The NHL free agency is almost here yet again. Things are about to get extra intriguing for all you hockey freaks, so let’s take a quick look at some of the best players available for each position.
Read on!
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GOALIES
Jonathan Bernier
Bernier has underwhelmed in his NHL career – one may even call him a bust – but with his great 2016 campaign, where he had a respectable .915 save percentage and a 2.50 goals against average, there’s a nice chance that he can be solid moving forward.
Ideal landing spots: Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars
Ryan Miller
The Vancouver Canucks’ wiley veteran should attract a good list of suitors. At 36, which is usually the dog years of any player, regardless of the sport, he still able to compete well with most of the 20-somethings who are at the physical prime of their careers.
In 54 games this past season, Miller compiled a .914 save percentage and a 2.80 goals against average.
Ideal landing spots: St. Louis Blues
Chad Johnson
As a journeyman goalie who has provided services to the Rangers, Coyotes, Bruins, Sabres, Islanders, and the Flames last season, Chad Johnson should still get a good amount of calls from GMs. For an under-the-radar backup, the numbers he is able to put up is quite decent.
In fact, many would consider Johnson as a key driving force to the Flames’ late playoff push. He’s 40-31 with a .916 save percentage and a 2.46 goals against average in the last two years.
Ideal landing spots: It might be best to stay in Calgary.
CENTERS
Martin Hanzal
This past season, Hanzal gave future suitors a good glimpse of what he can contribute. Combining his numbers with Arizona and Minnesota, he amounted to 39 points, which included 20 goals, the highest in his decade-long career.
The 30-year-old won’t be the number one center in most teams, but with his overall talent, we can expect him to be a big lift to any squad.
Ideal landing spots: New York Rangers, Nashville Predators
Nick Bonino
As one of the lesser-known weapons of back-to-back champions Pittsburgh Penguins, Bonino is easily entering the free agency market as one of the most attractive centers. His potential explosion once he is out of the shadows of the Pens’ mighty duo (Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin) is interesting.
He had 37 points in 2016 (18 goals and 19 assists).
Ideal landing spots: Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators
Sam Gagne
Expect Gagne to get paid this off-season (not that he doesn’t deserve it). This man can flat-out score – the 27-year-old is fresh off an 18-goal, 32-assist season and will have tons of teams salivating for such productions.
Ideal landing spots: St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Nashville Predators
DEFENSEMEN
Kevin Shattenkirk
It’s all about scoring for this defensemen. Last season, with the already-potent attack of the Washington Capitals, he contributed to the team’s onslaught with points, points, and some more points.
Shattenkirk had 20 points in 32 games with the Caps (regular season and playoffs).
Ideal landing spots: Los Angeles Kings
Karl Alzner
Shattenkirk’s partner in his position is next. Any team who wants to score a classic, hard-nosed defenseman in this free agent class should have Karl Alzner’s name at the top of their list. He can be relied to provide decent defense, and with a market as narrow as this year’s, Alzner is definitely looking good.
Ideal landing spots: Dallas Stars
Michael De Zotto
After underachieving with the New York Rangers and following it up by jumping from team to team, De Zotto appears to have found a good fit with the Philadelphia Flyers. Now that the heavy pressure of playing a prized draft pick is gone, he’s been able to play comfortably, which was greatly seen in the past few seasons.
The market for defensemen isn’t as strong as the other positions, so De Zotto is sure to at least attract a handful of teams.
Ideal landing spots: He may want to stay in Philly.
LEFT WING
Kris Versteeg
Versteeg’s a solid, veteran left wing, and he has built a nice career, highlighted by having four 40-plus point season. However, just like the defenseman market, the 31-year-old is topping the list because of the market being a bit thin.
He had 37 points in 2016 (15 goals, 22 assists) and may put up around 25-35 points per year moving forward.
Ideal landing spot: We should see him stay in Calgary.
Patrick Sharp
His age (35) shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. He’s still sharp, and could still play and compete with the best and strongest. Whether as a decoy or a facilitator, the skill is still there, though not all of it.
Keep in mind too that he’s just one year removed from a 55-point season.
Ideal landing spot: There’s a good chance that he returns to Chicago.
Thomas Vanek
Though there is a dark cloud above Vanek – thanks to his string of dealings with the law – it’s hard to ignore the great talent and production he brings to the table. He is a proven power-play specialist and a good scorer.
Vanek hung 48 points this past year (17 goals and 32 assists).
Ideal landing spot: He should stay in Florida.
RIGHT WING
Alexander Radulov
The Montreal Canadiens brought him in last year for goal scoring, and although it didn’t exactly what he provided, he sure did well in his first (and probably last) year with the Habs, particularly as a facilitator and playmaker.
He chipped in 18 goals and 36 assists on the season.
Ideal landing spot: Montreal has been a nice fit. The Habs ought to show him the money.
Justin Williams
Justin Williams, also known as Mr. Game 7 – arguably the greatest nickname in sports – should and would attract a long list of teams this off-season.
There’s a little concern with his age (35), but he’s a very proven player who doesn’t really play like he’s about to enter his late 30s. He put up 100 points in the past two seasons, all while being divided scoring opportunities in the talent-laden pool of the Capitals.
Ideal landing spot: St. Louis Blues, Anaheim Ducks
Ales Hemsky
In the satisfactory class of right wing free agents this year, Hemsky has a good chance to be one of the most balanced players, as he possesses a nice mixture of youth, talent, and efficiency.
There are risks, since he just came off a hip injury, one that caused him to miss 67 games. However, considering all the contributions he is able to make when healthy, plenty of coaches and GMs should come calling. Prior to getting hurt, two of his last three seasons saw him post 39 or more points.
Ideal landing spots: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks
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