NHL Free Agency: Five Potential Bargains Who Are Pending UFAs

The NHL’s free agency period kicks off once again on July 1, and teams across the league will be looking for bargains wherever they can find them. 

Here are this writer’s picks for five potential bargain players in this year’s crop of NHL pending UFAs. In no special order:

The 33-year-old Johnson had a decent-enough season, posting 17 goals and 31 points in 67 games on a terrible Hawks team. 

Johnson’s new contract will be for a fraction of the $5-million annual cap hit he's had since 2017-18. He also has the championship pedigree and the talent to be a helpful hand for some playoff-caliber team seeking veteran depth. 

"I'd like to play some meaningful hockey and get back in the playoffs," Johnson told reporters after the season.

Johnson likely will make $1 million to $2 million on his next deal, but he could provide great value at that price. A 20-goal, 40-point season isn’t at all out of the question for him, and he can pick his spot to give him the best shot at another Stanley Cup.

Talbot didn’t have a Vezina Trophy-caliber season with the Kings, but he did show enough to earn himself another season at least with a team intent on making a playoff run. He had a 2.50 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 54 appearances this season. 

The 37-year-old is no spring chicken, but as a member of a solid tandem with a less-experienced netminder, Talbot could be very valuable. And his cap hit this past year of $2 million is likely to be more or less the same next season. 

Talbot has his flaws, but he also was successful on a Kings team that allowed the third-fewest goals against this season. He’ll get another shot and could make the team that signs him very happy with his production.

Zucker had a $5.3-million cap hit this season between the Arizona Coyotes and Predators, and in 69 games, he delivered only 14 goals and 32 points. But in 2022-23 with Pittsburgh, Zucker produced 27 goals and 48 points in 78 games. 

He’s not likely to get a new contract that pays him more than $4 million next season, but he could provide at least 20 goals and 40 to 50 points with a better team. The 32-year-old Zucker is no longer at his peak as a competitor, but as a depth option and secondary scorer, he still has value. A savvy GM could do worse than to offer Zucker a one- or two-year deal.

Myers had a $6-million cap hit for each of the past seasons, and the 34-year-old produced only five goals and 29 points in 77 games for the Canucks. 

That said, if Myers is willing to sign for about half that money – either with Vancouver or another organization aiming to add size and experience to its defense corps – he can land on a team with a solid shot at a Cup. He still brings value with his shot-blocking and more structured play this season.

If Myers functions as a depth defender who doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting for a team, he can definitely be a bargain next season. 

Edmundson earned $3.5 million last season, but the fact he struggles to stay healthy is likely to drive down his asking price as a UFA.

The 30-year-old blueliner probably won’t get anywhere near that same amount of money this coming year, but his size and physicality are valued by many, with 65 blocked shots and 80 hits in 53 games this season. He is also a depth option for the penalty kill. If his pay rate comes in around $2 million or less on a two- or three-year deal, that will be a solid acquisition for a team aiming to make and succeed in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

If he doesn’t stay healthy, that minimal amount of cap space he takes up can be used on a different depth player.

Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here.