Key Takeaways
- NHL free agency was quiet despite a rising salary cap, and one NHL executive told RG that's expected to be the norm moving forward.
- None of the notable stars actually hit the open market, with the likes of Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad, and Ivan Provorov returning to their respective teams.
- “If you like a player, there's no reason why you wouldn't try to keep them yourself,” the exec said.
Ivan Provorov re-signed with the Blue Jackets this summer (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
If you think there was a lull during the offseason in the NHL this summer, wait for the coming years. Even though there has been some chatter, teams are not making moves even with a rising salary cap. With more available money, teams are looking to keep their players, which is something NHL executives will want to do moving forward.
“I think more importantly, as you look at it, the summertime, I think something that's going to be the norm going forward. Not a lot of guys hit the free agent market," an anonymous executive told RG Media.
While fans may not like this thought, this type of past offseason is something we could expect moving forward. For the most part, it has been the trend where top-name free agents never hit the market and get locked up before they enter unrestricted free agency. Last offseason, when the Nashville Predators tried to build a super team with three big free agent signings of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei, it was not typical.
There was a belief that many of the top free agents, like Mitch Marner, Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Ivan Provorov, were going to hit the market. Marner was set to become an unrestricted free agent before the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights completed a sign-and-trade. But everyone else re-signed with the current club. Not an ideal trend, but it is a reality that many in the NHL will be accepting.
Just because there is more cap space doesn't mean there will be player movement.
"Teams will do a good job of locking up their own players," the anonymous NHL executive told RG Media. "Everybody in the league, except for a few teams, had a lot of cap space, and I think going forward, if you like a player, there's no reason why you wouldn't try to keep them yourself."
That is precisely what the Florida Panthers did with Marchand, Bennett, and Ekblad. Panthers management knew how highly coveted those players were, especially Ekblad, whom the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets would have taken a run at if he had gotten to free agency.
There is a reason why the Blue Jackets re-signed Provorov and Dante Fabbro. Columbus knew how much more valuable those players were to them. Outside of a handful of players, most stayed on their teams as management felt they knew what they could bring to the team.
Teams that feel comfortable with a player and know his abilities within their system are likely to want to keep him long-term, especially if that player fits the age demographic. Sometimes, the best course of action when it comes to free agency is holding your players, as there is a comfort level and belief that they can help your team win.
"Sometimes teams look to make these changes, but sometimes it's better not to make many changes and keep the guys you believe in because they know their character, work ethic, and how they get along with their team. It makes more sense than going out and getting something that you're not sure about."
