Speculation: Every NHL Team's Best Free Agent Signing In History

[BreakingGood]

in terms of best value, Clarke MacArthur for the Leafs, for sure. $1.1MM, 60 points, great play driver. Randy decided to stop using him for uhh no reason in particular. Joe Nieuwendyk also had a great year for $1.5MM.

If we're just talking who helped the team most, Ed Belfour. He stole that series against the Senators, pretty much singlehandedly. There have been a surprisingly large number of good UFA signings - I'm happy with how Roberts, Nieuwendyk, Kubina, Blake, Mogilny, Joseph, Thomas, and Beauchemin worked out. There were some nice smaller signings, Shayne Corson, Tom Fitzgerald, Daniel Winnik, P.A. Pareanteau, Mike Santorelli, Mason Raymond, Jay McClement, and Nik Hagman were all more or less successes. I liked Colby Armstrong, but he fell apart physically and couldn't really accomplish a lot. Mike Komisarek actually put up some not-awful possession numbers when he wasn't hurt, too. And, of course, Patrick Marleau has been great so far.

 

[MXD]

One of Perreault, Cammalleri or Gionta for Montreal, IF Alex Kovalev doesn't fit the bill (I don't remember if he signed before or after the 04-05 lockout); if he signed after the lockout, but before the 05-06 season, then he's by far the best Habs Free Agent.

 

[Pavlikovsky]

Probably Gonchar for the Sens, him being an early mentor to Karlsson was probably one of the best things the Sens did for his development.

 

[Skobel24]

@Skobel24
Mark Giordano would be Calgary's best Free Agency signing right?

Definitely. Undrafted, future captain and #1 dman, hard to imagine better than that (from the Flames, anyways).

 

[HawkeyTalkMan]

Marian Hossa most likely.

Toss up between him or Cristobal huet

 

[Ace]

Buffalo’s is like...Dixon Ward.

...

I’m going to go have a cry

 

[Ruutu Tootoo]

St. Louis Blues- Marty Brodeur

Blues Legend.

 

[CapSpace]

Montreal : ...

 

[seafoam]

Buffalo’s is like...Dixon Ward.

...

I’m going to go have a cry

Ville Leino!

 

[Duck Off]

For the Ducks, ist pretty easy: Scotty Niedermayer back in 2005

Yeah for Anaheim, it’s a no brainer for Scott Niedermayer. The day he signed changed the view and outlook on our team ever since.

 

[BreakingGood]

Montreal : ...

Mike Cammalleri was a great signing that they gave up on too quickly. Radulov worked out great. Brian Gionta was a good signing.

 

[phlocky]

Dave Poulin was signed as a free agent out of college too. They got Kerr, Poulin, Sinisalo and Flockhart all as F.As in a span of like 3 years.

Flockhart was absolutely AMAZING until his knees got taken out (I take my name from Gene Hart tagging "Flocky hockey"). Most Flyers fans aren't old enough to remember all of them but I do. Good jobs saving me the time to post them, thank you sir

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Brett Hull Marion Hossa as well.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I would have to say Mathieu Perreault.

 

[FerrisRox]

Brendan Shanahan and Brett Hull Marion Hossa as well.

Brendan Shanahan wasn't a free agent acquisition for the Red Wings. He was acquired via a trade with the Hartford Whalers.

 

[Jay haller]

Toss up between him or Cristobal huet

Laughable it’s clearly bob probert or John scott

 

[BurgoShark]

For the Sens sadly its Macarther,and Hasek,both of whom just couldnt stay healthy...Very good players when they played however

Craig Anderson was "kind of" a free agent signing. Yeah - they traded for him, but he was a pending UFA and won the job with a handful of games at the end of a dead season.

A few others ...

Tugnutt was signed as a free agent - though not a UFA. He was signed to an RFA offer sheet.
Gonchar was good in those first two years
Todd White was a good player in his peak. Not a star but back-to-back 20 goal seasons with 50 and 60 points is not too shabby for a guy who wasn't given a qualifying offer by his former team.
Kuba was a magnet for fan criticism, but he was a good partner for a young Karlsson

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

Mathieu Schneider
Brian Rafalski
Brett Hull

 

[CapSpace]

Mike Cammalleri was a great signing that they gave up on too quickly. Radulov worked out great. Brian Gionta was a good signing.

There is a difference between good and great.

 

[LordNeverLose]

This saddest thing is this might be the best answer. Even other ones that maybe tied or close to streit aren’t overwhelming. Peca?

I’d probably go with Matt Moulson.

Peca for sure. He won a Selke and got Hart votes his first year here.

I'd also mention maybe Halak if he counts (traded for his rights) or even Greiss maybe. They probably don't beat Florida without Greiss in net.

 

[glovesave_35]

For Dallas, it's gotta be Belfour.

I was going to say Hull because he put us over the edge. Belfour is a good answer too.

 

[VanIsle]

Chara and Savard epic signings.

 

[glovesave_35]

Zubov and Nieuwendyk as well. Although they were both through trades great acquisitions by Dallas.

If we were just going by strictly acquisitions by any means, Zubov was hands down the best in Dallas history.

 

[BlueBaron]

in terms of best value, Clarke MacArthur for the Leafs, for sure. $1.1MM, 60 points, great play driver. Randy decided to stop using him for uhh no reason in particular. Joe Nieuwendyk also had a great year for $1.5MM.

If we're just talking who helped the team most, Ed Belfour. He stole that series against the Senators, pretty much singlehandedly. There have been a surprisingly large number of good UFA signings - I'm happy with how Roberts, Nieuwendyk, Kubina, Blake, Mogilny, Joseph, Thomas, and Beauchemin worked out. There were some nice smaller signings, Shayne Corson, Tom Fitzgerald, Daniel Winnik, P.A. Pareanteau, Mike Santorelli, Mason Raymond, Jay McClement, and Nik Hagman were all more or less successes. I liked Colby Armstrong, but he fell apart physically and couldn't really accomplish a lot. Mike Komisarek actually put up some not-awful possession numbers when he wasn't hurt, too. And, of course, Patrick Marleau has been great so far.

I'm not saying you are wrong but when your team is 100 years old this is a tough one to answer. It would probably take some research. If we are thinking modern he was a good one, I also liked Mogilny a lot.

 

[Dr Pepper]

If we were just going by strictly acquisitions by any means, Zubov was hands down the best in Dallas history.

If the Stars manage to win a Cup with Seguin, then he gets my vote.

You're right, though, hard to vote against Zubov, from that absolute fleecing of the Penguins to the stud Zubov became in Dallas.