NHL Free Agents: Who Stays and Who Goes for the Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks came as close as you can get to the Stanley Cup without actually winning it, losing in Game 7 to the Boston Bruins.
Now that a few days have passed since their disappointing loss, the Canucks need to start planning for the 2011-2012 season. The draft is coming up shortly, but more importantly, they need to make decisions about their impending free agents before July 1.
The Canucks have three restricted free agents and eight unrestricted free agents who played roles in their playoff run.
This is the single greatest time that general managers have to manipulate their rosters, so Mike Gillis of the Canucks will be carefully assessing the playoff performances of these free agents to determine who stays and who goes.
*All salary cap numbers are courtesy of Capgeek.
Maxim Lapierre (RFA)
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Previous Contract: one year, $900,000 cap hit
Qualifying Offer: $945,000
25 playoff games played
Five points (three goals, two assists)
Plus-two rating
83 hits
12 blocked shots
13:34 average ice time
51 percent on faceoffs
This 26-year-old center was a key playoff performer for the Canucks, stepping up to take over the third line center role during Manny Malhotra's injury. Canucks management will want him to tone down the agitating, but expect to see Lapierre back in a Canucks jersey and centering the fourth line next fall.
Jannik Hansen (RFA)
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6’1” 195 pounds
Previous Contract: one year, $825,000 cap hit
Qualifying Offer: $866,250
25 playoff games played
Nine points (three goals, six assists)
Plus-seven rating
39 hits
15 blocked shots
15:50 average ice time
Hansen is only 25 years old and is in line for a significant raise come July 1 after a breakout regular season and then a successful playoff run. Expect to see him signed to a new multi-year contract before training camp.
Victor Oreskovich (RFA)
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Previous Contract: Two years, $575,000 cap hit
Qualifying Offer: $605,500
19 playoff games played
Zero points
Minus-six rating
35 hits
Five blocked shots
At 6'3" and 215 pounds, Oreskovich brings considerable size along with good speed. He should develop into a good fourth liner for the 2011-2012 season. Expect to see him resign with the Canucks for that reason, but also, if the Canucks were to let him walk away, they would have nothing to show for their draft deal trade with Florida last summer.
The Canucks gave up their first round pick, Steve Bernier and Michael Grabner in exchange for Oreskovich and the much maligned Keith Ballard. If for no other reason than saving face, Mike Gillis will re-sign Oreskovich.
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Chris Higgins (UFA)
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Left Wing
28 years old
6’ 205 pounds
Previous Contract: One year, $1,600,000 cap hit
25 playoff games played
Eight points (four goals, four assists)
Plus-one rating
70 hits
16 blocked shots
17:08 average ice time
Higgins had a good playoffs for the Canucks, considering that he was playing on a broken foot since midway through the second round, which hampered his foot speed. Still, he managed to get in on the forecheck and use his body effectively. His goal scoring wasn't as prolific as the Canucks might have liked, but it was timely, with three of his four goals being game winners.
Higgins might be back, depending on how the Canucks feel about Mason Raymond and Mikael Samuelson, his internal competition for the second line winger roles.
Raffi Torres (UFA)
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Left Wing
29 years old
6’ 216 pounds
Previous Contract: One year, $1,000,000 cap hit
23 playoff games played
Seven points (three goals, four assists)
Plus-two rating
54 hits
Nine blocked shots
11:51 average ice time
Torres will be back. Last summer, he was unwanted and went until late August before signing with the Canucks. This summer, after a nice playoff run, he won't have to wait before the offers start coming in.
I think the Canucks will offer him a new contract prior to July 1, and I think Torres would accept it. He fit in well with the Canucks, the organization supported him through the controversy over his hits on Eberle and Seabrook and most importantly, Torres has success with the Canucks. I don't think he'd risk going to another team and bombing like he did in Buffalo when he could stay in Vancouver. On the Canucks part, they need more players like Torres to bang and crash, so it makes sense that they'd keep him if at all possible.
Expect a small raise, but Torres should still be making under $2,000,000. Ideally, it'd be a short term, one or two year, contract to keep him from being complacent.
*Torres is also No. 44 on Bleacher Report's list of the Top 50 NHL Free Agents.
Tanner Glass (UFA)
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Left Wing
27 years old
6’1” 210 pounds
Previous Contract: One year, $625,000 cap hit
20 playoff games played
Zero points
Minus-five rating
33 hits
11 blocked shots
7:28 average ice time
I don't expect Glass to be back with the Canucks next season. With the expected push to add more size and physicality to the lineup, I'd expect Glass to be facing competition from both Raffi Torres, who is more effective, and Victor Oreskovich, who is bigger, younger and cheaper.
Assuming that those other two stay with the Canucks as I predict, Glass will be the odd man out.
Jeff Tambellini (UFA)
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Left Wing
27 years old
5’11” 186 pounds
Previous Contract: One year, $500,000 cap hit
Six playoff games played
Zero points
Minus-three rating
11 hits
Two blocked shots
7:12 average ice time
Tambellini is in an odd situation. He grew up in Vancouver, and signed a two way contract at the league minimum last summer, when he could have gotten more money or a guaranteed contract elsewhere.
He is versatile, with enough speed and skill to fill in on the top lines if necessary, as he did when Alex Burrows was injured last season. He also has enough grit and defensive awareness to play on the fourth line, as was more common.
But he doesn't excel at either role.
Will he be willing to be the 13th forward again in order to stay with his hometown club? If so, I can see him staying. If he pushes for a significant raise or a one way contract, or if a rookie (Cody Hodgson?) makes a push in training camp, that might spell the end of Tambellini's run in Vancouver.
Kevin Bieksa (UFA)
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Defenseman
30 years old
6’1” 198 pounds
Previous Contract: Three years, $3,750,000 cap hit
25 playoff games played
10 points (Five goals, five assists)
Plus-six rating
88 hits
32 blocked shots
25:40 average ice time
What a difference a year makes. Last summer, most Canucks fans couldn't wait to trade Bieksa out of town. This summer, most fans would be up in arms if he left as a free agent.
Bieksa enjoyed a relatively injury free year after a pair of years with freak skate cut injuries that hobbled him.
Buoyed by a good regular season and an "A" on his jersey, Bieksa was the Canucks best defencemen in the playoffs, leading them in ice time, hits and goals, as well as coming in second for overall points.
Bieksa is good friends with longtime teammates on the Canucks and recently started major renovations on his Vancouver home. That is a good omen for Canucks fans, who can expect to hear about a new contract for Bieksa before he hits free agency on July 1.
*Bieksa is No. 15 on Bleacher Report's list of the Top 50 NHL Free Agents.
Sami Salo (UFA)
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Defenseman
36 years old
6’3” 212 pounds
Previous Contract: Four years, $3,500,000 cap hit
21 playoff games played
Five points (three goals, two assists)
Minus-four rating
21 hits
17 blocked shots
19:13 average ice time
The third longest serving Canuck behind the Sedin twins, Sami Salo might be seeing his tenure in Vancouver coming to a close. Mike Gillis will be looking to reshape the defence, and Salo will need to take a paycut in order to stay with the team, as he has slipped down the depth chart.
Still, if he is willing to take a contract in the $2,000,000 range, Salo might return to help anchor the third pairing and mentor promising rookie Chris Tanev.
*Salo is No. 40 on Bleacher Report's list of the Top 50 NHL Free Agents.
Christian Ehrhoff (UFA)
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Defenseman
28 years old
6’2” 203 pounds
Previous Contract: Three years, $3,100,000 cap hit
23 playoff games played
12 points (Two goals, 10 assists)
Minus-13 rating
23 hits
26 blocked shots
22:26 average ice time
Ehrhoff is the defenceman I think is most likely to leave as a free agent. As the best offensive defenceman available as an unrestricted free agent, Ehrhoff should be able to command a salary in excess of $5,000,000 on July 1.
He would have to take a considerable paycut to stay with the Canucks, unless they were willing to let Kevin Bieksa go in turn. Ehrhoff has stated repeatedly that he wants to test the market on July 1st, so he doesn't seem open to a hometown discount.
Don't be surprised if Ehrhoff is one of the first signings announced on July 1st, as teams will be lining up for him. Could he be a replacement for Rafalski in Detroit?
*Ehrhoff is No. 10 on Bleacher Report's list of the Top 50 NHL Free Agents.
Andrew Alberts (UFA)
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Defenseman
29 years old
6’5” 218 pounds
Previous Contract: Two years, $1,050,000 cap hit
Nine playoff games played
Zero points
Minus-eight rating
29 hits
10 blocked shots
12:48 average ice time
Andrew Alberts is a very physical defenceman, but he fell to eighth on the Canucks depth chart during their playoff run. He may return to the Canucks if he is willing to take roughly the same salary, but again, will cycle in and out of the press box depending on injuries.
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