As is the case quite often these days, this free agent class isn’t loaded with difference makers that can significantly alter the makeup of a team.
That said, there are quite a few very good defensemen set to become unrestricted free agents in July, and if you’re a team looking for help on the backend there are several top-4 options that could be available.
Notes: Corsi For% is simply used to track shot attempts taken while a player is on the ice. If Player X is a 60% Corsi player, that means 60% of all shot attempts when he’s on the ice go towards the opposing net, while only 40% head in the direction of his goaltender’s net. This number is used to see who’s driving play, and generally having higher Corsi numbers leads to more production. Corsi For% relative to the team compares a player’s numbers to those of his team when he’s not on the ice. If Player X is a 60% Corsi player and his team is 55% without him, which gives him a Corsi Relative% of +5%.
Points per 60 minutes is simply how many points Player X records per 60 minutes of any given situation. If Player X had 10 5 vs 5 points in 120 minutes of ice, his 5 vs 5 points/60 would be 5. The same goes for goals and assists.
All numbers are via CapGeek, War-On-Ice and HockeyAnalysis.
Honorable mentions: Matt Irwin (Sharks), Johnny Oduya (Blackhawks), Mike Weaver (Canadiens).
12. Marc Staal – New York Rangers – 27 years old
Prior contract: five years, $19.875 million ($3.975M cap hit)
I think Staal is a candidate to be grossly overpaid this summer, because he’s a guy who has some tools (and a big name) but really doesn’t provide a whole lot.
From 2010-14 Staal has averaged just .53 points/60 of 5 vs 5 play, which ranks 156th among defensemen with 2,000+ minutes in that span.
He’s OK in possession, but he’s not a driver and there isn’t much offense to speak of with Staal.
He’s a good penalty killer and he has some tools but, again, the production isn’t really there in any situation and he’s probably going to bring in $5 million per.
11. Zybnek Michalek – Arizona Coyotes – 32 years old
Prior contract: five years, $20 million ($4M cap hit)
With Michalek you know exactly what you’re going to get, and that is a guy who can eat big minutes against relatively tough competition and hold his own in possession.
He’s not a possession driver and he won’t produce much offense, but he’s good on the penalty kill and is a good depth blue liner to have.
10. Lubomir Visnovsky – New York Islanders – 38 years old
Prior contract: two years, $9.5 million ($4.75M)
Visnovsky may be getting up there in age, but he’s still a very effective player. The problem with him is that the last time he played over 40 games was 2011-12.
He’s a very good skater who can move the puck with the best of them and is very good in possession but, again, he’s a risky investment due to injury concerns.
If he’s healthy he will produce some offense and is a weapon on the power play, but at this point that’s a pretty big if.
9. Francois Beauchemin – Anaheim Ducks – 34 years old
Prior contract: three years, $10.5 million ($3.5M cap hit)
Beauchemin isn’t a top-pairing guy, but he’s still capable of eating up some tough minutes and playing in a team’s top-4 with the right partner.
He likes to engage physically, but he’s not a typical guy labeled as a defensive defensemen in that he doesn’t spend most of his shifts chasing play in his own zone.
Beauchemin has a 51.05CF% on the year and the Ducks are better in possession with him on the ice than off it.
I think he’s a guy Anaheim will want to keep, but if he reaches the open market there will likely be plenty of suitors.
8. Jeff Petry – Edmonton Oilers – 27 years old
Prior contract: one year, $3.075 million
Petry isn’t flashy and doesn’t put up a ton of points so he tends to be underappreciated, but he’s a very good defenseman.
He is a fluid skater who can log big minutes, make a good first pass and drive play up ice.
He doesn’t lay big hits and he won’t get points, so there isn’t much that’s memorable in his game to the casual observer, but he’s steady and probably wouldn’t cost too much to lock up.
7. Marek Zidlicky – New Jersey Devils – 37 years old
Prior contract: one year, $4 million ($3M cap hit)
There aren’t many better options in this free agent class if you’re looking for offense from the backend.
His 5 vs 5 rate stats aren’t great (.69 points/60) but he recorded 42 points last season, and is on pace for about 40 this year.
He has a big shot, is still a weapon on the power play and wouldn’t cost a ton to bring in, so there should be plenty of interest.
Continue to Top 6 UFA Defensemen
6. Paul Martin – Pittsburgh Penguins – 33 years old
Prior contract: five years, $25 million ($5M cap hit)
Martin isn’t flashy and the points have never really been there (his career high is 37 in 2005-06) but he’s a smooth-skater who can move the puck up ice and is as reliable as they come.
He can log big minutes against top competition tilting the ice in his team’s favor in the process, and is a guy who can contribute in all situations.
From 2010-14 Martin posted a 53.3CF%, which ranks behind only Kris Letang and Matt Niskanen among Pens regulars (minimum 1,500 5 v 5 minutes) in that span.
His best days are behind him, but he is probably still a top-4 guy.
5. Johnny Boychuk – New York Islanders – 30 years old
Prior contract: three years, $10.1 million ($3.366M cap hit)
Boychuk is sort of a strange player in that he has a booming shot, but beyond 20 goals in Providence during the 2008-09 AHL campaign, he’s never been much of a goal scorer.
What he is, though, is a big body who throws his weight around and a guy that can skate and do well in terms of possession.
Playing big minutes on a very good Islanders team, Boychuk owns a 56.42CF% at even-strength, which ranks only behind Nick Leddy on the team.
There’s nothing flashy with Boychuk, but he can log big minutes in all situations and his underlying numbers suggest he can hold his own against anyone.
4. Christian Ehrhoff – Pittsburgh Penguins – 32 years old
Prior contract: one year, $4 million
Like Andrej Sekera, Ehrhoff is another under-the-radar European defenseman who more than holds his own logging big minutes and doesn’t get a ton of credit for it.
He has dealt with some injury problems at times throughout his career, but generally he’s good for around 40 points per season and will at least break even in possession (relative to his team) while playing big minutes.
His best days are probably behind him, but he’s still a top-4 guy and the mobility is there so he should draw plenty of interest if he’s not re-signed in Pittsburgh.
3. Mike Green – Washington Capitals – 29 years old
Prior contract: three years, $18.25 million ($6.083M cap hit)
Green is a guy who is generally underappreciated due to what some consider defensive deficiencies, but the reality is he’s not that bad in his own zone, and he spends more time in the offensive zone than his own.
From 2011-14 Green posted a 50.9CF%, which ranked 1st among all Capitals defensemen.
This season he’s rocking a 54.64CF% – 2nd on the team behind Alex Ovechkin – and a 54.5GF%, which is good for 4th on the team. So, when he’s on the ice the Capitals are consistently getting a larger number of shot attempts than their opponents, and the goal totals reflect that.
On top of the possession numbers, he produces offense at an elite rate. He averaged 1 point/60 during 5 vs 5 play from 2012-14, which ranked 11th among defensemen in that span, and he posted a 4.82 points/60 on the man advantage (tied for 2nd) to go with it.
2. Andrej Sekera – Carolina Hurricanes – 28 years old
Prior contract: four years, $11 million ($2.75M cap hit)
Sekera is perhaps the most underrated defenseman in hockey.
He’s a very good skater, makes smart decisions with the puck, and consistently posts good possession numbers while logging huge minutes against top competition on a nightly basis.
From 2012-14 Sekera averaged 1.04 points/60 at 5 vs 5, which ties him for 8th among defensemen who played 1,500 minutes or more over that span.
If you combine his Corsi For% and the Hurricanes’ Goals For% when he is on the ice, his number this season is +8.55 relative to the team without him.
At 28 he still has plenty left in the tank, and he’s a guy I’d certainly be targeting if I were looking for a reliable two-way defenseman.
1. Cody Franson – Toronto Maple Leafs – 27 years old
Prior contract: one year, $3.3 million
Whether Franson stays in Toronto or hits the open market, one thing is for sure: he’s going to a rich man come July.
Franson is 8th in the NHL this season averaging 1.34 points/60 of 5 vs 5 ice, and he’s 12th among defensemen (minimum 1,500 minutes) averaging .97 points/60 of 5 vs 5 ice over the last two seasons.
Not only does Franson produce at a high level during full strength, but he’s also elite on the power play.
Franson is averaging 4.7 points/60 during 5 vs 4 play over the last two years, which ranks 10th during that span and is higher than Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang and Kevin Shattenkirk, among many others.
On top of the points, the Maple Leafs are a better possession team with Franson on the ice than without, and that’s been the case since he was acquired.
He’s only 27, too, so he should have no problem landing a long-term, big money deal after the season.
Top 10 Unrestricted Free Agent Centers | Top 15 Unrestricted Free Agent Defensemen