With a lot of high priced forwards at the top of their lineup the Blackhawks needed to fill out their roster with some value contracts and that’s what Wingels provides. Wingels hasn’t posted good numbers in the last few seasons, but has posted great numbers at lower levels and earlier in his NHL career, making him a low-risk/high-reward signing for Chicago.
Pitlick has split his time between the AHL and NHL in his first three professional seasons. Last year he had 21 points (7G / 14A) in 37 games with Bakersfield and 11 points (8G / 3A) in 31 games with Edmonton. He is a capable scorer with good size (6-foot, 202 lbs) who brings some offence and some upside to the Stars bottom-6.
Niemi’s numbers have been slipping for the last few years, finally resulting in an .892 SV% and a buyout in 2016-17. Niemi is a value option to serve as Matt Murray’s backup with Marc-Andre Fleury being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights. A limited role is probably best for the 33-year-old and he will be playing behind a more defensively responsible team than he was in Dallas.
Hanzal, 30, had 20 goals and 29 assists (49 points) in 71 games with the Coyotes and Wild last year. Hanzal has always had a lot of offensive potential to go along with great size (6’6” / 226 lbs.) but has had a tough time with durability. Hanzal heads to Dallas where he will replace Cody Eakin, who was picked up by the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars have arguably the best offence he has ever been a part of and that could unlock the offensive potential Hanzal has been teasing us with for years.
After two years in Calgary, Jooris split his 2016-17 season between the Rangers and Coyotes, where he had four goals and eight assists (12 points) in 54 games. Jooris is a hard-working forward that plays all three forward positions, but has posted limited offensive numbers in his brief three-year NHL career.
Berube was a part of a goaltending trio in Brooklyn for the last two seasons and will likely have to battle with Anton Forsberg for the backup job to Corey Crawford. The 25-year-old has posted a career 3.10 GAA and .900 SV% in 21 career NHL starts, but has amassed impressive numbers at the AHL level.
The Blues traded Ryan Reaves to the Penguins at the NHL Draft so bring in Chris Thorburn to replace the lost toughness. The 34-year-old had three goals, one assist and 95 PIMS in 64 games with the Jets a year ago.
After struggling offensively for years, Hunwick managed to post 19 points (1G / 18A) in in 72 games with the Maple Leafs a season ago. Hunwick will help replace Trevor Daley, who left for Detroit in free agency and should be third pairing defenseman.
Witkowski, 27, is a Michigan native that is headed home after spending the first five years of his professional career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Witkowski is capable of playing on the blueline or on the wing and adds some size and toughness to the Red Wings’ depth chart. Witkowski has just four assists and 58 PIMS in 54 career NHL games.
Williams was in Carolina from 2004 until his was traded to Los Angeles midway through the 2009 season. Since then, he has posted 20-plus goals in four of seven full 82-game seasons, while posting 40-plus points in six of seven. Williams helps add depth and playoff experience to the wing of a young Carolina team that has playoff aspirations in 2017-18.
Wilson was the No.7 overall pick in 2008, but never really lived up to expectations, posting a career-high of just 20 goals and 42 points (2014-15). Wilson was slipping down the Predators depth chart, but should play an increased role in Colorado, where mid-30’s points should be his floor.
Pouliot had 33 goals and 37 assists (70 points) in 113 games in his first two seasons in Edmonton, but struggled a year ago leading to a buyout. The 30-year-old winger goes from being overpaid to potentially one of the best value contracts in 2017-18 free agency. Pouliot will likely play on the second or third line behind Evander Kane and is capable of posting a 20-20 season if he can stay healthy.
Bonino had one of the best seasons of his career 2016-17, posting 18 goals and 19 assists (37 points) in 80 games and added an additional seven points (4G / 3A) in 21 playoff games to help the Penguins to their second Stanley Cup in a row. Bonino will fill the hole left by Mike Fisher’s expected departure and should serve as the Predators No.2/No.3 centre.
Alzner spent the first nine years of his NHL career in Washington after the Capitals made him the No.5 overall pick in 2007. Alzner is a solid two-way defenseman that is capable of playing heavy minutes against the other team’s best and posting modest offensive numbers. Alzner has not missed a game in seven seasons and has averaged three goals and 14 assists (17 points) per 82 games over that stretch. Alzner could see regular time next to Shea Weber as the Habs’ No.1 pairing.
After four and a half years in Philadelphia, Mason is on his way to Winnipeg. Like most goalies, he can be volatile from year to year and was 26-21-8 with a 2.66 GAA and .908 SV% in 58 games with the Flyers a season ago. With Ondrej Pavelec now in New York, Mason will likely share the crease with Connor Hellebuyck to start the 2017-18 season and they’ll go from there.
Kulikov broke into the NHL with a bang, but has struggled in recent years, culminating in him being traded to Buffalo last summer and him only posting five points (2G / 3A) in 47 games with the Sabres. Still only 26-years-old, the Jets obviously see something they like in the former No.14 overall pick (2009). Kulikov will be leaned on as a No.4/No.5 defenseman in Winnipeg, which should help him in the defensive aspect of the game.
Boyle was with the Lightning since the 2015 season before being dealt to the Maple Leafs at last year’s deadline. Boyle finished the campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists (25 points) in a combined 75 games, but just three assists in 21 games in Toronto. Boyle is a solid bottom-6 forward that is solid on the face-off dot, winning over 50 percent for his career.
Pavelec has been with the Jets’ organization since he was drafted No.41 overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005. His game started to slip the last few years, leading to him starting the 2016-17 season in the AHL. He ended up making it to Winnipeg and appeared in eight games, going 4-4-0 with a 3.55 GAA and .888 SV%. Despite a few rough seasons in a row, the Rangers have had a lot of success with backups over the years, making it possible the Pavelec could be a serviceable handcuff to Henrik Lundqvist in 2017-18.
The Canucks let Ryan Miller walk in free agency, so Anders Nilsson has been brought in to serve as Jacob Markstrom’s backup. The 27-year-old netminder appeared in 26 games with the Sabres a season ago, going 10-10-4 with a 2.67 GAA and .923 SV%.
Johnson was brought into Calgary last season to be Brian Elliott’s backup, but ended playing a more important role than originally thought. Johnson went 18-15-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .910 SV% in 36 games and will return to Buffalo to serve as the primary backup to Robin Lehner. The Sabres No.1 has had a tough time staying in the crease, so Johnson could be in line for 30-plus starts again in 2017-18.
