Some intriguing names still available during day two of free agency
Well, day two of free agency is significantly more quiet than day one, but I suppose that was to be expected with all of the activity on Wednesday. Still, despite the waters being a little calmer, there are still some substantial names available in the UFA market.
One name that is surprisingly still on the board is Nazem Kadri, though a report from Avs Insider Adrian Dater has confirmed that talks are ongoing between the Kadri camp and newly minted Avs GM Chris MacFarland. Another name out there who has yet to sign is center Patrice Bergeron, though a deal is expected to be reached with the Bruins, so I don't think there's really anything to the fact that he's currently still unsigned. Neither side is in any real rush. Beyond those two names, there are plenty of players who are seemingly taking their time with a decision and mulling over their options.
John Klingberg is a player who really sounded like he wanted to get a deal done to remain with the Dallas Stars. Now far and away the top defensive option available - and a right hander at that - Klingberg is definitely sitting on some offers.
Nino Niederreiter is a versatile winger who put up 44 points in 75 games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season. However, with the addition of Max Pacioretty yesterday, Niederreiter has been pushed down the depth chart and seems very unlikely to return. He carried a $5.25M cap hit last season and at 29 years of age, I'm not sure he's ready to take a discount just yet - especially on the open market. That said, if the interest isn't as high as he and his camp would like, maybe he'll agree to settle for a similar cap hit, or slightly less on a short-term "show me" deal.
Paul Stastny might be the most intriguing player still available due to the fact that, even at 36, he's still a very useful player in a number of different roles. He can play in the top six, or middle six, contribute on both the power play and the penalty kill, and is an excellent secondary scoring option. He earned just $3.75M last season in Winnipeg and could likely be had for less this summer. He could be a sneaky good value add for a team looking for some increased production in their middle six.
Two additional names who might be of interest to the Leafs are Dylan Strome and Sonny Milano. Neither Strome (CHI) nor Milano (ANA) were qualified by their respective teams earlier this week, leaving them to pursue deals with new teams in free agency.
Strome, 25, was a 3rd overall pick in 2015 and finished last season with the Hawks on a torrid pace, putting up a point per game down the home stretch. The fear from the Blackhawks' perspective with Strome was that he did not fit into their immediate plans and that if they qualified him, he'd pursue a salary arbitration case, which could grant him a significant reward (likely in the $4M-$4.25M range). The Hawks attempted to move Strome to another team, but teams were hesitant to give up assets because they knew that the Hawks would likely not qualify him and he could be had for nothing more than cap dollars.
Milano, 26, earned just $1.7M from the Ducks last season and had actually formed some chemistry with young budding star Trevor Zegras. Like Strome, Milano was likely to pursue salary arbitration after posting 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games, which were both career highs for the former 16th overall pick in 2014. Milano has bounced up and down between the AHL and NHL for much of his career, but finally seemed to be putting it together at the NHL level last season. Despite not becoming a household name by age 26, Milano does have a ridiculous set of hands and excellent hand-eye coordination, which was on full display on the famous "fake Michigan" play that he and Zegras pulled off this season. He's an excellent buy low candidate for a team who needs some skill in their bottom six.
Honourable mentions: Evan Rodrigues, Tyler Motte, Calle Jarnkrok, Zach Aston-Reese and Ryan Donato.
| POLL | ||
14 JUILLET | 394 ANSWERS Some intriguing names still available during day two of free agency Who would you like to see the Leafs sign on day two of free agency? | ||
| Dylan Strome | 119 | 30.2 % |
| Paul Stastny | 92 | 23.4 % |
| Nino Niederreiter | 85 | 21.6 % |
| Other | 98 | 24.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
