NHL Free Agent Signings: Who’s Going Where?

The NHL Free Agent Signing Period is upon us and there are a lot of big names available. Where will they end up? We break down the latest rumors and predictions.

NHL free agents Who’s going where?

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) Free agency window opened on July 1, and as teams look to add the final pieces to their rosters for next season, there has been no shortage of activity. With so many big names on the move, it can be tough to keep track of everything that’s going on. Here’s a rundown of the most notable signings so far:

Top free agents still available

Several big-name NHL free agents remain on the market as teams prepare for the start of the regular season Here is a look at some of the Top Players still available:

Forwards

Patrick Marleau: The longtime San Jose Sharks forward joined the Toronto Maple Leafs last season on a three-year, $18.75 million contract He scored 27 goals and added 20 assists in 82 games.

Rick Nash: The 33-year-old forward was traded to the Boston Bruins last season from the New York Rangers He had 21 goals and 13 assists in 60 games.

Thomas Vanek: The 34-year-old winger has spent time with several teams over his 15-year NHL career most recently with the Columbus Blue Jackets He had 17 goals and 27 assists in 80 games last season.

Defensemen

Mike Green: The 32-year-old defenseman was with the Detroit Red Wings last season, his 11th in the NHL. He had eight goals and 25 assists in 66 games.

Dennis Wideman: The 34-year-old defenseman split last season between the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers He had five goals and 18 assists in 80 games.

NHL free agent signings: Grades

At this point in the NHL offseason, most of the big-name free agents have been signed, and teams are starting to finalize their rosters for next season. As we do every year, let’s take a look at how each team fared in free agency and hand out grades for their offseason signings.

Anaheim Ducks: C+
The Ducks made a couple of solid depth signings inBrian Gibbons and Carter Rowney, but they didn’t do anything to address their biggest need: scoring. Anaheim ranked 28th in the league in goals scored last season, and they didn’t do anything to upgrade their offense this offseason.

Arizona Coyotes: B+
The Coyotes had a solid offseason, addresses needs up front by signing Michael Grabner and Derek Stepan, and adding some much-needed veteran leadership by bringing in Niklas Hjalmarsson. They also did well to re-sign Anthony Duclair at a reasonable price.

Boston Bruins: B+
The Bruins made some nice additions this offseason, signing John Moore to help shore up the defense and adding Joakim Nordstrom and Chris Wagner for depth up front. Boston also did well to re-sign Charlie McAvoy and Torey Krug to long-term deals.

Buffalo Sabres: C+
The Sabres had a quiet offseason, largely standing pat after missing the playoffs last season. They did make a couple of solid depth signings in Jimmy Vesey and Marcus Johansson, but they didn’t do anything to address their biggest need: goaltending.

Calgary Flames: B+
The Flames had a solid offseason, upgrading their defense by signing Travis Hamonic and adding some scoring punch with the addition of Elias Lindholm. They also did well to lock up Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau to long-term deals.

How free agency is shaping up for the NHL’s top teams

With the NHL free agency signing period set to begin on July 1, there is plenty of speculation about where the top players will land. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Winnipeg Jets are among the teams that are expected to be active in the free agent market, and there are a number of big names available.

Forwards Thomas Vanek and Jaromir Jagr are among the top free agents while defensemen Matt Niskanen and Dan Boyle are also expected to draw interest. Goalies Ryan Miller and Ray Emery are among the other notable players who will be available.

Here’s a look at how free agency is shaping up for some of the NHL’s top teams

Tampa Bay Lightning The Lightning are expected to make a push for Vanek, who would provide an offensive boost for a team that struggled to score at times last season. Tampa Bay is also said to be interested in Niskanen, who would bolster the team’s defense.

Winnipeg Jets: The Jets are expected to be active in the Free Agent market, with Jagr believed to be high on their list of targets. Winnipeg is also said to be interested in Miller, who would give them a veteran presence in goal.

NHL free agent tracker

NHL free agency opens on July 1, and there will be plenty of movement around the league as teams look to bolster their rosters for the upcoming season Here’s a look at some of the top free agents and where they might end up.

Forwards:

Patrick Marleau: After 19 seasons with the Sharks, Marleau is finally hitting the open market as an restricted free agent. The veteral forward is coming off a solid campaign in which he scored 21 goals and added 19 assists in 70 games. At age 38, Marleau isn’t the player he once was, but he could still be a useful addition to a team looking for veteran leadership. Possible destinations: Sharks, Maple Leafs Bruins, Blackhawks.

Ryan Dzingel: Dzingel is coming off a career year in which he notched 26 goals and 30 assists for the Senators. The 27-year-old is one of the more intriguing forwards on the market and should have plenty of suitors. Possible destinations: Senators, Hurricanes, Avalanche, Flames.

Artemi Panarin: Panarin is one of the most dynamic players in the league and should command a hefty contract on the open market. The 27-year-old winger tallied 28 goals and 59 assists for 87 points last season split between the Blue Jackets and Panthers. Possible destinations: Blue Jackets Panthers, Rangers, Flyers.

Defensemen:

Karl Alzner: Alzner spent last season with Montreal after nine years with Washington. The 30-year-old defenseman is a solid veteran presence who can provide some stability on the back end. Possible destinations: Canadiens, Canucks, Islanders, Predateurs.

Jake Gardiner: Gardiner is coming off a down year offensively with just five goals and 23 assists in 63 games for the Leafs. However, at 28 years old, Gardiner still has plenty of good hockey ahead of him. Possible destinations: Leafs, Devils, Golden Knights Oilers.

NHL Free Agent rumors

NHL free agency is just around the corner, and there are plenty of rumors swirling about who might sign where. Here’s a look at some of the biggest names that could be on the move this offseason.

Forwards

Taylor Hall: Hall is one of the most coveted Free Agents on the market and will have no shortage of suitors. The 28-year-old winger is coming off a career-best year in which he tallied 52 goals and 93 points for the New Jersey Devils Hall is reportedly looking for a long-term deal worth around $10 million per season. Potential destinations include the Buffalo Sabres Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks.

Artemi Panarin: Panarin is another top-flight winger who is set to hit the open market. The 27-year-old posted 87 points for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and has notched at least 74 points in each of his three NHL campaigns. Panarin is reportedly looking for a deal worth north of $11 million per season. Potential destinations include the Colorado Avalanche New York Islanders Rangers, and St. Louis Blues

Matt Duchene: Duchene had a down year offensively last season, posting just 60 points for the Nashville Predators However, Duchene is still just 28 years old and is just two seasons removed from a 70-point campaign. Duchene is reportedly seeking a short-term deal worth around $8 million per season. Potential destinations include the Avs, Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens Predators, and Sharks.

Defensemen

Tyler Myers: Myers is one of the best defensemen set to hit the open market this offseason. The 30-year-old had seven goals and 21 points for the Vancouver Canucks last season and has plenty of experience playing big minutes against top competition. Myers is reportedly looking for a multi-year deal worth around $6 million per season. Potential destinations include the Canucks, Edmonton Oilers Los Angeles Kings Winnipeg Jets

Jake Gardiner: Gardiner had a down year offensively last season, posting just seven goals and 32 points for the Toronto Maple Leafs while battling various injuries. However, Gardiner is still just 29 years old and is just two seasons removed from posting 52 points in 2016-17 campaign. Gardiner is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal worth between $5-$6 million per season on average. Potential destinations include Leafs, Kings, New York Islanders Sharks

Winners and losers of NHL free agency

NHL free agency began on July 1, and there have been some big signings already. The biggest names on the market have found new homes, and there are sure to be more moves in the coming days.

graded: who did the best and worst in free agency so far?

There are a few clear winners from NHL Free Agency so far. The Florida Panthers made a big splash, signing Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70 million deal Bobrovsky is one of the best goalies in the league and should instantly make the Panthers contenders in the Eastern Conference The Dallas Stars also had a strong day, signing Joe Pavelski and Andrej Sekera to bolster their Offense and defense respectively.

On the other side, there are a few teams that may have made some questionable moves. The New York Rangers signed Artemi Panarin to a seven-year, $81 million contract making him one of the Highest-Paid Players in the league. Panarin is a great player, but giving him that much money is a risk for a team that’s already close to the salary cap ceiling. The Ottawa Senators made some head-scratching signings as well, giving large contracts to Tyler Ennis and Ron Hainsey. Time will tell if these deals work out or if they come back to bite the Sens down the road.

How free agency has changed the NHL landscape

In the past few years, Free Agency has changed the landscape of the NHL. With teams able to offer bigger contracts and more money, many players have relocated in search of a new home. This offseason was no different, as several big-name players changed teams. Here’s a look at some of the most notable signings:

Forward Taylor Hall signed a one-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres worth $8 million. Hall is a former MVP and should provide a significant boost to the Sabres’ offense.

Defenseman Torey Krug signed a seven-year deal with the St. Louis Blues worth $45.5 million. Krug is one of the league’s best offensive defensemen and will help bolster the Blues’ already strong blue line

Goalie Jacob Markstrom signed a six-year contract with the Calgary Flames worth $36 million. Markstrom was one of the league’s top goalies last season and will give the Flames a much needed boost between the pipes.

Top 10 NHL free agent signings

The National Hockey League’s (NHL) free agent signing period began on July 1, and there have been some big moves since then. Here are the top 10 signings, according to ESPN:

1. Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils Hall signed a seven-year, $35 million contract with the Devils after being traded from the Edmonton Oilers He is a three-time NHL All-Star and won the MVP Award in 2018.

2. Wayne Simmonds, Nashville Predators Simmonds signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Predators. He is a six-time NHL All-Star and has won two gold medals with Team USA at the World Championships

3. Sergei Bobrovsky, Florida Panthers: Bobrovsky signed a seven-year, $70 million contract with the Panthers. He is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and was named MVP of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

4. Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning Vasilevskiy signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension with the Lightning. He is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and helped lead the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2020.

5. Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers Panarin signed a seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the Rangers after spending last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets He is a two-time All-Star and led the league in scoring last season with 87 points.

6. Tyler Myers, Vancouver Canucks: Myers signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Canucks after spending last season with the Winnipeg Jets. He is a two-time NHL All-Star and won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2010 Olympics.

7. Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders Varlamov signed a four-year, $20 million contract with the Islanders after spending last season with the Colorado Avalanche. He is a two-time All-Star and helped lead Russia to a bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics.

8 . Jacob Trouba, New York Rangers Trouba was traded to the Rangers from Winnipeg and then signed a seven-year, $56 million contract extension . He is an excellent young defenseman who should be a key piece of the Rangers’ blueline for years to come . CCTV

NHL free agent busts

NHL free agent busts are players who fail to live up to the expectations that come with their new contracts. They can be veterans who were signed to big deals and expected to provide leadership and production, but their game has declined. They can also be young players who were signed to big deals and expected to develop into stars, but they never reach their potential.

In either case, free agent busts are a big disappointment for the teams that sign them. They often end up being overpaid and underperforming, which can hurt a team’s salary cap situation and prevent them from signing other players.

Some of the most recent free agent busts in the NHL include:

-Dany Heatley: He was signed by the Minnesota Wild to a six-year, $45 million deal in 2011. He scored just 26 goals in two seasons with the Wild before being traded to the Anaheim Ducks

-Bobby Holik: He was signed by the New York Rangers to a five-year, $45 million deal in 2002. He scored just 27 goals in his first two seasons with the Rangers before being bought out of his contract.

-Ville Leino: He was signed by the Buffalo Sabres to a six-year, $27 million deal in 2011. He has scored just 21 goals in three seasons with the Sabres and is currently playing in Russia