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NHL Offseason Topic! | 2014 Draft | Free Agency | Rumours!
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NHL Offseason Topic! | 2014 Draft | Free Agency | Rumours!Posted:

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It's come to that dreaded time of year once again... The offseason. It isn't all bad though! The offseason marks the NHL Entry Draft and the re-signing/free agency period which can be very active and hold some surprises.

As all of you NHL fans out there will know, last Friday was the 2014 1st Round Draft live from Philadelphia, Rounds 2-7 following on the Saturday. Below you will find just the 1st Round picks from the Draft as they are the most important!

Round 1

1. Aaron Ekblad - Florida Panthers
2. Sam Reinhart - Buffalo Sabres
3. Leon Draisaitl - Edmonton Oilers
4. Samuel Bennett - Calgary Flames
5. Michael Dal Colle - New York Islanders
6. Jake Virtanen - Vancouver Canucks
7. Haydn Fleury - Carorlina Hurricanes
8. William Nylander - Toronto Maple Leafs
9. Nikolaj Ehlers - Winnipeg Jets
10. Nicholas Ritchie - Anahiem Ducks
11. Kevin Fiala - Nashville Predators
12. Brendan Perlini - Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes
13. Jakub Vrana - Washington Capitals
14. Julias Honka - Dallas Stars
15. Dylan Larkin - Detroit Red Wings
16. Sonny Milano - Columbus Blue Jackets
17. Travis Sanheim - Philadelphia Flyers
18. Alex Tuch - Minesota Wild
19. Anthony Deangelo - Tampa Bay Lightning
20. Nick Schmaltz - Chicago Blackhawks
21. Robert Fabbri - St. Louis Blues
22. Kasperi Kapanen - Pittsburgh Penguins
23. Conner Bleackly - Colorado Avalanche
24. Jared McCann - Vancouver Canucks (Aquired from Anaheim for Ryan Kesler)
25. David Pastrnak - Boston Bruins
26. Nikita Scherbak - Montreal Canadiens
27. Nikolay Goldobin - San Jose Sharks
28. Joshua Ho-Sang - New York Islanders
29. Adrian Kempe - Los Angeles Kings
30. John Quenneville - New Jersey Devils





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From July 1st, the NHL Free Agency period begins. During this time banks will be broken, contracts will be agreed upon, and players will be set for life. Some of the high-end talent on the market besides a select few players, Colorado's Paul Stastny, Boston's Jarome Iginla and Pittsburgh's Matt Niskanen! This seasons salary cap has been raised by $5m to $69m.

Centers

1) Paul Stastny Stastny is the only No. 1 center in the prime of his career available in this years UFA class. Hes coming off a strong bounce-back season in which he tallied 60 points (25 goals, 35 assists) in 71 games (including 10 points in seven playoff games). Hes a quality goal scorer, an excellent playmaker and a force on the power play. He also adds size, strength and experience to the lineup. The best option for Stastny is to remain in Colorado, where he can play alongside some of the best young forwards in the league, a group that includes Matt Duchene, Ryan OReilly, Gabriel Landeskog and Calder Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon. Best Fits: Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, Colorado

2) Mikhail Grabovski Grabovski is a hard-working two-way center who excels on faceoffs, plays well defensively and can provide about 50 points of offense. Hes not a legitimate No. 1 center, but the 30-year-old veteran would be a fantastic addition to a contending team in need of a second- or third-line center. Grabovski also is a quality puck-possession player. Best Fits: Washington, Chicago, Nashville, St. Louis, Carolina

3) Dave Bolland Injuries derailed Bollands first season in Toronto, as he missed 59 games. When healthy, the veteran center is a good faceoff man, a solid defensive player and someone who brings fantastic playoff experience and leadership as a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He could also provide around 30-40 points in a full season. Best Fits: Toronto, Nashville, St. Louis, Anaheim, Detroit, Tampa Bay

4) Brad Richards Richards was bought out by the New York Rangers after two underwhelming seasons on Broadway. With that said, Richards still is a quality offensive player capable of tallying around 50 points in a full season and providing excellent leadership as a former captain. Hes also a former Conn Smythe Trophy and Stanley Cup winner, which makes him a great target for a team on the cusp of contending for a championship. Best Fits: St. Louis, Tampa Bay, New York Islanders, Nashville, Dallas

5) Brian Boyle A few other free-agent centers are more offensively gifted than Boyle (including Olli Jokinen and David Legwand), but the Hingham, Mass., native plays an important role as a penalty killing forward who blocks shots and brings size/physicality to all three zones. Boyle also has tons of playoff experience and is capable of filling a third or fourth line role. His quality performance in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs with the New York Rangers should help him land a multi-year deal. Best Fits: Nashville, Edmonton, Detroit, Buffalo, Calgary, Toronto, Montreal


Left Wing

1) Thomas Vanek Vanek has never scored fewer than 20 goals in his nine-year career and hes an excellent skater, power-play performer and playmaker. He also brings great speed to the ice. The concern about Vanek is his lackluster performances in the playoffs, specifically in 2013-14 when he was awful for the Montreal Canadiens in their Eastern Conference final series against the New York Rangers. But as the best offensive winger on the market, Vanek is going to receive a gigantic contract anyway. Best Fits: Minnesota, New York Islanders, Detroit, Montreal, New Jersey, Ottawa, Anaheim, Nashville

2) Mike Cammalleri Cammalleri tallied 45 points (26 goals, 19 assists) in just 63 games last season, and is capable of fulfilling a second or third-line role on a contending team seeking scoring depth and playoff experience. His injury history is a concern, but the 33-year-old veteran still has several productive years left. Hes also a fine leader and a high-character player. Best Fits: Boston, Los Angeles, Calgary, Minnesota, Pittsburgh

3) Matt Moulson Moulson is a sniper, and guys with his goal-scoring credentials (four 20-plus goal seasons in the last five years) are not easy to find and very valuable. In addition to his goal scoring ability, Moulson is a quality playmaker and a threat on the power play. Hes also a high-character player and isnt a liability defensively. Best Fits: Minnesota, Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, Arizona, Florida, Philadelphia, Dallas

4) Jussi Jokinen Jokinen proved to be a valuable depth player for Pittsburgh and offers valuable versatility with his ability to provide scoring production on the wing or at center. Hes also a top-tier shootout scorer, a role that is becoming more valuable each season. Best Fits: Pittsburgh, New York Islanders, Minnesota, Anaheim, Nashville, Montreal, Toronto

5) Milan Michalek At the moment, it appears that Michalek will explore the free-agent market. Hes a quality goal scorer when healthy and brings a high hockey IQ and above-average speed to each shift. Best Fits: Pittsburgh, San Jose, St. Louis, Ottawa, Nashville, Minnesota.


Right Wing

1) Jarome Iginla Iginla has posted 12 straight non-lockout seasons of 30-plus goals and is still an elite power forward capable of excelling in a first-line role. He also provides power-play production, exceptional leadership and a wealth of playoff experience. He was a great fit in Boston last season alongside David Krejci and Milan Lucic. The Bruins want Iginla back, but the teams salary cap situation has not made reaching an extension easy. With that said, the two other teams that give Iginla the best chance to win his first Stanley Cup, Los Angeles and Chicago, also have limited cap space. Best Fits: Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago

2) Radim Vrbata Vrbata is one of the more consistent goal scorers in the league, but hes rarely talked about because he plays in a horrible hockey market in Phoenix. The 33-year-old veteran has posted four straight non-lockout seasons of 19-plus goals, including a career high of 35 in 2011-12. He also hit the 30 assist mark for the first time in his career last year. Vrbata is the perfect winger for a contending team that needs scoring depth, specifically in a third-line role. Hes also capable of making a positive impact on the power play. Best Fits: Boston, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Minnesota

3) Ales Hemsky Hemsky usually tallies between 30-50 points and provides excellent speed. Hes a gifted playmaker who would upgrade a teams power play and excel in a second or third-line role. Best Fits: Ottawa, New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville

4) Brian Gionta Gionta still is capable of playing a second-line role, but at this stage of his career and taking into consideration his recent injury issues, a third-line spot on a contending team is the best fit for him. The veteran forward provides great leadership as a captain and could still post 40-60 points in a full season. Best Fits: Montreal, Ottawa, New Jersey, Nashville, San Jose, Dallas

5) Daniel Alfredsson Alfredsson proved hes still a productive scorer by tallying 49 points in 68 games last year, but injuries late in the regular season and playoffs are a concern for a player whos 41 years old. According to reports, he will play for Detroit next season or retire. Best Fit: Detroit


Defensemen

1) Christian Ehrhoff Ehrhoff is the newest addition to the UFA market after being bought out by the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday. He led his team in ice time and tallied 33 points in 79 games last season. Ehrhoff is a top-two pairing D-man capable of quarterbacking a power play, upgrading a teams transition game and providing consistent scoring production from the back end. He also has a wealth of playoff experience. Ehrhoff likely will be the most sought after defenseman on the market given his two-way skill set and the fact that hes in the prime of his career. Best Fits: Boston, Pittsburgh, New York Islanders, San Jose, Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia

2) Anton Stralman Stralman was one of the Rangers best players in their run to the Cup Final, which significantly boosted his free-agent stock. Hes a quality playmaker, a power-play threat and capable of logging 20-plus minutes against elite competition. Stralman also emerged as a really good defensive player last season, proving that hes willing to block shots, kill penalties and excel in a shutdown role. Best Fits: New York Rangers, San Jose, Carolina, Washington, Calgary, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

3) Matt Niskanen Niskanen is a second-pairing offensive defenseman who tallied 46 points in the regular season and added nine more in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. Hes a quality puck mover, a reliable point man on the power play and skates really well. Hes not a dominant defensive player and wont impact games physically, but hes not a liability against opposing teams top-six forwards. At 27 years of age, much of Niskanens prime lies ahead. He should easily earn $5 million or more per season in his next contract. Best Fits: New York Islanders, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Vancouver, Detroit, Dallas

4) Willie Mitchell Injuries are a concern for any team interested in signing Mitchell, but he does provide several valuable skills. That list includes impressive defense, leadership, reliable penalty killing, physicality and Stanley Cup-winning experience. Hes the perfect defensive D-man for a team ready to make the jump to Cup-contender status. Best Fits: San Jose, Florida, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Columbus, Washington, Carolina

5) Dan Boyle Boyle isnt a No. 1 defenseman anymore, but hes still capable of quarterbacking a power play, providing valuable puck-moving skills and tallying between 35-50 points. His ability to log more than 20 minutes per game against quality competition also makes him valauble. The issue with signing Boyle is not his skills, its the term likely needed to acquire him. At 35 years old, giving a long-term deal to Boyle is a risky move for any team, especially one with limited cap space. Best Fits: New York Islanders, Dallas, Philadelphia, Detroit.


Goaltenders

1) Ryan Miller Miller was expected to be the final piece in St. Louis championship puzzle when the team acquired him at last years trade deadline, but he performed poorly in the playoffs and will test the free-agent market for the first time. Even at 33 years old, Miller still is an upper-echelon goalie with lots of playoff experience, a good glove hand and 20-plus wins in every full season of his career. The 2010 Vezina Trophy winner is the type of netminder capable of transforming a good team into a contending team. Best Fits: Vancouver, Pittsburgh, Minnesota

2) Jonas Hiller Hiller won 29 games and posted five shutouts last season, and also has a .932 career postseason save percentage. His free-agent stock took a hit toward the end of last season when rookie John Gibson started over him in important games against division rivals. Hiller also wasnt able to hold on to his job in the playoffs. With that said, hed still be an upgrade to at least 10 teams seeking goaltending depth. Best Fits: Edmonton, Calgary, Minnesota, Winnipeg, Vancouver

3) Martin Brodeur Brodeur is no longer a reliable starting goaltender, but the soon-to-be Hall of Famer would be a great backup on a contending team, especially one that has a young starter who lacks playoff experience. Best Fits: Pittsburgh, Toronto, Minnesota, Montreal, Dallas.





So then! What are your thoughts on some of these Free Agents?

The following 1 user thanked Vancouver_Canucks for this useful post:

Cartier (06-30-2014)
#2. Posted:
invalidslinky
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This is a really great post! Have you seen the moves Stevie Y has made last night? Love what he is doing with the Lightning. I expect a big signing Tuesday!
#3. Posted:
Cartier
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This is a great post! I hope it gets a sticky!
#4. Posted:
Vancouver_Canucks
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invalidslinky wrote This is a really great post! Have you seen the moves Stevie Y has made last night? Love what he is doing with the Lightning. I expect a big signing Tuesday!
Thanks mate! Yeahh, made some good moves!

Purcell to Oilers for Gagner
Gagner & Crombeen to Coyotes for a 6th Round Pick
Thomson to Ducks for 4th and 7th Round Picks

Doing a good job of clearing out some cap space! Looking good for them heading into free agency!

I'm liking what Benning is doing with the Canucks too, similar to Yzerman. Clearing out some cap space ready to sign the high quality free agents starting with a goaltender whether that be Miller or Hiller. I feel we got a good deal out of the Kesler trade too, two younger decent players and a 1st round pick! Kesler wanted the trade and was quite unhappy i'm lead to believe so good deal imo.

Pininfarina wrote This is a great post! I hope it gets a sticky!


Haha thanks man, doubt it'll get a sticky, not enough Hockey/NHL fans on the forum unfotunatley!
#5. Posted:
Vancouver_Canucks
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Today is the day.. The start of the Free Agency!


and also, Happy Canada Day to all Canadians!
#6. Posted:
Vancouver_Canucks
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The first signings of the Free Agency are complete!

Montreal Candiens sign Manny Malhotra to a 1 year $850,000 deal.

The Pittsburgh Penguins sign Christian Ehrhoff on a 1 year $4m deal.

Edmonton Oilers sign Mark Fayne to a 4 year deal and Benoit Pouliot to a 5 year deal.
#7. Posted:
Tang
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Vancouver got Miller!

That's an awesome signing IMO.
#8. Posted:
CFL
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Happy Canada Day! I'm pleased with the Oilers today, signing Pouliot, Fayne and Aulie, to be fair now I think they still need that center and they will be looking not bad!
#9. Posted:
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invalidslinky wrote This is a really great post! Have you seen the moves Stevie Y has made last night? Love what he is doing with the Lightning. I expect a big signing Tuesday!
Can't believe he flipped Gagner like a half hour after acquiring him lol. Wanted Gagner to play in Tampa but now he'll be in Arizona.
I like what the Hawks did acquiring Brad Richards but he is going to go back to New York after this season likely, and the Canucks getting Miller... can't wait for the Hawks to make him look like garbage like we do to every Vancouver goalie.
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