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2019 NHL free agency: 5 potential low-cost bargains

By Dave Stevenson

ST. PAUL, MN - MARCH 11: Joonas Donskoi #27 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during a game with the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on March 11, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images)
ST. PAUL, MN - MARCH 11: Joonas Donskoi #27 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck during a game with the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on March 11, 2019 in St. Paul, Minnesota.(Photo by Bruce Kluckhohn/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Brandon Pirri

Brandon Pirri has the potential to be a significant bargain this offseason. Why? Because he’s the quintessential high-reward and low-risk free agent. Pirri has jumped between the NHL and AHL for most of his career. No team is offering him more than $1 million a year. It’s not happening.

For $1 million a year, you could have someone who has 23 goals in his last 93 games. Teams take gambles on AHL/NHL guys all the time. Very few, if any, of them have the potential reward of Pirri. Anytime you need to call someone up, he’s a viable candidate. And, if you catch lightning in a bottle, Pirri could be a difference maker. He was for the Vegas Golden Knights, who he scored 12 goals for in just 31 games.

He’s a one-trick pony for sure. But Pirri’s one trick is scoring goals, which is extremely valuable. In a sheltered role, he has proven he can do damage. This is a free agent who everyone should be interested in because how many guys out there could you sign for $1 million who can do what Pirri can do?

That said, he’s reportedly happy in Chicago and that’s where his family is. The Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate is in Chicago, so maybe he sticks with them. Given the cap crunch they are in, they could sure use someone who can come up and give them a spark at a cheap price.

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