NHL Free Agency Frenzy Roundup: The Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks: D-

Notable signings: Cole Smith (F), Ian Cole (D), Bowen Byram* (D) 

Chicago’s off-season is largely defined by one singular move, adding Bowen Byram from Buffalo in exchange for a package centered around the fourth overall pick, and subsequently giving him the highest AAV a defenseman has ever received in NHL history at $12.5 million on a five-year term.

On paper, this move is bizarre. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson has clearly prioritized building from the back in this long-term rebuild, using high picks. Artyom Levshunov (2024 2OA), Kevin Korchinski (2022 7OA) and Sam Rinzel (2022 25OA) were seen as key pillars of the back end, but have not developed into those roles yet, with Korchinski in particular struggling to even make the NHL squad.

With this move, Chicago clearly doesn’t believe any of these three players they drafted can be a no. 1 defencemen, and so they’ve handed the keys to Byram… whose underlying profile suggests he struggles to drive play at a high level, and that’s in a sheltered role behind either Cale Makar or Rasmus Dahlin throughout his career.

Maybe, Byram is a player who just needs the defense to be built around him, but it’s more likely this will look like an overpaid mistake that’s compounded on top of past mistakes at the draft.

Elsewhere, the Blackhawks added 30-year-old physical forward Cole Smith to a three-year, $3 million AAV deal, and veteran defender Ian Cole to a one-year, $4 million contract. Both of these guys are fine depth players, but don’t really move the needle on a squad shaping up to sit at the bottom of the division again.

Colorado Avalanche: B

Notable signings: Jaden Schwartz (F), Noah Juulsen (D)

The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche tinkered with their depth a bit this summer, but a majority of their business was in the trade market. Most notably, Valeri Nichushkin was sent to Columbus, while Jack Drury and Ross Colton were both sent off to Nashville in separate deals.

In free agency, new-but-also-old GM Joe Sakic added veteran winger Jaden Schwartz to a pretty sensible three-year, $3.25 million AAV deal, and depth defenseman Noah Juulsen to a two-year, $1.1 million contract. Additionally, blueliners Brett Kulak and Brent Burns were re-signed before July 1.

The Avs also inked depth forward Vinnie Hinostroza to a two-year, league-minimum contract. He fits their typical fast and skilled style at a super cheap cost, and it’s never a bad thing to have extra depth lying around.

While the team looks a bit different on paper, it’s realistically the same core group of guys. The question moving forward this summer is the impending extension of Cale Makar, who’s due for a major pay bump from his current $9 million deal that expires next summer. 

The two-time Norris Trophy winner could command as much as double his current salary on a long-term deal, and surely that will have to be accounted for when budgeting for the future.

Dallas Stars: D

Notable signings: Joel Kiviranta (F), Jamie Benn* (F)

The Dallas Stars’ off-season has been hamstrung entirely by the Jason Robertson contract fiasco. Every time a potential solution seems to present itself, something gets in the way and everything goes back to square one. 

As we sit here today, there’s still no solution to the situation for the 26-year-old star RFA, though a pending arbitration case has at least set a deadline of something happening.

Robertson reportedly wants upwards of $14 million on a long-term deal, while Dallas is unwilling to go over $12.5 million. The Seattle Kraken attempted to trade for Robertson and give him his contract, but the American forward did not want to sign there.

Additionally, the Stars thought they had a deal with Columbus centered around a Thomas Harley for Zach Werenski swap, which would give Dallas an upgrade on defense while actually clearing out some cap room, but Werenski shut it down at the last minute.

Nothing has gone right for Dallas, and the cap crunch has also forced them to move young forward Mavrik Bourque to Nashville in exchange for picks. 

All of these sagas have made their free agency work of bringing old friend Joel Kiviranta back and keeping captain Jamie Benn for another year on a cheap deal rather irrelevant, because this team is stuck in limbo until they can figure out the case of their star winger.

Minnesota Wild: C

Notable signings: Maxim Shabanov (F), Nick Foligno* (F), Bobby Brink* (F), Zach Bogosian* (D)

Minnesota’s summer business has mostly been about keeping the band together, bringing back Bobby Brink, Zach Bogosian, Nick Foligno and Daemon Hunt all on one-year deals, which keeps their depth about the same as it was last year.

The one major move the Wild made is letting Mats Zuccarello walk in free agency, while bringing in a younger and cheaper alternative in Maxim Shabanov on a one-year, $1.6 million deal. Shabanov is skilled, but lacks the pure playmaking ability Zuccarello provided.

Veteran Calvin Pickard was also signed to seemingly be the third goalie and presumptive AHL starter, but also as insurance around Filip Gustavsson, whose off-season hip surgery might leave him missing from the start of training camp.

Otherwise, it’s same old, same old for Minnesota and reigning GM of the year recipient Bill Guerin, who seem to be poking around at trade options like Dylan Larkin, but lack the assets to really make a big splash.

Moving forward, there are some eyes on a potential Quinn Hughes extension, as the star defenseman is now eligible to sign at any point and seems interested in staying in Minnesota, but there’s no guarantee that happens this summer, if at all.

Nashville Predators: B-

Notable signings: Alex Kerfoot (F), Mavrik Bourque (F), Justin Barron* (D)

New GM Chris MacFarland hasn’t done much major surgery on a Predators lineup that missed the playoffs by four points last year in a weak Western Conference, but instead has made some solid additions to bolster the forward group, both through trade and free agency.

Kerfoot was the main free agent signing, joining on a two-year, $3.5 million AAV deal. After acquiring the RFA via trade, Bourque was given a six-year, $5.5 million contract that should age really nicely for a solid second-line scoring winger.

Gifted but at times frustrating offensive defenseman Justin Barron was kept around for another year at $1.575 million against the cap. This will serve as a “prove it” year for him, as he’ll need to show he can defend consistently at an NHL level, or risk being let go next summer.

With Drury and Colton also brought in via trade from MacFarland’s former employer in Colorado, it’s yet to be seen if these improvements around the edges of the roster will be enough to push the Preds back into the playoffs, or if it’ll be another year of the mushy middle.

St. Louis Blues: D+

Notable signings: Ross Johnston (F)

It wasn’t the busiest July 1 in St. Louis, who did most of their business through trade around the draft.

Ross Johnston’s three-year, $2 million AAV deal was the only real free agency signing of note, and that kind of money and term on a guy who essentially just hits and fights rather than plays hockey isn’t really an exciting deal.

The Blues also signed Dillon Dube to a one-year, one-way contract for the minimum. While he had a fine season on the scoresheet for the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield last season, the question has to be asked ethically and morally if bringing in a guy who was part of the 2018 Canadian World Junior London hotel scandal is really worth it. 

Personally, the loss of trust from fans who have dealt with similar traumatic experiences and the general PR headache makes it seem out of touch and distasteful, but to each their own.

Looking at the trade market, St. Louis swapped Jordan Kyrou for Connor McMichael, added Mason McTavish down the middle and Brandon Carlo on defense. 

These moves, plus some development from young players like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky, a healthier Robert Thomas and better goaltending make the Blues a potential candidate to jump back into the playoffs, but it’s far from a guarantee in what will likely be a tight wild card race in the West.

Utah Mammoth: B+

Notable signings: Anders Lee (F), Andrew Peeke (D), Kevin Stenlund* (F), Barrett Hayton ** (F)

The first ever playoff appearance in Mammoth franchise history led by a star-studded young core has the vibes in Utah feeling good, and a pretty solid off-season has kept those vibes high.

Anders Lee is a great veteran fit for this forward group, with his ability to generate chances net-front a needed addition to a smaller team up front. While he’s 35 now, a three-year deal at a $5.4 million AAV doesn’t break the bank for the former New York Islanders captain.

On defense, Andrew Peeke comes in for pretty cheap at one-year for $1 million, and while he’s one of the worst offensive blueliners in the league, he provides enough defensive value to probably be fine as a no. 6 D. 

Kevin Stenlund sticks around up front for a one-year, $2.75 million deal, which is pricey for a fourth-line center who is a black hole offensively, but whatever.

The Mammoth also chose to match New Jersey’s one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet to Barrett Hayton, and while that walks the former fifth overall pick right to UFA next summer, he’ll probably be more useful to the team as a utility middle-six forward this season than the second-round pick compensation would’ve been.

The other big move in Utah came through trade, as Vincent Trocheck arrived from the New York Rangers in exchange for Sean Durzi and futures. While Trocheck struggled analytically in his final couple of years as the Rangers’ top-line center, he should fit in better in Utah with faster linemates and more insulation up front.

Winnipeg Jets: C

Notable signings: Mario Ferraro (D), Stuart Skinner (G)

Free agency is never the kindest path towards the Jets, as convincing players to live in Winnipeg through the winter isn’t always the easiest task.

This year, the Jets added two players that probably make the team better, but won’t really help them become good any time soon. Mario Ferraro was signed to a three-year, $4 million AAV deal, which is fairly reasonable for a bottom-four defenseman, and Winnipeg likely needed another blueliner anyway.

Meanwhile, Stuart Skinner was given a two-year, $3.75 million AAV contract to back up Connor Hellebuyck, or even turn into the starter if the former Hart winning goaltender gets traded, which has definitely been in the rumours.

Not much has really changed otherwise in Winnipeg, which is probably worrying considering how bad this team was last year. The bottom-nine forwards are not close to good enough, the defense is just fine, and this team is once again Hellebuyck or bust.