With just over two months to go until the 2009/10 NHL season begins, and some big-name free agents still unsigned, there’s certainly room for change. Heading the list of unknowns is the always enigmatic Mats Sundin. Sundin spent most of last season deciding whether or not he wanted to return, eventually signing a prorated $8.6 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks, scoring just 28 points in 41 games. Sundin’s game improved in the playoffs, where he had 8 points in 8 games, but the Canucks were nevertheless eliminated. Now Sundin is again undecided whether he will return or not. If a team picks him, Sundin could make a big difference or be a major distraction during negotiations. This is a tough call, but if Sundin returns, I’m guessing he’ll only play half a season…not to mention he’ll most likely have to cut his salary.
Next on the list are former Habs Alex Tanguay and Mathieu Schneider. Both had strong seasons with the Canadiens last year, but after bringing in many new players, neither appear to be part of general manager Bob Gainey’s current plans. Schneider is a capable offensive defender who could change the dynamics for teams lacking the blue line, while Tanguay, while yet to plateau, has the caliber of a 30-goal, 80-point scorer.
Players who may need a pay cut to close a deal include Keith Tkachuk, Mike Comrie, Robert Lang, Maxim Afinogenov and Miroslav Satan. They all made over $3 million last season. Few, if any, earned it. Among the more affordable free agents remaining are Petr Sykora, Jason Williams and Todd Bertuzzi. Of his 13 NHL seasons, Sykora scored 20+ goals eight times and reached 30+ twice. Although he’s getting older, Sykora remains a reliable winger who could make an immediate jump up on any team’s depth chart. Jason Williams spent last season in Columbus, but rumors have it that he will return to the team that drafted him, the Detroit Red Wings, or possibly sign in the KHL. The possibility of him staying in Columbus isn’t out of the question either, but it seems unlikely. Todd Bertuzzi is a story in itself. A promising scorer in his rookie season, Bertuzzi struggled with injuries and inconsistency until he played some of his best hockey games in Vancouver with Brendan Morrison and Markus Naslund. After an incident in which Bertuzzi hit Colorado center Steve Moore in the back of the head, Bertuzzi never played another game like Canuck. After playing with the Panthers, Red Wings, Ducks and Flames, Bertuzzi is starting to get his form back and could be a good addition to a team that needs grit and secondary scoring.
When it comes to free agent goaltenders, one name in particular stands out: Manny Fernandez. In 325 games, Fernández has 143 wins, 15 of which were shutouts, a .912 save percentage, and a goals-against average of just 2.50. With Tim Thomas and young Tuukka Rask in Boston, Fernández was not offered a new contract. The goaltending market isn’t strong right now, but look for a team like Atlanta, or even Detroit, to pick from.
In other free agent signings, the Boston Bruins bolstered their defense by adding Derek Morris (NYR), while Colby Armstrong (ATL), Denis Grebeshkov (EDM), Tomas Plekanec (MTL), Travis Zajac (NJ) and Tuomo Ruutu (CAR) all signed with their respective teams 2008/09.
-Josh Lind
