Grading NHL Free Agent Summer – Central Division Pt II

With the majority of the big-name unrestricted free agents signed and training camp just around the corner, it is time to take a comprehensive look at the additions and subtractions made by each team since July 1 and evaluate how they did.

Today we finish our look at the Central Division.

Minnesota Wild

Subtractions: Matt Dumba, John Klingberg, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan Reaves, Sam Steel, Oskar Sundqvist

Additions: None

Grade: D

The Wild made several deadline adds late last season in a bid to make a Stanley Cup run but could not retain rentals Sundqvist, Klingberg, and Nyquist, veteran blueliner Dumba, or replace any of them in free agency since they will have over $14 million in dead money the next two seasons after the buyouts of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin will be relying on prospects to fill some of their holes, but it will be difficult for them to stay competitive for a playoff spot in the West.

Nashville Predators

Subtractions:  None   

Additions:  Luke Schenn, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O’Reilly, Dennis Gurianov

Grade: B+

The Preds, under the new administration of GM Barry Trotz, chose to clear out veterans Ryan Johansen (traded to Colorado) and Matt Duchene (buyout) and give new coach Andrew Brunette some veteran players with character to change the direction in Nashville. Schenn and O’Reilly were deadline additions in Toronto and helped the Maple Leafs snap their 19-year playoff drought, Nyquist was added on a two-year deal, and Gurianov is a good gamble on a one-year, $850,000 contract after being dealt from Dallas to Montreal last season.

St. Louis Blues

Subtractions:  Logan Brown, Tyler Pitlick

Additions:  Oskar Sundqvist

Grade: C-

It was a relatively inactive off-season for GM Doug Armstrong, other than bringing back Stanley Cup winner Sundqvist on a veteran-minimum one-year deal after losing depth forwards Brown to Tampa Bay and Pitlick to the NY Rangers. The big move was the trade with Philadelphia for center Kevin Hayes with the Flyers retaining 50% of his salary.

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Winnipeg Jets

Subtractions: David Rittich

Additions: Laurent Brossoit

Grade: D+

It is always challenging to get free agents to sign in Winnipeg, and most of the focus this summer for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was on retaining or talking trade for players set to hit the open market next summer. The Jets got a pretty decent return for center Pierre-Luc Dubois from Los Angeles in Gabriel Vilardi, Rasmus Kupari, and Alex Iafallo but are still in limbo with team captain Mark Scheifele and goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Cheveldayoff brought back Brossoit to replace Rittich as Hellebuyck’s backup.