USA TODAY International Edition
Ranking top 25 NHL free agents: Panarin leads list
Goaltender Roberto Luongo’s retirement announcement cleared the way for the Panthers to become a mover and shaker when the unrestricted free agent marketplace opened Monday.
With Luongo, 40, and his $5.333 million cap hit now gone, the Panthers are free to pursue soon-to-be-unrestricted free agent Sergei Bobrovsky.
That plan has been rumored since last season’s NHL trade deadline. The Panthers are also looking to move James Reimer to give themselves a complete makeover in goal.
Luongo was a popular Panthers player, an athlete who connects with fans with insightful, often humorous comments on Twitter. But his ability to help his team has been undermined by injuries in recent years.
“I love the game so much, but the commitment I required to prepare, to keep my body ready, has become overwhelming,” Luongo said in his goodbye letter to fans. “Since I had my hip surgery a couple of years ago, I’ve been showing up two hours before every practice and three hours before every game to work out my hip. Even at night, whether it was the night before a game or even a night off, there I was rolling out, doing strengthening exercises.”
He retires with 489 wins, third most in NHL history, and 77 shutouts.
“I’m in awe of the legacy that he left on this franchise and on the sport,” Panthers forward Aleksander Barkov said.
The Panthers have about $24 million in cap space, according to capfriendly.com. That includes their share penalty for the front-loaded 12-year contract that Luongo signed with the Canucks.
In addition to pursuing Russian goalie Bobrovsky, the Panthers are also expected to pursue fellow Russian and Columbus teammate Artemi Panarin, who is the No. 1-ranked player on USA TODAY’s Top 25 available free agents. Bobrovsky ranks No. 8.
Here is our list:
1. Artemi Panarin, right wing, Columbus Blue Jackets: He is the most dangerous offensive player among potential unrestricted free agents. He has 116 goals in his first four NHL seasons.
2. Matt Duchene, center, Blue Jackets: Plenty of chatter about Duchene ending up in Nashville, but he will have multiple options.
3. Anders Lee, center-wing, New York Islanders: He has scored 25 or more goals four times in his first five full-time seasons. He might lead the league in teams interested in signing him because he won’t require a huge money commitment.
4. Mats Zuccarello, left wing, Dallas Stars: The Stars’ offense became far more dangerous after he arrived in a trade and joined the second line. He was tied for the team lead in playoff points with 11 in 13 games.
5. Tyler Myers, defenseman, Winnipeg Jets: With Erik Karlsson gone, teams looking to add a higher-profile defenseman don’t have many places to turn. Myers, with his 6-7 frame, looks even more attractive.
6. Jake Gardiner, defenseman, Toronto Maple Leafs: Given how few defensemen are available, Gardiner might have 10-12 suitors. He has defensive flaws but can move the puck effectively.
7. Joe Pavelski, forward, Sharks: The marriage between the Sharks and Pavelski seems strong, but we thought that about Patrick Marleau, too, before he signed with Toronto two offseasons ago.
8. Sergei Bobrovsky, goalie, Blue Jackets: Luongo has retired. The Panthers look like a likely destination for Bobrovsky.
9. Corey Perry, right wing, Anaheim Ducks: At more than $8 million a season, Perry was a drain on Anaheim. At $2 million, plus bonuses, he is an intriguing possibility. Wouldn’t he be a quality fit for a Predators team looking to improve their second line? Perry might still be a 20-goal scorer.
10. Robin Lehner, goalie, Islanders: Lehner found his game with the Islanders. He should be inclined to stay there. Will the Carolina Hurricanes make a push to bring him there?
11. Marcus Johansson, forward, Boston Bruins: Two seasons ago, he had 24 goals and 58 points for the Washington Capitals. His skating fits well into the faster NHL.
12. Micheal Ferland, right wing, Hurricanes: He can score goals and play with an edge, and that will earn him a nice raise from his $1.75 million contract.
13. Justin Williams, right wing, Hurricanes: At 37, he is not going to be looking to move unless Carolina lowballs him. Williams is important to the Hurricanes in the dressing room and on the ice.
14. Gustav Nyquist, right wing, San Jose Sharks: He has some puck wizardry in his game, and he has also scored 20 or more goals four times, including in each of the past two seasons.
15. Brett Connolly, right wing, Capitals: At 27, Connolly’s game is coming together. He scored a career-high 22 goals and added two more in seven playoff games.
16. Semyon Varlamov, goalie, Colorado Avalanche: The goalie market will have enough buyers to make Varlamov an intriguing option. Would he be a good option for Columbus to bring in to play with Joonas Korpisalo?
17. Joonas Donskoi, right wing, Sharks: With 14 goals in each of the past two seasons, Donskoi could be a big help for a contender looking to strengthen its third line.
18. Wayne Simmonds, right wing, Predators: Teams have to be wary because he didn’t look like Simmonds of old this season. But he offers a physical side, with a net-front presence and some scoring potential.
19. Anton Stralman, defenseman, Lightning: At 32, he is known as a smart, dependable defenseman. Injuries are a concern and his best days are behind him, but teams will be interested if he will sign a shorter-term deal.
20. Brian Boyle, center, Predators: Boyle, 34, is the ultimate role player, someone with quality leadership skill and a knack for winning faceoffs and killing penalties.
21. Petr Mrazek, goalie, Hurricanes: Even though he has been important to Carolina’s playoff success, he won’t have many options in the free agent marketplace. The best place for him is probably Carolina.
22. Curtis McElhinney, goalie, Hurricanes: McElhinney showed during these playoffs he might be the perfect backup goalie. Should have several suitors.
23. Valtteri Filppula, center, Islanders: At 35, he can still be a valuable contributor, a versatile, skillful player. Considering he scored 17 goals last season, he could be a nice fit for a contending team.
24. Richard Panik, right wing, Arizona Coyotes: At 28, he could be a prudent addition for a team needing some secondary scoring. He is capable of scoring 14 to 18 goals a season.
25. Patrick Marleau, center, Hurricanes: Carolina couldn’t persuade him to stay after acquiring him from the Maple Leafs, so it’s buying him out. Even though Marleau will be 40 when the season starts, he could contribute some offense. However, he wants to play in the West to be closer to his family. That will limit his options.