The Golden Knights Are Champions, Free Agency Next
NHL Executives Not Excited About this Year’s Crop of Free Agents
The 2023 NHL free agency schedule starts July 1st, at noon ET. You can bet that NHL odds will change once players start moving, but some general managers aren’t excited about this year’s crop of players. What happens in the next few weeks will determine which teams will get a head start toward the 2024 Stanley Cup. Let’s examine the teams with the most cap space and what their target players could be when the NHL free agency schedule begins in just over a week.
Four Non-Playoff Teams Have the Most Space
Major League Baseball should adopt the National Hockey League’s financial structure with a salary limit of 83.5 million, along with a floor of 61.7 million. Teams must be within those parameters, with a few exceptions but we’re not going to bore you with how the league handles NHL injuries about LTIR.
Heading into this season’s NHL free agency schedule, the Anaheim Ducks have the most money to spend with 39.1 million, followed by the Chicago Blackhawks (37.6 million), Arizona Coyotes ($31.9 million), and the Detroit Red Wings ($30.7 million).
This is also the time of year when future bettors can get a head start on their wagers because there are current playoff teams who have a ton of cap space to back a roster that’s already proven they can make the postseason.
There’s no bigger example than the New Jersey Devils who produced 112 points in 22-23 before being eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round. The Devils have 26.4 million to spend without most of their UFA’s likely not coming back. Following the Devils are the Carolina Hurricanes ($24.1 million) and the Seattle Kraken 9$20.3 million).
The Vegas Golden Knights have $3.5 million in cap space, while last year’s President Trophy winner Boston Bruins have ($4.9 million). We continue our preview of the upcoming NHL free agent schedule with a look at the top available layers.
Killorn, Tarasenko Head Free Agent Class
The Tampa Bay Lightning will do all they can to find a place for Alex Killorn who finished last season with 64 points. The problem is that Lighting only has just $450,000 in cap space with eight other NHL players to consider. Our best guess is that Killorn will remain with the Lightning but it’s going to be a tight squeeze for GM Julien BriseBois.
Following Killorn are a few big names and a couple who made themselves into big names with their postseason performance. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Vegas Golden Knights will have to figure out what to do with their glut of goaltenders led by free-agent goaltender Aiden Hill who gave the Knights stability in net after using a total of five goaltenders to win their first Cup. Forward Ivan Barbashev, one of the most brilliant trade deadline pick-ups, will get a boost from his 22-23 salary of 2.25 million.
Another name out there is the New York Rangers Vladimir Tarasenko, who will likely get paid because of his past success. Patrick Kane and Max Domi, both over the 50-point mark, will be looking for new teams. Kane, 34, will have to accept a massive pay cut or decide if it’s his time to retire. Speaking of retirement, it looks as if free agent Boston Bruin, Patrice Bergeron, will hang up the skates.
Regardless of some of the big names, the word around the league is that this isn’t the year to turn a club around with a big signing. That does it for our, NHL free agent schedule preview. When this period ends, make sure to get a jump on your future wagers when the NHL odds are best.
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