Welcome to 2019 NHL free agency. We’ll be grading the most notable offseason signings below, so come back for updates as deals are completed.
The terms: Seven years, $11.6 million AAV
Where does he fit?
He’s the marquee player for the Rangers to market and build around. He’s the player that makes Rangers fans believe that they might be able to win a Stanley Cup before Henrik Lundqvist‘s tenure is over. He’s also the highest-paid winger in the league.
Panarin will slide onto the first line with Mika Zibenejad as his center. Fellow Russian Pavel Buchnevich or No. 2 overall pick in the draft Kappo Kakko should get cracks to play at the opposite wing. Zibanejad (under contract through 2021-22) is only 26 years old. Kakko is 18 and Buchnevich (an RFA this summer) is 24. These are all players whom New York believes in and plans to keep around for some time, meaning the group can develop together.
The Rangers are transitioning this season from their rebuild — which, for all intents and purposes, went better and quicker than expected — to contender yet again. Yes, it’s very on-brand for the Rangers to be enticed by the splashiest free agent name on the market and shell out big money.
But Panarin earned it: since entering the NHL in 2015 with the Chicago Blackhawks, he ranks fifth in 5-on-5 points and fourth in 5-on-5 primary points. The Rangers earned the right to make this signing, too, for rebuilding the right way. They’re back at it, and ready to push again for their first Cup in 26 years.
Does it make sense?
The only thing that’s befuddling is how the Rangers were able to stay so disciplined to their rebuilding plan, and transition out of it so quickly. This should be the model for all teams who need to retool, and how to do it in the shortest window possible. It was only February 2018 when the Rangers sent out the now-infamous letter to fans announcing what was supposed to be a long, painful rebuild where they would part with many familiar faces.
Seventeen months later, they’re poised to win yet again. They signed the most coveted free-agent forward on the market in Panarin, and signed him through his prime years. They acquired a new No. 1 defenseman in Jacob Trouba. They acquired a potential top-four defenseman in Adam Fox. They drafted a generational scoring talent in Kappo Kakko. The future is no longer bleak.
It makes a ton of sense for Panarin, too. Though we once believed he wanted to be linked with former Columbus teammate Sergei Bobrovsky as a package deal, the truth is, he has his own goals. Panarin didn’t want to stay in Columbus long term because he wasn’t crazy about the market. He doesn’t shy from the bright lights, and he left some money on the table, because Madison Square Garden’s lights shine the brightest.
Overall grade: A
James Dolan’s two sports teams have completely opposite narratives now. Less than 24 hours after Dolan was ridiculed in NBA circles for whiffing on the pursuit of Kevin Durant, not believing he was worthy of taking a risk on coming off his Achilles tendon injury, the Rangers sneaked in and stole Panarin away from the local rival Islanders, and suddenly are the toast of the NHL.
— Kaplan
The terms: Seven years, $8 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
As the Predators’ No. 2 center. We don’t see the Preds breaking up their dynamic top line — centered by Ryan Johansen — anytime soon, though Duchene is a nice complement to round out the top six. Nashville hasn’t been thrilled with their current second-line center, Kyle Turris, ever since he came over via the splashy November 2017 three-way trade with Ottawa and Colorado (which, coincidentally, also involved Duchene). Stylistically, Turris isn’t the best fit in the Predators’ system and hasn’t produced as expected; he was at 0.42 points per game in 55 games last season.
Yes, Nashville’s trio of centers are now very expensive (with Johansen making $8 million annually, Duchene at $8 million and Turris at $6 million) but so it goes for a team desperate to create more offense. The Predators have fluttered out of the playoffs in back-to-back years because of a lack of secondary production.
Duchene’s arrival also makes it possible that either Turris or Nick Bonino are eventually moved. After all, if Predators GM David Poile has a reputation in the league, it’s as a transaction-happy GM. If Nashville can’t find a taker for Turris — at $6 million for the next five years, it’s going to be tough — the team may try to put him at Duchene’s wing. In Duchene’s career with Colorado, Ottawa and Columbus, his production has often been reliant on chemistry with linemates. That’s the crucial next step for Nashville: finding the right guys to play next to Duchene. Craig Smith and Mikael Granlund may get the first crack at being Duchene’s linemates, but after that, there’s a big dropoff in forward talent.
Does the deal make sense?
It makes so much sense that it was projected months ago, including when amateur sleuths found out that Duchene had purchased “investment” property in Nashville and reiterated the fact that Duchene enjoys country music. The signing ultimately became inevitable at the draft, when Poile made the shocking move to trade P.K. Subban. Yes, the Predators have a surplus of capable defensemen, which is why you can justify trading a former Norris Trophy winner who is still near his prime. However, Subban’s departure was all about clearing cap space, as he made $9 million per year, all of which was absorbed by the Devils.
The Predators wanted to use that money on high-skilled forwards who could generate more offense. Duchene has the skill, and — as a player who typically has a high shooting percentage — can be a finisher. He’s coming off a career-high 31 goals last season, and can be a boost for Nashville’s power play, which was dreadful last season.
Overall grade: A-
Of course, when you see the term and the overall money, it looks like Nashville overpaid (and they probably did). But that’s the price for business these days. The Predators needed to shake up their roster and improve their forward corps after another playoff flameout, and they landed the top available center on the market. It’s an arm’s race in the West, and the Predators proved they’re still very much in it.
— Kaplan
1:32
Mike Johnson and Craig Button break down Matt Duchene’s 7-year deal with the Predators.
The terms: Six years, $3.5 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
Tanev played a bottom-six role for the Jets and had his best NHL season offensively in his walk year at 14 goals and 15 assists in 80 games. He’s a hard-working forward, having drawn 17 penalties last season, fourth most on the Jets. For a Penguins team that needed to bolster its depth at forward, and Tanev can help on the defensive side of things to that end. He should bolster the Penguins’ penalty kill as well, which was 19th in the NHL, at 79.7 percent.
Does the deal make sense?
Well, look at it this way: Brandon Tanev was just signed for six seasons for $3.5 million annually. Brandon Tanev is, as Micah Blake McCurdy delicately put it, “an offensive black hole.” In nearly every offensive metric, Tanev was in the negative in comparison to his teammates.
Again, a depth grunt, Tanev has some virtues as a checker and a penalty killer. But a six-year term for a player that has glaring offensive deficiencies is a problem. And a six-year deal one summer after GM Jim Rutherford gave Jack Johnson a five-year deal is a troubling trend. But hey, at least Phil Kessel is now Arizona’s problem and the Penguins had cap flexibility to do a deal like this, right? Right?
Overall grade: C-
There were better players around this cap hit available in the UFA market, and they didn’t require a six-year term.
–Wyshynski
1:00
Brandon Tanev shares his reaction to agreeing with Pittsburgh on a deal with an annual average value of $3.5 million.
The terms: Four years, $3.9 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
Snugly into an Avalanche lineup that needed offensive depth beyond its dominant top line. Donskoi played in a bottom-six role with the San Jose Sharks, averaging 13:25 in ice time last season. He’s due for a larger role after a 1.9 points per 60 minutes (5-on-5) rate and an expected goals percentage of 57.33, which was fourth overall on the team.
He’s a dependable possession player, and versatile enough where coach Jared Bednar can cast him in several roles. The Avs needed some bodies beyond Mikko Rantanen on right wing, and Donskoi provides some quality depth there.
Does the deal make sense?
Yes. This deal has Arik Parnass and the Avalanche analytics team’s fingerprints all over it. Donskoi had a 54.46 Corsi for percentage at 5-on-5, helping to drive possession in a limited role. Getting someone who’s good for 14 goals and 23 assists in limited ice time is a strong move. Having to go four years with him was probably a necessity to get him, but it covers his prime years. Having to go $3.9 million annually … well, welcome to the UFA frenzy.
For Donskoi, who had to move on from the San Jose Sharks due to their post-Erik Karlsson salary cap crunch, the Avalanche provide a great opportunity to excel in a larger role, as well as a chance to join a team whose championship window is just opening instead of being propped open by high-priced veterans.
Overall grade: A-
This was a borderline B-plus once the AAV came in a $3.9 million over four years. That was higher than was initially reported, and is much higher than what Evolving Wild had projected for Donskoi, which was in the neighborhood of $3,326,413 on a four-year term. But they get a player that I think is the best value signing of the free agent frenzy.
— Wyshynski
The terms: Seven years, $10 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
Say hello to the Panthers’ new No. 1 goaltender for the foreseeable future. In the great goalie carousel of 2019, Bobrovksy was always viewed as the leading stallion. This has been clear for months now, after it became apparent that Bobrovsky and the Blue Jackets were so far apart on contract talks that the relationship would not continue past the 2018-19 season.
Bobrovsky is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, and when he’s locked in, is still one of the best goaltenders in the NHL today. Sure, there were a few times where he didn’t look like his usual self last season, but we saw some vintage Bobrovsky in the playoffs (.925 save percentage in 10 games, which included the shocking sweep over the Tampa Bay Lightning). That shook off any talk of Bobrovsky being a dud in the postseason.
The Panthers will need to find a backup goaltender after shipping James Reimer and his troublesome contract to Carolina (and doing Carolina the favor of buying out Scott Darling). Bobrovsky has played in at least 62 games in each of the past three seasons, but the new trend in NHL goaltending is workload management, which will be especially important as Bobrovsky gets older.
Does the deal make sense?
The Panthers are in let’s-make-a-splash mode. They landed the biggest coaching free agent, Joel Quenneville, in April. They have the cap space. They’re ready to graduate on from trendy sleeper team on the playoff bubble to actual Stanley Cup contender.
Of course, this deal would be even sweeter if Bobrovsky came over with his former teammate, Artemi Panarin, as many had predicted, but the Panthers should be pleased to have landed at least one of the former Columbus stars. There were multiple suitors out there.
Florida may have pursued Bobrovsky anyway if Roberto Luongo hadn’t retired, though Luongo’s decision made the courting and signing less awkward. Bobrovksy helps Florida get closer to their goals; right now, that is.
The only issue here is term. Bobrovsky is 30, and historically, goaltenders don’t get better as they age into their 30s. Older goalies often benefit from reduced workload. For the short term, this is a coup and brilliant signing. It could prove problematic later on.
Overall grade: B+
Florida has seen firsthand how inconsistent goaltending can cost a playoff spot, so landing a guy with 115 wins over the past three seasons is a feat. The deal will look great for the first few years, but we’re already sensing trouble on the back end. Of course, that may be a new GM’s problem if the Panthers can’t find a way to win soon.
— Kaplan
The terms: Three years, $7 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
Name an issue the Stars had at the forward spot, and Pavelski basically addresses it. The Stars averaged 2.55 goals per game in the regular season, and had only one forward outside of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov that scored more than 30 points. Pavelski has been over a 0.80 points-per-game average in each of his past six seasons, and shot the lights out last season (20.2 percent) in scoring 38 goals, with 12 of them coming on the power play. His presence around the net, whether it’s converting rebounds or causing chaos at the net front, will be welcomed by Dallas: They were 26th in high-danger goals at 5-on-5, while Pavelski was third on the Sharks in high-danger shot attempts (88 in 75 games).
He gives the Stars the secondary scoring option they’ve been desperate to find, in theory anchoring their second line to allow the big three to play together — perhaps with Roope Hintz on his left and the attempted resurrection of Corey Perry on his right. But he also allows coach Jim Montgomery to spread the wealth, knowing that Pavelski can thrive with any of the top line’s players. He’s also underrated defensively and terrific in the faceoff dot.
Let’s not overlook the intangibles here. Pavelski was a leader on the Sharks, mostly by example. Anyone that watched their run in the 2019 playoffs understands how much sacrifice Pavelski will make for the sake of victory. That’s infectious. The fact that he also has 21 points in his past 29 playoff games is a nice bonus.
Does the deal make sense?
It didn’t for the Sharks, obviously. San Jose wanted to keep Pavelski, and he stated a desire to remain in the Bay Area. But $7 million annually — or whatever the equivalent of that would be outside of a tax-friendly state like Texas — was way too rich for GM Doug Wilson after signing Erik Karlsson and needed to allocate money to a handful of other free agents. So much like his callous decision on Patrick Marleau two years ago, Wilson bid adieu to his captain.
But it makes sense for Dallas. The Stars had over $12 million in cap space, and that’s before what might be a long-term injured reserve home for Martin Hanzal‘s $4.75 million boondoggle. The three-year term gives the Stars some real flexibility in 2022, as Pavelski, Radulov and John Klingberg are all unrestricted that summer.
The elephant in the room is Pavelski’s age: He turns 35 on July 11. He’s been a durable player during his career: Until last season, when he played 75 games, he had missed one regular-season game since 2011. That’s a polite way of saying he’s played a lot of hockey, when you factor in the playoffs and international play (he’s a two-time Olympian). But, again: If you watched the playoffs, it’s entirely possible Pavelski has Wolverine-like healing powers.
Overall grade: A-
The money is big and the term’s a year longer than you’d like, but Pavelski is just about a perfect bit of casting by GM Jim Nill.
— Wyshynski
2:18
Former Sharks captain Joe Pavelski explains why he chose the Stars and a 3-year deal in free agency.
Mike Smith, 37, G, Edmonton Oilers
The terms: One year, $2 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
There was no way the Oilers could go into the season with Mikko Koskinen as their only option in net. Now they have an experienced tandem mate who can be a bit of an insurance policy, and an affordable one at that.
Smith made just 40 starts last season and posted a career-low .898 save percentage. His workload should be lower in Edmonton unless Koskinen’s game completely goes south or he gets injured.
Does the deal make sense?
There’s still at least a chance he pans out as a short-term No. 1, but either way, the Oilers needed some help in net. New head coach Dave Tippett has a history with Smith, which adds a layer of comfort for both player and coach.
The Oilers did not have many great options at their disposal for the goaltending position, and it’s not an area they would have wanted to spend more on. With Smith and Koskinen, they’re spending a combined $6.5 million against the cap, not including the bonuses that Smith could reach.
Overall grade: C+
The term is key. This is a stop-gap signing. This buys the Oilers time to weigh their options for a longer-term solution in net. They also have some intriguing prospects below the NHL level in net, including Shane Starrett — who had a big season in the NHL last year and would be a good call-up option — 20-year-old Stuart Skinner and longer-term prospect Olivier Rodrigue. If any one of those guys pans out, there will be space for them later.
— Peters
Cam Talbot, 31, G, Calgary Flames
The terms: One year, $2.75 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
The Flames have David Rittich under contract for next season, and he’s likely to carry the load in net after a very promising run during the 2018-19 season. He only ended up starting half of the games last season, so it’s hard to know for sure if he’ll be the guy long-term. And that’s where Talbot comes in.
Talbot serves as short-term competition for Rittich. It’s clear that Talbot does not think he’s done as a starter in this league, and the Flames have a goaltending situation that’s a little more up for grabs than the situation he just left in Philadelphia, where Carter Hart is the present and future.
Talbot has a good chance to re-establish himself as an NHL goaltender, especially behind a team that has some legitimate talent up front.
Does the deal make sense?
The Flames needed some extra help in net, and Talbot is a younger option than the departing Mike Smith. Calgary is spending so little on the goaltending position in 2019-20, making this a low-risk bet.
It also gives the team flexibility with a number of tough long-term decisions to be made. About half the roster is on the last year of current contracts. Calgary also needed to keep cap space free for the pending re-signings of restricted free agents Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett.
Overall grade: B-
Talbot is coming off of the worst season of his career. If he gets even close to his career average of a .915 save percentage, this deal pays off in a big way for Calgary. It’s a low-risk, medium-reward kind of situation.
— Peters
The terms: Five years, $6 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
Zuccarello is a left-handed shot, but he should play right wing for the Wild, given their need for a steady offensive presence in their top six on the right side.
What I’ve always liked about the Norwegian winger is that he can create his own offense, and thus drive a line. He can put the puck in the net on occasion, for about 15 goals, but it’s his playmaking ability and offensive creativity that make him stand out. These are attributes the Wild certainly need more of in their lineup. He can play on the power play and kills penalties as well. He’s small, listed at 5-foot-8, but that’s never deterred him.
He’s also a delight. He was a heart-and-soul player for the Rangers during his time there, and left a hole in that locker room when he departed. A well-liked player in the room, off the ice and in the community, and that’s something that should be valued.
Does the deal make sense?
Mats Zuccarello is a $6 million AAV talent. That’s right around where his contract value was expected to land. The money is not the issue. The term could be an issue, given that he turns 32 years old in September and his numbers had a small decline since 2016 (outside of the contract-year spike he had last season in 48 games). The term is most certainly the issue for the Minnesota Wild, as there’s simply no defendable reason why they went this long with a free agent of Zuccarello’s age at this point in their franchise’s history.
Zuccarello would be a veteran asset on a young team. The Wild are not one. Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu, Eric Staal, Ryan Suter and Devan Dubnyk will all be north of 33 years old next season. Zuccarello would be a significant piece on a contending team. The Wild, or more to the point owner Craig Leipold, see themselves as one next season, even though they’re not. By the time they are, Zuccarello might be in his mid-30s, making $6 million annually. Staal is turning 35, has 64 goals in his past two seasons, and he’s making $3.25 million. So that’s some math right there.
So far, Paul Fenton has been the “D.C. Cinematic Universe” of NHL general managers: Highly anticipated, awful start, immediate concern from the die-hards about its overall direction. We were hoping the Victor Rask and Charlie Coyle deals were his “Batman V. Superman” and it was out of his system. At best, this Zuccarello deal is his “Aquaman.” At worst, it’s his “Justice League.”
Overall grade: C-
An effective player, but one that just doesn’t seem to fit the Wild’s timeline.
— Wyshynski
The terms: Four years, $3.25 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
In the bottom six, likely as a third-line winger. The Panthers are looking to level up this offseason, and so much of the focus — at least in the media — has been on the pursuit of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and star forward Artemi Panarin (at least they landed one of them!)
But the Panthers actually have some sneaky good talent among their top-six forwards already. One of their biggest areas of need was depth. Enter Connolly, the former No. 6 overall pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Connolly never matched his early expectations, and pressure to perform on top lines led to him being on three teams in his first six years. A one-year prove-it deal in Washington in 2016-17 revived his career. It eventually became a three-year stint. Connolly was an important part of Washington’s Stanley Cup team — scoring six goals in that playoff run — and tapped into even more offensive prowess last season with career-highs of 22 goals, 46 points and a 58.16 goals-for percentage. That landed him this free-agency payday.
Connolly never got a lot of ice time (he maxed out at 13:20 per game last season in Washington) or power-play time, and perhaps he gets more of a look in Florida. He’ll add some veteran leadership and winning pedigree to the locker room as well, intangibles that are important as coach Joel Quenneville tries to change the culture.
Does the deal make sense?
Connolly is coming off a renaissance season for the Capitals. Washington reaped the benefits last season, but meant they were priced out for next season. The Capitals were also up against the cap, and have to begin thinking about extensions for Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby. The issue may have been as much about money as term. And that might have been an issue for other Connolly suitors as well, such as the Edmonton Oilers. Connolly is a middle-six, but probably bottom-six forward coming off a career year. That can lead to an overpayment.
Since Florida has the cap space, we don’t have a huge issue with it. The good news for the Panthers is that Connolly may be only realizing his best potential now, and this four-year deal theoretically takes him through the prime of his career. The bad news is, we’re not sure how high that ceiling is.
Overall grade: B
Connolly is an upgrade to Florida’s bottom six, but doesn’t exactly move the needle in suddenly transforming the Panthers into a playoff team. That said, playoff teams need important role players, and that’s exactly what Connolly is.
— Kaplan
The terms: Five years, $6 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
As a top-four defenseman, most likely in the second pairing, perhaps with Jordie Benn, who is also joining the team as a free agent.
GM Jim Benning was not shy about announcing his offseason priority. The team wanted to land a top four-defenseman, especially one with a right-handed shot. (The current depth chart on the right side of the blue line wasn’t exactly intimidating, with Chris Tanev, Troy Stetcher and Alex Biega.)
After Erik Karlsson re-signed in San Jose, the two best free-agent defensemen available were Myers and Jake Gardiner. Myers is a right-shot, Gardiner is left. It was a match in that regard.
Not a match? The price (and term) the Canucks had to shell out for a defenseman who is solid offensively and defensively, but not necessarily spectacular. Myers is pretty mobile for his size — at 6-foot-8, he definitely adds length to the Canucks’ blue line — but his advanced statistics leave a lot to be desired.
Myers wasn’t going to return to the Jets because of their cap crunch, and he was bound to get overpaid in a thin defensive class. After exceeding expectations last season — thanks, Elias Pettersson! — the Canucks have expedited their rebuild and feel they can contend for a playoff spot as soon as 2019-20. Myers helps them get closer to this goal, but he’s not necessarily going to transform them.
Does the deal make sense?
The Canucks took a financial blow last week when Roberto Luongo announced his retirement; a recapture penalty of $3 million annually over the next three seasons limited the team’s spending options (they’re also down a little over $1 million for the next two seasons as part of the Ryan Spooner buyout).
Vancouver wanted to upgrade its top-six forward group and paid a steep price (in draft picks) to acquire J.T. Miller from the Tampa Bay Lightning. But their biggest priority was the blue line. The Canucks honed in on Myers as their top target, and landed him. This was a move about conviction. But because they were so sure on Myers, it’s fair to wonder if the Canucks were bidding against themselves.
The Canucks walk away better on the blue line, but the price is high. Myers can play 22-25 minutes per game, so in that sense it’s a value. But he also got to play behind Jacob Trouba and Dustin Byfuglien in Winnipeg, and shouldered responsibilities along with the rest of the Jets’ talented blue-line group. In Vancouver, he’ll be asked to do more, and because of his contract, the expectations will be higher. It’s unclear if he’ll be able to match them, or if this is yet another bad contract on the Canucks’ books. It could hinder them for future contracts they’ll have to worry about, including Brock Boeser, Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.
Overall grade: C+
The Canucks get better on the blue line — and look closer to a playoff team than they did before the signing — but probably paid a bit too much to get here.
— Kaplan
The terms: One year, $1.5 million
Where does he fit in?
Potentially on the wing of fellow new Stars forward Joe Pavelski, establishing a secondary scoring unit to support the top line of Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov. But just because it’s Corey Perry doesn’t mean he’s an automatic in the team’s top six. The Stars don’t have a ton of depth on the right side, so Perry could slide in to play with Radek Faksa.
Frankly, based on his output over the last three seasons, Perry might need to earn those top-six minutes. He’s scored 42 goals over the last 184 games; five years ago, he’d have that in a single season.
Does the deal make sense?
Absolutely. There’s minimal risk in signing Perry to a one-year, career rehab “show me” contract. In one way, it’s like the deal Brad Richards signed with the Chicago Blackhawks after taking a buyout from the New York Rangers. In another way, it’s like the contracts we’ve seen for aging scorers like Dany Heatley, who lose their touch and then take a discounted deal in the hopes of finding it again.
There was a market for Perry for two reasons. First, because there’s an unending hope from NHL general managers that “once a goal scorer, always a goal scorer,” even if he’s a pale imitation of the MVP-level winger he used to be. Second, because there are some intangible reasons to have Corey Perry on your roster. In the sense that Corey Perry can really, really be annoying, born with a rare gift for agitation.
Overall grade: B+
I don’t have much faith that Perry is going to be able to rediscover his game as a big goal scorer, no matter how motivated he is to prove people like me wrong. But this is minimal investment in the hopes that he can.
— Wyshynski
1:34
Frank Seravalli and Craig Button explain how the Corey Perry deal to Dallas worked out.
The terms: Four years, $5.5 million AAV
Where does he fit?
Nyquist instantly plugs in to the Blue Jackets’ top six, and maybe even on the top line now that Artemi Panarin is out of the equation. Nyquist has played mostly a second-line role during his career with the Detroit Red Wings (eight years) and San Jose (19 regular season games and a playoff run). He has hit 20-plus goals in four of his last six seasons, and is coming off a career-high 60-points.
Nyquist is versatile and can play either wing as well as center, though he hasn’t played down the gut in a while. The Blue Jackets should slot him at wing considering they need more scoring talent high in the lineup. Columbus may also try Nyquist with countryman Alex Wenneberg and hope they develop chemistry. Wennegberg is a player the Blue Jackets have been trying to get going for some time, and maybe this is the spark they need. According to Micah Blake McCurdy, Nyquist has been an excellent driver of offense over the last two seasons.
Does it make sense?
The Blue Jackets knew their team would look different next season with two of their premier free agents walking (and other trade deadline acquisitions, like Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, not coming back). A veteran scoring winger fits in nicely with who the Blue Jackets are and what they need. Columbus honed in on Nyquist early because it was a strong fit. The Blue Jackets probably felt they were priced out on Anders Lee, and not many teams would give Mats Zuccarello the term that Minnesota did considering his age.
The contract fits the player. It’s actually a similar contract Nyquist had asked for from the Red Wings last season. Then-GM Ken Holland didn’t want to pay it, so Nyquist was shipped to the Sharks at the trade deadline.
Grade: B+
The Blue Jackets needed to sign somebody decent on the first day of free agency to save face after they were spurred by Artemi Panarin, who clearly did not want to be in Columbus. Nyquist is a fine consolation — and the Blue Jackets beat out other suitors for him — but he’s not a game-breaker like Panarin
— Kaplan
The terms: One year, $5 million AAV
Where does he fit in?
After a brief detour to Nashville after last season’s trade deadline, Simmonds returns to the Metro Division wars as a member of the Devils. But this isn’t the same player that was good for 30 goals with the Flyers. This is a player that’ll be 31 next season, in his second season of significant statistical decline. He had one goal and two assists in 17 games with the Predators after the trade, looking very much like a player whose physical toll had caught up with him.
Where does he slot in to the lineup? Given his limitations at 5-on-5, Simmonds probably fits best with someone like Travis Zajac, the Devils’ 34-year-old two-way center. But it’s on the power play where Simmonds could be a difference maker. With defenseman P.K. Subban as the new big shot (literally and figuratively) at the top of the power play, the Devils needed a net-front presence on the man advantage, the kind they had in Brian Boyle before the traded him to the Predators. Simmonds has been a Grade-A garbage collector around the crease throughout his career.
Does the deal make sense?
Very much so, for one season. Simmonds has a ton to prove after two down seasons. The Devils had a clear need for a player that can do what he does on the power play, which will have to balance his issues at even strength (a 47.14 Corsi for percentage in 62 games with the Flyers last season). He brings some muscle to the lineup, and having him around to help groom a player like Miles Wood — a 6-foot-2, physical forward — can only help.
Overall grade: B+
As one-year contract investments go, this is a solid one for the Devils. The caveat is that Simmonds has been such a liability at 5-on-5, so it’s hard to go above a B-plus here. But for the other aspects of his game that the Devils need, it’s worth a flier.
–Wyshynski