A marginal rise in the salary cap means notable UFAs like Cody Franson, Brad Boyes and Curtis Glencross are still unsigned.
Winger Brad Boyes is among several notable UFAs still unsigned in late-August.
TSN.CA: Craig Button blames the sinking value of the Canadian dollar and the lack of new revenue for the upcoming season on the marginal increase of the salary cap, which explains why so many NHL unrestricted free agents remain unsigned this summer. He believes teams don’t want to get locked into term or cumbersome deals. As a result, those UFAs will have to take a lot less term and dollars.
Jamie McLennan said he’s shocked a player like Cody Franson remains unsigned and expects he’ll have to accept less term and money. He also notes the value of wingers like Brad Boyes and Curtis Glencross, expecting they’ll end up signing one year deals worth $1 million. It’s now a question of where they’ll sign.
NHL.COM: In a recent response to one of his readers, Dan Rosen also expressed surprise that Franson, a top-four defenseman, remains without a contract. He claims he’s not sure why the Boston Bruins or Columbus Blue Jackets haven’t signed him yet. Rosen suggests Franson might gain more leverage by waiting until after training camp opens, as an injury could create an opening.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Bruins and Blue Jackets would probably love to add Franson, but with their limited cap space, they’ll want him on an affordable deal for one or two years. UFAs like Franson, Boyes, Glencross, Jiri Tlusty, Marek Zidlicky and Lee Stempniak still have value, but the marginal rise in the cap ceiling has forced many teams to become frugal. All of these players will likely end up signing deals for far less term and dollars than what they were expecting when the summer began.
Franson’s best bet now is to just wait, there really is no other option for him. He can’t really make any demands because teams know he has to take whatever he can get at this point…there just isn’t a market for him. If a team is even interested in him at this point, teams will just wait to see if any rookies step up and take the spot they were going to give Franson. An injury to a contender’s top 4 is the only thing that would make a team rush into signing him. He is over hyped but he’s still good, top 4 on some teams and top 2 on others but I think his best bet at this point would be to sign with a team that’s stacked on the back end and be a 5-6 for a year. He’d get less money for one year but he’d likely play sheltered minutes and excel and if the team does well, it looks good on him. He’s not going to get the big payday he wanted this year, might as well look to next year.
As for Boyes and Glencross and the rest of the “cast offs” I think they’re all in the same boat as Franson. If they were that good or had as much value as they thought, they’d be signed by now. They should be looking at signing sweetheart deals that will let them excel and look to next year. For some, age is an issue and next year really isn’t an option, their best bets are to try and convince a team they have veteran leadership skills just to get a deal.
I wonder if Franson is also trying to get with a Contending team. More palatable to sign for less if you have a chance at the cup in my opinion.
Franson greed asking close to 6 million a year got him into this situation he is top for at best. As for the rest of these guys they better just grab what they can get because most of them will probably get nothing. The salary cap is going to stay down for the forseable future with the Canadian dollar being what it is.
Bruins don’t need Franson as bad as people think.
Chara,Siedenberg,Krug,Miller,Maquaid and Irwin round out the top six.
Guys like Trotman,Colin Miller and Morrow will be fighting for a spot.
Unless someone like Siedenberg gets moved. Better to wait till next year and go after Seabrook or Byfuglien.
@Dave, I agree with you. Hearing a lot of talk about the jets trading Byfuglein to Boston and again that makes no sense to me from a bruins point; just traded Lucic on the last year of his contract why we Boston give up everything they gained for a one year player. Go after Byfuglein or Seabrook next year if they are available.
Yeah only way I would acquire Byfuglien is if he signed an extension and they took Siedenberg or Kelly off our hands.
I wouldn’t move either first rounder.
Something like Siedenberg,Morrow,Subban and a second rounder.
I don’t want to burst your bubble but even if Winnipeg needed help at D or a prospect G which they don’t, Your not getting Buffy for an aging declining D in Sedeinberg, a suspect prospect D in Morrow a 2nd & Subban.
Winnipeg has 5 D signed beyond next season. They have 2013 1st rounder Morrisey coming, Kitchton looks to have been a steal although geared more to offense than defense, & 2 young goalies in the system now in Hutchinson & Hellebuyck.
Franson & Santorelli garnered a 1st & a decent prospect in a very strong draft year & both were UFA’s. If & when Buffy moves, whether he’s a UFA or not after this season, the cost will be significantly higher than that fodder & will contain futures as well should he sign with the team he’s moved to. If Buffy is moved it will be at the trade deadline or slightly before when teams have significantly more wiggle room & are willing to over spend for a playoff run.
It’s very unlikely Winnipeg can afford to retain both Ladd & Buffy. This is the smallest market in the NHL & with the Canadian dollar down significantly & still declining, Winnipeg just can’t afford to spend to the cap, even if it remains stagnant. Factor in expansion coming in the summer following the 2016-17 season & no team wants to take on to many unprotectable bodies.
striker the only way big buff gets moved at the trade deadline is if the jets are not in the playoff picture. No way he can be moved if there on the bubble or in a playoff spot. With that said if he isn’t signed and not traded before the season starts the jets run the risk of losing him for nothing at season end.
You must be a Bruins fan. This comment seems as though Boston would be doing a favour by taking Buff off of Winnipeg’s hands. If anything it would be Winnipeg doing Boston a favour by giving them an impact player who makes a difference every period. Chevy is also very crafty and will get a roster player, prospect and a 1st rounder for Buff. Not aging veterans like Seidenberg or Kelly. If Boston won’t pay up then some other team will. That is if Winnipeg ends up not re-signing Buff.
Interesting wording, that Button (and others) “blame” the Canadian dollar, etc, for UFAs not getting signed.
This is probably true, but I don’t think the word is “blame”. It should be “thank”. Many, *many* UFA signings are regrettable.
GMs can probably thank the low increase in the cap for not making a 6x$6M deal for Franson (as an example) that’d be desperate to get rid of in two years.
Word in Buffalo is they offered a 2 yr deal to Franson
Sabres shouldn’t waste their time with Franson. Give McCabe a shot, signt= either Tlusky or Bergenheim to a tryout.
Tlusty and Franson to Buffalo soon…..