The 2019 NHL Free Agent Class shapes up to be uncertain. It could be pretty good but also could be utter desolation. Presented below are the potential free agent left wingers. These are players who will hit the market for the first time.
Our top two choices are marquis names and the third is one that could be a good bottom six addition on the right team. This is the kind of free agent class it is, to be honest. Things occur in a way that most do not understand right away but do in time.
Anyway, two of the three names are well-known and expect them to fetch a huge payday if they get to free agency on July 1st.
NHL Free Agents — First Time Left Wingers
3. Jordan Martinook — Carolina Hurricanes — 27 years old in 2019
Martinook’s start has fueled speculation as to where he might wind up. His price tag will be reasonable and no one expects him to get top-six minutes many places. The insane possession metrics cannot possibly be sustainable (over 62% average and 3% above relative). That appears to be some absurd level and yet Carolina is still averaging 40+ shots per game.
The good thing is Martinook is lighting the lamp on reasonable shot volume. With a four-goal start, the left winger may come close to 20 goals. Consider the forward is seeing 14-15 minutes a night consistently. That is an improvement from the erratic ice time in Arizona.
He’ll earn $2.1 million for the 2018-19 campaign. What could he make for 2019-20? The projected cap next season allows Carolina or any other team to go for a modest increase perhaps. Martinook has to answer two questions: (1) Can he and the line he plays on stem the negative PDO wave (94.4 early on)? and; (2) can he continue shooting 2.5 shots per contest? If he can, that dollar amount will go up
2. Jeff Skinner — Buffalo Sabres — 27 years old in 2019
Buffalo won the Skinner trade. The forward scoring 12 goals at this juncture seems to reinforce the fact that all he needed was to get out of Carolina. He is shooting at nearly 22% in the early going. That percentage will inch down, but how much? It has to be asked given how well he has meshed with Jack Eichel.
Unfortunately, questions always arise when starts like this occur. Relative possession metrics are nearly 10% above Buffalo’s team average. Furthermore, Skinner is averaging over a point a game and has been more responsible defensively than most expected. No one will mention the plus/minus but the bottom line is Skinner has capitalized on his contract year so far.
Skinner earns $5.725 million for the 2018-19 season. What may he get paid for 2019-20? Would Buffalo consider locking him up much sooner? That’s a great question. Trading Skinner appears unlikely given he has 40 goal potential. Eichel and Skinner enjoy that good of a chemistry. If Skinner tested the market, he could haul in a huge dollar AAV of a contract. It might be in the neighborhood of $7.5 million plus.
1. Artemi Panarin — Columbus Blue Jackets — 27 years old in 2019
Panarin will command one of the biggest UFA paydays in 2019. The Blue Jackets could trade him before the trade deadline. Some argue that a change in address may not keep him from testing the free agent waters anyway. After all, his preference is to play by the water, err, the ocean.
The good thing is Panarin’s numbers can improve. Despite the 18 points and the +7% average possession relative, his PDO is around 99. With high offensive zone deployment, Panarin’s goal total should increase. The belief is 25-30 goals is still not out of the question. Panarin looks on pace for 60+ assists!
He’ll earn $6 million for the 2018-19 campaign. What could he make for 2019-20? The feeling remains that Columbus does not trade their best player. Reality looms that Columbus loses two of their best players to free agency next summer. Time will tell if that becomes reality but the dollars will be astronomical for both.
