With July 1 less than two months away, theScore takes a look at the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the start of free agency.
1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 |41-50
Stats Legend: GV = Giveaways TK = Takeaways ATOI = Average time on ice per game CF% = Percentage of shot attempts team took while player was on ice at even strength (Rel) = CF% of player compared to when he's not on the ice
50. Kevin Bieksa
Position: Defense Age on July 1: 37 2017-18 cap hit: $4M 2017-18 team: Ducks
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
59
0
8
8
41
12
18:01
44.3 (-6.0)
Bieksa is still tough in the corners but the game has caught up to him. He's a sixth defenseman at best, and he better be paired with someone who can skate and move the puck.
49. Chris Kunitz
Position: Left Wing Age on July 1: 38 2017-18 cap hit: $2M 2017-18 team: Lightning
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
82
13
16
29
29
38
11:57
50.2 (-1.7)
A four-time Stanley Cup champion, Kunitz's leadership is immeasurable. However, at this stage of his career, he's nothing more than a fourth-liner. But, despite a lack of foot speed, he can still play that role adequately due to his grit and ability to finish.
48. Matt Cullen
Position: Center Age on July 1: 41 2017-18 cap hit: $1M 2017-18 team: Wild
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
79
11
11
22
17
14
11:54
40.5 (-8.1)
Like Kunitz, Cullen brings championship pedigree and leadership with his three Stanley Cup rings. If he decides to play another year, he can still be a decent fourth-line center.
47. Cam Ward
Position: Goaltender Age on July 1: 34 2017-18 cap hit: $3.3M 2017-18 team: Hurricanes
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
43
23-14-4
2.73
.906
2
We've seen enough of Ward to know he's not a starter, but he could still be a serviceable backup for a team in the market for a solid No. 2.
46. Antoine Vermette
Position: Center Age on July 1: 35 2017-18 cap hit: $1.75M 2017-18 team: Ducks
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
64
8
8
16
17
14
13:45
45.3 (-2.9)
Vermette has remarkably won at least 60 percent of his faceoffs in each of the last two seasons. Puck possession is so valuable in today's NHL, so even at 35, he will have no problem finding himself a one-year deal to be a team's fourth-line center.
45. Jay Beagle
Position: Center Age on July 1: 32 2017-18 cap hit: $1.75M 2017-18 team: Capitals
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
79
7
15
22
10
25
12:27
39.2 (-10.8)
Beagle's possession numbers appear dreadful, but it's important to note he started nearly 75 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone. He's an elite faceoff man and penalty killer, and though he provides virtually no offense, he's still a valuable player in the right role.
44. Greg Pateryn
Position: Defense Age on July 1: 28 2017-18 cap hit: $800K 2017-18 team: Stars
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
73
1
12
13
38
5
19:27
49.8 (-1.7)
Pateryn was probably miscast as nearly a 20-minute-per-game defenseman, but he managed to post bearable possession numbers despite an offensive-zone start percentage of just 38.6. With his size (6-foot-3, 224 lbs), relative youth, and right-handedness, Pateryn shouldn't have an issue finding a home as a bottom-pairing blue-liner.
43. Derek Grant
Position: Center Age on July 1: 28 2017-18 cap hit: $650K 2017-18 team: Ducks
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
64
12
12
24
13
18
11:06
46.3 (-1.0)
A late bloomer, Grant had a breakout season for the Ducks. He's 6-foot-3 and 215 lbs, only 28 years old, and is skilled in the faceoff circle (53.1 percent) - qualities that should make him attractive to several teams for a bottom-six role.
42. Jaroslav Halak
Position: Goaltender Age on July 1: 33 2017-18 cap hit: $4.5M 2017-18 team: Islanders
GP
Rec.
GAA
SV%
SO
54
20-26-6
3.19
.908
1
It's actually impressive that Halak's save percentage was only four points below the league average (.912) considering he had one of the worst defensive teams of all time in front of him. Regardless, if he's a starter, that team probably isn't postseason bound. He would be a good platoon goalie for a team trying to bring along a young starter.
41. Antoine Roussel
Position: Left wing Age on July 1: 28 2017-18 cap hit: $2M 2017-18 team: Stars
GP
G
A
P
GV
TK
ATOI
CF% (rel)
73
5
12
17
32
16
12:26
52.4 (+1.5)
Roussel scored between 12 and 14 goals the previous four seasons but struggled mightily in 2017-18. While enforcers are a thing of the past, having a player such as Roussel who will willingly drop the mitts is extremely valuable considering he's also effective in a bottom-six role.
(Salary information courtesy: Cap Friendly) (Stats courtesy: Hockey Reference) (Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
Tom Wilson thinks Anton Stralman's hit from behind on him in Tuesday night's game would be scrutinized by the NHL had the Washington Capitals pest been the one initiating the contact.
The Lightning defenseman drove Wilson into the boards about nine minutes into the first period of Game 3, and he was assessed a minor penalty as a result.
Stralman destroys Tom Wilson. Good call for boarding.
"I don't really know (what warrants supplemental discipline) any more," Wilson told reporters, including NBC Sports Washington's Tarik El-Bashir, after the Lightning cut the Capitals' series lead to 2-1 with a 4-2 win in the Eastern Conference Final. "I don't really know, but if anyone wants to feel the goose egg on the side of my head ... He leaves his feet, I'm in a pretty vulnerable spot, and he drives my head through the glass."
After continuing to state his case for why it should be examined by the Department of Player Safety, Wilson essentially said that entity has a responsibility to do so.
"It's their job to take a look at the hit, for sure. I think they're probably reviewing it. I don't know how much goes into it. I can tell you, if it's maybe the other way around, you better believe they're looking at it, and you better believe there might be a little more attention on it."
Wilson understands his reputation as a player who's been suspended for hits like this before - sitting out the final three games in the previous round for a headshot on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese - but he doesn't think his history is relevant when he's on the receiving end.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "It's a vulnerable position, and there's no doubt there was contact with my head. If I'm wearing a helmet from five years ago, I think I'm probably unconscious, so we'll see what they say. We're going to keep driving forward here, (and) we can't let that be an excuse. I'm not here to complain about anything. I'm just talking about it for the better of the game and for the better of player safety."
"Everything I've talked to them about this year, that's it right there," he continued, referring again to his history and Stralman's hit Tuesday night. "That's a lot of don'ts for me. From what they've been telling me, that's a lot of don'ts. If I make that hit, 100 percent (chance) I'm probably sitting out, so we'll see."
Wilson concluded by clarifying that he doesn't think Stralman is a malicious player "at all," but added that he thought it was a "pretty dangerous hit."
WASHINGTON (AP) Victor Hedman scored his first goal of the playoffs and added two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night and cut their series deficit to 2-1.
Hedman had the primary assist on power-play goals by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and was a key part of three big penalty kills that gave Tampa Bay some much-needed momentum. Determined to create the kind of shift he thought could turn the East final around after back-to-back home losses, the Norris Trophy finalist as the NHL's top defenseman was one of the most dominant players on the ice and extended his point streak to eight games
Criticized for his play in the first two games against Washington, Vasilevskiy was on top of his game as the Capitals put 38 shots on net. Vasilevskiy made seven saves on the penalty kill alone to save a beleaguered unit that came in ranked 13th out of 16 playoff teams.
The Lightning would still like to cut down on the quality chances Vasilevskiy has to stop in Game 4 on Thursday and beyond, like the one Brett Connolly scored on after a turnover by Ondrej Palat. They also surrendered a 6-on-5 goal to Evgeny Kuznetsov with 3:02 left that made things interesting in the final minutes.
But the offensive depth that helped them get through the first two rounds in five games apiece returned with Hedman and Brayden Point scoring just Tampa Bay's second and third even-strength goals in the series. Hedman now has a goal and 10 assists during his point streak.
Tampa Bay got two injury scares in the third period when Stamkos hobbled off after taking a slap shot from teammate Braydon Coburn in the right knee and Tyler Johnson was cross-checked by Michal Kempny. Stamkos and Johnson each returned minutes later to a game that included nastiness after whistles throughout.
Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby allowed four goals on 23 shots, though power-play one-timers by Stamkos and Kucherov were almost impossible to stop. The Lightning extended their streak of consecutive games with a power-play goal to seven and have 11 total in that time.
NOTES: C Lars Eller took three of Washington's six penalties. ... With his 10th career power-play goal, Stamkos tied Martin St. Louis for Tampa Bay's playoff record. ... Injured C Nicklas Backstrom (right hand) took part in the Capitals' morning skate but missed his fourth consecutive game. Coach Barry Trotz continues to call Backstrom day-to-day. ... Alex Ovechkin and Kuznetsov combined for 21 shots on goal. ... Trotz set a franchise record by coaching his 54th playoff game with Washington.
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Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
The 30-year-old missed Game 6 of the club's second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the first two games of the Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Luckily for Washington, the team hasn't missed a beat without their star center, winning each of their last three games.
That being said, his return will certainly be welcomed as he's posted three goals and 13 points in 11 games.
The undrafted 22-year-old led all Swedish Hockey League blue-liners with 38 points in 52 games this season for HV71, capturing the Defenseman of the Year award in his fifth season with the club.
Buffalo will pick first overall at the NHL Draft next month, and it's expected the team will select Rasmus Dahlin - an 18-year-old Swedish rearguard who's widely regarded as the league's top incoming prospect.
Canada will be up against a familiar foe in the quarterfinal round at the World Championship in Denmark.
The Canadians play Russia, the United States battles the Czech Republic, Sweden faces Latvia, and Finland is up against Switzerland in the quarters, which will all take place Thursday.
Canada finished third in Group B thanks to a shutout win over Germany on Tuesday. Russia finished second in Group A behind the first-place Swedes, who beat them in their final preliminary-round matchup.
The U.S. squares off against the Czechs after falling to Finland 6-2 in its final game of the opening round.
Latvia squeezed into the quarters with a 1-0 win over Denmark on Tuesday, leapfrogging the hosts and eliminating them in the process.
Finland finished first in Group B, while the Swiss closed the preliminary round with a 5-1 win over France.
The Washington Capitals organization has been a pillar of consistency over the last decade, qualifying for the postseason an impressive 10 times in 11 seasons, but then always falling short of lofty expectations.
In fact, despite the lengthy streak of playoff berths, Washington had failed to even reach the conference finals in 20 straight campaigns leading up to last week.
It had become the norm for Presidents' Trophies, 120-plus-point regular seasons, and Stanley Cup aspirations to be dashed at the hands of Eastern Conference teams the Capitals were supposed to dust aside with relative ease.
Well, it might have taken longer than D.C. hockey fans would have liked, and parade plans might be premature, but Washington - which has won 10 of its last 12 games and holds a 2-0 series lead over Tampa Bay in the conference finals - now finds itself within striking distance of the franchise's second Stanley Cup Final in its 44-year history.
The surprising postseason run has been a symphony of solo performances and complete group efforts that has finally started earning Washington the respect of opposing teams and fans alike. Here's how:
Road warriors
The mark of any championship-caliber club is its ability to win on the road. So, what's the Capitals' record away from home in the 2018 playoffs? Try a sparkling 7-1, as they've already matched their franchise record for road wins in a single postseason.
And take a look at the numbers from Washington's opponents during those seven victories away from Capitol One Arena - let's just say the Caps haven't been an easy team to play against:
Opponent
Round (Game)
PPO
PPG
GF
Result
Blue Jackets
Round 1 (3)
4
0
2
3-2 Caps OTW
Blue Jackets
Round 1 (4)
3
0
1
4-1 Caps W
Blue Jackets
Round 1 (6)
4
0
3
6-3 Caps W
Penguins
Round 2 (3)
4
1
3
4-3 Caps W
Penguins
Round 2 (6)
1
0
1
2-1 Caps OTW
Lightning
Round 3 (1)
3
1
2
4-2 Caps W
Lightning
Round 3 (2)
4
2
2
6-2 Caps W
One key factor is that Washington has killed penalties at nearly an 83 percent clip in the road victories, extinguishing 19 of 23 power-play chances for its opponents.
Another has been the Capitals' ability to cancel out home-ice advantage by scoring the first goal in all seven road wins, taking the opposing crowd out of the game from the jump.
Power-play proficiency
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
While the PK has been stingy, the Capitals' PP has been filling the back of the net more than any other unit this postseason, registering a league-high 16 goals on 49 chances for a impressive 32.7 percent conversion rate.
Leading that charge has been T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, and John Carlson - a group that head coach Barry Trotz has deployed 60 percent of the time over the past 10 games. And lately, Lars Eller has slotted in admirably for Backstrom - who's missed the last three games with an upper-body injury - but his time for recognition is coming shortly.
Making opponents pay on special teams has certainly been a crucial aspect of Washington's overall offensive output during the first three rounds.
Bottom-six forwards stepping up
Backstrom's injury opened the door for Eller, but the rest of Washington's bottom six has done its part, too. Guys like Devante Smith-Pelly, Jay Beagle, and Chandler Stephenson have been sensational despite playing limited minutes.
In addition to eating up time on the PK and sacrificing their bodies with crucial shot blocks, Smith-Pelly, Beagle, and Stephenson have even chipped in with some clutch playmaking and scoring, combining for seven goals and seven assists through the first 14 playoff games.
As for Eller, he's served as the second-line center since Backstrom's injury during Game 5 against Pittsburgh last round, and hasn't looked out of place. The 29-year-old Dane has two goals and two assists while averaging just under 20 minutes a night alongside Oshie and Jakub Vrana.
Eller is just the most recent example of a bottom-six forward stepping up for Washington, as that entire crew has been doing it since the end of April.
Ovi, Kuzy wreaking havoc
There could be an entire piece dedicated to this section, considering how insanely good Kuznetsov and Ovechkin have been since the playoffs began. But given the nature of this piece, let's just shine a bit of light on the duo's sensational offensive output over the 14 postseason games:
Player
Goals
Assists
ATOI
CF%
S%
Ovechkin
10
9
21:33
61.6
17.5
Kuznetsov
8
11
21:40
60.3
16.3
There's no denying that Kuzy and Ovi have been on complete tears, but winger Tom Wilson has been the final piece rounding out Washington's top line. And he's played an important role, too, racking up three goals and six assists in 11 games.
Ovechkin and Kuznetsov - with the chippy Wilson adding an element of sandpaper - have been giving opposing blue-liners fits with their stellar puck possession and elite offensive skill sets.
It's been a long time coming for Ovechkin, who's been hearing for his entire career that he doesn't have what it takes to get his team over the top. It's probably safe to say that played-out narrative's days in the sun are nearing an end.
Beastly blue line
Last, but certainty not least, the Capitals' D-core has been instrumental in the club reaching this point.
The top-four group of Matt Niskanen, Dmitry Orlov, Michal Kempny, and John Calrson has been rock-solid while also contributing offensively. In fact, Carlson has already turned in the best offensive postseason from a defenseman in Capitals history.
Carlson's point haul now sits at 14, while Washington's defensemen have combined for six goals and 26 assists overall.
Beyond the scoring, this group's play in its own end has been paramount to the Capitals' success. Washington has limited opponents to 29.8 shots per game, the lowest of the remaining teams. And despite not boasting a bona fide star on the back end, the defense has bent, but not broken.
Undoubtedly, anything can happen over the next few games, and the Lightning are far from out of it. But it's tough to bet against Ovechkin and his gang of underappreciated men as they continue to command respect and prove their place as contenders in a postseason where most expected them to remain pretenders.
