A short list of meaningful remaining UFAs and some summer storylines to follow in your NHL rumor mill.
NOTABLE NHL UFAs STILL AVAILABLE
Brad Richards is among several notable players still available in this summer’s NHL free-agent market.
ESPN.COM: Tal Pinchevsky named center Sam Gagner, defenseman James Wisniewski, right wing Jiri Hudler, right wing Kris Versteeg, center Brad Richards and defensemen Luke Schenn to his short list of meaningful NHL unrestricted free agents still available this summer.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: They’re also on my list (published July 3) of the best players still available at every position. Of the 20 players on this list, only three (Shane Doan, Justin Schultz and Chris Kelly) have been signed to new contracts, with Doan and Schultz re-signing with the Arizona Coyotes and Pittsburgh Penguins respectively. As I recently observed, the leverage for those players has shifted to the general managers. Most on that list will likely end up signing short-term deals for much less than they likely expected when free agency began over two weeks ago.
SUMMER STORYLINES TO FOLLOW
SI.COM: Allan Muir recently listed the contract negotiations of San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns among his notable storylines to follow this summer. Tyson Barrie’s situation with the Colorado Avalanche, the Anaheim Ducks glut of defensemen and where top pending UFA prospect Jimmy Vesey will sign on August 15 are also on his Muir’s list.
Given Burns’ age (he’ll turn 32 in March), Muir speculates the Sharks could try to offer up a five-year deal worth $7.5 million per season, while Burns could push for a similar average annual salary but for a longer term.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Stars and Sharks can afford to take their time re-signing these two, but they’ll likely try to get those contracts done before the start of 2016-17. Last thing they want is to have the uncertainty over their futures hanging over them as Stamkos’ did with the Lightning throughout last season. I can see Benn inking an eight-year deal worth between $9.5 – $10 million annually, while Burns could get five or six years at around $7.5 million per season.
The Avs will likely try to avoid going through arbitration with Barrie. If they can’t reach a suitable agreement before his July 29 hearing, he could be on the move. Muir suggests the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins could get into the bidding.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barrie’s status will likely become the subject of growing interest over the next two weeks. You can bet clubs like the Oilers and Bruins will be monitoring the situation.
With nine defensemen under contract, the Anaheim Ducks will have to move one of them. Cam Fowler is considered the likely candidate. Boston and Edmonton could be interested, but the Buffalo Sabres could be the favorite, with Muir suggesting the Sabres could dangle winger Evander Kane.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sabres GM Tim Murray would love to land Fowler and would undoubtedly be happy if a Kane-for-Fowler swap was possible. However, given Kane’s offseason brushes with the law, I doubt the Ducks are that interested. Yes, they want a scoring left winger, but I doubt they’ll want one with the baggage of Kane.
Muir suggests Toronto (where his father is a scout), Boston (where he played his college hockey), Buffalo (where his friend Jack Eichel plays), Chicago and Dallas could be on his short list. Toronto and Boston could be the front-runners.
Vesey – to paraphrase Shakespeare. “potentially much ado about absolutely nothing.”
Would you say that if the Sens were in the mix? Poile claimed he was a starting top 6 winger, hardly insignificant.
Yes I would. Everyone was saying the same thing about U.S. college stud Bobby Butler a few seasons back – and he just never could adjust to the pro game.
It was 5 years ago and Bobby Butler didn’t look as good as Vesey at any time to my recollection.
How often did YOU see Vesey and Butler actually play a game in college? And you will notice that I DID say “potentially” above? As for Butler, here’s a blurb on him from on-line:
“At Marlborough High School (MHS), Butler recorded 284 points in 116 games as well as breaking the school’s record in goals scored during his junior year, tallying 58 goals in 25 games. Butler capped a standout four-year college career by being named the New Hampshire Wildcats’ co-captain and finishing second among all NCAA Division I players in goals in 2009 – 10, scoring 29 for UNH, earning him a nomination as a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top U.S. college hockey player.[1] The Wildcats went 87–49–17 with him in the lineup and also qualified for the NCAA Tournament all four seasons that he was enrolled at the school. On March 24, 2010, Butler was recognized as the 58th recipient of the Walter Brown Award, which is presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England. He was also selected as Hockey East’s Player of the Year, an All-Hockey East First Team honoree, the Hockey East Player of the month for November, the Hockey East scoring champion, a Hockey East Three Stars Award winner and a 2010 Hockey Humanitarian nominee for his efforts in the community.[2] He recorded 61 goals, 60 assists and 88 penalty minutes over his four-year, 153-game collegiate career at New Hampshire.”
So, in college, he wasn’t a slug.
Bobby Butler never had Vesey’s Pedigree & where your drafted & what your paid is a significant factor in the opportunity you’ll get in the NHL. Butler was never drafted & his 1st contract was for 1.8 spread over 2 years at 900K in the NHL, 67,500 in the AHL.
Now as Vesey’s a UFA his draft position isn’t even really relavant any more.
George you may very well be right with Vesey. It’s a crap shoot but I don’t remember anyone touting Butler like Vesey nor their being a bidding war for his services.
Again time will tell.
From a pool perspective. In perpetual fantasy leagues I’ve stashed him away in 2 of 3. Cost me nothing. In pick em pools, 1 year rarely if ever draft prospects as they always get picked way before I would ever draft them.
GEORGE O
I Honestly don’t know why people can’t understand what you are saying.
I’m with you George. He may not do anything in the NHL. It seems many think he has an above average chance when compared to other prospects and these people running the NHL teams are willing to give him top dollar of an ELC to take the risk and find out.
Why any of us as fans would bank on him being elite talent and a guaranteed contributor to our teams is beyond me. As a fan you have to hope your team signs him, then you have to hope he is as good as they say he is. He may not be, if your fortunate he will be better.
It’s an age-old thing with these sites, Jeff, ever since the net was invented – people read into something what they WANT to read into it – for various reasons – and completely ignore what someone is actually SAYING. Even if Ottawa were to somehow slip into the mix and sign him (they are, after all, “north-east”) I’d still say, OK, now show me, before I’d be prepared to say they “stole” something. Others clearly indulge in wishful-thinking. What will be interesting to see are the comments from the fans of those teams suggested as a possible destination who wind up NOT getting him.
There must be a reason Poile has difficulty attracting big name FA to Nashville.
Georg O, there are players on both sides of the ledger from the college ranks, some done very well and others have fail. But you have a real dislike for a guy you don’t know anything about or do you?
Where in hell did I EVER say I didn’t “like him”?? All I’m saying is, he hasn’t yet proven a damned thing at the pro level and was a 3rd round draft pick – and if you go back 10 years looking at 3rd round picks, less than 2% have become what you might call “significant” NHLers. Will he be in that 2%?? Maybe. But I’m not ready to put him on any pedestal just yet.
That certainly sound like a lot of dislike. Every year George there in at least two 1st round draft pick that fail. But were talking projecting 18 and 19 year olds. Vesey is 23 and so the projection are more based on what he is. You defeat your own argument when you say only a % make it and who says Vesey isn’t part of that %? All I can tell you for a guy who isn’t going to make it, there certainly a lot of NHL teams that want to sign him.
Your interpretation of “dislike” and mine are on opposite sides of the spectrum then Caper. I “dislike” players like Avery and Cooke. How can I “dislike” a player who has yet to play 1 minute of pro? I’m simply not on the Vesey bandwagon and ready to polish up the Calder. Certainly, any team that gets him COULD be getting a gem and all it’s costing them is an ELC to find out. But all I am saying is, let’s wait and see before we start the butt-kissing.
I agree 100 % George. I have never been on the Vesey band wagon and have said from the start he is 50/50 whether or not he makes it. He’s not going to live up to his hype no matter what he does.
While you do not dislike him, I do. I dislike him for the fact that if I have read it correctly He had a hand shake deal ( or his agent ) to sign with Nashville. He screwed them over. I do not like a guy who does not hold up his end of a deal. Now if it is NOT true then I have no feelings one way or the other.
O M G all this site has been for the last month is Vessey, vessey, Vessey…….enough you guys make him out to be Wayne Gretzky or Mario lemieux….he won the Hobey lots have and done nothing in the NHL George McPhee new GM of vegas…
Here say. No deal exists until pen is put to paper.
I’m with George here Justin Shultz had all the same hype as vessey in college and has done nothing
What’s interesting about Butler was that in his rookie year 2010-11 he stepped in & played well scoring 10 goals & 21 points in 36 games. Getting 15:25 TOI/GP & 2:12 PP TOI/GP under Clouston. 3rd line, 2nd unit PP The next year MacLean took over & Butler’s role changed. His TOI/GP dropped to 11:28 & PP TOI/GP to 0:52 4th line & not on 1 of the top 2 units. The rest is history. He posted decent #’s with a cup of coffee in Nashville, never to be seen again.
We’ll know soon enough what Vesey is or isn’t.
If anything Vesey should learn from Shultz and pick a team who’s style fits his strengths. Is he enough of a thug to be a bruin? I don’t think so. Is he in love with the spotlight? Can he be comfortable in the fishbowl in Toronto? Does he want to win now or grow into a winner? If there is this much interest in him he needs to speak with as many teams as he can and hope the people advising him don’t have their own agenda. All this will be the difference between a career in the NHL and flaming out and being labelled a bust. Shultz took a big pay cut and turned down higher offers because he loved his time in Pittsburgh so much. Maybe I’m a homer but all things considered the Penguins are the best fit for Vesey. They have lots of stars for the media to focus on and they have good people running the organization to advise him and mentor him including the best player to ever play as his boss.
This year’s Drouin…
George,you are 100% correct about people reading what they want in a comment and it’s very frustrating. Nowhere did you say you dislike Vesey. Your point is pretty simple to understand and I agree with you. Most people never see a guy play, they read media accounts of these players and run around saying “he’s a stud.” It’s ridiculous. To me there is nothing more pointless then a grading a team’s draft the week after it ends. Call me in 5 years.
Exactly. After the first 2 or 3 picks every draft becomes a crap-shoot. Zetterberg went in the 200s. Daniel Alfredsson around the 135 mark. The year Vesey was chosen in the 3rd round, a guy named Gostisbehere was chosen by Pha. Maybe Vesey turns out to be another of that ilk. Maybe he won’t. NO ONE was touting Gost as a can’t miss after the draft.
Sabres could be waiting to see if they sign vesey before fowler trade. Just wondering if they get Vesey does someone Ducks want become available?? Maybe ducks sabres already have a deal if they get Vesey
Lyle, Benn signed at the low end of your suggested range yesterday – 8 years, $76 million / $9.5 AAV.
What do you think Dan? for me term and dollar a little high.
Caper, I hate all these huge deals. Even moreso for a winger, albeit at least a strong two way player w/ character.
Is it a fair deal? Maybe a million rich given Texas is another no tax state so you think of the Stamkos situation at $8.5, but it’s priced in the context of the market.
Term – you have a point. He’ll be 35 when it’s done and he plays a punishing style.
The bigger question is whether you can have a pair of guys on monster deals and still fill out the roster under the cap. Seguin is up in 3 years.
If you don’t mind me piping in caper. It’s a good deal in my opinion. Benn is the second best LW in the game behind Oviechkin. (Yes in my opinion). What do you pay the second best LW in the game if not top dollar.
Jeff, no question it’s priced in the context of the market. However, can you build a team under the cap with Benn on $9.5 and Seguin around the same plus a top goalie?
#Dan39. See Penguins, Pittsburgh.
Benn has proven to be the best and close to the best over the last few seasons he got what he deserves according to the elite players in the league. should it be for 8 seasons…probably not but only time will tell how well he ages
Benn does everything he is well worth the money he got compared to other contracts
In his column today in the Ottawa Sun, Tim Baines – who normally writes about the CFL – says ” … You hear the Senators tied to centre Sam Gagner and it makes sense, doesn’t it, if the price is right? It seems like he’s been around the block and back, but he’s still only 26.”
Actually, I don’t know where he “hears” that because that’s the first time I’ve seen Gagner’s name associated with Ottawa – at least in recent years.
Gagner has some abilities & can play C or RW but I would far prefer Ottawa to go out & get a 4/5 Dman who plays a solid physical game & is sound defensively. The UFA market for such is getting very low but hopefully Ottawa does something in this regard. The top 4 is solid now but the 5/6 slots concern me & I would like to see Chabot sheltered & protected should he stay.
Chabot should be on the team in 2017-2018. He will likely get a solid chance to make it this up coming season. I’ve been spouting the same stuff about Ottawa getting depth on the back end. Yet with guys like White, Brown, Chabot, maybe Paul, Englund and so on looking like they all can break into the league in 2017-2018 do you bring in the depth this year which may prevent these guys from getting any call up action or do you sign guys to one year deals as depth, play out the year and set yourself up for 2017-2018 in the hopes some prospects finally break in.
Or do nothing and play out the season and hope the young guys make it.
I’ve heard it not to long ago. Yet I can’t tell you where from. It is due to the fact he will come at a low cost and has a reasonable chance to add to Ottawa’s depth. However adding another centre doesn’t seem to be a need at this point.
So true – 1 Turris 2 Zibanejad 3 Pageau 4 Kelly 5 Lazar 6 Paul 7 Dzingel 8 Brown 9 White 10 Gagne 11 Dahlen 12 Chlapik 13 Gagner??? Just what they need, a baker’s dozen down the middle.
The one player not listed on there is Jacob Trouba, who I’m very interest in seeing what happens. His numbers have gone down each year. I remember watching him in the world jr, with Seth Jones and Dougie Hamilton in the tournament and Trouba was the best player on the ice and the best dman in the tournament. Never encouraging when your numbers go backwards. I think he should take a bridge deal and re-establish his value.
Did Chris Russell sign somewhere I don’t see him on the list of free agents
No, he got blocked.
More and more speculation that overheard is playing his game to get his client the contract he wants. The only real leverage Trouba has is to hold out as his ELC just ended, but both Boston and Detroit have spoken to Overhardt and and it was rumored that Colorado floated a Barrie-Trouba swap. Overhardt`s M.O. is to convince his players that his value is greater elsewhere and he has gotten Turris, Dubinsky, Johanssen, and Neiderreiter traded in similar situations.
Cheveldayoff is known to be deliberate in his actions but also stubborn. So there could be a battle of wills going on between Overhardt and Cheveldayoff here
It is also known that Trouba was a bit miffed that Byfuglien was signed and yet he and not Byfuglien was asked to play his offside last year.
It will be interesting to see who cracks first. Trouba is very confident in his ability and doesn’t want to be disrespected so this could be a long summer and may end up getting ugly. With Shattenkirk, Fowler, and Barrie all in play, Trouba will be very interested in the coming months to see where he is valued
Good analysis Bill, I think the Jets are positioned to really hold firm here and I hope they do.
I read a report that quoted Trouba’s agent claiming trouba will not accept a bridge deal and expects to get paid as an elite talent?
jeff I read that too, but what else is overhardt to say, other than a holdout or offersheet, Trouba has no other leverage.
overhardt is very experienced in this situation, as soon as I heard about Trouba being upset about being asked to play the left side and not Byfuglien who got his contract, it was obvious what was happening. Overhardt as he has done before will make this personal. he honestly doesnt care if he ruins Trouba’s relationship with the jets. in fact he prefers it that way, since it will insure his client gets paid, whether in Winnipeg or elsewhere.
once it gets personal it becomes a matter of honor to the player and you dont become a star athlete without having supreme confidence
its all a game to Overhardt. if as has been reported the Jets are not afraid to go to the cap, then I can see a long term deal eventually being struck, like 8/48M or thereabouts, if this gets into whos going to be more stubborn between cheveldayoff and Overhardt then eventually, we’ll see a trade
in addition I just read over on HFBoards jets fans saying that Trouba is miles better than Hamonic offensively
just to bring facts : over the last 3 years
Trouba 23G 49A 72 pts
Hamonic 13G 59A 72 pts
seems to me their a dead heat offensively
defensively since hamonic plays 1st pair defensive assignments and Trouba 2nd pair defensive assignments
and hamonic averages about 2 minutes more on defense a game that hamonic is currently better
though that may change if Trouba gets his wish and gets to play on the Power play. Hamonic with Pulock, leddy and Boychuck on his team, never will.
simply better use of resources
Its funny how a players status can change, two years ago in Winnipeg the talk was all about Adam Lowry and Jacob Trouba contracts coming up at the same time and how much money it will cost the Jets maybe $4 or $5 mill each or more. Then last year Lowry has a set back get demoted then recalled and now has sign a two year deal for $1.125 per season, that went largely unnoticed in Winnipeg. Still an opportunity for the big guy to establish himself.
And hence you see the hesitation from many on Vesey.
Bingo!
I don’t remember Lowry being touted so highly.
Well…it is only the highly touted ones your really have to guard your optimism against isn’t it?
Anaheim could always choose to just do nothing at D. Send Theodore down again, he doesn’t need to clear wavers.
Once Lindholm signs that leaves 8. The top 5 play regularly, Fowler, Vatanen, Lindholm, Bieksa, Despres. Manson & Stoner rotate at 6/7 & Holzer is the #8 depth guy. Injures will happen they always do.
Anaheim adresses Getzlaf’s left winger via UFA, promotion or trades for in some one in another way.
Come the expnasion draft they protect 8 skaters & expose Rackell; C, & Despres.
Why trade Fowler at all?
Expose Rakell??! He is one of the Ducks budding young stud forwards. He def stays. I love Fowler, he is a magician with the puck on the D end and manages to skate the puck out of danger. He is masterful to watch. Still very young too. He is a big factor in the Ducks good defensive numbers last year. Problem is as everyone knows, the Ducks can’t keep all their young Dmen around, theo is ready to make the jump and someone needs to go. Would love to keep him but sadly the Ducks (unlike other big clubs) operates under a self imposed cap limit. But a quality player such as Fowler should fetch quality in return, and hopefully return a left high scoring winger.
Exposing rakell would be a horrible move that will never happen
I would think twice before expousing Rackell…but many a team will be facing these personal decisions. The owners ae more than willing to let a fee real nhl players go in expansion when they see that big cut that is coming ot them.
Agreed & I assume Murray will address in some way eventually.
Ducks should have went after Parenteau. Maybe the Ducks Leafs trade agreement should happen again? The Leafs get a young defenseman and the Ducks get Michalek and some picks and prospects or it turns into a JVR Fowler deal with whatever else needs to be added? The only reason I say Michalek is he looked ok when he got top six minutes and adding JVR this year causes more expansion nightmares for the Ducks but getting a cup would be worth it?
I think you’re on the right track re JVR being eventual trade bait for a top Dman in a package when the market is more reasonable.
Lou is not going to trade Auston Matthews for Jacob Trouba in Chirellian fashion. However, JVRs veteran experience is needed for at least this season IMO
At the rate Lou is going Matthews wont even be signed by the Leafs. Mr Burns all over again ! ( Mattingly shave those side burns ! )
Seriously how long does Shanahan let this BS about bonuses continue ?
Damage control needed already ? Dont get me wrong I like what Lou has done but this is no way to treat your future franchise player !
Justin Schultz 2.0
No Jimmy V 2.0
Subban got 9 mil a year ago and the cap has only gone up since then, so I expect Burns to get at least 9 mil a year. He does everything Subban does, but better. Some mistakes on defense every once in awhile, same as Subban, but both are offensive defensemen, and Burns is a better offensive defenseman. Burns can definitely get 6 years, 60 mil on the open market, so I expect 6 x 9.5 mil to stay with San Jose on a hometown discount.
Gagner…8 points in one game….Soilers record…