Alan Greenberg, FHN Sr. Writer
By this time in the NHL offseason, the top free agents signed long ago.
But there are still several NHL free agents who need homes — and, perhaps a few, who could tempt the Florida Panthers before training camp opens Sept. 19 in Fort Lauderdale.
Many of the remaining high-dollar free agents are veterans beyond their prime or who have been slowed by injury.
The lower-priced free agents are generally role players, underachievers, or hired guns who may find work after rosters and cap issues stabilize.
Players desperate for another NHL season play for a stipend well below what they earned in their prime every summer.
General managers seeking to fill a gap or add a veteran presence can make deals now that will not blow up what remains of their cap space.
Nick Cousins, signing a one-year bargain deal with Ottawa last week, fits this mold.
Steven Lorentz remains out there, but after winning the Stanley Cup with the Panthers, will find a home before camp starts.
Both were typical Bill Zito acquisitions, players who augmented the Florida core as low-priced players who were productive enough to be noticed.
Both earned over $1 million, a little more than the NHL minimum.
There are still unsigned-name players out there who will have to take far less than their NHL average if and when they are signed.
The list includes Max Pacioretty, Tyson Barrie, James van Riemsdyk, and Mike Hoffman.
The bargains, however, lie in the lower-priced players who can contribute for a reasonable stipend.
Here are my nominations for the best bargain signings still out there.
These guys are not necessarily the best players available but potentially the best bargains.
Tyler Johnson is coming off a seven-year $35 million contract signed with Tampa Bay when it was a budding Stanley Cup contender.
Johnson can’t command anywhere near that salary now, but at age 34, he can still produce.
He scored 17 goals last season in Chicago but fell victim to their rebuild.
It would be a good investment if a team needing scoring depth can scrape up $1-2 million for him — although he will start training camp with the Bruins on a PTO.
Tony DeAngelo has had his problems on and off the ice, but he is still a fair defender capable of scoring goals.
He spent a good part of last season as a healthy scratch with Carolina while wearing out his welcome with yet another NHL team.
DeAngelo is rumored to be headed to the KHL, and his name has been linked to the Edmonton Oilers.
If he is willing to come in at not much over the NHL minimum, it could be a win-win situation on a one-year deal for someone.
Marc Staal is a familiar name to Panthers fans. He is far removed from his days as the cornerstone of the New York Rangers defense.
After 13 seasons on Broadway, Staal became a hired gun and moved to Detroit, Florida, and Philadelphia.
At 37 he can still be an effective depth defender.
He now works for barely above the NHL minimum on one-year deals and could be a worthwhile hire for a team needing blueline insurance and valuable experience.
Antti Raanta has spent a career as a backup goalie. He has performed for four NHL teams and, at age 35, shows commendable lifetime numbers: a 2.48 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
Last season in Carolina was a downer, with injuries and a trip to the minors. He was effectively squeezed out by the superior play of Pyotr Kochetkov and Spencer Martin during Frederik Andersen’s extended absence.
He is only two seasons removed from sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy with Andersen.
At under $1 million, he would be an excellent low-cost third goalie for someone.
Florida, it should be noted, is not in the market for a goalie.
Dominik Kubalik is 29, but his hockey resume reads like a crusty old veteran.
Last season in Ottawa was a complete downturn after coming over from Detroit in exchange for Alex Debrincat.
Kubalik is only a season removed from scoring 20 with Detroit.
He scored 30 goals as a rookie with Chicago in the shortened 2019-20 season.
He needs a “show me” season, and as the new season approaches, he should be quite willing to take a significant drop from the $2.5 million he earned under his most recent contract.
Kubalik is a candidate for a turnaround season, given the right fit.
While these are but a few of the remaining free agents, many more are available at a bargain price.
Whether any are on Zito’s watch list is another story.
Cal Clutterbuck, John Klingberg, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Justin Schultz are a few veterans looking to extend their careers, even at a lower wage.
Florida has not announced which players it will invite to camp on a tryout, and the Panthers do not have much money to spend.
But one of the guys mentioned just could end up in Fort Lauderdale later this month trying to make the Panthers — and be the next bounce-back success story.