Free Agents Left

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

Where are the rest of the big free agents going to sign?

 

Alexander Semin

 

Chris Stewart

 

Christian Ehrhoff

 

Cody Franson

 

 

I would include Johnny Oduya, but he is waiting for the Blackhawks to figure out their cap situation.

 

[yave1964]

It is a nice sign of fiscal responsibility that these slugs are all still free agents and haven't gotten long term deals.

Semin: overpaid underperforming Russian. He almost makes me agree with Don Cherry. I wouldn't let him on my team on a bet.

Stewart: Why not the Sharks, a bit of scoring and some toughness.

Franson: Rumors are the Leafs would entertain him returning on a short term deal. I think he is a good fit in Los Angeles who lost Sekera and probably Voynov as well.

Ehrhoff: To a non contender on a one year deal who plans on trading him at the deadline for a second or third rounder. I will say the Avalanche.

Oduya to the Stars or Jackets.

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

It is a nice sign of fiscal responsibility that these slugs are all still free agents and haven't gotten long term deals.

Semin: overpaid underperforming Russian. He almost makes me agree with Don Cherry. I wouldn't let him on my team on a bet.

Stewart: Why not the Sharks, a bit of scoring and some toughness.

Franson: Rumors are the Leafs would entertain him returning on a short term deal. I think he is a good fit in Los Angeles who lost Sekera and probably Voynov as well.

Ehrhoff: To a non contender on a one year deal who plans on trading him at the deadline for a second or third rounder. I will say the Avalanche.

Oduya to the Stars or Jackets.

 

Someone is going to bet about a million on Semin. I thought it might be the Pens until they got Kessel. It could still be the Pens. Someone will take a flyer on him. One-year, $1.0M prove it deal. Maybe the Blue Jackets? Florida? Nashville (who has become second-chance city)? St. Louis maybe? They are always looking for goals.

 

The Sharks don't really have room for Stewart, unless he wants a $1.0M deal. He would play on the fourth line there. I think a team like Calgary might be in the mix. Maybe the Canucks or the Devils? He could go to Toronto for a year. Montreal might take a flyer on him actually.

 

I heard about the Franson rumor. I think he should go to Columbus. Smart market, lots of good, young players.

 

Ehrhoff to Colorado makes some sense. It also makes sense to go to Florida. Perhaps a return to Vancouver?

 

I really think Oduya will return to Chicago, provided they figure it out. Dallas is a good second choice.

[yave1964]

@teenagemutantninjahertl

Yeah I am not a Semin fan and have never been, one dimensional player with no drive. But a team like Nashville could give him his final shot. Low risk a chance for a decent reward. Ribiero may be a tool but he is one of the absolute most underrated passers in the game and he and Semin did well together the one year they were mates in Washington.

I agree Oduya will likely be returning to Chicago, he obviously wants to go back which is why he is still out there, Dallas so desperately needs a couple of shut down guys he would be a great fit.

Stewart seems to have inherited his brothers indifference to the game, a few years ago in St. Louis he looked like he was going to be what Wayne Simmonds has turned out to be but Stewart has really eroded quickly. Bottom six I think he still brings something but I really think there was so much more in the toolbox that he never used.

Franson, the teams with money aren't looking for an offensive one dimensional d-man, right handed shot or not. I read today that the longer it goes that Ottawa might try sneaking in, he would be a great fit, running the second power play behind Karlsson with zero pressure to be the guy. Of course Nashville thought the same and he bombed there.

Some others:

Scotty Gomez has never been a favorite of mine but he had a decent bounceback year and the Devils are not returning him. Low risk, Columbus really only has 2 NHL centers in Johansen and Dubinsky and a bunch of good kids. Gomez might be a good bottom six guy for them.

Kyle Cumisky was okay with Chicago last year, kind of surprised he still hasn't found a home.

Eric Fehr could really help someone on the P/K and in a bottom six role, a very responsible player who can score a little. Carolina could use a veteran guy in that role. Mike Santorelli is the same type and still out there.

Jiri Tlusty was awful in Winnipeg and hurt his value at the wrong time. Truthfully tho, he is a 20 goal scoring guy who may be the best goal scorer still out there. Him or Semin. I see Tlusty as a perfect fit in Pittsburgh but they have no money so he may wind up in Montreal who need scoring wingers.

My God what an awful free agent class.

[teenagemutantninjahertl]

@teenagemutantninjahertl

Yeah I am not a Semin fan and have never been, one dimensional player with no drive. But a team like Nashville could give him his final shot. Low risk a chance for a decent reward. Ribiero may be a tool but he is one of the absolute most underrated passers in the game and he and Semin did well together the one year they were mates in Washington.

I agree Oduya will likely be returning to Chicago, he obviously wants to go back which is why he is still out there, Dallas so desperately needs a couple of shut down guys he would be a great fit.

Stewart seems to have inherited his brothers indifference to the game, a few years ago in St. Louis he looked like he was going to be what Wayne Simmonds has turned out to be but Stewart has really eroded quickly. Bottom six I think he still brings something but I really think there was so much more in the toolbox that he never used.

Franson, the teams with money aren't looking for an offensive one dimensional d-man, right handed shot or not. I read today that the longer it goes that Ottawa might try sneaking in, he would be a great fit, running the second power play behind Karlsson with zero pressure to be the guy. Of course Nashville thought the same and he bombed there.

Some others:

Scotty Gomez has never been a favorite of mine but he had a decent bounceback year and the Devils are not returning him. Low risk, Columbus really only has 2 NHL centers in Johansen and Dubinsky and a bunch of good kids. Gomez might be a good bottom six guy for them.

Kyle Cumisky was okay with Chicago last year, kind of surprised he still hasn't found a home.

Eric Fehr could really help someone on the P/K and in a bottom six role, a very responsible player who can score a little. Carolina could use a veteran guy in that role. Mike Santorelli is the same type and still out there.

Jiri Tlusty was awful in Winnipeg and hurt his value at the wrong time. Truthfully tho, he is a 20 goal scoring guy who may be the best goal scorer still out there. Him or Semin. I see Tlusty as a perfect fit in Pittsburgh but they have no money so he may wind up in Montreal who need scoring wingers.

My God what an awful free agent class.

A couple of thoughts:

 

Franson is better defensively than he gets credit for. Yeah, he's not going to shut down superstars, but it's not like he's a forward playing defense (like Brent Burns in 2014-15).

 

Scott Gomez always seems to sign late in the offseason. Columbus would be a good fit, but I doubt he will go there.

 

I'm from Rockford, IL, and I can tell you that Cuminsky had a great season... in the AHL. He is a solid AHL player. With a team that has less depth than the Blackhawks, he probably would have played more in the NHL. I don't see him as a top 4 defenseman in this league, which makes him a hard sell at 5 or 6. Those guys usually aren't the offense-type, like Cuminsky. I didn't really think he looked spectacular in the Finals, but he did look better than Rundblad. That should have earned him a contract. Buffalo perhaps?

 

Fehr is a solid depth guy, but struggled outside Washington. Maybe Colorado? He would help their possession game.

 

I'm going to be honest, I don't think I've ever see Tlusty play...

 

It was a poor free agent class, but that's the way it's trending these days.