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Free Agency Preview 2019
With this summer set to see the greatest free-agent class of all-time, we have everything you need to know in our Free Agency Preview: reports on all 31 teams; top 20 UFA Power Rankings; top 10 bargain UFAs; a history of offer sheets; features on Karlsson, Panarin and Bobrovsky; and much, much more. Also in the issue: our 2019 mock draft, we say goodbye to Red Kelly, and we count down the final 10 helmetless NHLers.
Jersey Hound
THEY ARE NOT THE first of their name, but the Maine Mariners have already carved out a great sartorial niche for themselves. The first Mariners played in the IHL and AHL from 1977 to 1992 and had a pretty solid logo, but this new ECHL squad takes things to the next level with their own color scheme and a detailed logo with some fun Easter eggs inside. There is a lighthouse shaded in the ‘M’ and a pine tree as the central prong of the trident, both a nod to the state of Maine. The trident also looks like an ‘E,’ with ‘ME’ being the abbreviation for Maine. Within the trident is also a Dirigo star, “Dirigo” being the state’s Latin motto (“I lead”).…
Calgary Flames
Expectations for SAM BENNETT were understandably high after he was drafted fourth overall in 2014, debuted well in the 2015 playoffs and had a four-goal game as an NHL rookie center in 2015-16. But in the three seasons since, Bennett has settled into a role as an energy left winger who drives hard to the net and plays with an abrasive edge. Those types of players are valuable, but the prolific producer for OHL Kingston hasn’t found his scoring hands at the NHL level. He has left a lot of plays unfinished from in close even if his spirit getting there never wavers. For that, Bennett will get a modest hike from his AAV of $1.95 million the past two seasons, but he’s a far cry from a lot of…
14. Brock Nelson
AGE: 27 POS: C2018-19 CAP HIT: $4.25M He can play center or the wing. He scored 25 goals and has reached 20 or more in four of his past five seasons. He does a bit of everything. Nelson is a prototypical 2-3 swingman center, and the Isles would be wise to re-sign him. After losing Tavares last summer, it would sting to lose another important pivot. Nelson is thus more likely than Eberle to remain an Islander. Who else might target Nelson? There’s the Wild, who could lure him to his home state. The Sabres bet big on Casey Mittelstadt being ready for No. 2 center duty as a 20-year-old after trading Ryan O’Reilly last year, and it didn’t work out. They badly need a two-way veteran pivot. BEST FITS: NYI, BUF, MIN…
10. Robin Lehner
AGE: 27 POS: GCAP HIT: $1.5M Lehner’s talent was never in question. Dating back to his days as a Sens prospect, he was always projected to be a star. It took longer than expected, but he got there. The first step was courageously coming to terms with his bipolar disorder. The second was signing with the Isles and receiving guidance under goalie guru Mitch Korn, the mind behind Dominik Hasek, Pekka Rinne and Braden Holtby. Lehner blossomed into a beast in 2018-19, operating on the strong side of a platoon with Thomas Greiss. After posting a .930 SP in 46 appearances, he has earned starter’s money. It’s tough to imagine him leaving the place that revived his career. BEST FITS: NYI, CGY, CLB…
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