The Edmonton Oilers' Jeff Skinner and Carolina Hurricanes' Jack Roslovic are among NHL free agents who signed contracts that could be huge bargains next season.
The NHL's flat-cap days are now mercifully in the rearview mirror. But the league's GMs didn't ditch all of their penny-pinching maneuvers while they've loaded up their rosters since July 1.
In a copycat league, the latest Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers proved to be a terrific template for other clubs to follow — balancing homegrown talent with big-swing acquisitions but rounding out the roster with inexpensive contacts for capable role-players, some of whom turned out to have tremendous untapped potential.
Because of that, it makes sense to start this list by examining what Bill Zito has been up to this summer and then highlight some other savvy signings that could end up paying big dividends around the NHL next season.
Nate Schmidt, D, Florida Panthers, 1 year, $800,000 AAV
Unafraid to spend big on his core players, Zito has become a master at extracting value from smaller contracts. His most famous examples were turning waiver-pickup Gustav Forsling into a top-pairing defenseman and watching Carter Verhaeghe morph into a 40-goal scorer after signing a $1-million deal.
Zito has also found value in players who were bought out by their previous teams. Last year, he grabbed Oliver Ekman-Larsson for $2.25 million. This year, he went even cheaper after the Winnipeg Jets bought out the last year of Nate Schmidt's contract.
Schmidt was healthy-scratched at times last season, but the move reunites him with former Jets coach Paul Maurice, who knows what he’s getting. At $800,000, it's a no-risk signing. Like Ekman-Larsson, Schmidt will be motivated to show he can still contribute as he chases a Cup.
Also in Florida, keep an eye on rugged A.J. Greer, who could be Zito’s next bargain winger at two years and $850,000 annually. In net, Chris Driedger is a reclamation project at one year and $795,000. But he played well for AHL Coachella Valley last season and could get the same type of bump that Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon received from playing behind Maurice’s disciplined defense.
Jeff Skinner, LW, Edmonton Oilers, 1 year, $3 million AAV
After his buyout by the Buffalo Sabres, Skinner had plenty of teams knocking on his door.
Yes, his old deal was bloated, and he has never played a playoff game. But Skinner is a reliable scorer who has cracked 30 goals six times in his career — while playing on non-playoff teams. With the talent he'll be lining up beside in Edmonton, he'll be another lethal option on an already stacked offense.
On a very busy July 1, Oilers hockey operations CEO Jeff Jackson also did some tidy work by bringing back Adam Henrique below his market value and re-upping Connor Brown for $1 million — without bonuses, this time. Josh Brown and the returning Troy Stecher boost the team's defensive depth.
Zemgus Girgensons, LW/C, Tampa Bay Lightning, 3 years, $850,000 AAV
Now 30, the big Latvian never lived up to expectations as the 14th pick in the 2012 draft. But Girgensons is a heart-and-soul guy and is effective as a bottom-six physical presence.
Like Skinner, Girgensons has also never suited up for a playoff game.
Coming off a one-year deal at $2.5 million in Buffalo, where he has spent his entire career, Girgensons prioritized security and culture over money by committing to the Lightning for three years at a bargain-basement $850,000 AAV.
Without Steven Stamkos, the Lightning will look different next year. But with Kucherov, Point, Hedman and Vasilevskiy, they still have a formidable core, and Jake Guentzel will be another offensive weapon.
Jack Roslovic, C/RW, Carolina Hurricanes, 1 year, $2.8 million AAV
With RFAs Martin Necas and Seth Jarvis still to sign, Eric Tulsky’s roster in Raleigh is not yet a finished product.
But after the Hurricanes said goodbye to the high-priced Guentzel ($9 million AAV) and Teuvo Tervainen ($5.4 million AAV), Roslovic is a nice add for the middle six.
At 27, he’s in the prime of his career and can play center or wing. Roslovic is also a right shot and is signed for an average annual value that’s $1.2 million less than his last deal.
Knowing how Tulsky and Carolina owner Tom Dundon operate, you can be sure they crunched their numbers before issuing an offer. Look for 30 to 40 points from this versatile middle-six forward.
Anthony Beauvillier, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1 year, $1.25 million AAV
Beauvillier managed just five goals last season during his stops in Vancouver, Chicago and Nashville, but he was pesky and effective for the Predators during the playoffs.
Like Roslovic, he's another former first-rounder who's just 27, and his career shooting percentage is a respectable 10.9 percent.
Beauvillier should bounce back on a Penguins squad that could offer him top six and power-play opportunities. And after playing out a three-year deal at a $4.15-million cap hit, Beauvillier has taken a significant pay cut on a prove-it deal that he'll hope to parlay into something bigger and better next year.
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