NHL Free Agency: Top 5 potential free agent bargains
It’s hard to find bargains in NHL free agency, but these five players could be value options this offseason.
2020 NHL free agency is going to be extremely interesting. The start date of October 9 is much later than the regular opening day of free agency is July 1, which of course is a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, the start date isn’t the only reason this year in particular has many intrigued.
This year has some superstar pending free agents, headlined by Alex Pietrangelo and Taylor Hall. There are also some great goaltenders who as of now will appear on the market in Jacob Markstrom and Robin Lehner.
While these are the players that are getting the most recognition, there are other good players available, and for much cheaper. While some of the players listed below had down seasons, they have a good chance at bouncing back and could all be big bargains for the teams who sign them.
5. Cody Eakin
Cody Eakin has had a solid under the radar career to this point. The 29-year-old doesn’t receive much attention, but is a very valuable player. He is a terrific defensive forward who is great on faceoffs as well as on the penalty kill. On top of that, he can also help out offensively, proven just two seasons ago when he put up 22 goals and 41 points in 78 games for the Vegas Golden Knights.
This past season was a bit of a struggle for Eakin. In 41 games with the Knights, he managed just 10 points before being dealt to the Winnipeg Jets. While he did appear to be getting into a groove with his new team posting five points in eight games, the COVID-19 pandemic came and ended the NHL season early. He played in the Jets four playoff games but was unable to put up a point.
Given the down year, he will likely have to settle on a short-term deal with a low dollar amount. If that does turn out to be the case, many teams should consider adding him in hopes that he is able to rediscover his offensive touch.
4. Tyler Ennis
After Ken Holland’s first trade deadline with the Edmonton Oilers, fans of the team were very excited about the trade to acquire Andreas Athanasiou, whereas the Tyler Ennis trade seemed to fly under the radar.
That changed in a hurry when Oilers fans realized just how good of a player Ennis is. His hard work mixed with his skill makes him extremely valuable, as he can slide up and down a team’s lineup.
This past offseason, he took a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators and made the most of it with 33 points in 61 games. He was then dealt to the Oilers where he posted four points in nine games and another two in three playoff games.
At one point in his career, the now 30-year-old was looked at as a future star with the Buffalo Sabres. While injuries slowed that down, he certainly reminded everyone this year that he is a good player who can put up points if given the opportunities to do so. He will come cheap again this offseason and would be a great signing for a team looking to add some scoring to their lineup.
Ennis would make a lot of sense for many teams as a top-nine forward.
3. Kevin Shattenkirk
After an extremely disappointing stint with the New York Rangers, which ended after being bought out just two years into his four-year contract, it was easy to forget that just a few seasons prior, Kevin Shattenkirk was a very good and well-respected player throughout the league. The Tampa Bay Lightning elected to sign him to a one-year deal as a free agent, and he played well for them.
With the Lightning being as good of a team as they are, he was able to play less minutes and have less pressure than years past. It certainly helped, as he recorded a solid eight goals and 34 points in 70 games, while also going plus 22.
Despite the solid bounce back season, he will likely remain an inexpensive option come free agency, and would be a great pickup for a team looking for a top four defenseman who can run a power play. The Lightning provided a great blueprint regarding how to use Shattenkirk. Put him with a reliable defensive partner and watch him dominate.
Shattenkirk picked the perfect team to go to, as he has rebuilt a healthy portion of the value he lost while he was with the Rangers.
2. Erik Haula
Many teams will shy away from Finnish forward Erik Haula this season, and for fair reason. The 29-year-old has been hindered by injuries the past two seasons, as he has been limited to just 15 games during the 2018-19 campaign and 48 this past season. While this isn’t good news for Haula, it is for general managers around the league, as he will likely come cheap.
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Haula is able to bring many things to a team, as he has played both left wing and center over the course of his career. He is known for both his speed and skill, proven by his last healthy 2017-18 season with the Golden Knights where he posted career highs with 29 goals and 55 points in 76 games.
When he was able to play this season, he was fairly productive with the Carolina Hurricanes posting 12 goals and 22 points in 41 games. However, after a deadline trade that saw him get moved to the Florida Panthers, he was never able to get comfortable, posting just two assists in seven games.
Haula is coming off of a three-year deal that was paying him $2.75 per season, and will likely receive something similar if not less. Considering what he is capable of offensively, he would be a smart bet for a team looking to add a second- or third-line player to the mix.
1. Mikael Granlund
Remember just a year and a half ago when everyone laughed at the Minnesota Wild and then general manager Paul Fenton when he traded Mikael Granlund straight up for Kevin Fiala? At the time, that trade looked like highway robbery for the Nashville Predators, but less than two years later there is no doubt they would like a redo button. While Fiala has played great for the Wild, Granlund was a complete disaster for the Predators.
At the time of the trade, Granlund had put up seasons of 67 and 69 points, and was on pace for another season 60+ point season prior to being dealt with 49 in 63 games played. However, in the 16 games he played with the Predators during the 2018-19 season, he was able to post just one goal and 5 points.
There remained optimism that once he got a full training camp in with his new team he would perform like they had envisioned, but it never happened. The 2019-20 season saw the 28-year-old post just 30 points in 63 games.
Clearly, the Predators were not a good fit for Granlund. They also recently stated they would not be re-sigining the centerman, making it a guarantee he will become a free agent. After making $5.75 million for the past three seasons, he will certainly see a decrease in salary, and likely by a substantial amount. Considering he is still just 28, he seems like a player who has a great chance to bounce back, making him a potential massive bargain for a team looking to sign him.
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Many to Select From
This year’s free agency, as mentioned above, is quite stacked in terms of high-end talent. However, there are also several players like the five listed above who could prove to be valuable, less expensive adds for teams that are lacking cap space. With all the talent available, it could result in a big change in the NHL standings for the 2020-21 season.