Players to watch in free agency
The top players expected to be available in NHL free agency include an MVP candidate who might have the chance to go home and a veteran who flipped his old playoff script to become a Stanley Cup champion.
Each had a career year at the perfect time.
Calgary Flames winger Johnny Gaudreau and Colorado Avalanche center Nazem Kadri could be the richest beneficiaries in free agency when it opens Wednesday. Seven-year contracts worth up to, if not more than, $10 million a year are possible.
That is, unless Gaudreau sticks with the Flames. “Johnny Hockey” can sign for eight years up until midnight Tuesday night.
“They’re big decisions,” Calgary general manager Brad Treliving said. “They’re life decisions. If he doesn’t sign with us, he’s earned the opportunity to look at the market. That’s something he’s got to consider.”
One thing Gaudreau could consider is the lure of playing for the Philadelphia Flyers team he rooted for while growing up in Carney’s Point, N.J. They’d need to clear significant cap space to make room for Gaudreau, who had a career-best 40 goals, 75 assists and 115 points last season in leading Calgary to the Pacific Division title and into the second round of the playoffs.
Kadri was one of Colorado’s most valuable performers on the way to lifting the Cup for the first time with a core led by Nathan Mackinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen and the third time in franchise history.
Acquired three years ago after back-to-back playoff suspensions, he rebounded from another lengthy ban in the 2021 postseason to put up 87 points in the
regular season and 15 more in 16 games of the Avalanche’s Cup run.
“We know we’re not going to be able to sign everybody,” said Joe Sakic, who on Monday was promoted from general manager to president of hockey operations.
Here are some other interesting players who could test the market at noon Wednesday:
Darcy Kuemper
Colorado’s Cup-winning goaltender won’t be back after a trade with the New York Rangers to make Alexandar Georgiev the starter moving forward. Kuemper was solid, not spectacular, in backstopping the Avalanche to the title with a 2.57 goals-against average and .902 save percentage, though that stability could be what another highscoring contender needs.
Jack Campbell
Toronto’s most recent starting goalie could return or see what else is out there for a 30-year-old who has shown he can carry the load in the regular season and succeed in the playoffs. Campbell as recently as the first round in 2021 put up a 1.81 GAA and .934 save percentage, which wasn’t enough to help Toronto advance but would be with the right amount of scoring.
Evgeni Malkin
The Robin to Sidney Crosby’s Batman for 16 years has decided to go to free agency rather than re-sign with the Penguins before the start of free agency, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.
John Klingberg
Klingberg is a highly coveted rightshot defender who can run a power play and skate big minutes. Dougie Hamilton’s $63 million, seven-year deal signed a year ago with the New Jersey Devils is a good comparison.
Claude Giroux
Longtime Philadelphia Flyers captain who joined the Florida Panthers at the deadline helped them reach the second round of the playoffs. Giroux hand-picked Florida as his destination because of the no-movement clause in his contract, and he could return even if nothing is signed before Wednesday.