Fansided

25 top NHL free agents teams will be dying to sign in 2018

By David Rouben

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders battle for the puck during their game at the Barclays Center on October 30, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: James van Riemsdyk #25 of the Toronto Maple Leafs and John Tavares #91 of the New York Islanders battle for the puck during their game at the Barclays Center on October 30, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 27: Washington Capitals Goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) during the Capitals practice for the NHL Stanley Cup Final Media Day on May 27, 2018 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 27: Washington Capitals Goalie Philipp Grubauer (31) during the Capitals practice for the NHL Stanley Cup Final Media Day on May 27, 2018 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

14. Philipp Grubauer

The Washington Capitals are where they are because of their depth at seemingly every position. That includes goaltender, as Philipp Grubauer could walk into roughly 10 teams and become the starting netminder. While some may choose to remember him for his poor play in the two playoff games he started over Braden Holtby, others will remember the career-best numbers he put up and the hot stretch he had in March and April that convinced Barry Trotz to start him over Holtby in the first place.

The Capitals have a lot of decisions to make this offseason regarding their free agents. While they’d love to bring Grubauer back on a team-friendly deal, they’ll likely prioritize re-signing Tom Wilson and John Carlson instead. If he does hit the market on July 1, he’ll have no shortage of suitors.

Why he’s in demand: Grubauer isn’t the first backup goalie that’s in line to transition to a starter, as Cam Talbot and Antti Raanta have done the same with relative success. Grubauer has always been one of the Capitals’ best-kept secrets, and he was nearly a Vegas Golden Knight, but his play this season has turned a lot of heads. At just 26 years old and coming off a .923 save percentage in 35 appearances, he’s ready to lead his own team.

Teams with the best chance to sign him: The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Frederik Andersen right after drafting Auston Matthews first overall, effectively ending their rebuild. Look for the Buffalo Sabres to be aggressive in their pursuit of the best free-agent goalie after picking Rasmus Dahlin and to mirror the success of their Atlantic Division rivals.

While it seems hard to believe, the Philadelphia Flyers were actually likeable this season. Claude Giroux turned in a Hart Trophy-caliber season, Sean Couturier became a folk hero for playing on a broken MCL and Ivan Provorov and Shayne Gostisbehere look to be dominant forces on the blueline for years to come. But they crashed out of the playoffs because their goalies couldn’t stop a beach ball. Signing Grubauer could turn their fortunes around in a hurry.

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