NHL Talking Points: 10 biggest stories from free agency

NHL Talking Points is a weekly column highlighting 10 stories that have been circulating around the league. This week, we take a look at the biggest stories from free agency.

The past week has seen a wide range of events occupy the talk circuit of the hockey world. The league’s free agency period was set into motion, the John Tavares saga came to an epic conclusion, trades were made and contracts — for good and for ill — were finally announced.

Let’s have a look at the 10 biggest stories that came to light on July 1.

1. John Tavares became a Maple Leaf.

For the better part of a year, we knew that the Tavares sweepstakes would serve as the story of the summer. That narrative came to a stunning turning point when the 27-year-old agreed to a seven-year deal worth $77 million with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sunday afternoon saw the deeply respected center take a hometown discount in a move that concluded a saga for the books. Tavares had met with a host of teams over the course of the week, but ultimately narrowed his decision down to the New York Islanders and the Maple Leafs — the team that he had grown to love and the club that he had always loved, respectively.

As we have learned, the uniqueness of the up and coming opportunity in Toronto was a deciding factor for No. 91. According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock will look to pair Tavares with Zach Hyman and Mitch Marner, while setting up Patrick Marleau, Auston Matthews and William Nylander to form the basis of another scoring line. Nazem Kadri shall become “inarguably the NHL’s top No. 3 centre” — the final element, that is, of a three-headed monster down the middle, who will pilot a line with the likes of “Andreas Johnsson and one of Connor Brown or Kasperi Kapanen on his wings.”

The ramifications of the move promise to be extensive in nature. The Maple Leafs’ defense remains questionable at best, but its offensive core is, without question, among the strongest in the league. The Islanders, in turn, will all but definitely have to undertake a rebuild of sorts, which shall be orchestrated by two of the finest administrative faces in the sport — GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Barry Trotz.

For now, look for Tavares to act as a recurring talking point throughout the summer. These are interesting times to be a fan of the Buds, indeed.

2. The St. Louis Blues cleaned up their center depth — but at a hefty cost.

If you were looking for a blockbuster deal, this was it.

The Blues acquired one of the NHL’s best centers in the form of Ryan O’Reilly in exchange for five pieces. Scott Cullen of TSN breaks down the upside to receiving the talented forward:

"O’Reilly, 27, is a strong two-way centre, who has typically done the heavy lifting in Buffalo, starting more shifts in the defensive zone and facing top opposition. He’s also been consistently productive, putting up at least 55 points in each of his last six full seasons.Moving to St. Louis, he gets a serious upgrade in supporting cast, and could very well end up centering the Blues’ first line, between Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko, which is a pretty great spot for a playmaking two-way centre to earn his keep."

The Sabres, however, received everything that they were looking for and more in surrendering the veteran center. As Cullen reports, Buffalo has acquired “C/LW Patrik Berglund, RW Vladimir Sobotka, RW Tage Thompson, a first-round pick and a 2021 second-round pick.”

As it stands, there are two takeaways from this move. The St. Louis Blues have essentially told the hockey world that they plan to look like a very different team heading into 2018-19. The acquisition of Tyler Bozak, 32, adds further fuel to the Blues’ offense, as the former Maple Leaf is more than capable of putting up favorable numbers, as well as excellent faceoff statistics.

The Sabres have also sent a message to their competitors, as each of the aforementioned pieces solidifies the notion that the club shall look to contend in the not-so-distant future. GM Jason Botterill has a process and a plan. He has already received high marks for acquiring the critically acclaimed Rasmus Dahlin and is certainly wasting no time in ensuring that a culture change comes to light.

3. Paul Stastny signed a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights.

If Tavares was the most touted center on the free agency market, Stastny, 32, was a close second. In a move that few saw coming, the veteran forward agreed to a contract with the Golden Knights, wherein he’ll receive $19.5 million in three seasons.

The move is a sure sign that contemporary sport’s most successful expansion franchise has its eyes set on the Stanley Cup heading into its second year. Stastny brings tremendous vision, coupled with an astute playmaking ability to one of the NHL’s best puck-moving organizations. Look for head coach Gerard Gallant to place the forward in positions to succeed, as Stastny shall aim to grace Lord Stanley’s trophy in the years to come.

4. Jack Johnson became a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins — and drama ensued.

It’s not surprising that the 31-year-old left-handed defender was the recipient of a contract. What was unexpected, however, was the length of it.

Johnson signed a five-year deal valued at $16.25 million with the Penguins. He’ll now be expected to move pucks up to the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — a more than successful one-two punch, to say the least. Speaking about his new team, Johnson remarked, “I’ve really been wanting to be a part of a winning culture, in a place where the expectations to win are as high as can be, and there’s a chance to win.”

Penguins GM, Jim Rutherford, further fanned the flames of speculation, stating, “I don’t think he had a bad year. . . . He was a healthy scratch at the end of the season. I know the reason why. It wasn’t because of how he was playing.”

The comments in question prompted a testy response from Columbus Blue Jackets head coach, John Tortorella. You can read the entirety of his interview with Aaron Portzline of The Athletic here. In short, he wasn’t pleased with both Johnson and Rutherford.

5. Drew Doughty announced that he will remain in Los Angeles.

The former Norris Trophy winner, arguably the league’s best defender, agreed to an eight-year extension with the Los Angeles Kings. As the face of his franchise, Doughty is set to remain under contract heading into 2026-27, and shall collect $88 million (with an average annual value of $11 million).

Though not a UFA, Doughty could have tested the waters a year from now — a prospect that he had not so subtly gestured to in an interview with Craig Custance of The Athletic.

6. James van Riemsdyk announced his return to Philadelphia.

Perhaps the most sought after natural goal scorer on the market, van Riemsdyk, 29, signed a five-year deal worth $35 million with the Philadelphia Flyers.

The veteran winger was drafted by the Flyers in 2007, but was traded to the Maple Leafs for Luke Schenn back in June of 2012. He is arguably the NHL’s best net-front player, and is notorious for making the most of his gentle hands in tricky situations. Fans of the Buds will remember his time in Toronto fondly, as he was recently named the 100th greatest Maple Leaf of all-time.

Look for JVR to mesh well with the Flyers. He adds further depth to a very promising offensive core, propelled by Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Sean Couturier and Nolan Patrick.

7. Carter Hutton signed a three-year deal with the Buffalo Sabres.

The 32-year-old is set to arrive in Buffalo following a season in which his tallies were more than favorable, as he totalled 17 wins in 32 appearances, a 2.09 goals against average, a .931 save percentage and 3 shutouts.

It’s a high-risk, high-reward deal, in that Hutton has yet to hold a starting job in the NHL. His promising statistics in the 2017-18 season were enough to force Jake Allen from the Blues’ crease and could definitely signal that he is equipped for a position of this degree. Yet the question of how Hutton will manage such a rapid shift in expectations is one that can only be answered in a matter of time. Expect Hutton to attempt to prove to hockey lovers that his $8.25 million pay check is no fluke.

8. The Vancouver Canucks paid big money for Jay Beagle.

The center, 32, was a consistently strong force in the Washington Capitals’ recent Stanley Cup run. As such, Beagle shall earn $12 million throughout four seasons in Vancouver.

Simply put, the move is questionable. There’s little doubt that Beagle is a force who can add promise to the Canucks’ bottom six, but whether he is worth a deal of this essence has been a subject of debate among pundits. As per Jared Clinton of The Hockey News:

"The defensive-minded pivot, who has garnered some Selke Trophy consideration in the past, will effectively be coming into Vancouver as a matchup center on the third or fourth line. There’s really not much else that can be expected of Beagle, either, because while he’s definitely carved out a niche, he hasn’t shown himself to be much more than a bottom-six contributor.Statistically, his numbers are far from terrible — he has 38 goals and 89 points in 279 games over the past four seasons — but he has just one 30-point season under his belt and his average ice time speaks to that of a pure role player. Since 2014-15, Beagle has averaged little more than 13 minutes per game and was below that rate during the post-season. His primary use, however, was a clutch faceoff performer. He has won more than 57 percent of his 3,000-plus faceoffs over the past four campaigns. Only Jordan Staal, Antoine Vermette and Patrice Bergeron have been better across as many draws over that same span."

9. Logan Couture signed an eight-year deal with the San Jose Sharks.

One of the hardest working centers in the NHL, Couture, 29, has been locked up for good by the Sharks. The skilled forward is set to remain in San Jose for eight years, during which he’ll collect $64 million.

The deal is proof of the Sharks’ faith in its current core, which Couture will be expected to pilot alongside Brent Burns, Evander Kane, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Martin Jones and — hopefully — Joe Pavelski.

10. The Erik Karlsson question remains unanswered.

In a day in which answers ran rampant, one talking point loomed large: what of the future of Ottawa Senators’ captain, Erik Karlsson?

There were rumblings that trade talk had been on the rise, along with an eight-year offer directed toward the Swedish defender by the Senators’ administration. Nevertheless, it’s widely believed that Karlsson wants out.

According to Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun, a potential target for the talented defender could come in the form of San Jose. Asked about his take on the Tavares sweepstakes, Sharks GM Doug Wilson stated: “While we are naturally disappointed in the final decision, it’s extremely heartening to know that top players in this league consistently view San Jose as a place they want to play.”

Next: 5 best fits for Erik Karlsson in NHL free agency

Curious phrasing, indeed.

Could Wilson be in talks with the two-time Norris winner? Or is this speculation at its finest? Stay tuned for more updates on free agent frenzy.