Which UFA Defensemen Are Available To Sign This Offseason?
5 years ago
In his press wrap-up following the 2019 Trade Deadline, GM Jim Benning alluded to his plans to dip into defensive free agency in the upcoming offseason:
While the debate on Benning’s competence as a general manager rages on, most would agree that subtlety is not his strong suit. The guy is honest to a fault and, generally speaking, when Benning says he’s looking at a certain personnel move it should be taken at face value.
Ergo, the Vancouver Canucks are probably going to add one or more defensemen through free agency during the summer of 2019.
But who?
The Cap Considerations
Before looking at the list of upcoming free agent defensemen, let’s briefly explore the Canucks’ cap situation moving forward.
According to the fine folks at CapFriendly, Vancouver currently has about $51 million committed to 29 contracts for the 2019/20 season—which leaves around $30 million in space depending on how much the cap rises. Of course, a good chunk of that space will be taken up by the re-signing of Brock Boeser, Ben Hutton, Nikolay Goldobin, and Josh Leivo—along with Alex Edler if the team does decide to keep him around.
With all those players signed to new deals, the Canucks should still have more than $10 million worth of cap space—certainly enough to add a defenseman or two, but not enough to add a premier option, as Benning has noted:
A Note On Handedness
With Ben Hutton, Alex Edler, and Quinn Hughes all presumably on the roster next year—and Olli Juolevi, Guillaume Brisebois, Ashton Sautner, and Josh Teves waiting in the wings—Vancouver is pretty much set on their left side. Therefore, the free agency focus should be on right-handed defenders.
That being said, defensemen playing on their off-side isn’t unheard of—though it’s become far less common in recent seasons.
For the sake of completeness, we’ll be listing both righties and lefties as potential signees. However, we’re doing more due diligence with the right-handers—which is exactly what Jim Benning should be doing, too.
The percentages listed for Shots Taken 5v5 With/Without and Shots Allowed 5v5 With/Without are relative to the league average. They’re taken from the data charts at HockeyViz.com, and further explanations of these stats can be found there. These numbers may be of questionable consequence for players with few games played.
Right-Handed Defensemen
Erik Karlsson, San Jose
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 28 | 52 | 3 | 42 | 45 | +28%/+7% | -5%/-5% | 20 | $6.5 mil |
Karlsson is obviously the best defenseman on the UFA market—and probably the best UFA, period. He could fix Vancouver’s blueline deficiencies almost single-handedly, but he’d also do so at a significant cost. Expect Karlsson to sign a deal well north of $10 million per season—and thus price himself out of the Canucks’ plans.
Tyler Myers, Winnipeg
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 29 | 68 | 8 | 17 | 25 | +1%/-7% | +9%/+2% | 57 | $5.5 mil |
Myers’ name has been bandied about as one of the UFAs with the most potential to be overpaid, and that’s probably a fair assessment. Myers has the size, experience, and offensive acumen to make a perfect partner for Quinn Hughes—but Vancouver will be competing with the majority of the league to sign him. Don’t expect him to come cheap.
Anton Stralman, Tampa Bay
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 32 | 45 | 2 | 15 | 17 | +2%/+11% | +10%/-7% | 8 | $4.5 mil |
Stralman is one of those players who feels like he’s been around for forever, but he’s only 31 years old. As he’s aged, Stralman has turned into a bit of a defensive specialist, though his offense still shines through in spurts. He’s also picked up a boatload of playoff experience over the years, which would greatly benefit Vancouver’s rookie blueliners. However, Stralman can be expected to sign a deal that takes him into his late 30s—which is always a major risk.
Dan Girardi, Tampa Bay
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 34 | 61 | 4 | 11 | 15 | +10%/_8% | 0%/-4% | 12 | $3 mil |
Like Stralman, Girardi is an aging defensive specialist with bountiful playoff experience. Unfortunately, he’s also three years older than Stralman and thus even more of a potential risk. The Canucks shouldn’t really consider signing a player this old unless they agree to a short-term deal—preferably, at a discount.
Adam McQuaid, Columbus
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 32 | 43 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -5%/-1% | +6%/+9% | 37 | $2.75 mil |
McQuaid really only brings one thing to a team’s blueline—toughness—but he certainly brings it in spades. If the Canucks feel that they’re missing some of that gritty presence now that Erik Gudbranson is gone, McQuaid would represent an adequate—and much cheaper—replacement. He can’t be relied on for much more than that, however.
Jan Rutta, Tampa Bay
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 28 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -10%/+3% | +1%/+20% | 12 | $2.25 mil |
Rutta is a tough player to assess. He’s a 27-year-old who has spent most of this season in the minors—but he’s also the victim of a deep blueline in Tampa Bay and an inflated contract. Signed to a bargain deal, Rutta might make a good candidate to bounce back in 2019/20—but no team should commit a significant amount of money or term to him.
Alex Petrovic, Edmonton
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 27 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +2/-4% | +45%/0 | 26 | $1.95 mil |
Like McQuaid, Petrovic is a defenseman very much in the mould of Erik Gudbranson. He’s younger than McQuaid, but with just two points on the season it’s hard to argue that he has any more offensive potential. He’s a low-cost option, but he’s also low-reward.
Deryk Engelland, Vegas
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 36 | 63 | 2 | 7 | 9 | +4%/+18% | +1%/-8% | 12 | $1.5 mil |
Add Engelland to the list of tough defenders who could potentially replace Gudbranson’s snarl. Engelland is nearing retirement, but he’s played competent hockey for the Vegas Golden Knights over the past two seasons—which might make him an overall stronger option than McQuaid and Petrovic. Chances are good Engelland stays in Vegas, but he could make for a cheap blueline supplement if not.
Luke Schenn, Vancouver
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 29 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -26%/-8% | +6%/+5% | 7 | $800K |
Of course, the most obvious option in the “physical veteran with questionable skill” category is the one the Canucks already have—Schenn. He’s played solidly in limited minutes this season, and Vancouver doesn’t have much reason not to bring him back at this point—but he should not be counted on as an NHL regular.
Andy Welinski, Anaheim
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 25 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -9%/-7% | +26%/+11% | 8 | $690K |
Welinski is one of those players who—like Evan McEneny—has not been given enough time at the NHL level and is thus eligible for early “Group 6” unrestricted free agency. Welinski has consistently demonstrated offensive pop at the AHL level, but has had difficulty catching on with Anaheim’s deep blueline—and he could represent a low-risk, high-reward option as a free agent.
Chad Ruhwedel, Pittsburgh
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 28 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +4%/+7% | -15%/+2% | 4 | $650K |
Ruhwedel has been pulling spot-duty for the Penguins for three seasons now, and that’s left him with a surprising amount of post-season experience—including six games in Pittsburgh’s 2017 run to the Cup and 12 more last year. This is the sort of “mentor” signing that Benning is known for, but it should also be noted that Ruhwedel’s AHL numbers hint at some untapped offensive potential.
Tim Heed, San Jose
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 28 | 26 | 2 | 8 | 10 | +6%/+13% | -6%/-5% | 10 | $650K |
Heed is a skilled defenseman who has progressed well as a professional, but it’s been tough for him to get much ice-time playing behind Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Justin Braun. Heed’s numbers are solid across the board and he could make for a real “diamond-in-the-rough”-type signing if Vancouver’s pro scouts like what they’ve seen.
Left-Handed Defensemen
Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 35 | 66 | 2 | 11 | 13 | -2%/+7% | -8%/-10% | 36 | $5.4 mil |
Bouwmeester’s name still carries some cachet in hockey thanks to his time as an Olympian, but his best days are definitely behind him. Bouwmeester is playing important minutes for St. Louis this year and his game has had a bit of a resurgence—but at 35, that’s not going to last. Anyone signing Bouwmeester for multiple years is probably going to regret it.
Alex Edler, Vancouver
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 32 | 44 | 7 | 16 | 23 | -16%/-6% | -11%/+9% | 42 | $5 mil |
We don’t need to spend too much time extolling the virtues of Edler here—Vancouver fans can see it on a regular basis when he’s on the ice, and even more clearly when he’s absent. His inclusion on the list is simply to highlight his position as a premier UFA in 2019—and to temper expectations about him taking an enormously “team-friendly” deal.
Zdeno Chara, Boston
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 41 | 52 | 4 | 7 | 11 | +1%/-2% | -8%/-8% | 48 | $5 mil |
There’s almost no chance at all that Chara leaves Boston—and if he does, it won’t be to come to Vancouver. That being said, we had to include him on the list because he’d still be a valuable addition to the Canucks’ roster and dressing room—even at the ripe old age of 41.
Jake Gardiner, Toronto
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 28 | 60 | 2 | 27 | 29 | +19%/+9% | +4%/+10% | 24 | $4.05 mil |
Gardiner is a player known for his offensive talents and defensive miscues. While anyone playing in Toronto is going to have their shortcomings overemphasized, Vancouver should be worried about adding a such a mistake-prone defender to their increasingly-young blueline—especially given the exorbitant amount Gardiner is sure to sign for.
Braydon Coburn, Tampa Bay
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 34 | 63 | 3 | 16 | 19 | +8%/+9% | -8%-1% | 26 | $3.7 mil |
Coburn is in a similar boat as Bouwmeester, but without the big-name cachet. He’s been a part of Tampa Bay’s stellar blueline for a while now and that means he’s been playing some extremely competent hockey—but there’s a real question of how much longer he can keep it up for. Expect Coburn to also sign a regrettable deal in 2019—and expect the Canucks to avoid him if they’re smart.
Patrik Nemeth, Colorado
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 27 | 62 | 1 | 7 | 8 | -3%/+2% | -7%/-2% | 46 | $2.5 mil |
Nemeth is a solid, all-around defender that doesn’t do anything particularly special. He’s a fine player, but not one who adds anything to the roster that the Canucks don’t already have—especially on the left side. At more than $2 million per season, Vancouver should pass on this one.
Ben Chiarot, Winnipeg
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 27 | 66 | 5 | 14 | 19 | -16%/+1% | -4%/+8% | 54 | $1.4 mil |
Chiarot may look like a cheap option right now, but that will change in the offseason. He’s been steadily improving in five NHL seasons, and is having a career year on the cusp of a new contract—all while playing for one of the powerhouses of the west. Chiarot can do it all to an extent, and he’ll be well paid for it.
Jordie Benn, Montreal
| Age | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | Shots Taken at 5v5 With/Without | Shots Allowed at 5v5 With/Without | PIM | Previous Cap Hit |
| 31 | 70 | 5 | 14 | 19 | +9%/+9% | -9%/-2% | 39 | $1.1 mil |
If the Canucks are looking to add a depth defender, they could certainly do worse than Benn. He’s a tough BC boy in the midst of the best offensive season of his career. A short-term deal for Benn might make sense—but anything with term would be playing with fire.
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