Unrestricted Free Agents
Colin Blackwell – one year one million or let him go. Probably worth a small bet, has some potential but didn’t impress me too much so far.
Ilya Mikheyev – I’d offer him one-year at what Kerfoot is currently making then trade Kerfoot, but you can’t get tricked into giving term or big money to mid-range players. I really like Engvall, but I believe talent is easy enough to get at the league minimum that I’d pass on him and channel his money into getting a star player in a different transaction.
Ilya Lyubushkin – Defensive players with no offensive upside are great due to always being dirt-cheap. I’d sign Lyubushin for as many years as it takes to get him at $1 million, or $1.5 at the absolute most.
Jack Campbell – It was a nice story and a great run, but since you are rolling the dice with Campbell on a new deal, you might as well roll those dice with someone cheaper. Or don’t gamble at all, and pay what it takes to get one of the four or five best goalies in the world. Either way, Jack Campbell, unless he signs cheap for one year, should be done in Toronto.
And that is how you play the free-agent game. Scores to follow.