2010 NHL Free Agency – Defensemen
6/24/2010 | Posted by
Devin
NHL Free Agency kicks off July 1st, so I figure that now is a good time to review the upcoming UFA and RFA class. Unlike last season, I won't be ranking them in terms of overall worth, but instead the rankings will reflect their worth to the Sabres and how bad I'd like to see the particular player in blue and gold next season. Please remember, these rankings are completely biased.
We've finally reached the point where the Sabres will most likely be letting both Toni Lydman and Henrik Tallinder walk. For me personally, this makes me very happy. I have nothing personal against either player, but with their contracts expiring, it opens up over five million dollars in cap space for the Sabres to actively pursue some new faces to call HSBC home. Of course I could be saying all of this very prematurely because Darcy Regier has said more than once that he's had conversations with both players about returning, however I really don't see that happening. I'd be shocked if both players didn't get a raise and I swear if the Sabres shell out over three million for either player, my head might explode.
Before I dive into the free agents that will be available, I want to address a player that might be available via trade.
1a. Tomas Kaberle (TOR) – If I had a nickel for every time Kaberle's name was mentioned in a trade rumor, I'd have a ton of nickels. With every rumor I hear involving Kaberle, I almost always hear the Sabres name mentioned at the same time. Because Kaberle is heading into the final year of his deal and the draft is coming up, I'm being forced to take this rumor a little more serious this time. Despite his age (32) and salary (4.25 million/year), I'd be very pleased if the Sabres swung a trade for Kaberle.
Since the lockout, Kaberle has contributed point totals of 67, 58, 53, 31 and 49. Factor in that his 31 points came in 57 games, and it's all the more impressive. Kaberle would instantly be the best scoring defenseman on the Sabres, along with Tyler Myers. The idea of Kaberle in Buffalo also excited me because he's a power play specialist and the power play for Buffalo is horrendous. Literally, it's to the point where I wish the Sabres could actually decline penalties and just play 5 on 5. Buffalo is clearing right around 5.5 million with Tallinder and Lydman leaving and I'd be perfectly okay with them giving that money to Kaberle for roughly four years. Rumors I've read have said Buffalo would have to give up a couple of draft picks and possibly Drew Stafford to acquire Kaberle. For me, that just sweetens the deal. Maybe Stafford will pan out and become a very good player, but my patience has run out on him and the sooner he's gone, the better. If Buffalo traded for Kaberle and locked him up, they would head into the season with Kaberle, Rivet, Montador, Myers, Sekera and Butler. Call me crazy but I'm more than okay with that. Rivet will most likely miss the beginning of the season but the Sabres have two players in Mike Weber and Marc-Andre Gragnani that could easily fill in and even challenge Sekera and Butler for regular playing time.
There is always the chance that the Sabres don't get this deal done, so with that in mind, let's see who will be available on the open market. Keep in mind, this isn't an overall ranking, but a ranking on who I think would be a good fit for the Sabres. I'm also only ranking the top 10 players to keep this as short as possible. Salary, age and scoring are the three things I'm factoring in here. If there has been one thing lacking in the past few seasons, it's been consistent scoring from the defensemen.
1b. Anton Volchenkov (OTT) – Volchenkov doesn't fit the bill for a scoring defenseman like I highlighted above, but I'd still love to have him in Buffalo for a few reasons. Volchenkov is only 28 years old and has been one of the better defensemen for Ottawa over the past few seasons. He'll be looking for a large payday since he's arguably the top defenseman overall, so the odds of Buffalo making a play on him are pretty rare. Part of the allure in my eyes is not only would the Sabres be upgrading their blue line, they would be directly hurting a division rival in the process.
2. Carlo Colaiacovo (STL) – Colaiacovo isn't a household name for most hockey fans but he would be a very solid signing for Buffalo. His current salary was $1.4 million, so even with a raise; he would bring a modest cap hit at best. Combine that with his age (27) and his recent point production, and I'm all for this signing. After being drafted by Toronto and constantly being injured, he has been relatively healthy for the past two seasons playing in 73 and 67 games respectively. In those two seasons he chipped in 30 and 32 points, which would make him the second highest scoring defenseman in Buffalo.
3. Joe Corvo (WAS) – Corvo doesn't have the highest point totals, but I would definitely be on board with him signing in Buffalo. I'm guessing he'll be looking at a contract right around three million per season for about four years, and I could live with that. I think I've mentioned it at least 80 times in this article, but the Sabres power play is an absolute joke. Corvo isn't quite in the class of Kaberle or Gonchar, but he'd still help upgrade that particular aspect for the Sabres.
4.
Sergei Gonchar (PIT) – Gonchar's salary and age go directly against my rules for signing a defenseman in free agency. However, if it was a one or two year deal and he took a significant pay cut of two million or more, I could talk myself into that signing. Gonchar would be a veteran presence on the blue line (with Cup winning experience) and possibly someone who could breathe some life into the power play as well. Like Kaberle, Gonchar would immediately be the best offensive defenseman the Sabres would have. Tyler Myers led the Sabres last season with 48 points in 82 games. In only 62 games with Pittsburgh, Gonchar had 50 points.
5. Marc-Andre Bergeron (MTL) - Bergeron's point totals aren't anything to write home about, but his cap number is rather modest and he's only 29 years old, so I wouldn't mind this signing at all. In the past two seasons his point totals have been above 30, so if anything, he'd instantly be the second highest scoring defenseman on the team. The biggest concern I have about Bergeron is how much he's bounced around so far in his career. Since the lockout he's played for the Oilers, Islanders, Ducks, Wild and Canadiens. That's an awful lot of teams in such a short time span.
6. Dan Hamhuis (NAS) – Hamhuis would help upgrade the blue line for Buffalo, but not necessarily in the scoring department. His point totals since the lockout have been 38, 20, 27, 26 and 24. Combine that with is current salary (2.5 million) and the likelihood of a significant raise, and his odds of signing in Buffalo are pretty slim. The biggest thing I noticed about Hamhuis is his durability. In the past five seasons in Nashville, Hamhuis has missed a total of seven games.
(Ed. Note: Nashville has already traded Hamhuis' rights to Philadelphia, so unless they really screw up and don't sign him, he is already off the market.)
7. Paul Martin (NJD) – Martin's price tag is a bit much for my liking, but he'd be a solid signing nevertheless. Martin was hurt for the better part of last season but still managed to net 11 points in 22 regular season games. I'd have to defer to the experts on this, but I do wonder how much of his success is tied to the system in New Jersey
9. Pavel Kubina (ATL) – At 33 and carrying a price tag of five million per season, Kubina would be a tough sell for me. Besides a veteran presence, Kubina really doesn't fit into any of the three categories I'd be looking for. However, if he took a minor pay cut and Buffalo signed him, I'd definitely be able to talk myself into it.
10. Jordan Leopold (PIT) – Leopold will be 30 heading into next season and looking at a cap hit around two million, so I wouldn't be too excited if the Sabres were to sign him. He's only eclipsed 30 points in a season once (in 2003-04) and didn't make a huge difference for Pittsburgh in their latest playoff run. There are obviously worse choices, but signing Leopold would most likely be a 'more of the same' type signing for Buffalo.
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