When a trade is made in the NHL salary cap era, the first thing anyone should look at is the contracts involved. We have teams acquiring upcoming unrestricted free agents (UFAs), players entering their restricted free agents (RFA) years, long-term contracts, and bad contracts with additional assets. The specific contract status of Filip Hronek when the Vancouver Canucks acquired him was exceedingly rare.
The last time a player was acquired, mid-season, with another year left on the contract (a season of RFA status, then UFA status immediately afterwards) was when Patrik Allvin acquired Travis Dermott from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2022 trade deadline. Prior to that, Connor Brown’s contract matched these parameters when he was moved from the Maple Leafs to the Ottawa Senators as a part of a six-player trade. At the very least, we know this Canucks management group is not shy about adding this type of contract to their books.
So, finding another Hronek isn’t just about finding the next soon-to-be RFA. The player must be signed for another season, reach RFA afterwards, and then be eligible for UFA in the following season. There are eight players who fit that bill: Jason Robertson, J.J. Moser, Jack Drury, Martin Ferhervary, Egor Zamula, Kirby Dach, Barrett Hayton, and Michael Kesselring. Right off the bat, we can remove the first four names from further discussion since they all play key roles on playoff teams.
Part of the reason the Detroit Red Wings were willing to trade Hronek was because his status as a UFA after only one more RFA-eligible season meant he could command a higher salary on his next contract. At the same time he was due to become RFA, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider’s Entry-Level contracts (ELCs) were ending. Additionally, the Red Wings were stuck in that “mushy middle” where they weren’t exactly rebuilding, but they were looking towards the future. The Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens are both straddling this line but are far more on the “rebuild” than “compete” end. Utah HC, however, is analogous to the Red Wings.
Let’s take a look at the four potential Hronek’s.
Egor ZamulaPhiladelphia Flyers2024 to 2025 RFAs: Morgan Frost, Noah Cates, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York, Emil Andrae, Samuel Errson, & Alexei KolosovPosition: LDAge: 24 (March, 2000)Height/Weight: 6’3″, 200lbsStats: 14GP – 1G, 5A, 6P, -7 ratingContract: Two years x $1.7 million
Although he’s dealing with a limited track record in the NHL, he isn’t nearly as physical as his frame suggests. He’s averaging 16 minutes per game while being utilized on the second power play unit. He’s also not a factor on the Flyers penalty kill. With nine other RFAs over the next two offseasons, the Flyers will need to quickly decide if Zamula fits into their long-term plans. At this stage, he’s a third-pairing puck-mover with some power play utility.
Kirby DachMontreal Canadiens2024 to 2025 RFAs: Lane Hutson, Justin Barron, & Arber XhekajPosition: C/RWAge: 23 (January, 2001)Height/Weight: 6’4″, 221lbsStats: 18GP – 1G, 7A, 8P, minus-13 ratingContract: Two years x $3.36 million
Dach’s numerous injuries have taken away a lot of development time. He’s struggled to produce after missing nearly all of last season and has a team-worse minus-13 rating. His faceoff numbers have been very bad – 39% this season and never higher than 42% in a season – and are at the point where he’s only taken the sixth most draws on the team. It’s fair to question if he’s even a centre in the NHL. His physical traits, draft pedigree, and 54 games (14G, 24A, 38P) in the 2022-23 season are tantalizing enough to make him an exciting potential add.
Barrett HaytonUtah HC2024 to 2025 RFAs: Logan Cooley, Matias Maccelli, Jack McBain, & Vladislav KolyachonokPosition: CAge: 24Height/Weight: 6’1, 200lbsStats: 17GP – 5G, 3A, 8P, plus-two ratingContract: Two years x $2.65 million
Hayton spent much of last season injured or struggling to produce. He’s healthy this season, but there are seven other Utah Hockey Club players ahead of him on the scoresheet, and two of them are defencemen (Mikhail Sergachev and Michael Kesselring). He’s taking and winning faceoffs at a very good clip (61%). He’s barely played on the penalty kill while getting loads of power play time. Most of his production has come at even-strength (4G, 2A), and he has the fourth most ice time among Utah forwards (16:09). The Hockey Club is in a great place from a cap perspective and only has four long-term contracts on the books (Clayton Keller, Sergachev, Sean Durzi, and Dylan Guenther). Given their favourable cap situation, Utah is likely to hold onto Hayton rather than trade him for picks and prospects.
Michael KesselringUtah HC2024 to 2025 RFAs: Logan Cooley, Matias Maccelli, Jack McBain, & Vladislav KolyachonokPosition: RDAge: 24Height/Weight: 6’4, 215lbsStats: 17GP – 3G, 6A, 9P, plus-seven ratingContract: Two years x $1.4 million
One of the players outscoring Hayton is Kesselring. He was very good last season but is getting a lot of attention with the move to Utah. Being elevated from a third-pairing role to nearly 20 minutes a night will do that. It helps that he’s tall and heavy – third-most hits on the team and most amongst their defencemen – and can play on special teams. He ranks third among Utah defencemen in shorthanded ice time and second on the man advantage. Although, he is benefiting from an increased workload due to Durzi’s injury.. With all this, you’d think the former Coyotes would be in no rush to trade Kesselring. However, there was also no indication that the Red Wings were looking to trade Hronek either.
The big question is what would it take to acquire any of these players: with only Filip Hronek and Travis Dermott as comparables, there isn’t much history to go on. In terms of trade value, Egor Zamula would likely command somewhere in between Hronek and Dermott (a first and second for Hronek and a third for Dermott), as he’s scored more points in a single season than Dermott when he was traded, while Kesselring would surely fetch a first-round pick plus.
We’re in fairly uncharted waters for these trades with Hronek-type situations; however, the only team making these deals are the Vancouver Canucks, with Patrik Allvin and Jim Rutherford at the helm. Could one of these players be their next target?
Sponsored by bet365!
