2021 - 2022 Offseason - A Look into the Free Agents
The Top 5 Players (Per Position) available this off season may surprise you, as they do me. I am assuming Financial issues with the teams may have been a factor or maybe it was time to move on and test the market. Either way these are your 10 top avail players (By Ability)
1. Alex Ovechkin, Age: 35, Left Winger
Note Alex has spent his 16 NHL Years with the Washington Capitals which is a huge surprise to see him in the market. He also finished the 2020-2021 season with a career high 68 Goals and 115 Points. In 11 Playoff games last season he had 4 Goals, 4 Assists for 8 points in 11 post season games (eliminated in the second round in 5 games vs the CBJ).
Notable Honors: Jaden Schwartz, Brandon Saad, Jujhar Kaira
2. David Rittich, Age: 28, Goalie
After an early exit from the playoffs this post season (Lost in Game 5 vs EDM) It may not be a surprise to people that one of the goalies had to go in CGY. The thing here is their is no Cam Talbot there, so Rittich would have been a no brainer to sign with his 42-29-3 record last season, with a 2.74 GAA and 9.14 SV%. Though it seasons CGY is going another route with their Prospect from the KHL Pyotr Kochetkov potentially getting the start and Jon Gillies as his backup.
Notable Honors: Frederik Andersen, Petr Mrazek, Phillipp Grubauer
3. Dougie Hamilton, Age:28, Defence
Dougie has been a pretty loyal player to the teams he gets to stick with having been with only 3 teams in 9 seasons (Boston 3yrs. Calgary 3 Years and now the past 3 seasons with Carolina). He had his second best season with career highs in goals: 20 and points: 53 this past season with the Hurricanes. They haven't made the playoffs since the 2018/2019 season, so I can see making adjustments maybe needed here.
Notable Honors: Adam Larsson, Jeff Petry, Brad Hunt
4. Ryan Dzingel, Age: 29, Right Winger
Dzingel has speed, handles the puck well and has a great offensive read. That being said he hasn't really met up with expectations of him. He had an average season with Carolina last season, posting 38 points in 81 games (15 goals, 23 assists). He'd be a decent 3rd or 4th line player depending on the depth of the roster he ends up with.
Notable Honors: Jordan Martinook, Cole Bardreau, Tayler Beck
5. Paul Stastny, Age: 35, Center
Stastny has been plagued with injury problems over his career having only 2 seasons where he made it to the 80 games range (2006, 2009)
Last season with the Vegas Golden Nights was no different as he only played in 63 games, but recorded one of his better seasons with 14 goals, 38 assists for 52 points. They didn't make the playoffs for the 3rd straight year, so understandably you can understand from the Knights view it was time to make a change.
Notable Honors: Teddy Blueger, Luke Glendening, Vadim Shipachyov
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