in return. Apparently Buffalo wasn’t willing to give him the money he wanted, despite him offering a “hometown discount,” so Brian was shipped out of the only team he’s ever played for and sent to the then Stanley Cup favorite San Jose Sharks. Campbell is perfectly built for the new NHL. A smooth skating puck moving defenseman who has shown the ability to play the physical game as well, he’s exactly what coaches and GM’s want in the modern game. He’s also exactly what the Sharks need and they will most certainly make a push to retain him. However, it’ll cost them around $6-7 million or so and they may need to trim the dead weight, aka Patrick Marleau, in order to do so. If they can’t, there will be no shortage of potential suitors including the Blackhawks who are rumored to have an $8 million offer ready. However, the Hawks have tremendous youth at defense so it would be a strange signing in my opinion.
Owen Nolan (Winger) – At 36, Nolan is simply not the player he used to be but can still contribute as a veteran experienced leader playing in a checking role on the third line. He also showed that he still had the passion to compete as he was consistently one of the better Flames’ players in their first round loss to the San Jose Sharks. At $1.75 million, he was a bit expensive for a player in that role and would likely take a small pay cut if he decides to play another year.
Mark Recchi (Winger) – After a 24 goal, 68 point season in 06-07 the young Penguins had high hopes for Recchi but 8 points in the first 19 games and the veteran’s lack of speed making it difficult for him to keep up with linemates eventually resulted in the Pens waiving the once beloved star. It was a messy break-up of sorts as Recchi was publicly upset about the decision. He was snatched up on re-entry waivers by the Thrashers and the experience seemed to ignite Recchi as he finished the season scoring 12 goals and 40 points in 53 games. The feeling of being waived by the Penguins is more than enough to encourage him to come back for one more just to prove everyone wrong and someone will give him that shot for a one-year deal worth around $1.5 million.
Teemu Selanne (Winger) – The Ducks have stated that they won’t be patient with Teemu and Scott Neidermeyer as they were in the 06-07 campaign. Selanne still has a lot of game left in the tank and the shocking first round exit likely left a bad enough taste in his mouth that he’ll come back for one more ride. However, he’ll need to do it rather cheaply as the Ducks are cash-strapped and Burke recently announced that he doesn’t expect to have RFA Corey Perry locked up prior to July 1st.
Ryan Malone (Winger) – The 07-08 regular season and playoffs have been a coming out party for the 28 year old winger. After discovering tremendous chemistry with Peter Sykora and Evgeni Malkin, Malone finished the season with 27 goals and 51 points. He also added 103 penalty minutes for good measure. He also has 6 goals and 16 points in 17 games in the post-season. He plays a ferocious game that is equal parts skill, power and aggression and now that he’s pulled it all together he stands to make a good amount of money. The Penguins will certainly try to retain him, but whether or not they can afford to pay him fair market value and retain Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury and Evgeni Malkin is different story. Those three players take priority but the loss of Ryan Malone will set this team back considerably. Right now he’s making $1.45 million and I would expect that to triple with a 3-4 year deal. There will be a number of teams vying for his services should the Pens fail to lock him up.
Blake Wheeler (Winger) – Wheeler was drafted in the first round, fifth overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004. The Coyotes attempted to get him signed and offered him more guaranteed money than he’ll receive in free agency but Wheeler turned down the deal. I’m guessing he didn’t know if he was going to get to play and saw an opportunity to impact where he’d spend the next three years. According to NHL rules, when a player declares that they are turning pro prior to completing college their team has 30 days to sign them. If they fail to do so, that player becomes an unrestricted free agent and his team receives compensation equal to the pick that was used for that player plus one round. This means that since the Coyotes drafted him in the fifth overall in the 1st round they will receive the fifth overall pick in the 2nd round of the draft. This could be a great thing for the Coyotes as it gives the already youth filled team five picks in the first two rounds of what is considered to be one of the deepest drafts in a long time. All of this was a first for the NHL so it remains to be seen what will happen to Mr. Wheeler. Being that he’s a Minnesota native, it’s easy to assume that the Wild are his first choice. At age 21 and with no NHL games under his belt, no one really knows what he’ll be able to do but at 6-5 214 lbs he has the size to at least survive the NHL game. Whether he can produce offensively in the NHL like he has in every other league remains to be seen but it’s not often teams get a chance to sign a 21 year old fifth overall draft pick in free agency.
Let the Poaching Begin
Restricted Free Agents
Restricted free agents are a relatively new concept. Well, let me re-phrase: the idea of signing a restricted free agent is a relatively new concept. Last year’s offseason may have kick started a new era in the NHL, an era in which GMs legally attack each other with money in hopes of poaching young talent from cap-stricken opponents.