Top NHL Free Agents for the 2019-2020 Season

As the NHL free agency period approaches, we take a look at the top 10 free agents and where they might end up signing.

Forwards

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional Ice Hockey league composed of 30 teams, founded in 1917. The NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice Hockey League in the world, and one of the North American major professional sports leagues.

There are several top NHL free agents available for the 2019-2020 Season including forwards. Below is a list of some of the top available forwards, sorted by position.

Center:
-Tyler Bozak (STL)
-Eric Staal (MIN)
-Joe Thornton (SJS)

Left Wing:
-Marcus Johansson (BOS)
– Artemi Panarin (CBJ)

Defensemen

As the NHL’s Free agency period approaches, there are a number of big names who will be looking for new homes. Among them are a number of defensemen who could have a big impact on their new teams. Here are some of the top names to keep an eye on.

Erik Karlsson: One of the best defenseman in the league, Karlsson is sure to command a hefty price tag on the open market. He’s coming off a down year by his standards, but there’s no doubt that he’s still one of the premier blueliners in the game. Wherever he ends up, he’ll make an immediate impact.

Tyler Myers: Myers is another top defenseman who will be looking for a new home this offseason. He had a solid year for the Winnipeg Jets chipping in with 28 points while providing some solid minutes on the back end. He’s not quite at Karlsson’s level, but he would still be a big addition for any team in need of help on defense.

Jake Gardiner: Gardiner had a bit of a down year offensively this past season, but he’s still one of the better puck-moving defensemen in the league. He would be a good option for any team looking to add some help on the Power play He doesn’t provide much in terms of physicality, but he more than makes up for it with his skill and vision on the ice.

Goaltenders

The NHL free agency for the 2019-2020 season is fast approaching and there are a number of top goaltenders who are set to become free agents Among the most notable are Sergei Bobrovsky, Semyon Varlamov, and Petr Mrazek.

Bobrovsky is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and is widely considered to be one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. He has spent the last seven seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets posting a record of 209-104-37 with a 2.46 GAA and .919 save percentage

Varlamov has been with the Colorado Avalanche for the last eight seasons, posting a record of 167-134-40 with a 2.56 GAA and .917 save percentage. He was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy in 2012-2013 and has been one of the most consistent goaltenders in the NHL over the last few years.

Mrazek has spent time with both the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes over his NHL career posting a record of 103-76-28 with a 2.60 GAA and .910 save percentage. He was traded to the Hurricanes midway through last season and played a big role in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, posting a 9-6 record with a 2.39 GAA and .914 save percentage in 15 Playoff Games

Team Needs

With the 2019 NHL Entry Draft now in the rearview mirror, all 31 NHL Teams have turned their attention towards next season and beyond. For many teams, that includes trying to figure out which pending free agents to keep and which ones to let go. With that in mind, here is a look at the top 10 NHL free agents – by position – who will be available when the market opens on July 1, 2019.

Forwards
1. Artemi Panarin – Columbus Blue Jackets
2. Matt Duchene – Ottawa Senators
3. Jeff Skinner – Buffalo Sabres
4. Joe Pavelski – San Jose Sharks
5. Anders Lee – New York Islanders
6. Brayden Point – Tampa Bay Lightning
7. Gustav Nyquist – Detroit Red Wings
8. Ryan Dzingel – Columbus Blue Jackets
9. Kevin Hayes – New York Rangers
10. Marcus Johansson – Boston Bruins

Defensemen
1. Erik Karlsson – San Jose Sharks
2. Brent Burns – San Jose Sharks
3. Dustin Byfuglien – Winnipeg Jets
4. Tyson Barrie – Colorado Avalanche
5. Jake Gardiner – Toronto Maple Leafs

6. Alex Pietrangelo – St Louis Blues 7 Keith Yandle – Florida Panthers 8 Justin Faulk – Carolina Hurricanes 9 Cody Ceci – Ottawa Senators 10 Braydon Coburn – Tampa Bay Lightning

Goaltenders 1 Craig Anderson – Ottawa Senators 2 Semyon Varlamov – Colorado Avalanche 3 Petr Mrazek – Carolina Hurricanes 4 Jimmy Howard – Detroit Red Wings 5 Mike Smith – Edmonton Oilers

Salary Cap Implications

The NHL’s salary cap has been a source of much consternation for teams and fans alike since it was instituted following the 2004-05 lockout. The concept is simple: each team has a limited amount of money that it can spend on player salaries in any given season. This salary cap is calculated using a number of factors, including league revenues, the size of the player pool, and other factors.

The salary cap was designed to create a more level playing field in the NHL, but it has had some unintended consequences. For one thing, it has made it very difficult for teams to keep their rosters intact from one season to the next. In order to stay under the salary cap teams have to make tough decisions about which players to keep and which ones to let go. This can lead to some very good players becoming Free Agents after just a few years with a team.

The other major problem with the salary cap is that it has made it very difficult for teams to sign top free agents Since each team has a limited amount of money to spend on salaries, they are often forced to choose between signing a couple of good players or just one great player. This can lead to some very good players being left without a team during the off-season, as teams scramble to stay under the salary cap

Despite these problems, the salary cap is here to stay and it is having a major impact on the NHL landscape. Here are some of the top NHL free agents for the 2019-2020 season, along with their current contract status and salary information.

Potential Trades

The 2019-2020 NHL season is upon us and there are already rumors of potential trades. These are the top free agents that could be on the move this season.

-Artemi Panarin: The 27-year-old winger is in the final year of his contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets He has already stated that he is not interested in signing an extension with the team, so it is likely that he will be traded at some point this season.
-Tyler Seguin: The 26-year-old center is in the final year of his contract with the Dallas Stars There have been rumors that he could be traded to the Montreal Canadiens but nothing has been confirmed at this time.
-Taylor Hall: The 27-year-old winger is in the final year of his contract with the New Jersey Devils He is eligible to become a free agent after this season and it is unclear if he will re-sign with the Devils or not.
-Erik Karlsson: The 28-year-old defenseman is in the final year of his contract with the Ottawa Senators. He has been linked to several teams, but it is unknown if he will be traded this season or not.

Free Agent Predictions

The NHL Free Agent period begins on July 1 and there are several big names who will be available. John Tavares, the 27-year-old center for the New York Islanders is easily the biggest name on the list and is predicted to sign a seven-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth around $11 million per season. Other top free agents include defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Artemi Panarin.

Here are our predictions for where some of the top free agents will sign during the 2019-2020 season:

John Tavares: Toronto Maple Leafs
Erik Karlsson: San Jose Sharks
Artemi Panarin: Columbus Blue Jackets
Ryan McDonagh: Tampa Bay Lightning
Tyler Myers: Winnipeg Jets

Best Value Contracts

With the NHL salary cap projected to remain flat at $81.5 million for the 2019-2020 season, teams will be looking for ways to make their rosters more affordable. One way to do this is to sign free agents to “show me” contracts – one-year deals that prove the player can still perform at a high level. Here are some of the best value contracts available this offseason:

Justin Abdelkader, LW, Detroit Red Wings – Abdelkader is coming off a down year offensively, with just seven goals and 19 points in 71 games. However, he’s still just 29 years old and is a physical presence on the wing who can contribute on both ends of the ice. He’s also a solid locker room presence and would be a good addition to any team looking for leadership.

Derek Stepan, C, Arizona Coyotes – Stepan had an excellent 2018-2019 season, scoring 21 goals and 50 points in 74 games. He’s only 28 years old and is capable of playing both center and wing. He’s a good two-way player who would be an excellent addition to any team’s top six forward group.

Teddy Purcell, RW, Florida Panthers – Purcell had a bit of a resurgence last season, scoring 11 goals and 35 points in 71 games. He’s 33 years old but can still contribute offensively if given the opportunity. He’s a good depth option for any team looking for scoring depth on the wing.

Worst Value Contracts

forwards Dylan Larkin ($6.1 million) and Brayden Schenn ($5.125 million), defenseman Alex Pietrangelo ($6.5 million) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky ($10 million).

Final Thoughts

As the 2019-2020 NHL season approaches, there are a few big name Free Agents that have yet to sign with a team. These players will be looking for new homes and will likely sign for large contract sums. Here are a few of the top NHL free agents for the 2019-2020 season.