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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
21 of 26
Next
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 30: James Neal #18 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates out of the corner during the second period Game Two of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals at T-Mobile Arena on May 30, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – MAY 30: James Neal #18 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates out of the corner during the second period Game Two of the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals at T-Mobile Arena on May 30, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images) /

6. James Neal

After the Golden Knights’ expansion draft, when everyone thought they were bad and nobody thought they were gifted an all-star team, Marc-Andre Fleury and James Neal emerged as the two headline selections. But while Neal has had a great season, he hasn’t been the frontrunner he might have expected to be when he first arrived in Vegas. For one, he’s the sixth-best scorer on his team. And even in games where he plays well, all the attention has gone to the Golden Knights’ dynamic top line.

His season has been a roller-coaster ride. He got off to a hot start in the first half. Injuries derailed his second half and saw him cool down, and George McPhee nearly flipped him at the deadline. But keeping him has paid dividends because in the playoffs, he has looked like his old self.

Why he’s in demand: Neal has hit 20 goals in every season he’s been in the league, showing no signs of slowing down at age 30. That model of consistency is rare among NHL players, which makes it even more noteworthy when they hit the open market. While the Golden Knights would prefer to have him back, McPhee doesn’t want to commit long-term to players that are 30 and up and would rather extend Jonathan Marchessault between the two.

Teams with the best chance to sign him: With the Golden Knights building their foundation for success off the Florida Panthers, Neal should at least throw them a bone and sign with them. Perhaps the formula of joining a team everyone thinks will be bad can work again.

If he’d rather go to a contender, the Bruins could be in the market for a second-line winger, plus he’s far more reliable in the playoffs than Rick Nash.

Home/NHL Free Agency