One free agent every NHL team should sign this offseason

By C.L. Kohuss | May 22, 2018

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 18: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils heads out to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

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COLUMBUS, OH – APRIL 5: Ian Cole #23 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 5, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ian Cole /

Chicago Blackhawks: Ian Cole, Defenseman

The Chicago Blackhawks are pretty bad off as far as their salary cap. With seven players locked up through at least 2022, and with only $13 million to spare going into the offseason, this Hawks team should be better than what they offered the NHL and their fans. One reason they floundered to last in the Central Division is the trade of forward Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets last season.

Brandon Saad is a good player, but he’s no Panarin, who put up 82 points and a plus/minus of plus-23 in 81 games. Chicago then went from ninth in goals for per game to 21^st.

Then again, Chicago has won three Stanley Cups in the last decade, so the price of that success (big contracts for multiple star players) is now coming back to claim its soul. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are both still relatively young and in their prime, but defensemen Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith are not young players by NHL standards. Those two are 33 and 34 respectively and are on the books for another five to six seasons at over $5 million a piece. It’s almost $7 million in the case of Seabrook.

Also, Alex Debrincat scored 28 goals and 52 points as a rookie. In about two years he’s due for either a big pay raise or this becomes another Artemi Panarin situation. And goaltender Corey Crawford is making $6 million through 2021 but only played in 28 games after getting injured. This team is in some trouble.

The Blackhawks can’t possibly sign anyone long-term to a big number. And Ian Cole isn’t going to destroy them financially. At 29 and not a top-pairing defenseman, Cole won’t command much higher than the $2 million he received this past season from the Pittsburgh Penguins. But he is a solid player who could log 20 or more minutes a game while helping to fix a penalty kill that’s been near the bottom of the league the last three seasons. Check out these write-ups by Julia Stumbaugh and Hooks Orpik on the Pens’ penalty kill woes after trading Cole to the Blue Jackets.

Unfortunately, Chicago will need to scrum through the bargain bin if they want to make the postseason in 2018. This isn’t a throwaway choice, though. Cole can certainly play, and will make this team better while it tries to crawl out from under the cap rock.

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