NHL Signings & Free Agents

Campbell spent most of last season with the Kings as Jonathan Quick’s backup, going 10-14-1 with a 2.30 GAA and .928 SV%. Campbell was excellent in 2019 and showcased that he is capable of being a full-time NHLer after looking like a first-round bust early in his career.

Comrie spent the entire 2019 season with the Manitoba Moose (AHL), going 25-20-2 with a 2.69 GAA and .917 SV% in 47 games. Comrie has appeared in five career NHL games since 2017 but will open 2020 in Manitoba yet again.

Perlini was traded to the Blackhawks last season and recorded 12 goals with three assists (15 points) in 46 games after the deal. Perlini’s playing time dropped precipitously in Chicago, which will cap his upside in 2020.

Gardiner had to sit and wait a long time as a free agent but finally got signed on Friday. Gardiner spent eight seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs but is coming off of a disappointing 30 points (3G / 27A) in 62 games in 2019. Now the 29-year-old joins Carolina, who already has a loaded blueline, but he could slot onto the second-pair with Brett Pesce and play on the second power-play unit with either Justin Faulk or Dougie Hamilton.

Thornton is back for his 22nd NHL season at the age of 40-years-old. It will be his 15th season with the Sharks and he is coming off of a solid 51-point (16G / 35A) campaign in 2019. He has very minimal upside as the Sharks No.3 centre and should be left on the fantasy hockey waiver wire to start the season.

Sheahan played in Pittsburgh and Florida last season, totalling just 19 points (9G / 10A) in 82 games. He was once a first-round pick of Ken Holland’s in Detroit and the familiarity with the 27-year-old led to him signing in Edmonton. He never developed like the Red Wings had hoped, posting a career-high of just 36 points, so look for him to settle in as the Oilers No.4 centre in 2020.

Schuldt joined the Golden Knights for one game last season after finishing his senior year at St. Cloud State with 10 goals and 25 assists in 39 games. Schuldt has NHL aspirations in 2020 and he seems to be the frontrunner to start the season as Vegas’ No.6 defenseman.

Goldobin missed 19 games last season but totalled 27 points (7G / 20A) in his first fill NHL season. The 23-year-old has had a difficult time getting the Canucks coaching staff to trust him full-time in the top-6 and that will be even more difficult after the additions of Micheal Ferland and J.T. Miller this offseason. Still, Goldobin has 15-goal, 25-assist potential if he plays a full season. However, he looks like the Canucks 13th forward as we approach training camp.

McKeown, 23, had four goals and 21 assists in 70 games with Charlotte (AHL) last season. With a loaded depth chart in Carolina and Jake Bean ahead of him on the call-up list, McKeown will need a few injuries ahead of him if he is going to sniff the NHL in 2020.

Kempe gets a three-year deal nine days before training camp after registering 28 points (12G / 16A) in 81 games last season. Despite seeing an uptick in ice-time, Kempe’s numbers decreased in his second full season. Decreased shot volume was the main component to his drop in goals and a big dip in on-ice SH% affected his assist total. Expect him to centre the Kings second line in 2020, which makes him a candidate to return to 15 goals and 20-plus assists.

Keller was set to become a restricted free agent after this 2020 season but the Coyotes locked him up early. Keller had a tremendous rookie season but took a step backward in 2019 but his shooting percentage and on-ice SH% should see some positive regression in 2020. Keller’s new contract makes him the highest-paid forward on the Coyotes, surpassing Phil Kessel’s $6.8 AAV.

Belpedio had six goals and 15 assists (21 points) in 70 games with the Iowa Wild (AHL) last year. The 2014 third-round pick appeared in two games with Minnesota but is set to start 2020 in the AHL for the second straight season.

Barbashev had 14 goals and 12 assists (26 points) in 80 games in 2019. The 23-year-old also chipped in during the postseason, picking up six points (3G / 3A) in 25 games en route to winning the Stanley Cup. Barbashev is back but is buried on the depth chart behind Brayden Schenn, Ryan O’Reilly, and Tyler Bozak.

Beauvillier set a career-high with 21 goals in 2018 but scored just 18 goals with 10 assists (28 points) in 81 games in 2019. The Islanders didn’t add much up front in the offseason, which will likely lead to Beauvillier playing a top-6 role for the duration of 2020.

Malgin spent the last two seasons splitting time between the AHL and NHL. This past season, Malgin had seven goals and nine assists (16 points) in 50 games with Florida and 14 points (4G / 10A) in 13 games with Springfield. With the Panthers adding Brett Connolly and Owen Tippett set to make the roster this fall, Malgin will be limited to a bottom-6 role in 2020.

Bourque spent the last three games with the Avalanche, appearing in 55 games a season ago. Bourque has totalled just 19 points (7G / 12A) in 113 games over the last two seasons. Bourque has a chance to crack the Jets fourth-line this fall.

Maroon returned to his hometown in 2019, scoring 10 goals with 18 assists (28 points) in 74 games with the Blues. He went on to have a decent postseason but won a Stanley Cup and now signs on with the 2020 preseason favorites to win the Cup. Maroon will have a really hard time cracking the Lighting’s top-6, but he will solidify their bottom-6 and second power-play unit. 

Silovs was selected in the sixth-round of this summer’s NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old has the size of a modern-day netminder, standing at 6-foot-4 and 203 lbs. Silovs had a 3.26 GAA and .914 SV% in Latvia’s top league last season.

Brassard was a great No.2 centre during his time in New York but has struggled since—averaging 16 goals and 20 assists in the last three seasons. He isn’t suited for a checking role, so signing with the Islanders could provide him a chance to return to a top-6 role.

Since being picked No.20 in 2015, Eriksson Ek has not topped 16 points in his first two NHL seasons. However, once Mikko Koivu went down last year, Eriksson Ek had five goals and two assists in 22 games while averaging 15:23 TOI/gm—averaged 12:22 prior. Koivu will likely be eased back into action early in the season, giving Eriksson Ek an opportunity to get off to a hot start in 2020.