A free agent frenzy on Canada Day
PREDATORS TAKE DEEP DIVE INTO NHL POOL, ACQUIRE STAMKOS, SKJEI AND MARCHESSAULT
Happy Canada Day. Indeed, there was a frenzy as free agency in the National Hockey League went into full swing on Monday, with general managers keeping to the script and backing up the trucks to players across the league.
We take a quick look at the biggest signings on the day (all figures in U.S. dollars):
JAKE GUENTZEL, LW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Tampa traded for Guentzel’s rights and got his signature on a seven-year deal with an annual average value (AAV) of $9 million. It’s pricey — Guentzel’s career-high for goals in a season is 40, done twice — but he has demonstrated he can score in the playoffs with 38 goals in 69 career post-season games. Will he be a viable replacement for Steven Stamkos? We’ll see.
SAM REINHART, RW, FLORIDA PANTHERS
After scoring a career-high 57 goals, the thinking was that Reinhart could get north of $11 million on the open market. Instead, the Panthers re-signed him to the maximum eight years with an AAV of $8.625 million. It’s a win for the Stanley Cup champions.
ELIAS LINDHOLM, C, BOSTON BRUINS
Despite a season in which Lindholm had just 15 goals and 29 assists in 75 games with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, he cashed in with the Bruins at seven years and a $7.75 million AAV. The 29-year-old rebounded with a good playoff for the Canucks and will shore up the Bruins down the middle.
CHRIS TANEV, D, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
The Leafs signed Tanev to a six-year pact with an AAV of $4.5 million after acquiring his rights from the Dallas Stars. At 34, the Leafs will have to get his best in the next couple of seasons, because with the engaged manner that Tanev employs, they’ll have to hope he remains healthy. Tanev is the shutdown defenceman that the Leafs desperately needed.
STEVEN STAMKOS, C, NASHVILLE PREDATORS
When you think of the Lightning, you think of Stamkos. Period. It’s hard to believe, still, that it came to this for the now-former Lightning captain. Stamkos gets four years with an AAV of $8 million. He has scored 40 goals in two of the past three seasons, so there is no slowing down at the age of 34.
BRANDON MONTOUR, D, SEATTLE KRAKEN
Among the biggest blueline prizes in free agency, Montour gets seven years with the Kraken at an AAV of $7.14 million. The 30-yearold Montour was a key piece for the Panthers in their run to the Cup, logging a teamhigh average of 23 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time per game.
BRADY SKJEI, D, NASHVILLE PREDATORS
The 30-year-old Skjei had his best offensive season in the NHL, putting up 47 points (13 goals and 34 assists) in 80 games for the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s solid on both sides of the puck, and fully deserving of his seven-year contract that has an AAV of $7 million.
JAKE DEBRUSK, W, VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Debrusk dipped to 19 goals last season with the Bruins after scoring at least 25 in each of the previous two years. He had a good post-season with 11 points in 13 games and will provide the Canucks with some scoring punch. At seven years with an AAV of $5.5 million, the contract could work in the team’s favour with each passing year.
JONATHAN MARCHESSAULT, RW, NASHVILLE PREDATORS
With Stamkos, Skjei and Marchessault, the Predators could wind up being the winners on the day. Marchessault had a career-high 42 goals last season with the Vegas Golden Knights and brings Cup experience from the Knights’ win in 2022. At five years and an AAV of $5.5 million, he should fill the net for the Predators.
BRETT PESCE, D, NEW JERSEY DEVILS
At six years and an AAV of $5.5 million, the Devils get a player who carved a reputation with the Carolina Hurricanes as a solid shutdown performer. Without the puck, there is little he does not do well, and will be a key part of the Devils under new coach Sheldon Keefe.
CHANDLER STEPHENSON, C, SEATTLE KRAKEN
The Kraken needed a greater veteran presence, and with his Cup ring from 2022 with the Golden Knights, Stephenson will help provide that. At seven years and an average annual value of $6.25 million, the 30-year-old centre will look to get back to the 65-point range after he had 51 in 75 games last season.
NIKITA ZADOROV, D, BOSTON BRUINS
The Bruins landed the big defenceman with a six-year contract and an average annual value of $5 million. Zadorov will add some bite to Boston’s various rivalries in the Atlantic Division. But will his contract be too much for someone who could be on the third pair? We’ll see.
TYLER TOFFOLI, RW, SAN JOSE SHARKS
Toffoli got a good contract with the Sharks at four years and an AAV of $6 million. That should provide some comfort for him on a Sharks team, even with Macklin Celebrini, that is a long way from getting back to contender status. Toffoli scored 33 goals last season with New Jersey and Winnipeg after scoring 34 two years ago with Calgary.