The madness of NHL Free Agency Frenzy is gone as the NHL Offseason has hit its dog days. Signings are slowly trickling in each day. There are still notable UFAs out there that may have to settle for PTOs once training camp starts. While notable RFAs are getting deals done before their arbitration hearings. However, there are some RFAs still waiting on deals opening them up to offer sheets.
Right after the NHL Trade Deadline, we here at NHLRumors.com looked at the most impactful moves from both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Over the past two days our new series looked at the best signings from this year’s NHL Free Agency Class.
NHL Free Agency Best Signings From The East
But as noted, NHL Free Agency has a lot more misses than hits because GMs tend to make a lot of mistakes. Over the next two days we will dissect those mistakes in the Eastern and Western Conference.
Anyway, it is time to reveal some of our worst signings from NHL Free Agency.
Eastern Conference Free Agency Worst Signings
Tristan Jarry – G – Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are running it back with their goaltenders next season as new President of Hockey Operations and general manager Kyle Dubas outbid himself for the services of Tristan Jarry.
Jarry signed a new five-year deal worth $26.9 million that carries an AAV of $5.4 million. Entering the offseason, Jarry was a free agent and when the goalies started to go off the board, the Penguins panicked on a player many teams were not going to pay that much amount too.
Jarry continues to have a history of injuries and has not looked good taking over as the starting goaltender. The Penguins have not won a playoff series since 2018 and lost in the first round in 2019, lost in the play-in round in 2020, and lost in the first round in 2021 and 2022 before missing the playoffs in 2023.
Pittsburgh has to hope he stays healthy as Jarry carries a career 2.65 GAA and .914 save percentage.
Semyon Varlamov – G – New York Islanders
The entire Islanders trio of Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield, and Semyon Varlamov can be on this list. We will focus on Varlamov in this section. However, Mayfield and Engvall each getting seven-year deals is too many years. Engvall has a salary cap hit of $3 million while Mayfield has a cap hit of $3.5 million. Both good players, but neither solve the issue the Islanders have of goal scoring.
As for Varlamov, he is 35-years-old and is getting a four-year contract extension at $2.750 million a season. General manager Lou Lamoriello feels his team is right there, but they are still one of the oldest teams in the league. Varlamov will be 39 years old if he finishes this contract with the Islanders. Just two too many years for him.
Varlamov is no longer the starter. This is Ilya Sorokin‘s net. He has a career 2.65 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Last year his GAA was 2.70 and he had a .913 save percentage. He is a good backup but not for that term. Yes one is tied to the other, but signing a 35-year-old to a four year deal has significant cap implications going forward.
J.T. Compher – F – Detroit Red Wings
Look Detroit had to make some signings this offseason to improve, but signing J.T. Compher to a five-year deal worth $5.1 million a season was a little high. This comes a year after they signed Andrew Copp to a five year deal worth $5.625 million a season.
Compher is a good NHL player and is more of a depth player in the middle six than a top six. But he is being paid like a top six player on the Red Wings. Compher played second line center last year in Colorado and while he recorded 52 points (17 goals and 35 assists), this is a little high for a guy who has not hit the 20 goal mark yet.
While he set career records for points and assists, Detroit will need him to score. Now, Compher is close to 50 percent in the faceoff dot, but to pay your third line center close to five million dollars a season, that is a little high. Maybe when the cap goes up this will have value, but right now it does not.
Honorable Mention Move Of Free Agency
Jonathan Quick – G – New York Rangers
Many people will ask why Jonathan Quick is on this list. He is only a backup. And that is why he is on the list. The New York Rangers signed Quick to be the backup to Igor Shesterkin.
While it is a nice story, the Rangers went from one of the youngest teams to one of the oldest teams just like that. Quick was good behind that defense in Vegas for the games that he did play. But to start the season in Los Angeles, he was not good. Quick found the fountain of youth two seasons ago. The Rangers are hoping for that.
However, Quick was a cheap option for them, but their defense is not as good as Vegas. And the Golden Knights never went to Quick on their run to the Stanley Cup it was Adin Hill.
Last season, Quick had a 3.41 GAA and .882 save percentage with the Kings and Golden Knights. For his career, he has a 2.47 GAA and .911 save percentage. There were better options out there.
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We all know NHL Free Agency is hit or miss. Sometimes these contracts work out and other times teams regret it right away. The contracts on this list and there are other teams may regret after one season.
It is just not the Eastern Conference that had its fair share of bad signings. The Western Conference also had its share of bad signings during NHL Free Agency.
Salary Cap Was Big Winner of NHL Free Agency
