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

[Jackets Fan]

I’d say either Vinny Prospal or James Wisniewski for CBJ. Considered Gagner since he was pretty awesome last year, but he was only here for one season unlike the other two.

 

[96]

Well MacArthur scored 62 points after being signed to a 1Y 1.1M deal w the Leafs

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

This is a tough one, so many to choose from...

Clarkson
Bolland
Connolly
Komisarek
Finger

 

[Section88]

Probably hossa for the hawks. Althought theres probably a couple im forgetting

 

[ViktorBaeArvidsson]

Tbh I liked when we got Irwin, and Y. Weber. And Hartnell hasn't been bad at 1 million. Other than that, Nashville doesn't make very good signings in free agency. Stalberg still haunts me in my dreams.

 

[StLHokie]

Brian Elliot when he signed with St. Louis. Blues picked up a goalie that finished the season with a .940 save% and 1.56 GAA and won a Jennings Trophy for league minimum.

 

[uncleben]

Tbh I liked when we got Irwin, and Y. Weber. And Hartnell hasn't been bad at 1 million. Other than that, Nashville doesn't make very good signings in free agency. Stalberg still haunts me in my dreams.

I still can't believe how not well that signing went

 

[HockeyGuy73]

Blues, well, lets check back again in early July.

 

[Zats Muccarello]

Tanner Glass

 

[Elite Grinder]

For the Canucks its gotta be Dan Hamhuis. Was the 1st or 2nd best Dman on the team for 2 presidents trophy winning teams and a cup finals appearance that he unfortunately hurt himself in. He had a very reasonable price tag, but it was the early stages of when the league was starting to realize how valuable defense was. If a 28 year old Dan Hamhuis was on the market this season you better believe he'd be getting at least 6x6.

Other than that, the Canucks haven't had the best run with free agents, particularly big impact ones. Pre-lockout free agency was less common, and the best ones all went to 6-7 teams. The Canucks nevertheless tried it in the 90s with he who we do not speak of and it failed spectacularly. So its been mostly support guys who have been free agents. Other than Hamhuis, the closest I would say are Willie Mitchell, Andrew Cassels, Mikael Samuelsson and Ryan Miller who played pretty well considering the abomination surrounding him. None of them compare to Hammer though.

Love Hamhuis! He'd be my second choice for the Canucks.
I have to go with the Mats Sundin signing. I feel like the growth he affected in both of the Sedins and Kesler was the real catalyst in their becoming stars in the league. The growth in those 3 players was worth every penny.

 

[Nighthock]

San Jose - Rob Blake

 

[Nikolai Coolman]

I like Francois Beauchemin for the Leafs. His time here was polarizing but we traded him back to the team we signed him from and got back Gardiner (a good prospect who turned into a good roster player for us) and Lupul (a cap dump who still gave us a couple of good seasons). Beauch was good in his second stint with the Ducks too.

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

Vancouver - it's Tanev for sure. Hamhuis is close as well.

For the Canucks its gotta be Dan Hamhuis. Was the 1st or 2nd best Dman on the team for 2 presidents trophy winning teams and a cup finals appearance that he unfortunately hurt himself in. He had a very reasonable price tag, but it was the early stages of when the league was starting to realize how valuable defense was. If a 28 year old Dan Hamhuis was on the market this season you better believe he'd be getting at least 6x6.

Other than that, the Canucks haven't had the best run with free agents, particularly big impact ones. Pre-lockout free agency was less common, and the best ones all went to 6-7 teams. The Canucks nevertheless tried it in the 90s with he who we do not speak of and it failed spectacularly. So its been mostly support guys who have been free agents. Other than Hamhuis, the closest I would say are Willie Mitchell, Andrew Cassels, Mikael Samuelsson and Ryan Miller who played pretty well considering the abomination surrounding him. None of them compare to Hammer though.

Agreed.
The only other big one that comes to mind was Sundin. He didn't play many games, but he still helped with our playoff push and mentored Kesler. The RPM line was fun to watch as well.

Malhotra was another good signing, but for his eye injury.

Chris Tanev is the Canucks best free agent signing though.

Burrows is another good one.

 

[Viqsi]

My first thought too but technically... the team traded for his rights and then signed him to a contract. So I don't know if that counts even though it's nitpicking.

Kristian Huselius I think was in Cbus the longest and was certainly the most productive. Vinny Prospal was a veteran signing who was productive but more importantly helped set an important tone for the franchise.

IMO all of them pale before David Vyborny.


As for nowadays? Nobody. There literally isn't a single player on the current starting line up that was a free agent signing - unrestricted, undrafted, or otherwise. The only NHL semiregulars have been undrafteds Dean Kukan (10 games) and Markus Hannikainen (29 games), and literally only one UFA signing has played any NHL minutes whatsoever for the Jackets this year - Nathan Gerbe (2 games; less than 10 minutes each). The two well known signings that are cornerstones of our teams were undrafted free agents signed by other teams and traded to us in lopsided deals.

 

[huntison]

Burrows and Tanev

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

IMO all of them pale before David Vyborny.

I forgot he was a free agent signing. So yeah, Vybes.