Whether it results in a smaller raise than expected or a pay cut, these pending NHL free agents didn't set themselves up for the best next contract this season.

As the NHL’s UFA period is almost a month away, it’s becoming clear which players are due for major raises and which ones may get a reduction in pay or a raise that's not as high as originally expected. 

Let's look at the latter group and pick out five NHLers whose stock has taken a hit this season. Salary information is courtesy of PuckPedia. In no particular order:

Elias Lindholm, C, Vancouver Canucks

At this time last year, the Calgary Flames were prepared to give Lindholm a significant raise on the $4.85 million he earned in the final season of a six-year contract. But Lindholm turned down Calgary’s offers.

This season, spent between the Flames and Vancouver Canucks, Lindholm looked much more like a second-line center than the first-liner Calgary treated him as.

The market for UFA centers will guarantee the 29-year-old Swede still gets a raise next season and beyond, but there's likely no question his asking price has taken a hit. His 10 points in 13 playoff games were good, but his 12 points in 26 regular-season games with Vancouver weren't, and his 44 points between Calgary and Vancouver also weren't.

This writer could see him get a new deal in the $6- to $7-million area. That’s at least a couple million less than he could’ve made by signing that deal with the Flames.

Tyson Barrie, D, Nashville Predators

It wasn’t long ago that Barrie was an above-average blueliner who generated nearly 60 points in 2018-19 with Colorado. 

But this past year in Nashville, Barrie’s totals on offense dropped to one goal and 15 points in 41 games. The 32-year-old was a healthy scratch for the Predators this season, and his $4.5-million annual salary will almost assuredly drop to less than half that amount of money.

Barrie – a valued right-shot D-man – will get a job with some NHL team, but if he wants to play on a bona fide Stanley Cup-caliber squad, he’ll have to take a haircut. He’s simply not as effective on offense as he once was, and that was his bread and butter. Now, he’ll be searching for table scraps.

Ilya Samsonov, G, Toronto Maple Leafs

Playing in the pressure cooker that is the Toronto market, Samsonov commanded a salary of $3.55 million with the Maple Leafs last season. In 40 games played, he had a 23-7-8 record with a 3.13 goals-against average and .890 save percentage. In five playoff games, he went 1-4 with a 3.01 GAA and .896 SP.

Toronto has had enough of his Jekyll-and-Hyde play in net, and you may not see a bidding war for the 27-year-old’s services.

Indeed, if Samsonov gets a new salary of anywhere close to $2.5 million, he should jump at it. He could be a successful tandem-mate for a middle-of-the-pack team, but it won’t be with the Leafs, and it likely won’t be for more than two seasons at most.

Tyler Myers, D, Vancouver Canucks

All things considered, Myers had a solid season for the Canucks, posting five goals and 29 points while being effective for Vancouver’s back end. There's a good chance he'll be back in Vancouver as well, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. The problem for the 34-year-old blueliner is his $6-million cap hit. There’s no way he will come close to that amount on a new contract.

Myers still has enough in the tank to be a positive addition for some team, but his next salary may be between $3 million and $4 million, likely on a two- or three-year pact. Whether that’s in Vancouver remains to be seen, but his days as a top-paid defenseman are over.

TJ Brodie, D, Toronto Maple Leafs

Speaking of top-paid blueliners in line for a giant pay cut, Brodie went from being a $5-million D-man to a healthy scratch for Toronto in the playoffs. The 33-year-old won’t be back with the Leafs, and his salary for next year may be in the $2- to $3-million range as well.

Brodie may have to take an even bigger salary cut to join a legitimate Cup contender next year. He’s in the later stages of a good NHL career, with 908 career games played so far and 348 points. That said, his value has fallen accordingly. He’s likely not yet ready to retire, but he’s also no longer an above-average blueliner, which will be reflected in his next payday. 

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