There are so many considerations for NHL teams to pick through as the off-season arrives and the Stanley Cup Playoffs recede into the past. Here are four players who will draw heavy scrutiny throughout the free agency process.
1. Thomas Vanek, Montreal Canadiens
In the playoffs, few teams surprised more than the Montreal Canadiens. While it is true that P.K. Subban was Montreal’s best non-goalie player for the playoffs, Vanek is still someone who made enough contributions to the team to be recognized as a long-term threat in the NHL. Vanek is not too old to be seen as someone whose career is on its last legs. That’s a distinction which belongs much more to Jarome Iginla (who will be mentioned a bit later on this list, but in fourth place in terms of desirability). Vanek has many years left in which he can become either a central player or a strong supporting player on a roster that’s capable of going deep into the playoffs. Vanek can become a difference-making piece in the NHL.
2. Paul Stastny, Colorado Avalanche
Stastny is only 28, and he was one of the higher-scoring forwards in the league last season. He was certainly one of the main engines behind the Avalanche’s rise in the Western Conference. The team lost to the Minnesota Wild in the first round of the playoffs, but Colorado was one of the better and more pleasantly surprising stories to emerge from the 2013-2014 season. Stastny will unquestionably improve a team’s ability to score. He’s going to provide a substantial infusion of energy and attacking skill. This is something that’s going to be hard for many teams to resist, at least in terms of making a push to acquire his services.
3. Jussi Jokinen, Pittsburgh Penguins
The 31-year-old did play with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh, but he still made the most of his time with the Penguins. Jokinen finished the regular season with 36 assists, one of the highest totals in the league. He finished with 57 points, fourth among the pool of free-agent forwards. He’s the kind of player who manages to play a part in a lot of actions and movements that eventually lead to goals. He is never too far removed from the center of the action on the ice, and that’s an attractive quality for an NHL player to have.
4. Jarome Iginla, Boston Bruins
The 36-year-old won’t be as valuable as the first three players mentioned on this list. Age is a limiting factor in the NHL. However, there are a few players who manage to play up to or even a little bit past the age of 40 while still adding value to their rosters. Iginla isn’t as overpowering or as forceful as he used to be when he led the Calgary Flames to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, and no one is going to view him as the best property to be had in the open market. Yet, he could certainly be viewed as a veteran mentor who can mix well with younger talent and perhaps create a locker room in which a Cup champion can be born.
