Previously, I looked at free agent forwards that were still available. If you would like to read that, here is the link. We will now examine the defenders and goalies still available in the middle of August.
All the big names have settled on new locations at this point in the offseason. This is especially true for defence where John Klingberg and all are already signed; catch up here. Teams seem to be pretty much set for next season. A few teams may still be looking to sign a depth defenceman, but most of these guys, if not all, are going to have to settle for a PTO. But such is life in a flat cap NHL.
Leftovers
Calvin de Haan
Calvin de Haan, 31, is your prototypical stay-at-home, shot-blocking defenceman. Last season, he was tied for third most times laying down on the ice blocked shots in the league with 172 blocked shots. He has only put up more than 20 points once in his career. He only had eight points (4G and 4A) last season. His four goals are a positive because from 2017 to 2021, he was held to a single goal per season.
On a good team, he could be a third-pairing option. He might even be a top-four option on a lotto team. The most recent news has Calvin de Hann linked to Vancouver Canucks. But the best possibility is the Buffalo Sabres, whose young D will need some veteran leadership, which de Hann can provide, and they have the cap space to get him.
P.K. Subban
P.K. Subban, 33, is not going to get the $9 million he got last season. Now that his eight-year $72,000,000 deal that he signed with the Montreal Canadiens has finally expired, he should be able to get a one-season $1 million deal. Last season, Subban put up 22 points (5G and 17A) in 77 games for the New Jersey Devils. He played an average of 18:18 mpg.
Subban’s prime might be well behind him, but he could still be a serviceable rear guard at a price more in line with his current abilities. He is a seventh defenceman on a great team, bottom pairing defenceman on a good team, and middle pairing on a poor team. So he falls somewhere between a number five-seven defenseman these days.
Where will the former Norris trophy winner sign? Obviously, the Edmonton Oilers or the Toronto Maple Leafs on a PTO. More likely is the Buffalo Sabres, who need a veteran to stabilize their young D and have cap space. But the best choice is the Seattle Kraken, who could use an extra defenceman. Subban might be a great fit for the NHL’s newest franchise, his marketability, philanthropy, and off-ice work with the community could be enough to make him worth signing for the young Seattle franchise.
Spare Parts
Keith Yandle
If your team losses out on P.K Subban and is in need of a veteran offensive defenceman… you might want to look at Keith Yandle, 35. Last season was a rough one for the defender, who had a league-worst minus-47 rating. I know it’s plus/minus and not the greatest metric, but that would be borderline neglect, not to mention. He is coming off a 19-point (1G and 18A) season while playing 13:59 mpg. Of the 18 points he had last season, 11 points (1G and 10A) came with the man advantage. He is still durable despite his iron man streak ending at 989 games due to a healthy scratch.
Yandle could sign with any team that needs a bottom pairing power play specialist. He could be a possible super cheap Tyson Barrie replacement if the Edmonton Oilers decide to trade him to become cap compliant, but that is a long shot. A more likely place for him to sign a PTO would be the Arizona Coyotes. This would allow him to finish his career in the same place he started.
Kris Russell
If your team losses out on Calvin de Hann, maybe they’d be interested in picking up Kris Russell. The 35-year-old stay-at-home defenceman is the NHL’s all-time shot blocking leader with 2,044 in his career so far. Hopefully, he will be adding to that total next season. Last season, the Cowboy had nine points (2G and 7A) in 31 games with the Edmonton Oilers.
At this stage of his career, he is a seventh defenseman. He could sign with the Edmonton Oilers on a PTO. It makes sense as he has spent most of his career as an Oiler, and you can never have too much depth. The other team to keep an eye on is the Chicago Blackhawks. He could help mentor their young defence, much like how Duncan Keith mentored the Oilers’ defenders last season.
Goalies
None, yup, there is not a single goalie left on the market. If your team is looking for a goalie *cough* Vegas Golden Knights *cough* you will need to look at the trade market.
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