Outside of drafting and developing prospects, free agency provides NHL organizations with the best opportunity to improve their respective clubs. Sometimes these improvements come by way of making notable player signings or by inking multiple depth players, and in some cases, deciding not to re-sign a player at all. At the same time, there is no doubt that free agency can lead to GMs overpaying for players, leading to issues in ensuing years. With the 2020 Free Agency period now open for a few weeks, (and rumours there may be an all-Canadian division next year) it is the perfect time to evaluate the moves made by Canada’s seven NHL teams.
Who got better? Who got worse? And who is in the best position to bring the Stanley Cup north of the border next season?
Ottawa Senators
There is no doubt that the Ottawa Senators and Pierre Dorion had one of the best free agency summers of all the Canadian teams. While the Senators didn’t make a high volume of signings, what they did do will have major impacts on the club moving forward. First off, after acquiring Matt Murray from Pittsburgh, the club inked the two-time Stanley Cup netminder to a four-year deal. After years of Craig Anderson manning the crease in the Nation’s Capital, the signing of Murray signals a changing of the guard, and a big step in the right direction. At the age of 27, Murray is the perfect fit for a Senators team in the midst of a long rebuild. The signing of Evgenii Dadonov is also a nice pickup by Ottawa, as the winger brings a proven offensive touch and will certainly help improve the Senators’ woeful power play.
These two moves, in addition to drafting Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson and Ridly Greig in the first round, should have Sens fans excited for next season and beyond.
Montreal Canadiens
It is no secret that the biggest need for the Montreal Canadiens over the past few seasons has been scoring, and this offseason, Marc Bergevin tried to address this need. Although the club wasn’t able to sign the 2018 Hart Trophy winner, Taylor Hall, the Canadiens did add veteran Tyler Toffoli. While he isn’t quite an offensive superstar, Toffoli is a quality two-way winger, who can play in a variety of situations, and is pretty much guaranteed to score 20 goals (not to mention he has invaluable playoff experience).
Bergevin might not have been very active during the Free Agency period, but beforehand, he was extremely busy. In early September the organization acquired Jake Allen from the St. Louis Blues, and added Joel Edmundson from Carolina, signing both to multi-year extensions. Bergevin was not done there though, as he also shipped Max Domi to Columbus for power forward Josh Anderson. All three of these trades will have major impacts on the Canadiens, and make them tougher to play against. Coming off a surprising play-in series victory over Pittsburgh, the Canadiens are much improved.
Toronto Maple Leafs
After a disappointing end to the 2019-2020 season, fans, players and teams around the league knew Kyle Dubas was going to be active, and boy was he ever.
Within the opening hour of the free agency period, the Maple Leafs added much-needed grit and physicality by inking Torontonian Wayne Simmonds. The veteran forward will be a lock in the Leafs’ middle six, with the ability to move up and down the lineup as required. Simmonds might not be a major offensive contributor at this stage in his career, but he will make the Maple Leafs tougher to play against—something they desperately need.
More importantly, Dubas improved the club’s defence by signing TJ Brodie to a four-year deal and Zach Bogosian to a one-year contract. The signing of Brodie in particular is key because it brings stability to the Leafs’ right side for the first time in years, and a potential partner for Morgan Rielly. Brodie might not fill the scoresheet like Tyson Barrie, nor is he as flashy as other free agents like Alex Pietrangelo, but he is a veteran blueliner who is sound defensively and can play a shutdown role.
In addition, the Leafs made a pair of interesting signings by adding Jimmy Vesey and Joe Thornton to very affordable one-year deals. Since the term and value of both contracts is minimal, the signings are low risk, yet have the potential to pay off big. Joe Thornton is a premier passer and a future Hall of Famer, who will be featured on the team’s second power-play and will bring a plethora of leadership. Vesey on the other hand is looking to get his career back on track, and if he can, will provide depth scoring.
Vancouver Canucks
Heading into the off-season, the Vancouver Canucks and GM Jim Benning had several players in need of contracts, none bigger than starting goaltender, Jacob Markstrom. Unfortunately, the Swedish netminder decided to take his talents to Alberta, to join the Flames. This was a major loss for the Canucks, as Markstrom was vital to Vancouver’s success, appearing in 43 regular-season games and making 14 playoff starts. Benning did replace Markstrom by inking proven veteran Braden Holtby, but one can’t help but think the Canucks would have preferred to build with the goalie they already knew.
If losing Markstrom wasn’t hard enough, the flat salary cap meant the Canucks couldn’t re-sign Toffoli, who they acquired at the deadline, as well as long-time Canucks Chris Tanev, and Troy Stecher. While the Canucks core is still intact, the organization must be disappointed with how this offseason played out. Vancouver still has a lot of potential, but don’t be surprised if they take a step back next season.
Winnipeg Jets
The 2019 offseason was nothing less than a nightmare for Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Jets as their D core was destroyed. This time around, the Jets did focus more on re-signing and adding new players than subtracting.
On the backend, the Jets re-signed Dylan Demelo and Nathan Beaulieu, while adding Derek Forbort to shore up their blueline. Up front, the Jets added grit by signing Nate Thompson, but their biggest splash came when they re-acquired Paul Stastny from Vegas. With Brian Little out indefinitely, the signing was necessary as the Jets finally have a quality centre behind Mark Schiefele they can rely on.
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Canucks, as they should now be referred to, had a nice offseason signing away Chris Tanev, Louis Domingue and Jacob Markstrom from Vancouver. Since the retirement of Miikka Kiprusoff in 2013, the Flames have experienced a goalie carousel; now management hopes Markstrom can bring stability between the pipes.
Although the Flames improved their goaltending, they lost many pieces on their backend and still have yet to re-sign Travis Hamonic. If they hope to remain competitive in the Pacific Division next season, signing him is a must after losing Brodie. In my opinion, Brad Treliving also needs to look to add some offence to his club as they struggled to find the net last season. With Mike Hoffman still available, the Flames should look to sign him.
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers didn’t make any big splashes this offseason, but they did make some signings that could pay off. For starters, the signing of Kyle Turris to a two-year contract will give Dave Tippett the ability to be flexible with his lines. Now that he has a quality third centre, he can play either Draisaitl or Nugent-Hopkins on the wing without issue. Inking Tyson Barrie comes with more risk than Turris as the Oilers are up against the cap, but if he regains his play from Colorado, Edmonton’s power play will be dynamic. The only issue with signing Barrie is that he is a defensive liability, and the Oilers already have a hard time keeping the puck out of their net.
The Oilers will certainly be dangerous offensively next season, but it’s hard to believe in their team when their goaltending is a question mark. Mikko Koskinen hasn’t shown that he can be a starter, and the newly re-signed Mike Smith at 38 is far from elite. With the rest of the Pacific division having strong goaltending, the Oilers will be hard pressed to win the division.
So which Canadian club has the best chance to lift the Stanley Cup?
At the top of the list are the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the additions to their backend—the Leafs are clearly the front runners to bring the Cup north of the border. The biggest problem for Toronto was their defensive play and toughness, and with Kyle Dubas taking care of that in free agency, the Leafs have the perfect blend. Could they be 2020-2021 Tampa Bay Lightning? I think so.
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Calgary Flames
- Edmonton Oilers
- Vancouver Canucks
- Winnipeg Jets
- Montreal Canadiens
- Ottawa Senators
While the Senators are lowest on the list, they won’t be for long. With Murray between the pipes, Chabot manning the blue line, and a full cupboard of young stars, the future is bright.
Which Canadian team do you think had the best offseason and will be the biggest threat next season?