2020 NHL UFA Top 75: Mark Pysyk, Zemgus Girgensons, Luke Schenn, Brian Elliott and Ben Hutton

Welcome to the DailyFaceoff UFA preview. Over the next 15 days, I’ll be profiling the top 30 players in this years UFA class, as listed by TSN. Contract information is from our friends at Puckpedia. Full UFA list via puckpedia here. Analytics provided by hockeyviz.com and naturalstattrick.com. Contract projections are done by evolving-hockey.com with the presumption contracts are signed between Aug. – Oct. 11. 

Today, we’re looking at the 65th ranked @Mark Pysyk, 64th ranked @Zemgus Girgensons, 63rd ranked @Luke Schenn, 62nd ranked @Brian Elliott and the 61st ranked @Ben Hutton.

@Mark Pysyk

Pysek, 28, is coming off a three year deal with the Florida Panthers and settled into a nice role as a third-pairing defenceman. He had his best offensive season in the NHL scoring nine goals and as many assists in 58 games, despite playing five minutes below his career average.

While his offensive isolated impact didn’t represent that with five percent worse contributions compared to league average, his defensive contribution was solid at one percent better than league average.

At 5v5, he struggled to control play with a 44.86 CF% and a xG% of 44.96. His 5v5 GF% was 50.91 percent.

Pysyk has scored 88 points in 417 games with the Panthers and Buffalo Sabres.

Contract projection: One year, $677,800.

@Zemgus Girgensons

Girgensons, 26, is coming off a one-year deal with the Sabres that saw him score 12 goals and 19 points in 69 games in a third-line role. Offensively he contributed at eight percent worse than league average, but provided defence at a three percent rate higher than league average.

He was great on the penalty kill, too, giving nine percent more value there than league average. At 5v5, he posted a 49.38 CF%, an xG% of 47.50 percent and a goals for rate of 46 percent.

In 489 career games, all with Buffalo, the former first round pick has scored 61 goals and 138 points.

Contract projection: One year, $843,500.

@Luke Schenn

Stanley Cup champion Luke Schenn is coming off a one-year, $700k deal with the Lightning but struggled for much of the year. He split time between the NHL and AHL playing 25 games in the big leagues as a third-pairing defenceman. He scored one goal and two assists.

Despite a small sample size, he struggled this year contributing offence at a 10 percent rate worse than league average and defence at a 12 percent rate worse than league average. At 5v5, Schenn posted a 47.70 CF%, an xG% of 44.21 and a goals for rate of 35.71 percent.

Contract projection: One year, $795,300

@Brian Elliott

Elliott, 35, is coming off a one-year, $2-m deal with the Philadelphia Flyers and appeared in 31 games. He posted a 16-7-4 record with a .899 save percentage. His goals saved above average was -8.02. He struggled for most of the year despite his solid record, but there’s a team out there who would likely give him a contract as a backup.

Contract projection: N/A

@Ben Hutton

Ben Hutton, 27, is coming off a one-year, $1.5-m deal with the LA Kings. In 65 games this year, he scored four goals and 16 points for the Kings who placed at the bottom of the league.

Offensively he contributed at a seven percent rate higher than league average, and defence at a two percent rate worse than league average. He did, however, play very well on the penalty kill contributing at a 13 percent rate higher than league average.

He played in a second pairing role and at 5v5, showed well. He chipped in a 55.8 CF%, an xG% of 54.53 and a goals for rate of 51.81. He’s a solid player who will help an NHL team.

Contract projection: Five years, $4.201-million AAV.

On Twitter: @zjlaing