The Real Winners and Losers from the 1st Day of NHL Free Agency

Ladies and gentlemen, it's on.

The offseason free-for-all that is unrestricted free agency began Friday, with NHL teams eligible to sign players when doors to the open market were throw open at noon ET.

All sorts of players were available to sign, and general managers were not hesitant to make calls to bring new talent into the fold.

That said, while many contracts were offered and several recognizable players changed teams, several others remained in limbo between where they ended last season and where they're expected to start the next.

The B/R ice hockey team was busily taking it all in and came up with a list of winners and losers from Day 1 of the signing period. Read on to see how our thoughts stacked up with yours, and, as always, don't hesitate to drop a comment or two to let us know how we did.                      

Winner: Goalies Getting Paid

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

If you're the accountant or financial planner for an NHL free-agent goalie, congratulations.

The guys who guard the nets got rewarded in a big way, with five signing multiyear deals worth seven figures or more, while one other signed for a single year in a similar tax bracket.

Leading the way is Jacob Markstrom, who got six years and $36 million from the Calgary Flames after spending the last three seasons as a full-time starter with the Vancouver Canucks.

Markstrom opted for free agency after his three-year, $11 million deal with the Canucks expired and the sides were unable to agree on an extension. He won a career-high 28 games with Vancouver in 2018-19 and followed up with 23 wins, a 2.75 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 2019-20.

He'll arrive in the Flames locker room as a replacement for Cam Talbot, who signed a three-year, $11 million deal with the Minnesota Wild.

Meanwhile, filling the vacancy in Vancouver is 2018 Stanley Cup winner Braden Holtby, who left the Washington Capitals and got two years and $8.6 million. Holtby is expected to share time with rising star Thatcher Demko, while Washington took a one-year chance on 2011-12 Vezina Trophy winner Henrik Lundqvist after the New York Rangers bought out the final year of his deal.

Lundqvist signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Capitals.

Among the goalies staying put in their current cities are Anton Khudobin, who backstopped the Dallas Stars to a Stanley Cup Final and got three years and $10 million; and Malcolm Subban, who got two years and $1.7 million from the Chicago Blackhawks after they chose not to re-up veteran Corey Crawford.        

Winner: GMs Hunting for Bargains

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

To the thrifty go the spoils.

Or at least that's the way it felt on Day 1, when general managers shored up areas with lesser-known talent.

And, in this case, lesser-known translates to lesser paid. Chalk it up to a salary cap that stayed flat at $81.5 million and a future in which team revenues amid a pandemic are uncertain.

Case in point—while a prayed-for (at least by Oilers fans) return to Edmonton for Taylor Hall didn't materialize, general manager Ken Holland did pull the trigger on two deals for forwards making far less combined than what the 2017-18 MVP and 2010 first overall selection is likely to command.

Tyler Ennis signed a one-year, $1 million deal to stay with the Oilers after arriving there in a February trade-deadline swap from the Ottawa Senators. He scored four points in nine regular-season games and played well with superstar Connor McDavid, adding a goal and an assist in three qualifying-round games before breaking a leg and missing the finale of a four-game elimination by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ex-Nashville Predators forward Kyle Turris is also in the fold. He'll get $3.3 million over two years after the Predators bought out of the final four seasons on a six-year, $36 million contract signed in 2017. Turris scored at least 24 goals in three of his four campaigns before he went to Nashville during a midseason trade. 

But while big-ticket players like Hall and Alex Pietrangelo are still looking for landing spots, four-time 30-goal scorer Bobby Ryan signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings, six-year pro Tyler Pitlick got two years and $3.5 million from the Arizona Coyotes and Wayne Simmonds (251 career goals) is now a Toronto Maple Leaf on a one-year, $1.5 million contract.        

Loser: The Core of a Champion

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Make no mistake—Julien BriseBois isn't likely to trade his plight.

Nevertheless, the reality for the general manager of the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, particularly with a flat salary cap, is that he's going to lose some players before the banner-hanging ceremony.

And while Patrick Maroon (two years, $1.8 million) and Luke Schenn (one year, $800,000) are staying put thanks to deals they signed Friday, those heading to the exit included defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who's off to the Anaheim Ducks for $11.7 million over three years.

Shattenkirk played 70 games for the Lightning in the regular season and another 25 in the playoffs after coming over from the Rangers, who bought out the final two years of his four-year, $26 million contract.

His 39 career power-play goals will help a man-advantage attack in Anaheim that was 30th out of 31 teams during the 2019-20 campaign.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old center Carter Verhaeghe, who joined the Florida Panthers, signed a pact for $2 million over two years.

He'll likely play a third- or fourth-line role after scoring nine goals and four assists in 52 games with the Lightning in his first NHL season. A year earlier, he'd scored 34 goals in 76 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL.     

Loser: Instant Fan Gratification

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

Funny how Friday felt a lot like Tuesday.

Just like on Day 1 of the NHL draft, when rumored trades never materialized, fans who thought the opening day of free agency would yield one giant move after another were left unsatisfied.

The Vegas Golden Knights re-signed goaltender Robin Lehner—one of our top five unrestricted free agents—last week.

Taylor Hall is still out there after splitting 2019-20 with the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes, while Alex Pietrangelo, a stalwart defenseman on a 2018-19 Stanley Cup champion, is looking for work after 12 seasons with the St. Louis Blues.

Hall has been linked with the Colorado Avalanche, among others, and Pietrangelo is exploring offers while leaving the door open to stay with the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2008, according to Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic.

Former Florida Panthers winger Mike Hoffman and Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Tyson Barrie are also available, both of whom are likely to command big money.

So buckle up, fans, and be patient. The ride's not over yet.   

Winner: Caps-Rangers Intrigue

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Attention, ticket speculators.

If there's one New York Rangers game to circle on next season's schedule, make it the one in which the Washington Capitals visit Madison Square Garden for the first time.

Of course, no one knows when it'll be and whether fans will be allowed in the building, but there's sure to be intrigue because of the presence of a certain royally nicknamed goalie.

Henrik Lundqvist, known simply as The King since arriving on the Midtown Manhattan scene 15 winters ago, will enter the building for the first time as a visiting player.

The 2011-12 Vezina Trophy winner and holder of every significant franchise goaltending record, Lundqvist saw his run with the Rangers come to an end when the team bought out the final year of his seven-year, $59 million contract at the end of September.

On Friday, he joined his second NHL team when he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Capitals.

"A new journey begins with ONE goal in mind," Lundqvist said on Twitter. "I'm really excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Capitals. See you soon, DC!"       

Winner: D-Men Getting Paid

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Just like a good championship team, free agency is built from the goal crease out.

While the goaltenders got big offers to change teams early on the initial day of open-market machinations, the guys on the blue line started making headway as the day wore on.

Eight-year veteran Justin Schultz got things going by taking a two-year, $8 million from the Capitals, and things picked up when TJ Brodie got four years and $20 million from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brodie spent 10 seasons with the Calgary Flames, netting 48 goals and 266 points.

But the biggest deal didn't come until after 8 p.m. ET, when longtime Boston Bruins blueliner Torey Krug broke ties with the only NHL team he'd ever played for and signed a seven-year, $45.5 million contract with the Blues.

It was not only the highest-value deal of the day, but it also all but guaranteed that the biggest defensive name available, Alex Pietrangelo, wouldn't be returning to St. Louis after playing 758 games for the franchise. 

Salary information courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise noted.