NHL Free Agency: The Top Signings

NHL Free agency is upon us and there are some big names available. Here are the top signings we think will happen.

The top NHL Free Agent signings of the offseason

After a flurry of activity on the first day of NHL free agency the dust has finally settled and we can take a look at the top signings of the offseason.

The biggest names on the market, forward Artemi Panarin and defenseman Tyler Myers, both found new homes early on in free agency Panarin signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers, while Myers agreed to a five-year, $30 million deal with the Canucks.

Other notable signings include goaltender Semyon Varlamov (Islanders), defenseman Anton Stralman (Lightning), and forwards Gustav Nyquist (Sharks) and Anders Lee (Islanders).

Let’s take a more detailed look at some of the top signings of NHL free agency

Artemi Panarin – New York Rangers
Seven years, $81.5 million ($11.64 million AAV)

The top scorer on the market, Panarin was never going to sign for anything less than max money. He got just that from the Rangers, who gave him a seven-year deal with an AAV of over $11 million.

Panarin is one of the most dynamic players in the league and should immediately make the Rangers a better team. They paid a hefty price for his services, but it was definitely worth it.

Tyler Myers – Vancouver Canucks
Five years, $30 million ($6 million AAV)

The Canucks made a big splash on day one of free agency by signing defenseman Tyler Myers to a five-year contract with an AAV of $6 million.

Myers is coming off a career year with the Jets in which he scored seven goals and tallied 35 points in 81 games. He’ll provide some much-needed size and strength on Vancouver’s blue line and should be a key contributor for them moving forward.

Semyon Varlamov – New York Islanders
Four years, $20 million ($5 million AAV) Islanders secure Varlamov as Robin Lehner’s replacement in net

The biggest names still available in NHL free agency

The NHL Free Agency period opened on July 1 and there have already been a number of big names sign with new teams. However, there are still some big names available on the open market. Here are the top five names still available in NHL free agency

1. Mike Hoffman – The 29-year-old winger is coming off a season in which he scored 30 goals and 59 points in 69 games split between the Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks He’s a scoring threat every time he steps on the ice and would be a valuable addition to any team’s top-six forward group.

2. Tyler Ennis – The 28-year-old forward is coming off a season in which he tallied 16 goals and 32 points in 77 games split between the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators. He’s a versatile player who can play both wing and center and would be a good depth option for any team looking to add scoring depth.

3. Anton Stralman – The 33-year-old defenseman is an experienced veteran who can provide stability on the blue line for any team. He’s coming off a season in which he had two goals and nine points in 47 games split between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

4. Brian Boyle – The 34-year-old forward is coming off a season in which he tallied 13 goals and 20 points in 74 games with the Nashville Predators He’s a physical player who can also contribute offensively and would be a valuable addition to any team’s bottom-six forward group.

5. Zdeno Chara – The 42-year-old defenseman is the oldest player on this list, but he’s still an effective player who can provide leadership and stability on the blue line for any team. He’s coming off a season in which he had three goals and 16 points in 71 games with the Boston Bruins

The teams with the most cap space to make a splash in free agency

As the NHL’s free agency period opens on July 1, there are a number of teams with ample room under the salary cap to make a splash. The following teams have the most cap space available, as well as some of the top names they could target.

Ottawa Senators – $28.8 million in cap space

The Senators have the most cap space of any team in the NHL, and they could use it to sign a big name player to help lead their rebuild. The Senators have been linked to former St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo, and they could also make a run at Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi. Other potential targets for the Senators include forward Tyler Toffoli and goaltender Braden Holtby.

New Jersey Devils – $25.8 million in cap space

The Devils are another team with a ton of cap space that could be used to go after some big name free agents The Devils have been linked to Pietrangelo and Josi, as well as Toffoli and Holtby. New Jersey could also use their cap space to re-sign pending free agent Taylor Hall, who is coming off a Hart Trophy winning season with the Devils.

Buffalo Sabres – $23 million in cap space

The Sabres are expected to be active in free agency and they have been linked to Toffoli and Holtby. Buffalo could also make a run at forward Anthony Duclair, who had 23 goals and 44 points for Ottawa last season. Other potential targets for the Sabres include forwards Vladislav Namestnikov and Jesper Fast.

The top restricted and Restricted Free Agents by position

There are a lot of big names set to hit the free agent market this summer, and with the salary cap rising, there should be plenty of movement. Here’s a look at the top restricted and unrestricted free agents by position:

Forwards:

Unrestricted:
-John Tavares, New York Islanders
-evgeny kuznetsov, Washington Capitals
-James van Riemsdyk, Toronto Maple Leafs
-Paul Stastny, Winnipeg Jets

Restricted:
-Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes
-Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
-Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks

Defensemen:

Unrestricted:
-John Carlson, Washington Capitals
--Mike Green Detroit Red Wings

Restricted:
-Esa Lindell, Dallas Stars
-Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers

Goalies:

Unrestricted:
-Antti Niemi, Montreal Canadiens

Restricted:
-Petr Mrazek, Carolina Hurricanes

The most overrated and underrated free agents on the market

In the world of NHL Free Agency there are always a few names that jump out as the most overrated and underrated signings of the summer. This year is no different, as there are a few big names that will be looking for new homes.

The most overrated Free Agent this summer is definitely defenseman Erik Karlsson. After an injury-plagued season with the Ottawa Senators, Karlsson is looking for a fresh start with a new team. However, his lofty asking price and injury history make him a risky signing for any team.

Another overrated free agent is forward Rick Nash. Nash is a skilled goalscorer, but at 34 years old, he is past his prime and unlikely to produce at the same level he did in his heyday. teams interested in Nash would be better served looking elsewhere for scoring help.

On the other hand, there are a few free agents who are being underrated by the general public. One of these players is forward Patrick Maroon. Maroon had a strong season with the Edmonton Oilers last year, scoring 27 goals and 55 points. He also brings valuable playoff experience, having reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Oilers in 2017. Maroon would be a great addition to any team looking for scoring depth.

Another undervalued Free Agent is goaltender Carter Hutton. Hutton had an excellent season with the St. Louis Blues posting a .931 save percentage and 2.09 goals against average. He would be a solid addition to any team’s goaltending tandem or could even step into a starting role if needed.

In summary, there are always a few overrated and underrated players in NHL free agency each year. This summer is no different, as there are several big names that will be hitting the market.

The best value signings of the NHL Free Agency period

There were a lot of big signings during the NHL free agency period, but not all of them were good values. Here are some of the best value signings of the NHL free agency period:

1. Patrick Marleau, C, Sharks: 2 years, $8 million

2. Alexandar Radulov, RW, Stars: 5 years, $31.25 million

3. Mike Condon, G, Senators: 2 years, $2.4 million

4. Martin Hanzal, C, Wild: 3 years, $14.25 million

5. Jaromir Jagr, RW, Flames: 1 year, $1 million

The worst contracts handed out during free agency

Every year, NHL Teams hand out massive contracts to Free Agents in the hopes of improve their roster. While some of these deals work out, more often than not they end up being complete busts. Here are some of the worst contracts handed out during free agency

– Vladislav Namestnikov: 4 years, $22 million with the New York Rangers
– Connor Brown: 6 years, $34 million with the Ottawa Senators
– Tyler Myers: 7 years, $31 million with the Vancouver Canucks
– Justin Faulk: 7 years, $29.5 million with the St. Louis Blues

The teams that improved the most through free agency

Every year, NHL teams look to improve their rosters through free agency This year was no different, as there were several big-name players who found new homes. Here are the teams that improved the most through Free Agency

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning made a big splash in free agency signing forward Steven Stamkos to a massive contract extension Stamkos is one of the league’s best players and will be a key part of the Lightning’s offense for years to come. In addition to Stamkos, the Lightning also signed forwards Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat to long-term contract extensions Both Johnson and Palat are young stars who will keep the Lightning’s offense potent for years to come.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs made some noise in Free Agency signing forward Patrick Marleau to a three-year deal worth $18 million. Marleau is a veteran sniper who will provide some much-needed scoring punch for the Maple Leafs The Maple Leafs also signed defenseman Ron Hainsey to a two-year deal worth $6 million. Hainsey is a solid veteran defender who will help solidify the Maple Leafs’ Blue Line

3. Nashville Predators
The Predators made one of the biggest splashes of Free Agency signing defenseman P.K Subban to a massive eight-year, $72 million contract extension. Subban is one of the best defensemen in the league and will give the Predators a dynamic 1-2 punch on the blue line with Roman Josi. The Predators also signed forward Kevin Fiala to a two-year contract extension worth $6 million. Fiala is a young star who has shown plenty of promise and will be a key piece of the Predators’ offense for years to come.

The teams that took the biggest step backwards this offseason

In the salary-cap NHL, Free Agency is often about adding complementary pieces rather than impactful superstars. But every now and then, a big fish hits the open market, sending shockwaves through the league. This year’s free-agent class was stacked with high-end talent, and several teams made aggressive moves to improve their rosters.

But not every team improved this offseason. In fact, some took significant steps backwards. Here are three teams that took the biggest step backwards this offseason:

The Buffalo Sabres lost veteran forwards Cody Eakin and Jimmy Vesey in free agency while also trading away defenseman Henri Jokiharju. The Sabres replaced Jokiharju with Colin Miller, who is a significant downgrade. Buffalo also failed to address its goaltending situation, which was an issue last season.

The Edmonton Oilers made a number of head-scratching moves this offseason, including trading away talented young forward Jesse Puljujarvi and signing veteran forward Kyle Turris to a costly contract extension. The Oilers also lost defenseman Andrej Sekera to free agency and failed to replace him with a comparable player.

The Vancouver Canucks entered the offseason with loads of cap space and plenty of needs on their roster. But instead of using their cap space wisely, the Canucks wasted it on overpriced veterans like Tyler Toffoli and Micheal Ferland. The Canucks also failed to address their goaltending situation, which could be an issue next season.

The biggest winners and losers of NHL free agency

As the NHL’s free-agency period began Sunday, teams and players agreed to contracts worth a total of more than $400 million.

The biggest winners appear to be the New Jersey Devils who added forwards Taylor Hall, Nikita Gusev, Jack Hughes and Wayne Simmonds. The Devils also agreed to terms with goaltender Cory Schneider.

The Dallas Stars made a big splash by signing goaltender Anton Khudobin and forward Joe Pavelski. The Stars also landed defenseman Andrej Sekera.

The Tampa Bay Lightning made several smaller moves Sunday, signing forwards Kevin Shattenkirk, Pat Maroon, Luke Witkowski and Curtis McElhinney. The defending Stanley Cup champions also traded goalie Louis Domingue to the Vancouver Canucks for goalie Marek Mazanec.

The Boston Bruins added depth by signing forward Brett Ritchie and defenseman Connor Clifton. Both players spent last season with the Bruins’ American Hockey League affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island

At the other end of the spectrum are the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, who were among the teams that lost Key Players Sunday.

Montreal saw captain Max Pacioretty sign with the Vegas Golden Knights while goalie Calvin Pickard joined the Arizona Coyotes. Veteran forward Andrew Shaw signed with the Chicago Blackhawks while defenseman Jordie Benn agreed to terms with the Vancouver Canucks.

Ottawa was dealt a significant blow when captain Erik Karlsson signed with the San Jose Sharks The Senators also saw forward Matt Duchene sign with the Nashville Predators and Bobby Ryan agree to terms with the Detroit Red Wings