Team has to be careful not to overspend on high-priced free agents
As the Vancouver Canucks turn their attention from the NHL Draft to free agency, the team is expected to be active when the league-signing period begins on Saturday morning (9am Pacific time).
After the Oliver Ekman-Larsson buyout two weeks ago, the Canucks have approximately $5.5 million dollars to spend for next season. Of course, that number can go higher depending how the Canucks handle long-term injuries to Tucker Poolman and Tanner Pearson.
Regardless, the Canucks won't be in on the big, shiny toys on Day 1 of free agency, but they should be able to target at least a couple of players that address glaring needs for the hockey club. And it certainly feels like any spending this weekend will include a premium on penalty killing utility.
With that in mind, here is a quick list of possible free agent targets the Canucks could pursue:
FORWARDS
Pius Suter: a 27-year-old Swiss born centre who has spent the past two seasons in Detroit after breaking into the NHL with Chicago. He has twice scored 14-goals in the NHL and had a career-high 15 two seasons ago. So he has shown consistency in brief time in the league. Suter was third among Red Wings forwards in short-handed ice time last season and netted a pair of short-handed goals. He's not big. He's not physical and he needs to brush up on his work in the face-off circle. But he certainly looks like an option for the Canucks.
Nick Bjugstad: big, strong, experienced. A right-handed centre who is coming off a decent offensive season split between Arizona and Edmonton. The 2010 first rounder had 17-goals last season and was top-40 among all NHL forwards in short-handed ice time. A career 50% face-off winner, Bjugstad turns 31 in a couple of weeks so he's not a long-term options, but could likely give the Canucks a couple of decent seasons on a shorter-term deal
Alex Kerfoot: the West Vancouver native has long been linked to his hometown team. He's 28. He's versatile and was among Toronto's top penalty killing forwards last season. He had 10 goals and 32 points, but is just one year removed from a career-best 51-point season.
Michael Bunting: if the Canucks feel they need a little more jam in their line-up, Bunting could be a fit depending on price. He's 27. He's a left winger. He had 23 goals and 49 points in Toronto last season. He broke into the NHL and played his first two seasons in the league under Rick Tocchet in Arizona. He has had solid possession numbers throughout his career.
Teddy Blueger: a left-shot centre who doesn't generate a lot of offense, but logged 2:05 of short-handed ice time per game split between Pittsburgh and Vegas last season. A 2012 Penguins second rounder, Blueger is a 28-year-old Latvian who drew into six playoff games for the Golden Knights on their run to the Stanley Cup
DEFENSEMEN
Carson Soucy: size and strong possession numbers in Seattle
Ryan Graves: like Soucy, a 28-year-old left shot blueliner with a penchant for killing penalties. Graves was second on the Devils in short-handed ice time per game and New Jersey had the fourth-best penalty kill in the NHL last season at 82.6%.
Scott Mayfield: the towering 6'5" 220-pounder has only ever played for the New York Islanders. Perhaps he's seeking a change of scenery. Besides being big, he's durable having played all 82 games for the Isles last season. He's a right-shot guy with plenty of big game experience having been to a pair of Eastern Conference Finals in recent years. And he produced 6 goals and 24 points on an Islanders team that didn't generate a lot of offense last season
Obviously, price point and term will dictate whether the Canucks can truly entertain the idea of many of these players. But a case can be made that any -- or all -- of them could step in and help the Canucks in specific roles next season.