Photo: Yahoo! Sport
With training camps set to open NHL-wide later this week, teams will get their first look at their new additions, assess how they fit into the lineup, determine what adjustments are needed from their previous clubs to maximize performance, and give them a test run during the preseason.
Past Stanley Cup winners have hit the jackpot with free agency signings like Carter Verhaeghe (Florida Panthers, 2021), Pat Maroon (Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues in 2019 and 2020, respectively), and Devante Smith-Pelly (Washington Capitals, 2018), all of whom were key contributors to recent Stanley Cup champions, despite those transactions not receiving much attention at the time.
NoVa Caps picks six free-agent bargain candidates (players under 35 years-old and on contracts that carry a cap hit no higher than $3 million for the 2024-25 campaign) were from this past summer who could end up making a big impact on their new squads by this season’s end.
- D Oliver Kylington, Colorado Avalanche (one-year, $1.05 million contract)
The 26-year-old posted three goals, eight points, a .4807 five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, .4951 five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and .5048 five-on-five scoring-for percentage while averaging 17:15 per game (seventh among Calgary Flames defensemen), including 34 seconds shorthanded (ninth), in 33 outings. The team sold off Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov, and Noah Hanifin on the backend mid-season and finished a game below .500, which explains Kylington’s low Corsi and expected goals values.
Just two seasons ago, Kylington tallied nine goals, 31 points, and a .5498% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage (30th among all NHL defensemen who played at least 500 minutes) while averaging 18:10 per game (fourth), including 1:04 on the power play (12th among Calgary skaters).
In Colorado, Kylington could see time next to Josh Manson and/or Calvin de Haan, which could lead to a spike in production both offensively and defensively.
- D Erik Brannstrom, Colorado (one-year, $900,000 contract)
The 15th overall pick from 2017 has seen his goals (0, 2, 3), assists (14, 16, 17), points (14, 18, 20), and games played (53, 74, 76) rise in each of the past three seasons. Despite this, Brannstrom was not tendered a qualifying offer from the Ottawa Senators.
Brannstrom has recorded a five-on-five Corsi-for percentage above .5 for four consecutive seasons (.5029 last season) and a five-on-five expected goals-for percentage above .51 in each of the last two, including a .5672 mark in 74 games over the 2022-23 campaign (.5157).
However, he did not get many opportunities in Ottawa, as his average of 16:35 per game last season ranked fifth among Senators blueliners, more than 4:30 fewer than anyone ahead of him. Brannstrom also played just 34 seconds per game on the power play and 1:29 on the penalty kill (third). He will have to earn his ice time on a deep Avalanche blueline, but the talent around him and the likelihood that he will face opposition’s third- and fourth-lines should help Brannstrom find another gear.
- LW Jeff Skinner, Edmonton Oilers (one-year, $3 million contract)
After having his contract bought out by the Buffalo Sabres, Skinner signed a significantly below-market deal despite scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 74 games.
The 32-year-old has hit the 30-goal mark six times in his 14-season NHL career (35 goals on three occasions) and eclipsed 63 points five times. It is highly likely that Skinner could start the season alongside Connor McDavid, or if not, Leon Draisaitl, and play on an Oilers power play that ranked fourth with a .263 efficiency.
Seeing Skinner, who has yet to make his postseason debut 1,006 games and counting into his time in the NHL, hit 50 goals this year might not be out of the question.
- RW Tomas Tatar, New Jersey Devils (one-year, $1.8 million contract)
The 33-year-old had a down year, tallying nine goals and 24 points in 70 games with Colorado and the Seattle Kraken, after being traded 27 games into the season.
However, Tatar scored 20 goals and 48 points in 82 regular-season games with New Jersey the previous year. He has surpassed the 19-goal mark eight times and the 45-point benchmark seven times in 11 full NHL seasons.
While New Jersey’s top-six forward group will be tough for Tatar to break into, he will likely play alongside Erik Haula (16-19-35 in 76 games) and Stefan Noesen (14-23-37 in 81 games with the Carolina Hurricanes), both solid players. Tatar could also see time on New Jersey’s deep power-play unit.
- D Adam Boqvist, Florida (one-year, two-way contract — $775,000)
The 24-year-old, chosen eighth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft and later traded in the deal that sent Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks, tallied one goal, 10 points, a -8 rating, a .4896 five-on-five Corsi-for percentage, a .4532 five-on-five expected goals-for percentage, and a .4807 five-on-five scoring chances-for percentage while averaging 18:17 per game (fifth among his team’s defensemen), including 2:05 on the power play (second), in 35 outings for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Boqvist has earned at least 10 points in each of his first five NHL seasons, despite never playing more than 52 games in a single one. He also scored 11 goals in 52 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Over his four seasons in Columbus, his .4822 five-on-five Corsi-for percentage ranked second among Blue Jackets defensemen who have played more than 82 games, while his .4526 five-on-five expected goals-for percentage ranked fourth.
After the defending Stanley Cup champions lost Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in free agency, they will need younger players to step up. Boqvist is near the front of the line to seize this opportunity.
- C Jesper Boqvist, Florida (one-year, $775,000 contract)
With Florida also losing Nick Cousins, they signed the 36th overall pick from 2017, who saw his goal (six), assist (eight), point (14), and games-played (47) totals drop in his lone season with the Boston Bruins. However, Boqvist, the brother of Adam, recorded consecutive 10-goal, 21-point seasons when he played more than 55 games in two straight years with New Jersey (56, 70).
The 25-year-old will likely play with two of Anton Lundell, Evan Rodrigues, and Eetu Luostarinen and could see time on the Panthers’ power-play unit.
By Harrison Brown