BY Mike Rifkin
July First, better known as the beginning of NHL Free Agency. Teams and fans gets very optimistic based on moves to improve their rosters. Below will be a list with some moves I liked and others I don’t.
FAVORITE:
Nashville Predators – Ok this might be cheating but nobody had a better day than Barry Trotz’s team. Bringing in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei on the first day of free agency is quite the haul. All three have a ton of playoff experience, but the cherry on top is the announcement of the Predators extending goalie Juuse Saros. As the great Uncle Ben says “With great power comes great responsibility.” Well this season the Predators are going to have to be responsible with the pressure that’s coming.
Elias Lindholm/Nikita Zadorov – Boston Bruins : Let me start with saying people might not like the term of either deal, but that’s a problem for the future. The Boston Bruins believe they’re in win now mode and both of these players will help them with that. Lindholm will helps fill out the center position and Zadorov gives them a big physical presence on the backend.
Tyler Bertuzzi – Chicago Blackhawks – I really liked what the Blackhawks did as a whole on the first day of free agency. Tyler Bertuzzi adds a bit of everything to this lineup. Bertuzzi had 43 points in 80 games last season, and isn’t afraid to get into a skirmish in front of the net. (Also adding Pat Maroon and Alec Martinez solid adds for the Hawks)
Anthony Duclair – New York Islanders – The Islanders needed a guy who can skate who has the ability to put the puck in the net. Anthony Duclair has the ability to be a big time player for them. Duclair played for Isles coach in junior hockey, so he’s already familiar with the system. Duclair is still 28 years old and put up 42 points in 73 games last season.
Chandler Stephenson/Brandon Montour : Seattle Kraken – The Seattle Kraken needed to add offense and they did that and they also added two guys who know what it takes to win a Stanley Cup. Montour is a year removed from having 16 goals and 73 points in 80 games and is a fantastic skating defenseman. Stephenson is a top three center on a team. He had 16 goals and 51 points in 75 games last season. Stephenson can also help the Kraken’s special teams.
Least Favorite :
Sean Monahan – Columbus Blue Jackets – Monahan had a nice year split between Montreal and Winnipeg, but now he is going to be given a different task and that is re-establishing Johnny Gaudreau as a premier offensive player. But with his injury history I don’t know how you justify five years here.
Tyler Toffoli – San Jose Sharks – Toffoli signed a four year deal worth 24 million dollars with the Sharks. Toffoli has won a Stanley Cup, but the Sharks are in the beginning stages of a rebuild, although they might be ahead of schedule by having Macklin Celebrini. But they’re not close so who knows if Toffoli finishes the deal there, but I don’t love the decision, a contender could’ve used his goal scoring ability.
Cam Talbot/Jack Campbell – Detroit Red Wings – Alex Lyon, Ville Husso and James Reimer manned the net for the Wings last year, and it was interesting to say the least. Talbot had a solid year for the LA Kings and Campbell has struggled mightily in Edmonton that they bought him out. But maybe this works for the Wings and yes these are short term deals, but based on some goalie trades maybe the Wings were better off pulling that off instead because these guys don’t move the needle for me.
Jake DeBrusk – Vancouver Canucks – Yeah this one is all about the term. Seven years for DeBrusk is a lot. He is 27 years old and is coming off 40 points in 80 games this season. He has scored 25 + goals three times in his career, the Canucks are going to need him to produce, otherwise we might be looking at another Loui Eriksson situation.
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