NHL Free Agency Grades: Rangers, Panthers, Canucks, Maple Leafs, Lightning
2017 NHL Free Agency has been hard to track with all the signings and movement. Here are some teams signing along with my grade for them this free agency.
2017 NHL free agency has been crazy so far. Even with a relatively unimpressive class, teams are spending money and players are getting paid. This makes everyone happy, as teams are improving and skaters (and goalies, for that matter) are getting a nice payday. However, not all the signings so far have been great. Some of them have been flat out terrible and inexcusable.
Five of the more active teams on the first day of free agency were the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. For better or for worse, their rosters will look a bit different going into next season. Let’s take a look at how each of them did on July 1, grading their signings and judging them.
New York Rangers Free Agency Grade: B+
Acquiring Kevin Shattenkirk and Ondrej Pavelec was a step in the right direction. However, the Rangers still lack a defensive defenseman and some center depth. Trading Derek Stepan leaves a pretty big hole in their lineup.
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Shattenkirk was the most talked about free agent on the market. A lot of rumblings were said that he was weighing his options between New York, the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins. The now 28-year-old defensemen join the Rangers blueline with Ryan McDonagh, Brady Skeji, Brendan Smith and Nick Holden. Oh, Marc Staal too. Shattenkirk the NY native, grew up a Rangers fan and now finally gets to live his dream as skating onto the MSG ice wearing that Blue shirt crest.
Ondrej Pavelec signed for 1 year $1.3 million, a simple move to allow their young goaltending to develop a bit longer. It also gives franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist some time off if need be. Pavelec can step in and play 20 plus games in relief if required. He should be solid in front of what should be an improved blue line for the Rangers.
Toronto Maple Leafs Free Agency Grade: B-
Toronto had two relatively small but significant signings today, one being center Dominic Moore and other being defenseman Ron Hainsey. Two guys who pack a load of experience and a lot of depth to their positions.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Moore signed a one-year, $1 million deal. He should serve as a quality replacement for trade deadline acquisition Brian Boyle. Moore will come in and play a third or fourth line center role. However, his biggest value will come in providing exceptional guidance and dependency for Toronto’s young guys. Moore is an excellent penalty killer who is reliable and consistent. In the dictionary, under “fourth line center”, there’s a picture of him.
Ron Hainsey, who just won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, should add depth to the Maple Leafs’ blue line. He has played a total of 14 NHL seasons, complying a total of 907 career games. With Toronto’s success last year, Hainsey will add experience and depth to this young Toronto blue line. Expect to see him on the third pairing primarily, but he has the ability to play all over the lineup. Most nights, you probably won’t hear Hainsey’s name too much. Usually, that’s a bad thing. But for Hainsey, it means he’s not making mistakes.
Florida Panthers Free Agency Grade: B-
Florida makes the smart decision in bringing back defensemen Alex Petrovic, signing him to a one-year deal at $1.8 million. The 25 year old defensemen has the potential to grow and he played relatively large minutes for Florida next year. His 18:09 ice time per game was his highest since his rookie season.
Florida Panthers
Bringing Evgeny Dadonov back from the KHL is a move many cannot highlight because Dadonov has spent some time outside the NHL. Much of what he can do is unknown, but what he can bring to Florida is goal scoring. A $4 million cap hit over three years is not terrible for the Russian goal scorer. The Panthers are banking on him being the 2017-18 version of Alexander Radulov. Dadonov isn’t quite as skilled as him, but he’s very talented.
Another veteran signing in Radim Vrbata is a good move for Florida being that they’re relatively younger on front end of things. He adds some veteran leadership with a goal scoring, two-way game as well. And at one year and $2.5 million, Florida won’t have to worry about keeping him around too long. Vrbata had 20 goals and 35 assists in 81 games last season for Arizona. The Panthers need goal scoring and he should give it to them at a very reasonable price.
Vancouver Canucks Free Agency Grade: C+
Vancouver was very active on July 1. This is usually a bad sign for a rebuilding team, but the Canucks got some quality players at reasonable prices. They started their offseason by signing center Sam Gagner, goaltender Anders Nilsson and defenseman Michael Del Zotto, while letting goaltender Ryan Miller go.
Vancouver Canucks
Gagner signed for three years at $9.45 million, that’s $3.15 million a year for cap purposes. On paper, that doesn’t sound bad considering the year Gagner had last year with the Columbus Blue Jackets. But what weapons does he have to work with in Vancouver? Gagner had much better talent around him in Columbus and scored 18 of his career high 50 points on the power play. And he was very sheltered. So his $3.15 million annual cap hit might be an overpayment unless the Canucks can utilize Gagner efficiently.
Michael Del Zotto got overpaid. He is 27 years old so the two years is smart in that sense. However, Del Zotto hasn’t played in more than 70 games in a single season since 2011-12. Since then, he hasn’t put the kind of numbers that justify him for $3 million a year. Del Zotto’s career high in points since 2011-12 is 32.
Anders Nilsson is being brought in to compete with Jacob Markstrom. At a combined 13 feet in height, this will be one of the tallest goalie tandems in NHL history. The deal doesn’t hurt the Canucks in the goaltending aspect, but it doesn’t help their goaltending issue either. Nilsson at 2 years $5 million is nothing to be going crazy over but it’s not a terrible signing. He had a career year last season with the Buffalo Sabres, but hasn’t done much outside of the 2016-17 season.
Tampa Bay Lightning Free Agency Grade: B
Not terrible but on the first day of NHL free agency, the Lightning didn’t get substantial better heading into next season. Signing Dan Girardi to a two-year deal worth $6 million ($3 million cap hit) is good for the veteran defensemen, but not so good for the Lightning. While they definitely needed to add some depth, experience and grit to their blue line, he’s not a fit in the system. The New York Rangers, whose defense was terrible, didn’t find him worth keeping. That’s telling.
The Lightning also signed Chris Kunitz for one year at $2 million. This gives them some muchneeded depth and playoff experience needed on the front end. Signing a four-time Stanley Cup champion who’s played 161 career playoff games does not hurt no matter the age. Does Kunitz still have anything left in his tank? Who knows. But Tampa Bay’s paying just $2 million to find out.
Along with Girardi’s 122 career playoff games. Tampa Bay’s theme seems to be an immediate return to the playoffs next season. The Lightning had a bit of down year after losing captain Steven Stamkos for most of the season and missing the playoffs. They seem to have their eyes on heading back to the playoffs next season with these two veteran signings. Now Tampa Bay must get the rest of their key players locked up.