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NHL free agency, part 3
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Due to a storm induced power failure, I was not able to submit yesterday's entry. It is below.
This is part three of a ten part, team by team analysis of the NHL's current crop of unrestricted free agents. I will give my opinion on each player and whether their team should keep them or not. These lists are up to date at the time of writing. Only players who saw significant playing time last season are included.
Chicago
Martin Havlat - Keep. With Havlat posting career numbers in assists (48) and points (77) last season, he is more than likely going to look for a raise. Unless it gets too outrageous, Chicago should be able to absorb it.
Samuel Pahlsson - Let go. A draft day acquisition by Chicago, Pahlsson had an decent season and an alright playoffs. Not enough though to convince the 'Hawks to keep him.
Aaron Johnson - Let go. Young defensemen are good to have. Young defensemen with knee issues are not. Chicago has enough depth on the blueline to let Johnson go.
Matt Walker - Keep. If the 'Hawks want to make the next step towards the Cup, making a lot of changes on the blueline is not the way to go about it. Walker adds stability and, with his career high 13 assists last season, is adding more on the offensive side.
Nikolai Khabibulin - Let go. The biggest debate last season in Chicago was in net. With Khabibulin playing better than he has in years and Christobal Huet starting off very slowly, it was hard to tell which one to keep. Age will finally catch up to Khabibulin. While it would be nice to have both, that will only harm Chicago long term in net.
Columbus
Chris Gratton - Let go. Coming off of his 30 goal season in 1996-97, people wondered if Gratton had what it takes to be a consistent 30 goal scorer. His career since has proved otherwise. Columbus could get him back as a role player, but unless they get him at a significant discount from his salary last year it would be a bad choice.
Manny Malhotra - Let go. Malhotra has yet to show the talent that led the Rangers to take him 7th overall in 1998. At 29, unless he does it soon, he may never show it. The 'Jackets can't risk re-signing him on the off chance he has a breakout season.
Michael Peca - Let go. Although Peca brings a veteran savvyness a Cup contender needs, his rapidly decreasing offensive production could spell the end of his tenure in Columbus.
Jason Williams - Keep. While 19 goals and 28 assists doesn't sound like much, but when you finish the season 21st in the league in goals you need to keep whatever offense you can get. Columbus should keep Williams and use the cap space freed up by letting Gratton, Malhotra, and Peca go to go after a big name scorer.
Christian Backman - Let go. With Backman as the only UFA on Columbus' blueline, this would be a great time to free up a roster spot for a youngster to come up and get some NHL experience.
Wade Dubielewicz - Let go. In the easiest decision in the NHL, the 'Jackets are able to let Dubielewicz go thanks to the emergance of Dan LaCosta and Calder Cup winning Steve Mason.
Colorado
Tyler Arnason - Let go. The youth movement is in full swing in Colorado. That means that, although finishing seventh in scoring and third in takeaways with the Avalanche, Arnason will be looking for a new team this summer.
Ben Guite - Let go. Personally, I would find it hard to let go a player who finished the season with a 51.5% faceoff winning percentage, but Guite adds little else on the offensive side, which Colorado needs desperately after finishing dead last in the NHL in scoring.
Ian Laperriere - Let go. Laperriere is a gritty leader, but how much longer will his body allow him to be the enforcer? Another youth movement casualty, Laperriere will catch on somewhere, it just won't be with Colorado.
Joe Sakic - Let go. Sakic has been the face, heart, and soul of the Avalanche franchise from day one in Denver, but age and injuries may force Sakic to call it a career.
Brian Willsie - Let go. Yet another veteran to be let go in favor of youth, Willsie will need to look to another franchise if he wishes to continue his career.
Lawrence Nycholat - Let go. A veteran defenseman on a team who is going younger coupled with a head injury that ended his season on March 22nd will spell the end of Nycholat's short Avalanche career.
Daniel Tjarnqvist - Let go. While the Avalanche are waiting for some very cap heavy contracts to come due, Tjarnqvist's roster spot should go to a younger player to get some experience now. The last thing Colorado wants to do is face replacing the entire blueline at once.
Andrew Raycroft - Let go. Raycroft's future with Colorado all depends on if the Avalanche are able to sign Jonas Gustavsson. If Colorado wins that lottery, look for Raycroft to be gone.
Coming later will be my look at Dallas, Detroit, and Edmonton.
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