Vancouver Canucks should avoid spending big in free agency
By Alex Hoegler
Instead of signing the top free agents this summer, the Vancouver Canucks should have a lay-low approach and avoid chasing big names.
The Vancouver Canucks have a knack for striking out terribly in free agency, and they have to ensure that 2017 isn’t a repeat of last year.
Instead of turning to their younger kids to carry the offence, general manager Jim Benning signed Swedish star Loui Eriksson to a six-year deal worth $36 million last summer. The plan was for him to score 25-plus goals with Daniel and Henrik Sedin on the top line.
But, Eriksson struggled to stay both consistent and healthy, managing just 11 goals and 24 points. The Canucks are practically stuck with the 31-year-old’s contract for five more years while they try to create room for the young guns. That’s not ideal.
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Former general manager Mike Gillis also signed Jason Garrison to a six-year deal worth $27.6 million. This came after one fluky year that saw the hard-shooting blueliner score 16 goals in 2011-12. He spent just two seasons in Vancouver before getting traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
In fact, most lucrative free-agent signings just don’t seem to pan out these days. Look at the Toronto Maple Leafs with David Clarkson, the New York Islanders with Andrew Ladd, the Detroit Red Wings with Stephen Weiss and the Philadelphia Flyers with Ilya Bryzgalov, among many others.
The Canucks just haven’t been able to use free agency to their advantage, and they’re better off staying away from the big fish right now, even though this team has traditionally had problems avoiding the temptation.
Plus, do rebuilding teams ever pony up mega contracts to veterans that are 30 years of age or older? Nope.
Look at how the Toronto Maple Leafs did their rebuild. They got rid of as many veteran contracts as possible, spent a couple of years avoiding big-named free agents and loaded up on drafting young guys.
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We know the Canucks want to fix the offence quickly, and they may feel tempted to offer a guy like T.J. Oshie a mega contract. That would be the wrong decision, because even if Oshie scores 30-plus goals, he’s still not going to take this team from worst to first. He’s also just taking away more ice time from the young kids.
If the Canucks were to sign Kevin Shattenkirk, they’re just wasting more long-term salary cap space and taking away the chance for Olli Juolevi to blossom into the top defenceman on this team.
My point being? The Canucks won’t get many long-term positives if they sign a big fish in free agency. Realistically, that player would only have three to four good seasons before his contract becomes a burden for the front office.
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After years of coming up short in quality free agent signings and with a long-term rebuild on the way, the Vancouver Canucks need to play it safe and stay quiet in free agency — because it’s the best for this team in the long run.