NHL Free Agency: Why Teams Should Sign Younger Players Over Big Names

With star veterans still available in free agency, Rachel Doerrie says NHL teams could be better off signing younger players with more to prove. Here are seven examples.

The second week of NHL free agency is upon us, and that usually means most hockey executives are in their summer homes once development camp ends. 

This year, more than usual, a lot of big-name free agents are still available. Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko and Matt Dumba are a few examples. 

While many GMs and fans focus on the big names, it is often the younger, less established names that are the best signings. Kane and Tarasenko are approaching or already in the twilight of their careers. Instead of taking a chance on a veteran with nothing left to prove, the money may be better spent on an unqualified RFA or younger player who will be motivated to perform. 

With that in mind, here are some free agents who may be a better bet than the names with pedigree.

Gurianov is a 26-year-old, versatile winger with a wicked shot. He’s never rekindled the magic of his 2019-20 season but showed flashes last season in Montreal. 

At 6-foot-3, he’s a big winger that lacks a two-way game but is an excellent shot generator with a lethal release. He fits the prototype of a third-line winger who can contribute offensively and be a weapon on the second power-play unit. A contract of $1.5 million or less would give a team a legitimate shooting threat who can move up the lineup when injuries occur. He just needs to adjust his game to be more physical and contribute when he isn’t scoring to be more effective at the NHL level.

Bear wasn’t qualified because he suffered an injury at the World Championship, but he was Vancouver’s second-best defenseman behind Quinn Hughes. While he might not be available at the beginning of the season, Bear is a capable puck-moving defenseman who is a good shot suppressor. 

He has the tools to play top-four minutes but is more suited to the No. 5 role. Teams who are rebuilding and looking for younger defensemen (Philadelphia, Anaheim, Montreal, Vancouver) with experience would do well to give Bear a chance. A contending team would be a good fit for him as a bottom-pair player on a cheap deal with some term for job security.

The 24-year-old, 6-foot-2 winger has had two down years since the shortened 2020-21 season and found himself on the outside looking in for Anaheim. He’s battled injuries and struggled to stay in the lineup. Before that, he was a capable power forward with the ability to forecheck and contribute offensively. 

Comtois is the perfect example of a player who could benefit from a fresh start with a team who needs him in a third-line role. Keeping him under $2 million while giving him a chance to play middle-six minutes could prove valuable for a team trying to add grit with functional skill.

Zadina never quite worked out in Detroit and will get an opportunity elsewhere once he chooses his destination. The former sixth overall pick has struggled to find his finishing touch in the NHL but is a net-positive player on both sides of the puck. 

While he hasn’t been able to score, he’s a more than capable two-way player. A team with a strong development track record who is looking for cheap players that may pop should look at Zadina. Teams like Tampa Bay, Minnesota and Edmonton may benefit from this diamond in the rough.

Foote is a 6-foot-5, 24-year-old, right-handed defenseman. He isn’t offensively gifted, but every NHL GM loves their big, bottom-pair defensemen. 

The former first-round pick averaged 16 minutes per game last season with the Predators and is a depth option at the NHL level. However, his penalty-killing and puck-moving abilities must improve to be a consistent bottom-pair defenseman. 

On a league-minimum deal, Foote is a good project for a team that lacks defensive prospects on the right side and is willing to be patient with mistakes. Teams like Vancouver, Philadelphia, Montreal, Anaheim and Arizona may be good spots for him to get some playing and development time.

Boqvist is a victim of a team that accelerated its window by getting several high-end draft picks who passed him on the depth chart. He is a versatile forward who wins the possession and expected goals battles, and he had the same average game score as Tarasenko, Brock Boeser, Nick Suzuki and Ross Colton last season. That is not to say Boqvist is as established as any of those players, but it is to demonstrate he is a more than capable middle-six player who is consistently a net positive. 

The production isn’t there, but he had a strong finish to the season that went unrewarded. He is a good buy-low candidate for a team that has a need in the bottom six and wants to get younger.

Puljujarvi is coming off hip resurfacing surgery, and that is sure to scare some teams off. The priority should be to find a team with a demonstrated track record of injury rehabilitation and strong sport science to ensure he gets the best care. Failing that, he may have to sign a PTO when he is ready to prove he can still play an NHL role. 

Puljujarvi has demonstrated he can produce at the NHL level when given opportunities, but those opportunities are few and far between. He’s a big winger whose skating suffered because of his hip injuries. When healthy, he can be an effective middle-six player who forechecks, plays special teams and crashes the net. 

A minimum league deal is a good bet for teams with room to play him in an offensive role. A rebuilding team could sign him, play him in an elevated role and use him as a trade deadline chip (depth scoring option) for contenders.