NHL Hockey Player News

Moore had his best offensive seasons during his three years in New Jersey, averaging eight goals and 12 assists (20 points) per season. However, a 46.5 CF% and -1.1 relative Corsi in those seasons, suggests that the Bruins may regret a five-year term in a few seasons. Regardless, Moore is a reasonable third-pairing defenseman that increases the Bruins’ D-depth.

Hutchinson started at least 28 games for three straight seasons from 2015-to-2017 but spent the majority of 2018 in the AHL. Overall, he was 17-5-1 with a 2.08 GAA and .935 SV% with the Manitoba Moose. Hutchinson is No.3 on the Panthers’ goaltending depth chart, so he will start the 2019 season in the AHL.

Johnson is a former No.3 overall pick, who has had a few bad years. Johnson is coming off of a season in which he had a -5.4 relative Corsi and was a healthy scratch during the playoffs. However, Johnson remains a high-end skater who can play a physical style of game and brings some offence as well. In Pittsburgh, he will be an upgrade on Chad Ruhwedel as a third-pairing defenseman.

Tavares walks away from the Islanders after nine seasons, in which he scored 272 goals with 349 assists (621 points) in 669 games. The 27-year-old signs with his childhood team, joining one of the best, young teams in the NHL. Tavares, Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri is as formidable of a trio down the middle as you will find across the league. Over the last four seasons, Tavares is sixth in the NHL in points (306), tied for sixth in goals (136) and 22nd in assists (170). His cap-hit is now tied with Drew Doughty for the second highest in the NHL.

Over the last two seasons, Grabner is tied for 35th in the NHL with 54 goals. However, he leads the league in empty net goals (11) over that span. That’s 20.4 percent of his goals without a goalie, so don’t expect the 30-year-old to score 25-plus goals each year. In Arizona, he brings a ton of speed, some offence and penalty killing to a young team in need of all of those qualities.

Mrazek looked like the goalie of the future in Detroit during the 2016 season, when he was 27-16-6 with a 2.33 GAA and .921 SV%. In the two seasons since, Mrazek is tied with the second-worst SV% (.901) among qualified starters. The Flyers elected not to qualify the 26-year-old, so he lands in Carolina where he will battle with Scott Darling for playing time in the crease.

Brodziak, who was born in nearby St. Paul, Alberta returns to Edmonton, where he played from 2006 to 2009. The 34-year-old showed he still has some left in the tank last year, posting 33 points (10G / 23A) in 81 games with the Blues. He is a defensively-sound, hard-working centre who will play on the Oilers’ fourth line and help their penalty kill.

Hutton had an excellent 2018 season, going 17-7-3 with a 2.09 GAA, .931 SV% and three shutouts in 32 games with the Blues. Over the last three seasons, Hutton is tied for first in GAA (2.25) among goalies with at least 60 starts—posting a .922 SV%. Now with the Sabres, Hutton has the chance to become their No.1 netminder, but he will have to outplay Linus Ullmark.

Perron was originally drafted by the Blues and played for them from 2008-to-2013 and against in 2017. The 30-year-old returns to St. Louis after one year in Vegas, where he posted career-highs in assists (50) and points (66). Perron will find himself back in the Blues’ top-6, where he will likely play alongside Ryan O’Reilly.

Hickey was the No.4 overall pick in 2007 and has enjoyed moderate success during his first six seasons with the Islanders. Hickey is coming off of a career-year, picking up 25 points (5G / 20A) in 69 games. He is a very mobile, puck-moving defenseman who will be a key part of the Isles’ top-4.

Bozak is a No.2/No.3 line centre with some offensive ability. Bozak skates very well and is good on the face-off dot. The 32-year-old has scored 20-plus just once during his nine year career, but has registered 30-plus assists in three of the last five years. Bozak was likely going to be the Blues second-line centre, until they acquired Ryan O’Reilly from Buffalo—pushing him down the depth chart.

Cole has good size (6-foot-1, 219 lbs.) who is a mainly a shutdown defenseman. Despite not having high-end ability or seeing power-play time, Cole has had 20-plus points in back-to-back seasons. Cole’s signing in Colorado suggests that Conor Timmins may not be in the NHL in 2019.

Manning is a hard-nosed defenseman, who is coming off of his best year in the NHL. The 28-year-old had 19 points (7G / 12A) in 65 games with the Flyers and signs in Chicago where he will line-up as a third-pairing blueliner.

The veteran winger signed with the Lightning last year after nine years in Pittsburgh. Kunitz found himself in Tampa Bay’s bottom-6 and collected just 29 points (13G / 16A) in 82 games. He figures to have a similar role with the Blackhawks this season.

Polak is a big bruising defenseman, who chips in offensively on occasion. He had just 12 points (2G / 10A) in 54 games with the Maple Leafs last season and signs with the Stars where he projects to be their No.6/No.7 defenseman.

Nichushkin was drafted No.10 overall in 2013 and recorded 64 points (23G / 41A) in 166 career NHL games before leaving for the KHL. The 23-year-old had 27 goals and 24 assists (51 points) in 86 games with CSKA Moscow during his two years in Russia. Nichushkin returns to the NHL, where he projects to be a middle-6 winger.

Comeau is a big winger (6-foot-1, 202 lbs.) who is a strong penalty-killer that can chip in offensively. Comeau spent the last three seasons with the Avalanche, where he averaged 11 goals and 19 assists (30 points) per season.