Grading NHL Free Agent Summer – Metropolitan 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 complete our look at the Metropolitan Division:

New York Rangers

Subtractions: Vladimir Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola

Additions: Blake Wheeler, Jonathan Quick, Nick Bonino, Erik Gustavsson  

Grade: B

After failing to get past the first round, Rangers GM Chris Drury was effective in using the bright lights of Broadway to attract veterans Wheeler, Bonino, Gustavsson, and Quick on economical one-year deals, leaving room to get defenseman K’Andre Miller signed to a two-year bridge deal. However, New York still has not been able to get RFA Alexis Lafreniere signed with just a few weeks left before the start of training camp. 

Day 3/4 of posting Blake Wheeler’s best moments as a Winnipeg Jet. ✈️

Game 3 vs Nashville. 👀

Wheeler sets up the well-known Jacob Trouba goal, scores the game winner late in the third, and provides an insurance tally with the empty-netter. 🚀#NHLJets #GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/1fgbk60h7a

— Level Flight Podcast (@LevelFlightWPG) August 15, 2023

Philadelphia Flyers

Subtractions: Brendan Lemieux, James van Riemsdyk

Additions: Ryan Poehling, Marc Staal, Garnet Hathaway

Grade: C

The Flyers are undergoing a significant renovation under new GM Daniel Briere, moving out Provorov, DeAngelo, and forward Kevin Hayes. The additions of Hathaway and Staal conform with the team ethic of head coach John Tortorella. Still, based on the amount of talent heading out of Philadelphia, it will be a long road back to respectability.   

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Subtractions: Nick Bonino, Brian Dumoulin, Dmitry Kulikov, Ryan Poehling, Jason Zucker 

Additions: Noel Acciari, Ryan Graves, Matt Nieto, Alex Nedeljkovic, Lars Eller, Andreas Johnsson

Grade: B- 

Being busy does not always equate to being successful, but Kyle Dubas hit the ground running after being ousted in Toronto, clearing out some of the mistakes made by former GM Ron Hextall, by moving out Jeff Petry and Mikael Granlund in the trade for the Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Despite the addition of Graves and Karlsson, Pittsburgh’s blueline depth is razor-thin, but the signings of Acciari, Eller, and Johnsson effectively shored up the depth up front. 

Well, how do you do EK65 😳🚨

Erik Karlsson caps off his 2-goal night with a clapper to end the shootout. pic.twitter.com/8f4IvEP0fZ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 30, 2021

Washington Capitals

Subtractions: Connor Brown, Conor Sheary, Craig Smith

Additions: Max Pacioretty 

Grade: D

The Capitals were crippled by cap constraints after re-signing Tom Wilson, Dylan Strome, Nick Jensen, and Trevor van Riemsdyk. GM Brian McLellan lost a trio of depth forwards in Brown, Sheary, and Smith, and rolled the dice on Pacioretty. Still, Washington is hoping that new head coach Spencer Carbury will help several young players in the organization on the cusp of becoming NHL contributors.