5 notable remaining restricted free agents
Ryan Johansen signed his big new contract with the Nashville Predators, but the list of remaining restricted free agents goes 28 deep, according to Cap Friendly.
Here's a look at five of the biggest names:
Leon Draisaitl
Of all the lottery picks made by the Edmonton Oilers over the past decade, Leon Draisaitl is making a strong case to be named second-best.
The 21-year-old broke out to the tune of 77 points last season (29 goals, 48 assists), finishing eighth on the NHL's scoring list. He also helped the club clinch a long-awaited playoff spot, leading the Oilers in postseason scoring with six goals and 10 assists in 13 games.
Related: Projecting Leon Draisaitl's next contract
The future is bright for this one, and he's soon going to snag a big chunk of Edmonton's $16.8 million in available cap space.
David Pastrnak
David Pastrnak recorded 34 goals and 36 assists in 75 games for the Boston Bruins in 2016-17, seven fewer points than Draisaitl in seven fewer games.
When deployed alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, Pastrnak is part of one of the NHL's most dangerous and effective lines. He's not only displayed clear star power, he also has the look of a potential franchise cornerstone winger.
Given how the Bruins have handled their young players in recent years - most notably Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton - the club can ill afford to mess around here, and Boston has more than $10 million to work after recently signing fellow RFA Ryan Spooner to a new deal of his own.
Related: Projecting David Pastrnak's next contract
Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter
The Minnesota Wild have two prominent RFAs to deal with in forwards Mikael Granlund and Nino Niederreiter, and, according to a recent report, both are seeking long-term deals that will pay them more than $6 million annually.
Working in their favor is that Granlund and Niederreiter are coming off the best seasons of their careers to date, setting themselves apart as core members of a Wild team with hopes of becoming a legit contender.
Player | Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mikael Granlund | 25 | 81 | 26 | 43 | 69 |
Nino Niederreiter | 24 | 82 | 25 | 32 | 57 |
Both players, it should be noted, are scheduled to go to arbitration - Niederreiter on Aug. 3 and Granlund on Aug. 4. The Wild possess almost 16 million in available cap space heading into those meetings.
Conor Sheary
This Pittsburgh Penguins winger enters free agency as a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and as a recent linemate of superstar center Sidney Crosby.
That plum assignment helped him record 23 goals and 30 assists in 61 games last season, good for a point-per-game average of 0.88, slotting him among the likes of Seguin, Patrik Laine, and John Tavares in that stat category.
The Penguins seem to have a knack for turning depth talent into effective contributors, and Sheary is in line for a decent raise thanks to how well he's fit in while pulling top-line duty.
Honorable mentions
- Blue Jackets C Alexander Wennberg
- Canucks C Bo Horvat
- Maple Leafs F Connor Brown
- Red Wings F Andreas Athanasiou
- Flames F Sam Bennett
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)