NHL Free Agency: Five Players Finding New Teams
By Adam Savard
Edmonton Oilers Sign Mike Green
Mar 19, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green (52) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Capitals defeated the Wild 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
It’s no secret the Edmonton Oilers are loaded with young talent at forward. Their top six would be enough to pressure even the better defenses in the league. Problem is, if you can’t keep the puck out of your zone and net, your picking at the top of the draft.
The Oilers are rumored as one of the teams pursuing Cam Talbot, which would stabilize the goaltending. A tandem of Talbot and Ben Scrivens sounds pretty good heading into the season. The defense, however, needs to be addressed with several young players entering restricted NHL free agency.
Assuming all three of Justin Schultz, Keith Aulie and Martin Marincin get qualifying offers, that’s seven defensemen with Marincin coming off a two-way deal.The same seven players on defense, while still improving, didn’t show enough last year to believe there would be a big jump. Mike Green would give that improvement, a veteran at 29 with playoff experience and offensive talent to capitalize on the young talented forwards Edmonton has.
The question would be cap space. The Oilers are projecting over $16 million in space before the cap ceiling. These are purely guesses but if Schultz gets $2 million per season (more than double last seasons salary), Aulie gets $1.5 million and Marincin gets $1 million, that’s $4.5 million off the cap and the NHL free agency belt begins to tighten.
Bringing in Talbot adds $1.45 million this year but would command an extension. That wouldn’t kick in right away but project that to $4 million per season. The $16 million in space is now down to $7.5 million. Green made $6.5 million last year, so without a raise his salary fits right in. Edmonton will likely look to flip some of their forward depth and create more space for future contracts.
New GM Peter Chiarelli will look to make a splashing NHL free agency and bring a proud franchise back into contention. Adding a goaltender is a must. So is adding defensive help that also adds punch to the scoresheet. Mike Green can be that addition from this years NHL free agency class.
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