Yesterday we started a look at the best remaining NHL free agents. Today marks a full one-week of free agency and teams have wasted little time in scooping up the best of the best available. What was already a thin crop of free agents has gotten even thinner and nowhere is that more apparent than in today’s grouping of defencemen and goaltenders on the market.
To see the forwards, click here.
Best Remaining NHL Free Agents (UFAs)
Defence
Andre Benoit
Last season: Colorado Avalanche, 79 GP 7 G 21 A 28 PTS …. $900,000 cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 46.6% (-0.1% rel) FF 45.6% (-1.2% rel) ZS 48.4% (-0.6% rel) QoC/ToI 28.2%
30-year-old Andre Benoit took the long road to the NHL with plenty of time spent in the AHL and in Europe before he broke in with the Ottawa Senators. Benoit put up some pretty good offensive numbers for the Avalanche last year, as his 28 points easily leads the scoring list of all remaining ufa defencemen, and he can play second unit powerplay time. While his Corsi and Fenwick numbers aren’t great, it should be noted that the Avalanche as a team were deficient in this area and he didn’t fall behind his teammates. He also was used pretty regularly playing over 20 minutes a game and was not sheltered in either zone starts or in competition. In other words, Benoit was used like a top 4 defenceman last year, and while I don’t think he should continue to be a top 4, he certainly can be a regular on the third pair and run the second unit powerplay for any team that is looking for another puck mover on the blueline. In my mind, Benoit is the best of this bunch, and a smart GM will snap him up at a good price.
Chris Butler
Last season: Calgary Flames, 82 GP 2 G 14 A 16 PTS … $1.7 million cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 42.8% (-5.5% rel) FF 45.2% (-4.0% rel) ZS 41.7% (-9.7% rel) QoC/ToI 28.3%
Chris Butler is another defenceman who played over 20 minutes a game last year doing so for the Flames. However he wasn’t quite as successful as Benoit, going -23 on the season, and showing some poor corsi and fenwick numbers even in relation to others on the rebuilding Flames Team. He has some tools including good skating and passing skills, but just can’t seem to put it all together, as he seems to be a player who has the tools but not the toolbox. He was given some tough zone-starts and assignments though, so he might be better in a reduced role, but its pretty clear that he shouldn’t be a top 4 defenceman going forward. At the right price, the 27-year-old could be a depth piece though.
Michael Del Zotto
Last season: New York/Nashville 67 GP 3 G 13 A 16 PTS… $2.55 million cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 50.5% (-1.9% rel) FF 49.6% (-3.1% rel) ZS 57.3$ (+8.7% rel) QoC/ToI 27.7%
Its strange to think that Del Zotto is still just 24-years-old, it seems that its been a lot longer that he’s been in the NHL. Once an extremely talented and promising puck-moving prospect for the New York Rangers, Del Zotto’s career has seemed to stall and even regress in recent years. He seems to have lost confidence and makes more mistakes offensively than he used to, while what seemed to be a developping defensive game in the 2011-12 season has now vanished, even in the heavily sheltered minutes he got last year. He’s still young enough that some team may take a chance on him regaining his form, and it could be a good gamble given his age, but Del Zotto must quickly improve before he is thrown on the scrap heap for good.
Raphael Diaz
Last season: MTL/Van/NYR 63 GP 2 G 13 A 15 PTS…. $1.225 million cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 49.7% (+1.3% rel) FF 53.2% (+4.4% rel) ZS 48.9% (+2.7% rel) QoC/Toi 28.2%
Traded twice last season, Raphael Diaz seems to be extremely underrated around the NHL. When he is used, he puts up good numbers, whether it be on the powerplay or at even strength. He even was used regularly, with great numbers on the penalty kill for the Montreal Canadiens over the last two years. He is undersized, and he isn’t physical, but he plays excellent positional defence, blocks shots, moves the puck quickly, and has power play quarterbacking skill. Like Benoit, he is a player that just needs a real chance and he can be an effective full-time third pairing defenceman, and powerplay producer. Add in the fact that he is right-handed and he really could be a good fit for a team looking for a defender on that side of the ice.
Derek Morris
Last season: Phoenix Coyotes 63 GP 5 G 12 A 17 PTS…. $2.75 million cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 50.2% (-1.0% rel) FF 49.3% (-1.6% rel) ZS 50.1% (-2.4% rel) QOC/ToI 28.4%
Played just under 20 minutes a game for the Coyotes last season, and against tough competition, and performed admirably. This 35-year-old may have lost a step, but it isn’t much, and is still capable of playing on both the powerplay and the penalty kill as welll as quality even-strength minutes in the NHL. Morris is a warrior and that style will eventually slow him down though, and considering that it would be an over 35 contract teams have to be wary of the term here. He can bring quality play and veteran leadership though to a team needing another blue liner at this point in the summer.
Joni Pitkanen
Last season: did not play …. $4.5 million cap hit, Carolina Hurricanes
2012-13: 22 GP 1 G 8 A 9 PTS
Fancy Stats: CF 51.8% (+0.2%) FF 51.7% +0.5% ZS 52.4% (+2.4% rel) QoC/ToI 28.5%
The ultimate wildcard in this year’s free agent class. When healthy Joni Pitkanen has performed like a top pairing defenceman, he played in all situations and against tough competition and did a very good job of it for the Hurricanes before a shattered heel took him out of action. He continues to have foot problems, and the latest reports are that he can’t even get his foot into a skate as of July 1st. Given that I don’t expect him to be signing any time soon. However, if those problems clear up and Pitkanen is able to prove he can skate again, he would be a massive addition to any team in the NHL and would likely come on a cheap one-year, prove yourself type of deal. He could be a real game changer for a team that is missing that one key defenceman if he can get healthy. That is a big IF though.
Sami Salo
Last season: Tampa Bay Lightning 71 GP 4 G 13 A 17 PTS…. $3.75 million cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 52% (+1.2%) FF 53.3% (+2.5%) ZS 53.3% (+1.9%) QoC/ToI 29.2%
Sami Salo may be 37 years old but he still had a very strong season for the Tampa Bay Lightning. His age meant that endurance became a factor and the Lightning managed his minutes giving him 18 minutes per game, however when he was used, he faced the toughest competition available at even strength, and performed very well while doing so. The Finnish defender has a ton of experience and can still play at a high level, the only question is how much longer he can produce at that level given his age. A short term deal could be a huge steal for a team that can limit Salo’s minutes and keep him fresh.
Cory Sarich
Last season: Colorado Avalanche 54 GP 1 G 9 A 10 PTS… $2.0 million Cap hit
Fancy Stats: CF 47.8% (+0.5% rel) FF 46.3% -1.0% ZS 51.1% (+1.5% rel) QoC/ToI 28.1%
Sarich has been around the league and played decent minutes for the Avalanche last season. More of the prototypical defensive defenceman than a puck mover, he could help someone out as a 3rd pairing guy. He’s not likely to provide much in the top 4 though as he can be exposed by top offensive players.
Goaltenders
Martin Brodeur
Last season: New Jersey Devils 39 GP 19-14-6 2.51 GAA .901 SV% 3 SO… $4.5 million cap hit
The man, the legend, the holder of nearly every career record for goaltenders in the books, it would appear that Martin Brodeur is not yet ready to finish his career, despite the fact he had his worst season ever in New Jersey. He may only be 2 years removed from taking the Devils to the cup final, but at 42 years old, it seems a lifetime ago. Brodeur is looking for a backup job with a contender to chase that elusive fourth Stanley Cup ring.
Ilya Bryzgalov
Last season: Edmonton/Minnesota 20 GP 5-8-5 3.01 GAA .908 SV% 1 SO… $2,266,234 Cap Hit
Bryzgalov struggled with the Oilers, but was very good for the Minnesota Wild after being brought in at the trade deadline. In fact many have said that the Wild would not have made the playoffs without the job he did down the stretch. However, he wasn’t nearly as good once the playoffs started and ended up losing the net to Darcy Kuemper.
It took Bryz all summer to find a job last year, does he get another late this summer or go to the KHL?
J.S. Giguere
Last season: Colorado Avalanche 22 GP 11-6-1 2.62 GAA .913 SV% 2 SO… $1.5 million
The now 37-year-old Giguere was a good backup for the Avalanche last season, performing well behind Vezina nominee Semyon Varlamov. A former cup winner with the Anaheim Ducks, Giguere has the second best SV% of any UFA goalie who played in the NHL last season. The only goalie better? John Curry, but he played just 80 minutes of action, and so should be discounted based on that limited sample size. Giguere is an experienced netminder who could be a good veteran for a team in need of a backup if he decides to play one more season, which is very much up in the air at this point.
Tomas Vokoun
Last season: Pittsburgh Penguins, Did not play in NHL, $2 million cap hit.
2012-13: 20 GP 13-4-0 2.45 GAA .919 Save Percentage
Vokoun was very good for the Penguins in 2012-13, putting up a .919 save percentage during the regular season, and taking over the starting job from Marc-Andre Fleury in the playoffs, where he put up a .933 save percentage. Severe blood clots limited him to just two AHL games last year, but Vokoun is said to be healthy, and looking for a backup job to chase the elusive Stanley Cup. Vokoun has always been an underrated netminder, and he would be an excellent mentor for a team with a young starter. (SIA Profile)
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