One way or another look for Chicago Blackhawks to add forward
The biggest shopping day in the NHL is almost here.
Come Monday we'll find out where unrestricted free-agent forwards Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene and Joe Pavelski are headed, as well as the most coveted goaltender on the market, Sergei Bobrovsky.
One thing we can say with certainty is that - barring a miracle with Panarin - none are headed to Chicago to play with the Blackhawks. Top defensemen Jake Gardiner and Tyler Myers won't be signing in the Windy City either.
That doesn't mean general manager Stan Bowman won't be inking a forward or two - and/or perhaps pulling off more trades. Bowman, already pleased that he has helped fortify the Hawks' defense and penalty kill with the additions of Olli Maata and Calvin de Haan, wants to add a forward or two who can take some defensive pressure off Jonathan Toews.
He said as much to the team's website. (Requests to speak with Bowman before the draft went unfulfilled).
Bowman could sign a free agent such as Pat Maroon, Joonas Donskoi, Ryan Carpenter or Brandon Tanev, but he's more likely to try the trade route.
The key will be not only identifying a team willing to craft a fair deal but also finding players who are willing to put on the hard hat and not care if they finish with 20-30 points.
Said Bowman to Blackhawks.com: "They have to understand the defensive scheme of the team, they have to be willing to kind of dig in in their own end and not be in a real antsy mood to get going the other way, and they have to understand that they're going to get a lot of defensive-zone faceoffs against good players. They have to battle to win that puck, they have to get it out of their zone, they have to get in on the forecheck to keep them down there and then change and let the other guys come and hopefully be in a better position on the ice.
"We don't have enough players that have that mentality or the experience level to do that."
It's always dangerous to speculate who might be on the move, but don't be surprised if Artem Anisimov, Erik Gustafsson or Henri Jokiharju are part of a package. It seems ludicrous to trade Gustafsson (who did a fabulous job quarterbacking the power play and carries a minuscule $1.2 million cap hit), but if he scores another 15-plus goals this season he'll be nearly impossible to sign as an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Hawks are about $10.5 million under next season's $81.5 million salary cap. Dealing Anisimov or Brandon Saad could make that number swell to $14.5 million or more.
So it seems the Hawks could go on somewhat of a spending spree, right?
Perhaps, but there are three things to keep in mind:
• Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome, both restricted free agents after next season, figure to command at least a combined $11 million a year.
• Corey Crawford is a UFA next season. Should the Hawks re-sign him at $6 million or more?
• The top unrestricted free agents come at a hefty price - not just in dollars, but in term as well.
"We have a lot of really good young players that will be here in the next couple of years," Bowman said. "Some of them will arrive next season, some the year after and some the year after that.
"So you don't want to have everybody locked up for five years. If you're going to sign a high-end free agent July 1, they get the term because there is enough demand.
"You might want to give them three years but someone will give them five and before you know it if you want to get in the game with that guy you have to give them five- or six-year term."
And that's exactly why Bowman traded for Maata and de Haan - because their contracts run for three more years at what he considers reasonable cap hits ($4.083M and $4.55M, respectively).
After the obvious top-of-the-line unrestricted free agents, a few others to watch include Wheaton's Ryan Dzingel (would he give the Hawks a hometown discount?), Michael Ferland (17 goals and plays with an edge), Brett Connolly (steady third-line scorer who had a career-high 22 goals last season), Brian Boyle (34 years old, but a beast) and Corey Perry (who was bought out by Anaheim).
Top 10 unrestricted free agents
<b>FORWARDS</b><b>1. Artemi Panarin </b>Stats: 28 goals, 59 assists in 79 games with Columbus
The skinny: A reunion with coach Joel Quenneville appears imminent as the Florida Panthers are the front-runner for the wildly talented Panarin. The Rangers, Islanders and Avs are all in the running as well.
<b>2. Matt Duchene</b>Stats: 31 goals, 39 assists in 73 games with Ottawa and Columbus
The skinny: Duchene stands out this year because he's in a relatively weak free-agent class and is the only true No. 1 center. Nashville is the favorite to attain his services, but is $10 million per year too rich for the Preds? He could also end up in Montreal or with a surprise suitor.
<b>3. Joe Pavelski</b>Stats: 38 goals, 26 assists in 75 games with San Jose
The skinny: Even though he's 34 years old, Pavelski continues to dazzle. He's averaged 34.2 goals over the last six seasons and would be a huge upgrade to any offense. Two Central Division teams - Dallas and Minnesota - are in the running, according to Pierre LeBrun.
<b>4. Anders Lee</b>Stats: 28 goals, 23 assists in 82 games with the Islanders
The skinny: Lee is interesting because since he became a full-time player, 43 of his 142 goals have come on the power play. That's 30.3 percent. (Patrick Kane is at 25 percent and Matt Duchene is at 22.7 percent over the last five seasons.) So is Lee too dependent on special teams? Or will he help a team's PP that much? It will be interesting to see what GMs believe.
<b>5. Gustav Nyquist</b>Stats: 22 goals, 38 assists in 60 games with San Jose and Detroit
The skinny: Solid goal scorer (131 in 500 games) who can pitch in on the power play. Would be a nice fit for the Blackhawks if they can come to terms on a reasonable deal.
<b>6. Mats Zuccarello</b>Stats: 12 goals, 28 assists in 48 games with Rangers and Stars
The skinny: Provided tons of energy and speed for Dallas in the playoffs, scoring 4 goals and dishing out 7 assists in 13 games. Fits beautifully on a contending team's third line.
<b>DEFENSEMEN</b><b>1. Jake Gardiner</b>Stats: 3 goals, 27 assists in 62 games with Toronto
The skinny: The best defenseman on the market, Gardiner will give a team 21-25 minutes a night, chip in offensively and take care of his own end. The soon-to-be 29-year-old Minnesota native should command about $7 million per season.
<b>2. Tyler Myers</b>Stats: 9 goals, 22 assists in 80 games played with Winnipeg
The skinny: In a weak free-agent class for D-men, Myers figures to cash in big. The question is, will he be worth it?
<b>GOALIES</b><b>1. Sergei Bobrovsky</b>Stats: 37-24-1 with a .913 save percentage and 2.58 goals-against average in Columbus
The skinny: Bobrovsky is the best goaltender available and nobody doubts his ability in the regular season. But although he was a big part of Columbus' stunning first-round upset of Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs, one has to wonder if Bobrovsky (11-18 overall in the postseason) has the mental fortitude to lead a team to a Stanley Cup title.
<b>2. Robin Lehner</b>Stats: 25-13-5 with a .930 save percentage and 2.13 GAA for the Islanders
The skinny: Somebody is going to pay Lehner for his outstanding season, but will he be able to keep it up long term? My guess is yes. He's overcome drugs and alcohol problems, as well as a bipolar diagnosis. It's an incredible story that ended with him winning the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey."
- John Dietz