Saturday was the opening of NHL Free Agency for 2017. As always this was a wild ride and fans were locked into the rollercoaster. I'll give you the five things I took away from opening weekend. Let me know your five thoughts in the comment section or on Twitter, @Beyond_Boards.
1. Winning Does Not matter To These Guys
Of the best (or most valuable) players available only one signed with a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Shattenkirk, Boyle, Justin Williams, Joe Thornton, Kulikov and Hanzal all signed with teams that will likely not make it out of the first round next season. Maybe none of them were willing to take less money to sign with a winner. Maybe none of the serious cup contenders could afford to chase free agents. Teams like the Capitals, Penguins, Predators and Blackhawks simply do not have cap space.
2. No Team Got Significantly Better
There are still a couple of really special players weighing their options, but of the guys that have signed so far, none are game changers. Kevin Shattenkirk was the top free agent. He signed a big contract with an aging Rangers team whose window closed two years ago. Maybe his speed and puck skills will help them compete with the Capitals and Penguins, I doubt it. Maybe the team that got the biggest boost is Florida. They added Russian stud Evgeni Dadonov who could be an all-star or a complete bust. No other team made a splash.
3. Ron Hainsey Got Paid Yo
I am not hating on Hainsey. The guy just won a Stanley Cup and played big minutes throughout the playoffs. However, he is a 36 year old journeyman that never played a playoff game until this year and the Maple Leafs just gave him a two year contract at $3 million per year. Hainsey is a third pairing player at best. I do not see how he helps a young Leafs team get better.
4. The Capitals Window Is Closed
They surprised me when they got TJ Oshie back for eight more years, but that cost them some other very important players. Karl Alzner, Justin WIlliams and Kevin Shattenkirk have all moved on from the defending President's Trophy winners. Making things worse is they all stayed in the Capitals conference. Worst of all the Capitals have no way of replacing this lost talent. Alzner and Williams were two of their best players in the playoffs. I think Washington is still one of the top teams in the east, but they are now just part of the pack of great teams.
5. The Tampa Bay Lightning Got Old
The easiest way to lose free agency and ruin your team for years to come is to give a lot of money to players over 30 years old. Tampa Bay was one of the very few teams to sign multiple players on opening weekend. They signed 37 year old Chris Kunitz and 33 year old Dan Girardi to multi million dollar deals. I like both of these players. They are smart hard working guys, but they are both well removed from their prime. Last season Kunitz did not even reach 30 points on the year and Girardi is merely a third pairing blue liner now. The Lightning fans will come to regret both of these signings very much.
1. Winning Does Not matter To These Guys
Of the best (or most valuable) players available only one signed with a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Shattenkirk, Boyle, Justin Williams, Joe Thornton, Kulikov and Hanzal all signed with teams that will likely not make it out of the first round next season. Maybe none of them were willing to take less money to sign with a winner. Maybe none of the serious cup contenders could afford to chase free agents. Teams like the Capitals, Penguins, Predators and Blackhawks simply do not have cap space.
2. No Team Got Significantly Better
There are still a couple of really special players weighing their options, but of the guys that have signed so far, none are game changers. Kevin Shattenkirk was the top free agent. He signed a big contract with an aging Rangers team whose window closed two years ago. Maybe his speed and puck skills will help them compete with the Capitals and Penguins, I doubt it. Maybe the team that got the biggest boost is Florida. They added Russian stud Evgeni Dadonov who could be an all-star or a complete bust. No other team made a splash.
3. Ron Hainsey Got Paid Yo
I am not hating on Hainsey. The guy just won a Stanley Cup and played big minutes throughout the playoffs. However, he is a 36 year old journeyman that never played a playoff game until this year and the Maple Leafs just gave him a two year contract at $3 million per year. Hainsey is a third pairing player at best. I do not see how he helps a young Leafs team get better.
4. The Capitals Window Is Closed
They surprised me when they got TJ Oshie back for eight more years, but that cost them some other very important players. Karl Alzner, Justin WIlliams and Kevin Shattenkirk have all moved on from the defending President's Trophy winners. Making things worse is they all stayed in the Capitals conference. Worst of all the Capitals have no way of replacing this lost talent. Alzner and Williams were two of their best players in the playoffs. I think Washington is still one of the top teams in the east, but they are now just part of the pack of great teams.
5. The Tampa Bay Lightning Got Old
The easiest way to lose free agency and ruin your team for years to come is to give a lot of money to players over 30 years old. Tampa Bay was one of the very few teams to sign multiple players on opening weekend. They signed 37 year old Chris Kunitz and 33 year old Dan Girardi to multi million dollar deals. I like both of these players. They are smart hard working guys, but they are both well removed from their prime. Last season Kunitz did not even reach 30 points on the year and Girardi is merely a third pairing blue liner now. The Lightning fans will come to regret both of these signings very much.
No comments:
Post a Comment