It's apparent the Avalanche brought in Wood because they're trying to improve the depth among their bottom-six forwards. He was among the New Jersey Devils' leaders in hits last season (100) but averaged just 12:06 of ice time per game. At 6'2" and 195 pounds, he's a big-bodied, fast-skating checking line left winger whose best offensive season was a 19-goal, 32-point performance during his sophomore campaign in 2017-18. The cap hit is reasonable for a forward of his abilities.
The average annual value is $2.5 million and contains a six-team no-trade list that begins on June 15 next year over the remainder of the contract. 13, received a $16 million deal from the Colorado Avalanche. But Miles Wood joined an exclusive list as just the fourth UFA to receive a contract of at least six years.
#Penguins score. free#
Until this year, only the very best NHL unrestricted free agents received deals exceeding five years in length. If they were to buy him out down the road or he retires, the entire cap hit still counts against their cap.Īndrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Instead, the Leafs signed him to a 35-plus contract. A one-year deal would have sufficed for a player with diminishing value and limited skills. Reaves' $1.35 million average annual value isn't excessive and his presence won't make the Leafs any worse. Reaves' contract takes up precious cap space that could've been better used to address the team's real needs. With big contracts due for Auston Matthews and William Nylander next summer and Mitch Marner in 2025, Treliving needed to invest his cap dollars wisely. Reaves drives opponents to distraction, but his type of game and restricted playing time limits his effectiveness. Treliving wanted to address that issue, signing Reaves as well as Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi.īertuzzi and Domi have shown they can play a physical style in postseason action while contributing to the scoresheet. The Leafs were eliminated from the second round of the 2023 playoffs by the Florida Panthers, who played a heavier, physical style well-suited for the postseason grind. In 73 games last season, split between the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild, he had 196 hits while averaging just 9:19 of ice time per game. As fighting declines, he spends more time as a physical fourth-line forward.
Reaves, 36, is among the few enforcers remaining in the NHL. One was signing puck-moving defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year deal worth $4.15 million, while the other was signing scrappy winger Ryan Reaves to a three-year, $4.05 million contract. Hired on May 31 as the new general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brad Treliving made two forays into the free-agent market on July 1. If you agree or disagree with our ranking, you can let us know in the comments below.īailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Here's a look at seven of the worst NHL free-agent signings since July 1. The player could be overpaid or the contract could be too long. Most are affordable contracts that won't create any long-term salary-cap issues for the teams handing them on.Ī handful, however, have the potential to become salary-cap headaches. Many of the UFA signings were deals between one and four years for AAVs less than $5 million. One of them, New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin, was a contract extension. Only five players signed multi-year contracts with average annual values exceeding $5 million. Cap Friendly reported 166 signings on Day 1 worth a total of over $650 million.Ī lack of big-name UFA talent combined with a high number of teams carrying limited cap space resulted in no expensive long-term contracts being handed out this year. As usual, the first day saw a blizzard of signings as general managers attempted to sign the best available unrestricted free agents to address their respective roster needs. The 2023 NHL free-agent market opened on Saturday. New York Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov and defenseman Scott Mayfield Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images
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