The calendar is now deep into August, and a number of key free agents are still out there for the taking.
A good chunk of them seems capable of being had for pennies on the dollar, too.
In a league with very little cap space left to work with, it’s peculiar to see so many names without homes this deep into the summer. Who are the best remaining options and where could they land?
Let’s take a look.
Paul Stastny
2021-22 Stat Line: 71 GP, 21 goals, 24 assists, 45 points, 17:46 TOI
2021-22 Cap Hit: $3,750,000
If Kadri doesn’t end up returning to Denver like everyone already assumes, there’s another two-way center waiting in the wings for a reunion in the Rockies.
Sure, Stastny finds himself on the back nine of his career, getting set to celebrate his 37th birthday at the midway mark of the 2022-23 season. But the veteran still has plenty left in the tank even at his advanced age, projecting to remain a play-driving contributor down the middle who possesses more than enough offensive pop for his role and can reduce chances in his own end, too.
What more could you want for an Avs team navigating life (potentially) without Kadri?
Even amidst a turbulent Jets season, Stastny still managed to tilt the ice in a positive direction whenever he happened to step on it, generating individual expected goal and scoring chance shares of 53.05 percent and 52.71 percent at even-strength, respectively. Couple that with his typical 20-goal, 45-point output, and Stastny was his same old dependable self last season, continuing to impact the game at both ends of the ice as a solid veteran leader.
On a one-year deal at around $3 million or so, Stastny would fit seamlessly in the Avs’ lineup that could then allow J.T. Compher to ease into the second-line center role he seems destined for. And given how much of the summer has already passed, that number might even get bumped down to the $2.5 million range.
It just makes too much sense. Make it happen! If not, there’s still enough teams that would benefit from Stastny’s services.
Phil Kessel
2021-22 Stat Line: 82 GP, 8 goals, 44 assists, 52 points, 16:40 TOI
2021-22 Cap Hit: $8,000,000
Phil Kessel still has plenty left in the tank.
As his goal-scoring prowess dwindled with age in recent seasons, Kessel somehow managed to shed the distinction of being a one-dimensional sniper that has followed him around for his entire career and became one of the league’s more underrated playmakers in his twilight…
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