NHL Trade Rumors: Brad Richards and the Top Soon-To-Be Free Agent on Each Team
NHL Free Agency, which officially opens on July 1st, is a process that has revolutionized the way teams and players do business. The level of importance of this day has been multiplied by the implementation of the salary cap, and since then free agents changing teams has created a league where each and every season is filled with intrigue, competition, and a spirit where any team can beat any other team on any given night and contend for the Stanley Cup.
This year's free agent class is stacked with talent, and could result in the league having a very different outlook at the start of next season. With the trade deadline for this season approaching fast, talent is available for both the taking and the losing.
Here is a list of the top free agent available at the end of this season for each team.
Anaheim Ducks: Teemu Selanne
1 of 30
Stats: G:15, A:30, P:45
Cap Hit: $4.5 million ($1.25 million in bonuses)
Once again this summer, the Anaheim Ducks will be playing the waiting game on the face of the franchise also known as “The Finnish Flash.” At the age of 40 years old, Selanne has proven himself to be an ageless wonder who still packs the speed to keep up with the young guns, and in many ways pass them. Additionally he continues to be a magician on a white-hot Anaheim power-play unit that currently sits 5th in the NHL.
Atlanta Thrashers: Dustin Byfuglien
2 of 30
Stats: G:16, A:25, P:41
Cap Hit: $3 million
One of the biggest surprises of the year, the power-forward-turned-defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is being considered by many to be a potential nominee for the Norris Trophy. He's proven to be the perfect combination of both a big power-forward and a defenseman, bringing a scoring edge to his gritty defensive game, and proving to be a brilliant pickup by the Thrashers. He's due for a pay raise this summer, but his restricted free agent status is a huge plus to Atlanta, meaning they have the chance to lock him up for several years to come.
Boston Bruins: Michael Ryder
3 of 30
Stats: G:14, A:14, P:28
Cap Hit: $4 million
Michael Ryder has developed into a very slick right wing, however his production has dropped this year, not something any player wants to have happen in a contract year. Boston may look to move this skilled, but underperforming player at the trade deadline to bolster their ranks for a deep playoff run, and additionally his $4 million cap hit may be a little bit of a turn-off to some teams who are a little strapped for cap room.
Buffalo Sabres: Tim Connolly
4 of 30
Stats: G:6, A:14, P:20
Cap Hit: $4.5 million
The now-aging Tim Connoly is not putting up good numbers this year as a center, and will be one of several big cap numbers that the Sabres will likely be looking to ship away at this year's trade deadline. They're 6 points out of a playoff spot and look highly unlikely to overtake anybody for the 8th spot. Expect him along with the likes of Craig Rivet to be shopped around highly by the Sabres come the end of February.
Calgary Flames: Alex Tanguay
5 of 30
Stats: G:12 A:25 P:37
Cap Hit: $1.7 million
Talk about a bargain, Alex Tanguay is a proven vetarn NHL left-winger for a discounted 1.7m cap hit that's got to have several NHL GM's licking their chops. If the Flames don't trade him away by February, expect him to use his unrestricted free agent status to walk away, but that being said the Flames are on the verge of a rebuild, so I'd expect several teams to be coming to the Flames with offers and to see him playing his hockey somewhere else by the end of this season.
Carolina Hurricanes: Joni Pitkanen
6 of 30
Stats: G:2 A:18 P:20
Cap Hit: $4.0 million
Pitkanen is quietly having a pretty good year for the Carolina Hurricanes who have surged their way back into a playoff contending position. He's a solid defensive-defenseman with the skill and talent to move the puck very well, as exemplified by his 18 helpers. Carolina might not want to ship him away, but it's very likely the Finnish-born defenseman will likely be exploring his options this summer before considering coming back to a Carolina franchise who has struggled for the past couple years.
Chicago Blackhawks: Brent Seabrook
7 of 30
Stats: G:3 A:23 P: 26
Cap Hit: $3.5 million
Seabrook has developed into a fantastic defenseman and was a key piece to the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks last season. He's young, he's talented, and he's in a contract year, which he very likely might win from Chicago based on his performances. However, his $3.5 million cap hit is already starting to push rather high, and with the Blackhawks still being cap-strapped, Chicago may have no choice but to let him walk to a team that tends him an offer sheet.
Colorado Avalanche: Milan Hejduk
8 of 30
Stats: G:15 A:27 P:42
Capt Hit: $3.0 million
He's a grizzled veteran with a ton of NHL experience, and he's putting up some good numbers on a Colorado team that's rather surprisingly contending for a playoff position again this season. 42 points is nothing to scoff at, but that being said he's also going to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and it's getting to the point where his age makes signing him risky. If he can continue to put up numbers like he is this season then the investment is well worth it, but if he can't, Colorado would be bound by a contract they really can't afford to stay competitive.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jan Hejda
9 of 30
Stats: G:2 A:7 P:9
Cap Hit: $2.0 million
Jan Hejda has been possibly the most consistent member of an extremely lackluster and inconsistent Columbus defense. His cap hit is a rather nice $2 million, but the only problem is I'm not sure if he's really worth much more than that. His production is extremely low, and his defensive talents have been mediocre, as exemplified by his 9 points and minus-8 rating. Columbus has been streaky, and while they've managed to string together a few win streaks here and there, they're nowhere near consistent enough to the point where they can make the playoffs, and unless the Blue Jackets can put a consistent act together on the ice , they won't be still standing come spring time. However, if players like Hejda can step up, they could be a shock entry into the big dance, which would only increase their value.
Dallas Stars: Brad Richards
10 of 30
Stats: G:20 A:37 P:57
Cap Hit: $7.8 million
Those hockey fans and analysts who realize that the NHL actually exists out west in something called the Pacific Division will no doubt already know the name Brad Richards because it's been connected in trade rumors to nearly every team that would love a superstar veteran goal-scoring forward, which in short is all of them. However, a quick glance at the standings will also tell the story of how the Dallas Stars are tearing apart the NHL, stringing together win after win in what many are considering to be the biggest cinderella run of this year. The biggest reason behind this: Brad Richards. The X-year-old has a whopping 57 points on the year, leading the Stars and almost single-handedly carrying them to a playoff berth. Even better for him: he's in a contract year, meaning this performance will no doubt be remembered in negotiations. The only downside to his situation is the fact that he's already producing a massive $7.8 million cap hit, something that very few teams can afford and even fewer can afford to top.
Detroit Red Wings: Nicklas Lidstrom
11 of 30
Stats: G:11 A:31 P:42
Cap Hit: $6.2 million
Detroit is one of several teams who have a number of key free agents this summer, and despite the fact that names like Kris Draper and Mike Modano are unrestricted free agents as well, the name of Nick Lidstrom trumps them all. The veteran Swedish defenseman and founder of the “Nick Lidstrom School of Losing Your Foreign Accent” is getting up there in age at 40 years old, but like Selanne in Anaheim, is showing that in some cases age really is just a number. A whopping 42 points is in the top 10 in the NHL, and his performances gave him the honor of being one of the inaugural captains in the newly-formatted NHL All-Star Game. However, with Detroit looking poised to make another serious run at the Stanley Cup this season, expect Lidstrom to resign in Detroit if he doesn't decide to retire.
Edmonton Oilers: Andrew Cogliano
12 of 30
Stats: G:1 A:11 P:18
Cap Hit: $1.0 million
There's some good news and some depressing, bad news about the Edmonton Oilers contract picture this year. On one hand they really don't have any big-name, high-skill players becoming free agents this summer, meaning this will be an easier summer for the Oilers. However, the depressing part is that there really isn't much in the way of big-name, high-skill players on the Edmonton roster at all. The Oilers are once again the laughing stock of the Western Conference and look to be bound for a lottery draft pick for the fourth consecutive season. Cogliano may be a free agent this summer and does have some budding potential, but don't expect him to move anywhere because of his restricted status and rather low production this season.
Florida Panthers: Tomas Vokoun
13 of 30
Record: 17-16-3 (5 shutouts), GAA: 2.51, SV%: .923
Cap Hit: $5.7 million
Tomas Vokoun has had a productive career in the NHL, and many times has been the only thing keeping the Florida Panthers competitive over the past several years. However, at the age of 35, Vokoun has got to be contemplating calling it a career and hanging up the goalie pads for good. Now seems like a great time as well since his contract is expiring this summer and his contract negotiations more than likely probably will not go well since he hasn't put up fantastic numbers in a while. However Florida should try to hold onto this grizzled veteran since they really lack in the goaltending depth department.
Los Angeles Kings: Drew Doughty
14 of 30
Stats: G:4 A:22 P:26
Cap Hit: $3.475 million ($0.875 million salary, $2.6 million in bonuses)
The Kings will be an interesting case this summer as they have a number of very high-profile free agents to resign if they want to keep their talented core of young guns in tact. So far they've managed to lock down Jack Johnson for another 7 years, but they also have names like Michal Handzus, Justin Williams, Wayne Simmonds, and Brad Richardson still waiting to be resigned. On top of all of those, Drew Doughty is a restricted free agent this summer, and with a Norris Trophy nomination under his belt and potential to get even better, the Kings will be expected to give him a very significant pay raise this summer. If not, there's a host of NHL teams that would love to tender him an offer sheet with a very handsome sum that might handcuff the Kings if they aren't willing or are unable to match it.
Minnesota Wild: Andrew Brunette
15 of 30
Stats: G:12 A:16 P:28
Cap Hit: $2.333 million
Andrew Brunette is a talented left-winger who would likely benefit from a change of scenery. Minnesota has been rather lackluster over the past couple years, and the Wild haven't really been able to adapt to the new brand of “more exciting” hockey brought in by Coach Todd Richards. Brunette has quietly been having a decent year with 28 points, and just tonight eclipsing the 1,000 games benchmark. However, the Wild are in need of some sort of a roster tweak if they want to have any hope of securing a solid playoff spot, and the 37-year-old might be one of the first people to go this summer, if he doesn't decide to retire.
Montreal Canadiens: Roman Hamrlik
16 of 30
Stats: G:4 A:17 P:21
Cap Hit: $5.5 million
Hamrlik is an aging veteran defenseman who has found a good home in Montreal, however his age is really starting to show, and at 36 years old, some are beginning to think there isn't much left in the tank for the Czech born blueliner. The Canadiens might resign him to keep their very stingy defense that's currently got them cruising to the playoffs intact, but Hamrlik might be forced to find a different home this summer if the Habs decide to go in a younger direction.
Nashville Predators: Shea Weber
17 of 30
Stats: G:9 A:22 P:31
Cap Hit: $4.5 million
Shea Weber has taken the NHL by storm as essentially the perfect model for a defenseman. He's big (6'4”, 234 lbs.), can play excellent defense (+6) rating, and can very dangerously contribute offensively (his 31 points are 14th among NHL defensemen). Additionally, he's the only guy who in recent years has been able push Zdeno Chara for the hardest shot in the NHL. Still not convinced? At the age of 25, he's already been to the All-Star game twice, and both times his cannon of a slap shot has come second only to Chara.
New Jersey Devils: Zach Parise
18 of 30
Stats: G:3 A:3 P:6
Cap Hit: $3.125 million
Zach Parise is considered one of the best American-born players in the NHL today, but he was extreme unfortunate early on this season to be struck down with a knee injury in a game against the Los Angeles Kings way back on October 30. However, in his previous 5 NHL seasons, he eclipsed the 30 goal plateau 4 times, and one time finished with a whopping 45 tallies. You have to wonder how much different this season might be for the Devils if he had been healthy all along. But that being said I don't think the Devils will hesitate to resign this superstar left-winger, but he is a free agent this summer so expect to see him possibly consider looking around the league to consider some other options.
New York Islanders: Michael Grabner
19 of 30
Stats: G:15 A:6 P:21
Cap Hit: $0.843 million
Michael Grabner, the Austrian born right-winger, is the most recent winner of the NHL's Fastest Skater competition, beating out speedsters like Martin St. Louis and fellow rookie Taylor Hall in one of the premiere All-Star Super Skills attractions. Grabner is a restricted free agent this summer, but that being said this NHL rookie has proven himself to be a goldmine of potential talent, and the Isles will likely be fighting off several offer sheets to keep him in their roster. The Isles do have a significant advantage however, as they have an enormous $18.8 million of spare cap room.
New York Rangers: Ryan Callahan
20 of 30
Stats: G:10 A:13 P:23
Cap Hit: $2.3 million
Glen Sather has developed a reputation for badly overpaying mediocre and underperforming players, making the Rangers a consistently struggling franchise that is always answering the offseason questions of who they're planning on keeping. Ryan Callahan is a player they really should do their best to hold on to as he's got the potential to be a great player for many years ahead. Unfortunately he's been injured for much of this year, missing 19 games due to a broken hand, which would serve to justify his numbers. However, the Rangers will likely have to fight off at least one offer sheet as Callahan would make a great target for a team in need of a good player at the right wing position.
Ottawa Senators: Chris Phillips
21 of 30
Stats: G:0 A:3 P:3
Cap Hit: $3.5 million
You want to talk about someone sitting in the chateau bow wow right now, look no further than Chris Phillips. Making a cap hit of $3.5 million, Phillips has been absolutely terrible for the lightning this season, notching only 3 points, all of them being assists. This former key cog to the wheel that got the Ottawa Senators to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007 has since fallen drastically in his usefulness on the ice. And to add to his woes, the 32 year old is now battling for a contract next season, something that it's looking less and less likely with each passing game that he's going to get.
Philadelphia Flyers: Ville Leino
22 of 30
Stats: G:11 A:25 P:36
Cap Hit: $0.8 million
The Flyers are stacked for years to come, with their high-skill core locked down for at least two more years. However, the salary cap era of the NHL has taught us that all teams have cycles of dominance followed by sharp declines into rebuilding years. The Flyers are at their peak right now, and if they want to have any hope of extending it for as long as possible, they have to keep their depth players in their system. Ville Leino is part of that depth. At the age of 27 he's not exactly a young gun anymore but he's a key part of the Flyers lineup nonetheless. The only downside to this is he's an unrestricted free agent this summer, and that could see him walk to a team that's going to pay him more to play a more key role in their lineup.
Phoenix Coyotes: Keith Yandle
23 of 30
Stats: G:9 A:36 P:45
Cap Hit: $1.2 million
This name should sound familiar to anyone who pays attention to NHL statistics; Keith Yandle is leading the league's defensemen in scoring with an incredible 45 points. Who would have thought with all the elite names in the many big markets of the NHL that a 24-year-old American-born defenseman playing for the Phoenix Coyotes would be the most productive defenseman in the NHL. Even better news for the Desert Dogs is the fact that Yandle is a restricted free agent so they have the ability to lock him up with a very handsome contract, so expect Yandle to get a great pay raise and a long term deal in Phoenix this summer.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Maxime Talbot
24 of 30
Stats: G:5 A:7 P:12
Cap Hit: $1.050 million
The man designated as the “Team Bachelor” thanks to the “24/7 Penguins-Capitals” series on HBO is officially in a contract year, and it's being rumored that his days in Pittsburgh may be numbered, as the Pens look for personnel to cut to make room for youth and pay raises for their depth players to keep their system intact (Such as Pascal Dupuis, also a free agent this summer). Talbot is a restricted free agent, meaning the Penguins have the rights to his services, but they may be unwilling to take him back, and they may let him walk to whomever can tender him an offer sheet. They may also be looking to let him leave at the trade deadline for a draft pick or two, which would be a win-win situation for the Penguins, who would gain some youth and clear some cap room with such a deal.
St. Louis Blues: Eric Brewer
25 of 30
Stats: G:8 A:6 P:14
Cap Hit: $4.250 million
The captain of the St. Louis Blues has been underperforming this season, demonstrating that it may be time for him to seek different pastures. Between his lowered production numbers and the maturing of young defensive hotshots Erik Johnson and Alex Pietrangelo, there really doesn't seem like much of a place left in the lineup for the Canadian-born defenseman with a rather large cap number. Doing away with Brewer could potentially open up the Blues to have room to bring in another young, talented player, and possibly put the Blues over the hump, and possibly see them return to their former glory of the mid-90's. They've got the talent, they just can't seem to string together the success. Perhaps a change in personnel will improve overall performance on the ice.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos
26 of 30
Stats: G:39 A:29 P:68
Cap Hit: $3.725 million ($2.85 million in bonuses)
You heard me right, this is the first contract year in what will likely be a long and glorious career for Steven Stamkos. As of right now, Stamkos is making only $875,000 per season with a whopping $2.85 million in bonuses. He's a restricted free agent so don't expect him to leave Tampa Bay this summer. But that being said the Lightning will definitely have to pony up the cash for him, and this could stick the Lightning, who already have two of the highest paid players in the NHL in Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis in their lineup, into quite a difficult situation. But I mean come on... look at those point totals! He's leading the charge for the Rocket Richard trophy this year, after sharing it with Sidney Crosby last year. Don't be surprised if he walks away with it either
Toronto Maple Leafs: Tomas Kaberle
27 of 30
Stats: G:1, A:29, P:31
Cap Hit: $4.25 million
So I'm willing to be the big question on your mind is why did I choose Tomas Kaberle over Jean-Sebastian Giguere when it comes to the big free agent in the Maple Leafs roster this summer. My short and simple answer is availability. Tomas Kaberle has been underperforming for the Maple Leafs for quite some time now and, thanks to a no-trade clause in a long-term contract, has made it incredibly difficult for the Leafs to get rid of him. This combination alone has definitely not endeared him to the passionate fans in the Leafs' Nation, and I'm very confident that once this contract that has haunted Toronto and held back their agonizingly long rebuild is finally out of their payroll, the Maple Leafs will be saying goodbye and good riddance. That pretty much guarantees this big-salary defenseman will be available for the taking, if your team is willing to take the risk on him.
San Jose Sharks: Devin Setoguchi
28 of 30
Stats: G:10 A:6 P:16
Cap Hit: $1.8 million
Devin Setoguchi has developed into a stellar player for the San Jose Sharks, and has eclipsed the 20-goal plateau twice in his 3 previous years in the NHL, including a 31-goal campaign in 2008-2009. However the Sharks have struggled this season, and Devin Setoguchi's numbers are not what the San Jose faithful have come to expect from the speedy right winger. With the front office looking for answers, they may not be willing to resign Setoguchi if he can't pull his act together by the end of the season. He's a restricted free agent, so the Sharks will have the opportunity to match offer sheets tended to him. The question is, however, will they want to?
Vancouver Canucks: Kevin Bieksa
29 of 30
Stats: G:6, A:11, P:17
Cap Hit: $3.75 million
The Canucks haven't exactly been shopping Bieksa away this offseason, but they are kinda strapped for cap room and would love to be able make some movement if they need to, and that might see the end of his days in Vancouver. He'd make a great rental player for a team looking to add some gritty defensive depth for a playoff run if Vancouver was willing to give him up. However I don't think the Canucks will resign him, particularly if he's demanding a pay raise, which is something they really can't afford for a depth defenseman.
Washington Capitals: Semyon Varlamov
30 of 30
Stats: Record: 8-7-4 (2 shutouts), GAA: 2.14, SV%: .928
Cap Hit: $0.822 million
The Capitals managed to lure Alexander Semin back for another year, which really leaves the Capitals pretty much intact for the next year or so. However, they still are in need of resigning their young goaltender who's showing a large amount of promise. Semyon Varlamov has been struggling with a nagging groin injury that's kept him out for several games, but the Capitals are showing that they have the faith in him to be their bona-fide starter for years to come. Therefore I wouldn't expect Varlamov, a restricted free agent, to move anywhere this summer, but that being said he is available to test the waters a little bit and we may get a glimpse of how teams value the Russian-born netminder.
