Toronto Maple Leafs: Every Pending UFA in the Central Division

It appears the Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be playing anytime soon so this is a perfect time to delve into every Western Central Division team’s pending UFAs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, hockey, and the world itself are full of uncertainties at the moment. One thing that we do know for sure is who will be under contract next season and who will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA).

In this, our final section of a four-part series on every pending UFA in the NHL, we break down every team in Western Conference’s Central Division. You can also revisit the rest of the league’s UFAs by division. Part 1 focused on the Metropolitan Division, part 2 was the Atlantic Division, and part 3 was the Pacific Division.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are no longer the team that dominated the NHL for years. They still have the same core players signed longterm but a lot of their magic is gone.

The Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews has a matching contract with sniper Patrick Kane. Each of these men earns $10.5 million per year. They’re also signed until the end of the 2022-23 season.

Duncan Keith was another core part of that three-time cup winning dynasty. Keith continues to be an important member of the franchise. He is still logging heavy minutes on Chicago’s blueline at age 36 and providing a steady presence for his club.

Corey Crawford

The player the Blackhawks relied upon the most through their Stanley Cup runs was Corey Crawford. He won two cups and was with the organization when they won in 2009-2010 but in the smallest possible role. He had played just a single regular-season game that year and took the net for 45 games with the Rockford IceHogs.

Crawford’s rise to prominence began a year later. He took over for Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi. For the 2010-2011 season, Crawford became Chicago’s starting netminder working with Maty Turco as his backup. Crawford has remained the team’s starting goalie ever since.

Now the Montreal born stopper is about to be the Blackhawks sole rostered UFA this offseason. At age 35 he is earning $6 million a season. That will almost certainly decrease on Crawford’s next deal.

Since goalies are notorious for playing at a later age than skaters, Crawford will likely attempt to secure himself a multi-year deal while the Hawks may want to provide just a single year guarantee. With Crawford’s history in Chicago, it would make sense for both parties to bring him back.

Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche have one of the more dynamic rosters in hockey. Their energy and youth make them a fun team to watch. With 12 players about to become free agents and six of them being unrestricted, GM Joe Sakic will have his work cut out for him this offseason.

Michael Hutchinson

Michael Hutchinson had a rough season that began with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before they traded him to Colorado, he was, unfortunately, the butt of many jokes. Early in Hutchinson’s career with the Winnipeg Jets, he looked as though he could be something special. At this point, he will just be happy to have an NHL job next year.

Hutch got lit up in Toronto this season. In 15 games with the Buds, 11 of which he started, the keeper went 4-9-1 with a goals-against-average of 3.66 and a save percentage of 0.886.

Hutchinson managed to only get into one game since joining the Avs but he did well. He won that game while letting just one shot get past him.

Next season, Hutchinson will be happy to receive a league minimum contract in the NHL though he’s more likely to just to get a tryout opportunity for a club at training camp.

Vladislav Namestnikov

Vladislav Namestnikov joined the Avalanche on trade deadline day from the Ottawa Senators for a fourth-round pick. His impact on the roster was immediate. In nine games, Namestnikov scored four goals and two assists.

It helped that Namestnikov was inserted into the Avs top line upon his arrival. This allowed him to play with more talented and faster linemates than he had with Ottawa. Namestnikov also got used on coach Jared Bednar’s powerplay. This will help him as he negotiates his next contract.

Matt Nieto

Matt Nieto didn’t get the same treatment as Namestnikov. Instead, he played on the team’s third line for an average of 13:30 minutes per game. The left-winger managed to post eight goals and 13 assists in 70 games while playing a very effective style.

Since Nieto isn’t overly physical, he relies on strong puck possession and aggressive forechecking. It’s made him an ideal third-line player who Bednar can trust to deploy to chase down pucks. Nieto also has some scoring prowess that he’s used to get over 20 points in each of his last three seasons.

Mark Barberio and Kevin Connauton

Mark Barberio and Kevin Connauton are defensemen who play on the left side for the Avs. Both men played in the majors and minors this season, adding depth to the organization. Barberio played four games for the Colorado Eagles and 21 for the Avalanche. Connauton played 38 games for the Eagles and just four for the Avs.

As could be expected, the players looked much better when playing in the AHL. Connauton was able to be used in the minors in a way that worked to his strengths, as an offensive defenseman.

He did not have the luxury to play the same way when up with the Avs. Both these players will likely be signed with a team and used similarly, as organizational depth.

Dallas Stars

Roman Polák

The Dallas Stars have several players about to become UFAs. One of them is a former member of the Maple Leafs, Roman Polák. After leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs, he went directly to Dallas where he continued to play exceptional defense.

Last season, at age 32 Polák was a heavily relied upon player for the franchise. He averaged 19:10 minutes of ice time. One year later, in the opening game of the season, Polák was driven into the boards in a manner that sucked the life out of the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The hit was so hard that Polák needed to be helped off the ice with the use of a stretcher.

Polák suffered a small fracture of his sternum as a result of the incident. It delayed his ability to get his season going by several weeks. When Polák returned, his minutes were cut down to 16:40 per game. He did still manage to play 41 games this season while getting $1.75 million AAV.

Corey Perry

Agitator Corey Perry is also up for a new contract. In his first season away from the Anaheim Ducks, he signed a one-year $3.25 million deal. His year in Dallas saw Perry get moved throughout the lineup but he did get the opportunity to play with younger talents, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.

Perry is no longer the 50-goal scorer he once was. This season, in 57 games he recorded five goals and 16 assists. His minutes were also slashed to 13:43 per game, the lowest since his first two seasons in the NHL. Perry’s game still has value (and not just driving opposing players and fans nuts), just not as much as it used to.

Mattias Janmark

Mattias Janmark, another of the Stars’ UFAs, had very similar numbers as Perry. Playing on a one-year $2.3 million contract, Janmark recorded 21 points on six goals and 15 assists through 62 games. Though the forward doesn’t get under opponents’ skin in the same manner as Perry, both should be able to secure similar contracts going into next season.

Andrej Sekera

Andrej Sekera skated his 14th year in the NHL this season. After playing with five different teams, Sekera might be looking to latch on with another next season. Any franchise looking for a stay-at-home defender might want to consider Sekera. As a long time veteran in the league, he has been exactly what the Stars expected when they signed him, a player who isn’t at all flashy but knows how to play the game the right way.

Anton Khudobin

Goaltender Anton Khudobin was trusted with taking to the crease in 30 games with the Stars this season. He had a winning record of 16-8-4 while posting an impressive 0.930 save percentage and 2.22 goals-against-average.

Khudobin hit his stride at an ideal time, with his two-year $5 million contract ($2.5 million per season) about to expire. At 33 years old, the goaltender will be looking to cash in on his strong play. Used as a backup, his solid year could earn him a chance at a starting role somewhere.

Martin Hanzal

Last season, Martin Hanzal was limited in his play. He had a serious back injury that held him to just seven games played last season. His back issues continued into this season. They were so inhibiting that Hanzal wasn’t even able to play a single game on the campaign.

Placed on LTIR, Hanzal’s contract is close to an end. Though he hasn’t retired, there’s a real possibility that that will be Hanzal’s fate whether he likes it or not.

Minnesota Wild

Mikko Koivu

The Minnesota Wild are facing the possibility of being without their captain for the first time in 15 years. That’s how long Mikko Koivu has been a member of the Wild. The center is about to complete the second of the two-year deal that pays him $5.5 million annually.

Having played nowhere else but Minnesota there may be an understanding between Koivu and the franchise that he will play nowhere else. It’s very special that both parties have been extremely loyal to one another.

Koivu surpassed the 1000 games mark this season. He has now played 1028 in his career. Koivu recorded 205 goals and 504 assists for a total of 709 points. This season, he had 21 points based on four goals and 17 assists in 55 games.

Alex Galchenyuk

In July of 2017, the Montreal Canadiens signed Alex Galchenyuk to a three-year deal worth $14.7 million. Since then, he’s bounced around the NHL.

Galchenyuk was first moved to the Arizona Coyotes for Max Domi. Then he was shipped to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a part of the exchange for Phil Kessel. Finally, ahead of this year’s trade deadline, Galchenyuk was moved to the Wild with Calen Addison and a first-round pick for Jason Zucker.

Galchenyuk’s three-year contract is about to be completed. He will be going into free agency having played a 59 game season that included eight goals and 16 assists for a sum of 24 points.

Carson Soucy

The only other unrestricted free agent with the Wild is defenseman Carson Soucy. His contract expires with him on the injured reserve. Soucy left a game in late February and was expected to be out for up to a month.

Teams should be confident that if they sign Soucy they’re not only getting a competent defenseman but also a healthy one.

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators have six pending UFAs a few of them are big names in the league.

Mikael Granlund

Mikael Granlund is coming off a contract that carries a $5.75 million AAV. He spent the last season and a half with the Predators after previously being with the Wild for six and a half years. Granlund recorded 30 points this season, which for him is a down year. It’s his lowest point total since his rookie year.

Granlund will be able to demand a hefty contract next season but based on his down year, he’ll have trouble getting comparable money to what he’s currently earning.

Craig Smith

Like Granlund, Craig Smith was known as a point producer throughout his career. Now, at 30 years old and a nine-year veteran, he managed to collect 18 goals and 13 assists this season. Smith could be a good fit to center a team’s second line next season or he could resume playing in the spot that hits him best, on the right side of a squad’s third-line.

Dan Hamhuis

There was a time in Dan Hamhuis‘s career while he was playing with the Vancouver Canucks where he was considered one of the best defensemen in the league. That was several years ago when he was in his late 20s.

Hamhuis is now 37 years old and no longer has the same first step. It’s hampered his ability but he’s done a good job adjusting his style to adapt. It’s worked for Hamhuis who has become a more cautious player. He would be a great fit as a veteran among the Maple Leafs young defensemen next season.

Yannick Weber

Yannick Weber has never been the sort of defenseman to lead the rush. He will, on occasion, jump up into the play and add some offense but he has made his money in the NHL as a stay-at-home defender. At 31 years old, Weber is now looking for his next contract even if it means he plays as a bottom pairing player.

Korbinian Holzer

A bottom pairing defenseman with the Predators is Korbinian Holzer. He’s a well-known name in Toronto thanks to the five seasons he spent playing in the city. In that time, he competed primarily for the Toronto Marlies but Holzer was given opportunities with the Maple Leafs.

After playing 267 games for the Marlies and 58 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Holzer only had to suit up for a total of 30 more AHL games in his career. In that same span, he played in 148 NHL contests. Holzer spent the majority of this season with the Ducks and was traded to Nashville for Matt Irwin and a sixth-round pick.

Colin Blackwell

Another AHL regular on the Preds roster is forward Colin Blackwell. He was drafted near the end of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Blackwell has had to fight hard to get his shot at the NHL level and has primarily played in the American League.

This season Blackwell played 26 games for the Milwaukee Admirals where he recorded six goals and 17 helpers. He also joined the Predators for 27 contests where he scored three goals and seven assists.

St Louis Blues

The novel coronavirus shutting down the NHL may be most disappointing to the St Louis Blues who looked poised to defend their title. If the league doesn’t get the opportunity to play for the cup this year, the Blues might lose a key piece to their success without being able to fully maximize having Alex Pietrangelo on the team.

Alex Pietrangelo

Perhaps the most coveted free agent this offseason will be the longtime Blues defenseman, Pietrangelo. He has been with the organization for 12 years and proved himself to be a bonified star.

Now at age 30 years old, Pietrangelo will be able to test the open market if he so desires. Every team in the league will want to acquire Pietrangelo’s services including the Toronto Maple Leafs. Not only is he a great puck mover and an offensive weapon from the blueline but he also has a right-handed shot, making him even more valuable.

Doug Armstrong, the Blues GM will certainly try and re-sign Pietrangelo. This season, in 70 games he picked up 52 points. That came on 16 goals and 36 assists.

Marco Scandella

Marco Scandella has also been an important part of the Blues blueline. He logged big minutes for the Blues but his possession metrics were poor. Playing even-strength hockey Scandella had a Corsi rating of 49.3 which was -5.9 relative to his teammates.

Jay Bouwmeester

Jay Bouwmeester is also set to become a UFA. He scared the hockey world when he collapsed on the team bench in the middle of a game in February. The incident shone a spotlight on how to save a life at the hockey rink.

Bouwmeester had a heart procedure and is in recovery. He underwent a successful Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). Unfortunately, at this time, his future in the game is uncertain.

Troy Brouwer

Troy Brouwer is the last UFA on the Blues roster. On Mar. 10 the team actually placed him on waivers. He had a very frustrating season, often becoming the odd man out and made a healthy scratch multiple times. Brouwer will have to battle hard next year to find a spot on an NHL roster.