It’s pretty typical for NHL free agency to slow down after an initial craze to kick things off.
After over 150 signings on Day 1, we saw just over 50 on Day 2. Over the past three days, we’ve seen just under 40, with most being either depth or entry-level signings.
Maybe GMs are off to their cottages for the next few weeks. But at this point, we still have a number of high-profile free agents on the board.
Nazem Kadri and John Klingberg — two of the top five UFAs heading into the start of free agency — are still on the board. There aren’t many quality goaltenders left, but in terms of scoring and defensive depth, there’s more than enough value left to make your team better.
Here’s a look at 10 of the best UFAs still around:
1. Nazem Kadri, C, 31
2021-22 cap hit: $4,500,000
Kadri picked an incredible year for a breakout season, scoring 28 goals and 87 points in the regular season and 15 points in 16 playoff games en route to a Stanley Cup run. He’s poised for a long-term deal, but like with any player that breaks out in their 30s, you know the final few years could be a bit rough. Still, a huge get this summer.
2. John Klingberg, D, 29
2021-22 cap hit: $4,250,000
Klingberg never found the offensive flair that made him a 67-point defender back in 2017-18, but he’s the best defenseman on the market and doesn’t need to rush to a deal at this point.
3. Phil Kessel, RW, 34
2021-22 cap hit: $8,000,000
Kessel quietly had a 52-point season, but the once-consistent 30-goal scorer only managed to score five at even strength this year. At the right price, Kessel can be good scoring depth, but his contract made him a challenge to move at the deadline in an attempt to win the Cup.
4. Evan Rodrigues, C, 28
2021-22 cap hit: $1,000,000
One of the best value players last year, Rodrigues had 43 points in 82 games, a career-best campaign after never breaking the 30-point barrier in his career. Sidney Crosby was the center he played with the most, though, and over half his goals came on the power play. Still, you can at least rely on him around the net, and he shouldn’t be too expensive.
5. Nino Niederreiter, RW, 29
2021-22 cap hit: $5,250,000
A power forward, Niederreiter never has hit the 50-point barrier twice, but don’t expect him to do that without a perfect situation again. At 29, he still has some good hockey left, but he’s definitely more of a secondary option.
6. Paul Stastny, C, 36
2021-22 cap hit: $3,750,000
Stastny is still chugging along, even at 36. You have to wonder how much competitive hockey he has left, but the skilled center can still hold his own defensively and it was nice to see him hit 45 points this year, his best regular season total since 2015-16. It’s his age that’s concerning.
7. Danton Heinen, LW, 27
2021-22 cap hit: $1,100,000
Heinen had a nice bounce-back year with the Penguins, but ultimately wasn’t qualified. Let’s see what teams think of the 18-goal scorer from last year.
8. Sonny Milano, LW, 26
2021-22 cap hit: $1,700,000
He’ll forever be remembered as the guy that capitalized on the Zegras over-the-net passing play. He had a good season and clearly has a ton of skill, so it’ll be interesting to see his value.
9. P.K. Subban, D, 33
2021-22 cap hit: $9,000,000
A lot of the negative attention around him was for how poorly he played at his massive cap hit. At a cheap price, Subban might still be a valuable player, but he definitely isn’t the player he once was.
10. Sam Steel, LW, 24
2021-22 cap hit: $874,000
Steel couldn’t convert an incredible junior career into NHL success, scoring a career-high 22 points over four seasons with the Ducks. He’s still young, and the skill is clearly there; it might be worth taking a chance here.
