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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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Photo by Norm Hall/NHLI via Getty Images /

Richard Panik

Richard Panik has played for four teams in his seven-year NHL career. He will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his professional career. Panik has his flaws (inconsistency is one of them), but he’s proven to be an at worst serviceable top-nine forward.

Over the past three seasons, he has at least 30 points a year in each of them. Panik has scored 14 goals in each of his past two and is merely two seasons removed from scoring 22 goals. His production alone makes him a potential bargain.

But scoring isn’t everything. It’s important, of course, but there are other things to look at as well. Panik has consistently been among the league’s better possession players. Let’s take a look at his possession numbers the past two seasons.

Season CF% xGF% GF%
2017-18 55.36 51.59 54.79
2018-19 50.96 52.47 50

In short, when Panik is on the ice, his team won the shot attempts battle and at worst matched their opponents in goals while winning the expected goals battle. That’s pretty darn good for a top-nine forward.

Potential suitors: The Edmonton Oilers would be very smart to take a look at him. They need to be looking at every wing they can find and Panik’s arguably the most underrated available one. He has a skillset the Carolina Hurricanes have proven they value, so I wonder if there’s any interest there.

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