A lot of young players didn't receive qualifying offers by the deadline and will become free agents. Rachel Doerrie looks at which players would be value bets for teams in free agency.
The RFA qualifying deadline has passed and there are quite a few intriguing names that were not issued a qualifying offer. A qualifying offer allows the club to retain negotiating rights to the player should they sign an offer sheet with another club. If the player is not tendered a qualifying offer, it is usually because they are not worth their salary or the team is afraid of what they may get awarded in arbitration.
With the deadline gone, there were more than a few eyebrow raising surprises that teams walked away from. A lot of these players will sign "show me" deals, meaning that teams will pay them a small salary in the hopes they pop. The best examples of this are Mason Marchment and Carter Verhaeghe. Teams need value up and down their lineup. Landing a young player who has fallen out of favour with their old club means you're likely getting a motivated player with a chance to prove his worth. That is worth it for a lot of teams, especially those who are tight against the salary cup.
Ethan Bear - D
Bear was not qualified in Vancouver because of a foot injury sustained at the World Hockey Championships in May. Players without contracts run the risk of injury at the World Championships and it is likely Bear lost out on a hefty qualifying offer because he is not expected to be ready for training camp.
However, Bear was Vancouver's third best defenceman last year and on some nights, second-best. He skates well and most importantly, is an efficient puck mover. While teams may have concerns about his injury, puck-moving defensemen below the age of 27 are a valuable commodity. A show-me deal in the area of two million dollars could turn out to be quite the bargain.
Rasmus Asplund, F
Asplund had a down year which led to him being traded by Buffalo and not qualified by Nashville. Statistically, he profiles very similar to David Kampf in Toronto, except he is 25. A player who has shown flashes of offence, but consistently puts up solid defensive numbers is valuable. Those are the types of players that can be had on deal worth 1.25M-1.5M on a one-year basis. Taking a swing on Asplund who is a young player with strong defensive attributes is what a contender should do instead of giving out multi-year deals to older players with "bottom-six pedigree."
Asplund can bring all of the same things that a 30 year old player can bring. But he will cost half the price and the term will be short. Better yet, a team like Chicago or Arizona can sign him in an offensive role; if he hits, keep him. If he doesn't, trade him to a contender at the deadline for a late-round pick.
Daniel Sprong, F
Sprong showed he can provide offensive production when he's given a chance to play an elevated role. Seattle is obviously looking to take a step, but Sprong is someone who can be a valuable piece for a rebuilding team. He had strong results at both ends of the ice with Seattle this season and has all the makings of a player who could build upon his success this season.
Perhaps, a team like Pittsburgh or Toronto, who need players on cheap deals that can score would take a swing at him. If Sprong is looking for a bigger payday, he may have to settle for a rebuilding team. However, a deal that is two years for Sprong in the neighbourhood of 1.5 million makes sense for a team that needs cheap scoring.
A lot of teams have the opportunity to go bargain hunting. The cap is flat and players know it won't rise significantly until at least, next year. Betting on yourself to breakout just before the cap rises may be a shrewd decision in the long-run. For a team tight to the cap, it's an opportunity to get a motivated player on your roster with something to prove. Extracting value from young players is less risky than signing older players that are past the prime of their careers. We'll see which teams see the value and make the best of it.