Free-agent shopping this summer not as exciting as usual
Fortunately for the NHL, this one comes with a built-in face saver. A saving grace for one of the most lackluster free agent markets in recent memory.
The annual July 1 market kickoff usually gets people excited because of the marquee names involved, but this time you’d be hard-pressed to find any besides Ilya Kovalchuk. Sure the guy has been a superstar for nearly a decade, problem is Kovalchuk has spent all but a few months of that time hidden in Atlanta and under the radar for the most part.
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| Ilya Kovalchuk declined a $100 million offer from Atlanta last season. (US Presswire) |
Those who do pay attention to hockey free agency though will be able to find some intrigue in the movement and in particular how teams spend.
Kovalchuk has long been one of the league’s most dynamic scorers, but he turned down a $100 million contract offer and another that averaged $10 million per season from the Thrashers last season, and he is expected to be among the NHL’s highest paid players.
A fair argument could be made that he deserves to be, but Kovalchuk still has to find a team with the cap space and inclination to pay him.
There aren’t many of those. And there aren’t many teams ready to spend big bucks on anyone.
The buzz word among general managers at last week’s draft was "budget" -- as in owners have given us one, and told us to stick to it. That could be a rude awakening for some free agents when the fun starts Thursday.
No doubt there is some quality available among unrestricted free agents and it will probably be available at a variety of different price points. Worth watching though is the restricted free agent market where more players could be target as a result of the payroll squeeze many teams are facing.
Here’s a look at several of the more interesting unrestricted free agents at different positions.
FORWARDS
Ilya Kovalchuk: The only true impact player out there. New Jersey might surprise everyone and re-sign their deadline rental, but the assumption remains the Kings are the frontrunners. L.A. has the cap space and may be a Kovalchuk type from taking the next step. But the money and term it will take to get him will be tough for a team that has several very good young players that are approaching big pay days in the next few years.
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| Sergei Gonchar could be one of the better defensemen available. (Getty Images) |
Matthew Lombardi: Of all the mistakes Flames GM Darryl Sutter has made trading in the last few years, losing this speedster to Phoenix was probably the worst. The Coyotes are on a tight budget and Lombardi is coming off a breakout year at age 28. He’ll get a huge bump from the $2.35 million he made last season, the kind Phoenix can’t afford.
Maxim Afinogenov: He had to beg Atlanta to give him a chance last year and Afinogenov turned into one of the biggest steals by scoring 24 goals and 61 points on an $800,000 salary. He’s 30 now and likely still going to be a relative bargain on the open market.
Olli Jokinen: The market for centers got thin when Patrick Marleau and Tomas Plekanec re-signed with their teams, although it didn’t necessarily increase Jokinen’s value. He’ll take a steep haircut from the $5.25 million he’s made per season, but at the right price, he could be a good bounce-back bet.
DEFENSE
Sergei Gonchar: If he gets to the open market, and he probably will because the Penguins won’t give him the term he wants, Gonchar will be a hot commodity. An offensive force and one of the best power play QBs in the business, Gonchar is 36 and made $5 million. He wants a three-year deal, Pittsburgh offered two.
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| At a reasonable price, Chris Mason is the type of goalie teams can rely upon. (Getty Images) |
Dan Hamhuis: The Predators knew they couldn’t afford him so they peddled his rights to Philadelphia and then the Flyers dropped out of the running too. Pittsburgh owns his rights until the market opens, but the sense around the league is that he’ll end up close to home with Vancouver. Hamhuis made $2 million last season.
Paul Martin: He’s not particularly flashy, although what else would you expect playing for the Devils, but Martin is a top unit defenseman who can move the puck when called on. Missed a lot of time last season because of injuries, but looked good when he played to be in line for an increase from $3.8 million.
Kim Johnsson: He was one of the few things that didn’t work out for the Blackhawks. Chicago added him in a midseason trade, but Johnsson didn't play after getting injured in March. His $4.8 million salary is too rich for the cap-strapped ‘Hawks now, but he still one of the more talented offensive defensemen in the league.
GOALTENDERS
Evgeni Nabokov: He’s the cream of the goaltending crop but the question is whether he’s worth the money he thinks he is. Nabokov made $5.3 million last season in San Jose, but again came up short in the playoffs. He’s already turned down the Flyers to test the market, but with the glut at his position and the budget issues for most teams, the 34-year-old may have to lower his expectations.
Marty Turco: Turco was cut loose by Dallas after finishing a contract that paid him $5.7 million a season. Truth is he hasn’t been worth that kind of money for the last two years and he isn’t someone who will carry a big load anymore. But Turco can still help a team as a backup and mentor for a young goalie at the right price.
Chris Mason: He revitalized his career during the last two seasons with the Blues, but lost his job when St. Louis traded for playoff star Jaroslav Halak a couple of weeks ago. Mason was a $3 million man last season and in that price range, becomes a good option for teams looking for a dependable veteran starter.
Johan Hedberg: He’s the definition of a journeyman backup which is probably a tribute to how well he fits that role. He’s someone who could take 10 or 12 additional games out of a 70-game goaltender and wouldn’t cost much more than $1 million per season.
Jose Theodore: He was generally good behind a strong Washington team during the last two regular seasons, but lost the team’s confidence during the playoffs. He can be more than a backup and less than a starter someplace, but for less than the $4.5 million he was making in each of the last two seasons.
