The Best and Worst Moves of NHL Free Agency From Day One

July 4, 2015

RotoBaller breaks down the best and worst moves of day one from 2015 NHL Free Agency.

Owen Elle profiles all the best and worst signings from day one of NHL free agency.

Best: Oilers Signing Sekera

Still only 29-years-old, the veteran defenseman signed with the Oilers on a six-year, $33M contract with an AAV of $5.5M. While Sekera will receive $6.5M in each of his first three seasons, his salary drops to $5.5 in year four before settling down to $4.5M in his last two. Despite the Oilers trading for an elite prospect in defenseman Griffin Reinhart, the team desperately needed help on defense. Now Edmonton has a good left shot defenseman who tallied three goals, 20 assists and maintained a -3 +/- despite playing 57 games with an awful Carolina team. The Oilers have an extremely talented core of young forwards, but for a while have lacked on defense. Sekera, granted it’s before training camp, could project as a top-two defensemen with the Oilers this upcoming season.

Worst: Pens Acquiring Kessel

The Penguins shipping Nick Spaling, Kasperi Kapenen, Scott Harington, a 2016 first and a third-round pick to Toronto for Phil Kessel, Tim Erixon and Tyler Biggs.

Regardless of what anybody says this trade was a complete win for the Maple Leafs. First off, even if Toronto traded Kessel for a bag of pucks they would still win because they rid themselves of Kessel’s monster eight-year, $64M contract he signed last year. It’s even more of a win that the Maple Leafs receive talented 18-year old 2014 first-round pick Kasperi Kapanen, a developing young defenseman in Scott Harington and a solid depth center with a cheap contract in Nick Spaling. Toronto also somehow got Pittsburgh to trade two draft picks as well, which will help a struggling team replenish its young talent.

Pittsburgh gets, outside of maybe Thomas Vanek and Alexander Semin, the laziest forward in the NHL. Now the Penguins are stuck with Kessel until 2022. While the Maple Leafs agreed to pay $1.2M of Kessel’s salary every year for the next seven years, Pittsburgh still is paying $6.8M for a player who, while he had 25 goals and 36 assists last season, did have an abysmal -34 +/-. From a Toronto standpoint, it is well worth it to sacrifice $1.2M a year to keep Kessel out of Toronto, a team with more than a couple bad contracts.

Best: Capitals Signing Justin Williams

Washington signing Williams to a two-year, $6.5M could significantly help the Capitals this upcoming season. For a team that always loses early in the playoffs, adding a veteran winger with plenty of playoff experience could be the difference for Washington. Williams always finds another level to his game in the postseason and won the Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. While he is 34-years-old, Williams can certainly contribute for the next two seasons at an AAV of $3.25M, which is fair for a veteran leader who can put up 18 goals and 23 assists like he did last season. He could play either second or third line right wing during the regular season, barring any additional significant signings or injuries.

Worst: Avalanche signing Francois Beauchemin

While the Avalanche have some young pieces and made the playoffs just the year before last, they love adding aging, declining players to their team. After overpaying for Brad Stuart and Jarome Iginla last season, Colorado signs Beauchemin, 35, to a three-year, $13.5M deal. For only playing in 64 games last season, adding 11 goals and 12 assists, Beauchemin is being paid like someone with much more impressive stats and a higher impact on the ice. It is very hard to not see this signing looking worse in a couple of years.

Best: Blue Jackets Acquiring Saad

Columbus trading Marko Dano, Artem Anisimov, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp to Chicago for Brandon Saad, Alex Broadhurst and Michael Paliotta.

While Columbus won this trade, getting a first-line player in Saad, who scored 23 goals and 29 assists last season, Chicago certainly didn’t lose this trade. While most fans are more likely to know Anisimov, Dano was the main piece in this trade for Chicago. He is a 20-year-old center who in just 35 games last season, scored eight goals and 13 assists. Dano is an extremely promising player with a high potential, certainly if he is playing on a talented team like Chicago. The Blackhawks also immediately signed Anisimov to a five year, $22.75M with an AAV of $4.55M, which is puzzling considering they traded Saad because they couldn’t afford to sign him to an extension. Handing nearly $23M to a player who scored seven goals in 52 games also is a bit weird, however Anisimov is poised to rebound this season. Chicago also receives Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp, who are definitely people. The Blue Jackets also receive Alex Broadhurst and Michael Paliotta who are very similar to Morin and Tropp because they are also people.