UFA class very deep at forward, not so much on defense

[yave1964]

The trade deadline is past, the postseason is beginning to take shape, in just a few short months another season will come to an end and the Unrestricted Free Agent class of 2016 will cash in. Unlike the past several seasons which were thin on talent (to put it mildly) this is a deep and full class.

  It starts with Steven Stamkos, a young superstar sniper in his prime who is going to be overpaid to remain in Florida or severely overpaid to wind up elsehwere, the rumor is Toronto is printing money by the wheelbarrow in the hopes of adding him. 

  For those who miss out on Stamkos, the options are still plentiful"

 Andrew Ladd not quite in his prime but not over the hill, 60 point a year forward and born leader.

Eric Staal aging star who is hoping for one more payday.

Milan Lucic if he does not resign in Los Angeles will have suitors lining up.

Frans Neilson is one of the most underrated centers in the game.

Mikael Boedker has been buried on a bad 'Yote team forever, he has 30 goals written all over him in the right situation.

Loui Eriksson has revived his career with a brilliant year in Boston.

Okposo. Hudler. Brouwer, Weise and Matt Martin all bring various skillsets to the right team.

  Defense is a different story, a weak class, led by Keith Yandle, who has not quite worked out in New York but will still break the bank with the right team. Behind him it is aging vets such as Boyle, Quincey and Hamhuis. Goligoski and Brian Campbell have glaring deficiencies but enough strengths to help someone.

 

  Goalies are a weak class, Cam Ward is probably the best, such as it is with Al Montoya, Reimer and Ramo all looking for increased ice time. A very uninteresting bunch.

 

The real talent is the restricted free agent class, also known as the players who the gentleman agreement is to not touch is deep. A ballsy GM might step out and bid on one of the following:

Sean Monahan

Torry Krug

Tyson Barrie

Brayden Schenn

Jaden Schwartz

Johnny Gaudreau

Ristolainen

Nathan MacKinnon

 

  These guys are usually considered untouchable by other GMs out of fear that someone will bid on one of theirs down the road. But there is some serious talent in this bunch of young kids who are RFA and it would be nice to see someone step up and shake up the status quo for once.

 

Anyway, a much deeper UFA class, especially among the forwards this year, it will be a fun first week of July.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Stamkos is obviously the crown jewel in the upcoming FA class....but he will ONLY be available to a select few teams.....those that are going to be contenders AND are willing to break the bank in order to acquire him (or in the case of Tampa Bay, break the bank to keep him).

 

The other forwards already mentioned in the opening post could be nice options for many teams as well, but if I am a team looking for some help up front and I don't feel the need to withdraw from Fort Knox, I look towards a guy like Michael Grabner (28 yrs old, $3M cap hit last year).

 

Sure, Grabner hasn't come anywhere CLOSE to that 34 goal season he had with the Islanders oh so long ago, but really, anyone expecting that from him every year was probably overestimating him. A quick look through his minor league numbers and he was that kind of player in JRs, not so much in the AHL where he played against relative men....and outside of that 34 goal season, his NHL numbers reflect what he had done in the AHL as well.

 

Still though, he is young at 28 and chances are he likely WON'T cost 3M like he did this year, yet would still have the upside (if placed in a more uptempo type offense) to at least roll out a solid 20 G, 40 point season.

Don't put pressure on him for a top six role (think more top nine), work him into the PP a bit here and there, have him fill in on occasion on the 2nd line, and if he plays with a smart center who can get him the puck regularly (such a thing didn't exist for him in Toronto!), he may be a bit more consistent....all at a bargain price.

 

For bottom six help (guys who are more than just 'bodies' to fill out a roster), I'd look at:

--Paul Gaustad (aging, but still rugged, still good on faceoffs, and can chip in goals here and there and made $3.25 last year....you can likely sign him for around $2M now...(think Brian Boyle of the Bolts)

 

--Kyle Brodziak (excellent penalty killer, generates chances..though FINISHING consistently is another matter entirely, lol...can also play a rugged game and skates very well belying his bottom six status...cap hit $900K last season)

 

--Ryan Carter (very useful bottom six line, gives everything he has every shift, skates better than most ppl give him credit for, can play any forward position pretty well, and can even work as a digger if combined with skilled linemates.  Was a $625K cap hit for the Wild this year.)

[J0e Th0rnton]

Sharks UFA's Spalling, Zubrus, Polak, Reimer

No key players, which is good.

 

RFA's Demelo, Hertl, Nieto, Tennyson

 

My guess is Tennyson does not get qualified. 11.5 million in cap space.

No problems going into next year except thinking ahead to 2017-18 when Thornton, Marleau, Burns go UFA. and Donskoi, Tierney, Karlsson go RFA.

Marleau is declining before my eyes, but Thornton looks like 2005-06 Thornton. Burns is going to get PAID