Western Conference Free Agents Who Are Trending Down
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It is time to start get down and ugly with free agency. The underperforming side of free agents is something that has an impact that is far reaching.

This spans forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders as well. Unrestricted free agents will soon make way for the restricted free agents but first let’s dive into one more installment of the bad side of the “contract season”. Get that trending down button ready.

Anyway, let’s start once more.

David Perron (C) – St. Louis Blues

There is this feeling that David Perron was bound to start trending downward. It is a bit of a stretch to include Perron here and yet it isn’t. Weird, right? Perron started the season well enough like the previous couple of seasons. Since then, it has gone a little south.

He has struggled some of late with just four points in his last 14 games. Is Perron the player who had 11 points in his first ten games or 11 in his previous 23? That is a great question with an unclear answer. The 33-year old carries a $4 million cap hit. Is this a blip or trend? That determines his next deal.

Andrew Copp (C) – Winnipeg Jets

Again, Andrew Copp presented a tough act to follow after last season’s breakout year. His role was reduced and rearranged a bit. Then, injuries pushed Copp into a role maybe too great for his liking. Despite that, the forward thrived greatly at first.

Now, Copp ($3.64 million cap hit) has just one point in his last eight games while most of his numbers have maintained pretty well. Also, the Winnipeg Jets’ pivot is still playing more than 20 minutes a night over the last 15 games. How much will this cost in terms of a payday? The answer is still unwritten.

Rickard Rakell (RW) – Anaheim Ducks

The forward bounced back a bit in his last three games with goals in each contest (on four shots). Rickard Rakell has honestly trended down gradually over the past several seasons. In what should be his prime, Rakell’s point per game went from a high of 0.9 (2018) to 0.54 (present). His shots per game has inched down from 2.99 to 2.67.

Rakell’s current AAV is a shade under $3.8 million. What number does he get from Anaheim and better yet, what number does he get from free agency? There have been some trade rumors as well. One thing is certain. Rakell’s payday still is heading downward.

Anton Stralman – Arizona Coyotes

One of the new 35+ defensemen expects to find the free agent market tougher than even three seasons ago. Anton Stralman even was given a gradually lesser role and that has not helped much either. His zone deployment was changed and that has impacted his defensive value too. (37% D-zone utility).

His $5.5 million AAV certainly will be less and this season serves as an exclamation point to that. Could it be half of that? This is possible. Teams will be leery as Stralman’s foot speed and instincts continue to decrease. It does seem a third-pairing role would be beneficial but that lowers AAV further.

Calvin de Haan – Chicago Blackhawks

So, Calvin de Haan signed a friendly four-year deal in Carolina for $4.5 million AAV. It did not work out after a season so he was traded. de Haan then played in Chicago for three more years. Things have only gotten worse since and now it seems the defenseman can do little of anything right lately.

The best days for de Haan were as a member of the New York Islanders. This allowed him to sign the contract he did. The first year in Chicago was cut woefully short due to injury. His utilization rates have not shifted dramatically but de Haan looks shellshocked too often. That next deal does not look to be higher than his current one.

Mikko Koskinen – Edmonton Oilers

So, it has gone about as well as most pundits thought the Mikko Koskinen contract unfolded. Everyone remembers where they were when Koskinen signed that three-year, $4.5 million AAV deal. Year 1 was very good but years 2 and 3 have slid into a dark, dark place.

Overall, Koskinen still has a good record this year at 16-8-2. His quality start percentage has dipped from 51.5 to 40 during his deal. Goals saved above average started positive (9.3) but is now -7.6 at the end of the contract. Oh, Koskinen will be 34 at the start of next season. That next deal, if there is one, will be less surely.

Next up, will be the Eastern Conference restricted free-agents that are trending up. Thanks once more for reading.