10 Intriguing UFA's

Canada Day and the free agent frenzy are already three weeks behind us but that doesn't mean there aren't more moves to be made before NHL training camps open in mid September. Here's a list of 10 intriguing unrestricted free agents that have yet to find a home for the 2011-2012 season.

Goaltenders

Ray Emery wants the opportunity to be a starting goalie in the NHL

Ray Emery 

Age: 28 

10-11 team: ANA

10-11 cap hit: $500,000

The 28 year old Emery returned to the NHL at the end of last season following an extensive rehabilitation process as he battled through a serious hip injury. Emery posted a 2.28 GAA and a 9.25 SV % in 10 regular season games with Anaheim and started 5 games in the playoffs. Emery carries a significant injury risk and has been considered a locker room distraction in the past but he has the talent to be a reliable NHL goaltender.

Pascal Leclaire

Age: 28

10-11 team: OTT 

10-11 cap hit: $3.8M

Throughout his NHL career, Leclaire has struggled through injury and inconsistency. During his two years in Ottawa, he played in just 48 games. Leclaire's window as an NHL starter is all but shut but a team may take a chance on him and hope he can regain the form he displayed in 07-08 when he posted a 2.25 GAA and a .919 SV % in 54 games with Columbus.

Defenceman

McCabe is the best offensive defenceman left on the market

Bryan McCabe
Age: 35

10-11 team: FLA/NYR
10-11 cap hit: $5.75M

Acquired by the Rangers at the trade deadline, McCabe contributed 2 goals and 4 assists in 19 regular season games and 2 assists in 5 playoff games for the Broadway Blueshirts. The 15 year veteran won't be a 50 plus point defenceman like he has been in the past, but he could still provide an offensive boost to a team in need of blue line scoring.

Chris Campoli 
Age: 27

10-11 team: OTT/CHI
10-11 cap hit: $1.4M

Another trade deadline acquisition, Campoli became an unrestricted free agent when the Blackhawks decided to walk away from the 2.5 million he was awarded in an arbitration hearing. At 27, Campoli is the youngest established UFA and warrants consideration from the many teams looking for a well rounded defenceman who can compete for a spot on one of the top two pairings.

Scott Hannan 
Age: 32

10-11 team: COL/WAS
10-11 cap hit: $4.5M

A reliable if unspectacular defensive minded defenceman, Hannan still has something to offer an NHL team. He'll have to take a significant pay cut but Hannan has averaged 81 games played over the past 8 seasons and is worth the risk for a team looking for blue line depth, even as he ages.

Forwards

If Selanne returns it's unlikely he will leave Orange County

Teemu Selanne

Age: 41

10-11 team: ANA

10-11 cap hit: $4.25M

By far the most accomplished player available, Selanne is currently recovering from knee surgery and has yet to decide if he wants to return for a nineteenth season. If he decides to come back it's unlikely he will leave Anaheim. Selanne proved he can still compete at a high level last season, scoring 31 goals and recording 49 assists in 73 games.

Nikolay Zherdev

Age: 26

10-11 team: PHI

10-11 cap hit: $2M

The ever enigmatic Zherdev is available once again because unsurprisingly, he clashed with Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and averaged a career low 12:51 minutes per game. Zherdev is immensely talented but production has yet to match the headache but a team in need of offense will undoubtedly assess the risk and decide it's worth taking a chance on the mercurial Russian.

Alex Kovalev

Age: 38

10-11 team: OTT/PIT

10-11 cap hit: $5M

There's no team foolish enough to offer an aging and unmotivated Kovalev a big money contract like the Senators did in 2009. It's always the same story with Kovalev and the willingness to compromise disappears. It's difficult to predict where Kovalev will end up but a team in desperate need of an offensive spark could talk themselves into given him a chance.

John Madden

Age: 38

10-11 team: MIN

10-11 cap hit: $1.25M

Madden spent last season in Minnesota following a year with the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Madden, a three time Stanley Cup champion, would like nothing more than to make a final playoff run before hanging them up. If he's healthy and motivated, a contender looking for a solid bottom six forward with postseason experience should look no further than signing Madden to a one year deal.

Cory Stillman

Age: 37

10-11 team: FLA/CAR

10-11 cap hit: $3.5M

Following a midseason trade to Carolina, Stillman recorded 5 goals and 11 assists in 21 games, giving potential suitors a reason to believe he can still be a productive NHL forward. At the right price, Stillman could be a valuable offensive asset for a team in a position to take a risk and not be crushed by the result if Stillman gets injured or isn't performing to expectations.

Paul Kariya

Kariya played for the Ducks from 1994 to 2003

From the moment he stepped onto the ice as a rookie in 1994, North Vancouver native Paul Kariya was one of the most productive and electrifying forwards in the National Hockey League. As a twenty-one year old, Kariya recorded 50 goals and 108 points. He was named an NHL First Team All Star three times (1996, 1997, 1999), and was twice awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1996, 1997). An able goal scorer and maybe more importantly, a willing passer, it’s impossible to understate his outstanding hockey sense. Kariya will be best remembered by hockey fans for his time as captain of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and for his role on the gold medal winning team at in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Olympics. Following the lockout, Kariya’s star began to fade; he spent two productive seasons in Nashville (setting a team record for points in a season with 85,) and then joined the St. Louis Blues for the final three seasons of his career. He had an illustrious career and was always a fan favorite. The only item missing from his impressive resume: the Stanley Cup. 

The closest Kariya came to lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup was in 2003, when the underdog Mighty Ducks pushed the New Jersey Devils to seven games. The series in question produced two anecdotes that still resonate within the hockey community. The first is the outstanding play of Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy even in defeat. The second is the resounding open ice hit Devils captain Scott Stevens unleashed on an unsuspecting Kariya in Game 6. The momentous body check was memorable enough on its own, but it was the series of subsequent events that vaulted the hit into hockey lore. Kariya was in need of medical attention and was helped off of the ice, but later returned to the game and scored a goal that extended Anaheim’s lead and helped force a seventh game. It is said that Kariya doesn’t even recall scoring that goal. 

Kariya lay motionless on the ice following the devastating body check

On June 29^th 2011, Paul Kariya quietly retired from the NHL. The thirty-six year old was sidelined for the entire 2010-2011 season, battling post-concussion syndrome. Kariya wanted to return, but doctors advised that he step away from the game, warning him of the serious dangers of another potential concussion. Kariya retired from hockey having recorded an impressive 989 points in 989 games, but he will always be linked with concussions. Head injuries are still a serious issue in hockey. The Golden Boy, Sidney Crosby, missed 41 games last season with concussion related symptoms. Many people would argue that the career of Eric Lindros was nowhere near where it could have been had he avoided the concussions that plagued him throughout his career. The same can be said about Kariya, a great hockey player whose on ice legacy is overshadowed by a series of unfortunate and mostly avoidable injuries. Kariya is in favor of more severe punishment for cheap shots and the league has publicly stated it is trying to rid the game of hits to the head (see rule 48), but there is still a long way to go before concussions can be considered a non-issue in the NHL.

Completely Untrue Rumors

Mike Gillis has gone on record saying the words, “trade market...emerging,” it's fairly obvious he's hinting at trading away at least one of Vancouver's star players.

After a poor performance in the final two games of the Stanley Cup Final by Roberto Luongo, it's only logical for the former Canucks' captain to be cut loose, as suggested by Damien Cox. Since a deal has not been reached with Zach Parise by the New Jersey Devils, a great trade for both clubs would be Luongo, Alexandre Burrows, and a pick for Parise. This would give the Canucks another great forward while also giving the reigns to a better goaltender in Cory Schneider. With 35 games under his belt, it's evident Schneider is ready for a cup run. Alexandre Burrows is a nice throw-in to sweeten this deal. On NJ's side, they get a NHL starter to take over from Father Time, Martin Brodeur, as he would obviously retire to a much younger goalie despite posting a 2.45 GAA and 0.903 save% while playing for a team below five hundred.

Another good trade for the Canucks would be to exchange Ryan Kesler, Cory Schneider, and a pick for Shea Weber. VAN gets a premiere defenseman as Nashville still haven't signed the Norris Trophy candidate, so it's obvious for them to move him and receive a good return on him. Kesler had a great year and Schneider is poised for starting duties. This is a nice exchange for a former defenseman who played a key role on Team Canada's Olympic team while only giving up a backup goaltender and a second line center.

After Gillis' hints, the Vancouver Canucks are probably involved in making a huge trade in the coming months. Hopefully this will be soon so the Canucks can actually become a good team for once.

The Canucks after the frenzy

Who's (back) in: Kevin Bieksa (re-signed to a 5 year deal worth 23M with a no-trade clause), Maxim Lapierre (re-signed to a 2 year deal worth 2M), Andrew Alberts (re-signed to a 2 year 2.45M contract), Sami Salo (re-signed for 1 year at 2M), Chris Higgins (re-signed to a 2 year 3.8M deal), Mark Mancari (1 year at 525K), Marco Sturm (signed for 1 year at 2.25M), Andrew Ebbett (525K deal is 1 year), Nolan Baumgartner (signed for 1 year at 525K on a two way deal)

Please see article below for analysis of the re-signings of Bieksa and Lapierre.

Salo is a veteran defenseman, 36, and while he seems to be cursed with injuries, the bottom line is this deal gives the Canucks depth on the blueline. A one year contract is a safe signing with a small cap hit in case he does go down with an injury or two. Alberts offers a 6'5” frame and even more depth on the Vancouver blueline corps, which is something the Canucks seem to always need at their disposal. Both Salo and Alberts are solid depth signings as the likes of Chris Tanev and possibly Kevin Connauton are emerging on the blueline. And to quote Gillis, “I think Keith Ballard is going to be a good player for us next year and I think Chris Tanev can step up and play more minutes and have a more active role.”

Higgins gave Vancouver some jam in the top 9 during the playoffs, but he's been a goal scorer during his career and it's hoped he can gain back some of his old scoring touch with MTL where he had a 27 goal season. Mancari is a 6'4” 225lbs minor league goal scorer one goal away from averaging three 30 goal season in the AHL. He could spot duty on the Canucks roster, but he has yet to prove he's an established NHLer. Sturm isn't the answer for VAN's second line winger, but he adds a veteran presence with some scoring pop. Pretty good signing for a depth scorer. Ebbett gives Vancouver another depth role player. He's undersized but brings speed and feistiness to the lineup.

Who's out: Christian Ehrhoff (traded to NYI and signed by BUF for 10 years 40M), Raffi Torres (signed by PHX to a 2 year 3M deal), Alex Bolduc (signed with PHX for 1 year on a two-way deal worth 575K), Sergei Shirokov (signed a 3 year deal with CSKA Moscow), Tanner Glass (signed with WPG for 750K), Jeff Tambellini (Europe), Lee Sweatt (unknown), Mario Bliznak (Czech Republic), Rick Rypien (signed by WPG for one year at 700K)

Mike Gillis was offering Ehrhoff 4.5M-4.9M to stay in VAN, but Ehrhoff wouldn't take it. That begs the question, why wouldn't he sign here? Well, the contract may not have been to his liking: the number of years on his new contract is 10, Gillis wasn't offering that. 18M of the contract is also given within the first two years, which offers security for Ehrhoff should the NHL, God forbid, enter another lockout. He will be missed on Vancouver's blueline but 10 year deals rarely pay-off even with a low salary in the final 3 years.

Torres departed for PHX for a 2 year contract which, again, gives a little more security to a player's future than the one year deal Gillis was offering. Torres gave the Canucks some bite and little scoring, but with the emergence and expected signings of Victor Oreskovich and Jannik Hansen, Raffi's services are replaceable. Bolduc was only a NHL fourth liner here and there. With Cody Hodgson and Jordan Schroeder in need of NHL development in the coming years, Bolduc became expendable and is no longer needed in a depth role. Shirokov has gone back to Russia after only playing 8 games for the Canucks where he contributed one goal. His minor league scoring would have been missed but the Mancari signing is actually an upgrade in that department. Glass was a pretty good fourth liner but is in the same situation as Torres in that Oreskovich and Hansen can replace what he brings. Tambellini, when he was scoring, provided an energetic game with a nice scoring compliment, but that side of his game eroded and stronger and tougher players on the Canucks roster replaced him on the fourth line.

Undecided: Jannik Hansen, Victor Oreskovich, Jonas Andersson, Guillaume Desbiens, Nathan Paetsch, Andrew Peters, MacGregor Sharp, and Tyler Weiman

Updated depth chart available on The Hockey News website.

Behind the scenes: According to Eklund, NHLSourcesSay, Farhan Lalji, News 1130 Sports, TSN, the Vancouver Sun, and Jim Jamieson.

Canucks had interest in John Madden, Michael Rupp, and Michal Handzus. Gillis also called Joel Ward, Sean Bergenheim, Anthony Stewart, and Rick Rypien. He did not talk to Tomas Fleischmann. The Canucks offered Ville Leino a multi year deal over 2M. Also looked/looking at a possible trade that may involve NYR and NJ as Gillis has hinted a defenseman may not be on the free agent market that can help the Canucks. Gillis has tenured qualifying offers to Jannik Hansen and Victor Oreskovich. Tanner Glass would have liked to re-sign in VAN but two other teams talked to him before he got signed. Sergei Shirokov did receive a qualifying offer while Lee Sweatt and Mario Bliznak both did not.

NHL Realignment

The Jets open the regular season at home against Montreal

 

The current NHL divisional construct may be headed into its final season. The establishment of the Winnipeg Jets franchise, who will retain the Thrashers spot in the Southeast division for the entire 2011-2012 season, has led the NHL to seriously consider a significant league wide realignment for the 2012-2013 season. Detroit, a member of the Western Conference since its formation for the 1993-1994 season, has long lobbied for a move to the Eastern Conference. Nashville and Columbus have also indicated a preference to play in the East. For the fans longing for the days of the Adams, Patrick, Norris, and Smythe divisions, the proposed realignment would include four divisions, two containing eight teams and two containing seven. How might these divisions look? Here’s my best guess.

Division A

Carolina Hurricanes

Florida Panthers

New York Islanders

New York Rangers

Pittsburgh Penguins

Philadelphia Flyers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Washington Capitals

Division B

Boston Bruins

Buffalo Sabres

Columbus Blue Jackets

Detroit Red Wings

Montreal Canadiens

New Jersey Devils

Ottawa Senators

Toronto Maple Leafs

Division C

Chicago Blackhawks

Colorado Avalanche

Dallas Stars

Minnesota Wild

Nashville Predators

Phoenix Coyotes

St. Louis Blues

Division D

Anaheim Ducks

Calgary Flames

Edmonton Oilers

Los Angeles Kings

San Jose Sharks

Vancouver Canucks

Winnipeg Jets

The obvious flaw with the NHL’s radical realignment plan is the uneven number of teams per division, giving a pronounced advantage to the teams in Division C and Division D. The league has other, less drastic options to accommodate Winnipeg’s move to the Western Conference. The simplest transition would involve four teams making logical geographic moves and would preserve the NHL’s current six division format. 

Northeast

Status Quo

Atlantic 

Status Quo

Southeast

Carolina Hurricanes

Florida Panthers

Tampa Bay Lightning

Washington Capitals

Nashville Predators (From Central)

Central

Chicago Blackhawks

Columbus Blue Jackets

Detroit Red Wings

St. Louis Blue

Dallas Stars (From Pacific)

Pacific

Anaheim Ducks

Los Angeles Kings

Phoenix Coyotes

San Jose Sharks

Colorado Avalanche (From Northwest)

Northwest

Calgary Flames

Edmonton Oilers

Minnesota Wild

Vancouver Canucks

Winnipeg Jets (From Southeast – Atlanta Thrashers)

The Nordiques would love to follow in the footsteps of the Jets

The league can align itself any way it likes, ultimately the Canucks will always be at a disadvantage in terms of travel. The geographic rivalries with Edmonton and Calgary would be retained, and former Smythe division foe Winnipeg would be a welcomed addition to the division. If the NHL does follow through with the proposed four division format, the inclusion of Anaheim, San Jose, and Los Angeles would be advantageous to Vancouver because of all four cities are located in the Pacific Time zone. If the league is seriously considering installing a divisional construct that includes four divisions, the best option would be to further expand into Canada; adding a team in Southern Ontario and a team in Quebec City would give the NHL thirty-two teams to split evenly into four divisions.