Big UFA Signings That Actually Worked Out?

nbwingsfan

Registered User
Dec 13, 2009
20,714
14,366
We keep hearing about how no one should sign UFAs (or UFA to be) in their late 20s/early 30s to long as they never really work out, even if they were good players before.

We hear the same examples of Ladd, Lucic, Eriksson, Backes, Kaberle, Abdelkader, Neilsen, Seabrook, Darling, Hanzal, Samsonov, etc.

But what about ones who actually worked out?

Chara is an obvious one. As is Marc Savard (before injury). Tavares looks like he will be. Sharp was great for Chicago and so was Hossa.

What are some others?
 

jetsfan91

Registered User
May 29, 2013
989
1,279
Sutter and Paraise has worked out ok for Minnesota. They’ve at least been a consistent playoff team every single season.
 
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abo9

Registered User
Jun 25, 2017
9,038
7,146
Suter seemed to have worked well for the Wild. His and Parise's contracts were ridiculous at the time.

Does Eric Staal counts?
 

Kale Hulls

Registered User
May 15, 2013
3,620
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I’d argue they’d have been better off rebuilding and the Suter/Parise contracts are preventing them from that. While both players are still good, Wild are stuck in mediocrity for a while
Rebuilding teams don't always succeed. For every Buffalo Sabers, there is an Edmonton Oilers, or Arizona Coyotes. The Wild are doing fine.
 
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HaNotsri

Regstred User
Dec 29, 2013
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Eric Staal. Gets paid 3.5 million a season and has put up 60-70ish points his first two years and is on pace for another 30 goal and 60 point campaign for the Wild. Great signing.
Wasn’t really a ”big” signing. Should be for many yesrs and a higher percentage of the cap.
Great signing though.
 
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Lays

Registered User
Jan 22, 2017
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Rebuilding teams don't always succeed. For every Buffalo Sabres, there is an Edmonton Oilers, or Arizona Coyotes. The Wild are doing fine.
They’re really not, like I said they’re stuck in mediocrity for a while, no great prospects (aside from Kaprizov but who knows when he’s coming over, also that Johansson pick still looks terrible) and some big contracts as well. They won’t be a good team for a long time and I say that as someone who really likes the Wild
 
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Machinehead

GoAwayKakko
Jan 21, 2011
140,788
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NYC
Gomez was great for the Rangers and then they flipped him before he declined. That was an outstanding signing.

It was Drury that was a disaster.
 
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shadow1

Registered User
Nov 29, 2008
16,554
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I can think of many pre-lockout. In the salary cap era, some that come to mind (that haven’t been named) are:

  • Sergei Gonchar (signed 5 year deal with PIT in 2005)
  • Eric Staal (signed 3 year deal with MIN in 2017)
 

stempniaksen

Registered User
Oct 12, 2008
11,003
4,260
Gonchar in Ottawa actually ended up working out, even though he was 36 (I think) at the time of the signing.

And as it's been stated, Chara/Savard pretty much turned the Bruins around in on off-season.
 

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