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[SHN] S55 Free Agent Tracker/Review
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(This post was last modified: 06-17-2021, 04:46 PM by Nhamlet.)

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So for the most part it has seemed like Free Agency hasn't really being much of a thing for the SHL. Whether it's finding your roots early, getting traded and choosing to stay at your new team or just a general lack of interest in exploring the unknown, most players tend to stay with their teams for a long time.

However with this offseason, it might be just slightly different than usual and that alone may be enough to consider a dramatically different tone than what we've seen in the past. There have been a signifiacnt number of pending free agents who have announced their intention to test the open market so for the sake of record keeping (and being able to talk about free agency without getting Daco'd) I'll be tracking some of the bigger names available, as well as going in depth about how the announced signings could potentially turn out.

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Day 1

Inferno Signs Keith Lee
For the first few, it won't follow the true trend I had originally set out about free agents, as Keith Lee was a pending free agent selected in the expansion draft by Atlanta. In fact, he's not the only one in that situation as there are easily 4-5 other individuals taken in the expansion draft in the same boat. However what does make him particularly unique is the up in the air future he had going into next season with no certainty signing with Toronto again, as well as being one of the most desirable pieces in the expansion draft. The combination of being in his youth but still one of the top earners in his class made it a very rare and highly desirable choice, evident by being selected 2nd overall by Atlanta. While it's only a 1 season deal and nothing is set in stone, it gives both Lee and the Inferno time to feel each other out for a potential career long partnership. Given the obvious lack of depth in general on Atlanta, they'll hope that this single season deal will be enough to convince Lee of the Inferno way towards success as he'll undoubtedly be a significant part of it.

Rage Signs Oliver Cleary
Again, not a true free agent deal. In particular this one might sting for a few teams with Buster having made multiple clear statements about his intentions to test free agency even if he were to be drafted by an expansion team. He was partially true to his word as even being taken off the Panthers by the Argonauts didn't result in a deal. Immediately after being moved to the Rage, he found himself inking a 6M a season deal for four seasons. Even if Cleary didn't get to see other offers, this might be a match made in heaven including the user side of things. On the team construction part, the Rage are still in win now mode and nothing is more obvious than when you see that they only had a 5th round pick in the S56 SHL Entry draft (that didn't even get used). With 11 players in regression, there was a potential hole to add to the team in a meaningful way, but also hopefully extend the window slightly with a player that isn't hasn't been fighting regression already. Most teams want this exact thing if they're hoping to be competitive so landing Cleary is a big deal. 11 players on Manhattan are regression this season, including 4 of their 5 remaining defensemen and no SHL ready callup in the system. Instead they now have a developed star offensive Dman who can help with scoring, become a top pairing partner to McCarthy and continues to put them in contention for the Cup. With this deal Manhattan has 11M remaining to re-sign Alex Winters, a backup goalie and give deals to two senddowns.

Steelhawks Signs Theo Morgan
The Steelhawks have been incredibly since their Cup Finals loss in S54. They've added Dick Clapper, Guy Zheng (traded to Atlanta), Ray Bork, and now Theo Morgan. With the retirement of Flacko Lagerfield, it seemed like maybe Dick Clapper had that role covered but it has been some significantly large shoes to fill. Morgan might be better poised to be in that role now, being more a natural goal scorer than the more two-way minded Clapper who still performed admirably in a top line offensive role with his new team last season. It'll be interesting to see whether Morgan and Clapper will be centered on the top line by Aaron Wilson, leading to a Buffalo-esque top line in terms of TPE and arguably one of the best in the league if they choose to do so. If not, if they're hoping to spread the talent around, does Clapper lose out on playing with Wilson or Morgan instead? The hope for Hamilton is regardless of how they choose to deploy their growing abundance of offensive firepower, it's going to be a much different look than before where Lagerfield (1300 TPE) and Phelps (1200 TPE) were exceeding all expectations. Will Morgan or Clapper reach the 80 or 90 point mark this season? Fantasy owners will definitely be curious about that now.

Dragons Signs Boris Poroshenko
This is a bit of an interesting deal for me at first. When comparing center depth at the start of this offseason, Calgary was one of those teams that stood out having both Barry Batsbak and Esa Parmborg as two #1C level guys which would make it tough to add another talented center if they were to free agent hunt. Poroshenkov would sit naturally behind those two despite being talented enough to be a #2 on most teams, and the #1 guy on quite a few others. However, it might not be a big concern for The Beast as that was a similar role he was playing before in New Orleans. This could be an indication that he's a great team guy looking for team success above his own numbers and in which case, the Dragons will be especially glad to see, as their depth has been dropping off as of late, between the retirement of Izzy and losing Rykov to expansion. If Poroshenko is moved to the wing on the top two lines, Nicky Pedersen Jr. can continue the 3rd line C duties, and Calgary could have some depth up in the middle in all situations. Calgary still has 3-4 forwards to sign still, but even with this relatively rich deal, will likely be able to still field a competitive team. They're adding at a time where the teams ahead of of them, such as Edmonton and New Orleans are losing players by the day.

Specters Signs Steven Moyer
Just as quickly as they lost their 3rd line centre depth which was part of that overwhelming TPE strength they had as an advantage last season. There's been some questions about how much they would be able to continue to carry the same roster with some players either having announced as wanting to look elsewhere and an earlier than desired retirement. Moyer is going in the complete opposite trend compared to Poroshenko but has shown to put up points in a difficult San Francisco situation. With less expectations and a reduced role, the playmaking centre could find himself being a difference maker in the trenches instead. For what its worth, Moyer does look to cost a little less with a 5M caphit but the timeline of the team is heavily leaning to a "must win now" situation. Of course, being only one season removed from a cup and having 2 finals appearances to show for it, they're not too far off from being within arm's reach should the offseason remain uneventful for them.

Inferno Signs Elijah Jones and Rainbow Dash
The Inferno look to be heavily active in free agency and even with the confirmation of these deals, don't look like they'll be stopping anytime soon. One of their weakest areas as mentioned is their forward depth. While they have a star winger in Eko van Otter, there's still a lot of room for top line talent and that's where a player like Jones steps in. Moving from the rudderless LA Panthers, Jones will still have his fair share of carrying a lot of the load but at least with a team with a fresh start. As the number 1 earner in his class, Jones is a huge pull for the Inferno management as this pure sniper will have all the opportunities to put up big numbers. The only big concern is there still isn't an established top line centre on the roster. Lee will certainly become that but it may take a couple more seasons before he reaches that inevitable potential. On the other side of this deal, while nothing extravagant it's a bit of an interesting end to a slight twist. Things appeared to be business as usual with New England announcing some simple inactive contract extensions when Dash returned to refuse the deal, releasing them to free agency. For a user and player with such a long and rich history with the Wolfpack, to see a unceremonious end to that relationship is an unusual one. However, their story doesn't end their as they are able to be counted on to provide some necessary buffer for rookie wingers like Carlos Brown and Patric Twist on the Inferno. If nothing else, that alone is significant value that Atlanta continues to find in free agency.

Inferno Signs Brady McIntyre
Hotdog probably has not had any sleep in the last week or so. Between the expansion draft, entry draft and now signing players left and right in free agency, he's turned what most would have expected an expansion team with unfavorable protection rules as a bit of a weaker composition to a very real competitor in the East for a playoff spot. Assuming 6 from each conference makes it in a 12 team playoff format, Atlanta needs to compete with the likes of New England and Toronto for the last two spots. Not out of the question with how things stand at the moment. You can bet that hotdog is doing anything but standing still even now with all the moves made. McIntyre was a bit of a surprise departure from Edmonton but give Atlanta a huge boost to their blueline. Even facing regression for the past 6 seasons, he still is a lock for a solid second pair defender. Chances are though on Atlanta, McIntyre could see top pairing time with Guy Zheng being the 2nd highest TPE defensemen at the moment. This deal will mark 19M that the Inferno has committed to the roster through "free agency". There's still a hole here and there that could be filled with the remaining agents and with a quick guesstimate of their budget, still have some room to play with if they continue to go free agent hunting.

Day 2

Rage Signs Piotr Czerkawski
In an announcement by GM JayWhy (thankfully it wasn't luke and Czerkawski's name was spared) , they introduced the latest new member of the Rage and now the highest paid player in all of the SHL...for now. With the majority of their re-signings and this deal, this leaves Manhattan with virtually no cap room. There's about 2M by my rough calculations but by all intentions are likely done for the offseason. Czerkawski joins a core group that is in line with his regression timeline as they are all hoping for a couple last kicks at the bucket. He likely sits in the 2nd line as the 3rd highest TPE forward and gives Jax Aittokallio a new partner to give more scoring depth to the Rage, who regularly found themselves hoping for a little more at times last season.

Inferno Signs Nolan Sawchuk
"If Atlanta could just not, that would be great " signed by the rest of the SHL looking to sign free agents. I knew that after a frenzy of activity the Inferno would likely take a step back but apparently they all about wielding that big dick cap space energy. This marks the 5th player that they've taken from another team/signed to a deal. While this is Sawchuk's last season, it'll be a great opportunity for both them and Inferno to really get a feel for each other as Jepox's new player will be in the upcoming S57 Entry draft. For a team that still needs all the forward depth they could use, this is a zero risk deal with the potential to lead to potential future benefits should they find that they're a compatible match. At this point this is just another forward that pushes down the young S53 guys as we've mentioned before. Have to wonder how many folks they have to play down the middle as that's still the one clear area of weakness for this team.

Steelhawks Signs Michael Scarn
What may very well have been the highest profile and most attractive UFA, Scarn finally makes his choice and takes his talents to a division rival in a blockbuster offseason by Hamilton who has effectively added another 3800 TPE to their roster. The craziest part is that this is the second offseason in a row that they've done this. Last time involved major trades with New England to achieve those goals and this time, only the cost of a significant portion of their capspace. Between the the Morgan and Scarn deals, Hamilton has tied up 20.7% of the cap on two players. Thankfully for them, the deals are extremely short term meaning that the worst case scenario for them is to now not achieve the only acceptable expectation of winning the Challenge Cup. Scarn was reported to have been seeking a number of conditions: 1) #2C full time, 2) Compensation above minimum, 3) Personal and Team success. It's clear that he's in a great spot for the 3rd condition and the contract puts him as the highest paid SHL player for this season. The most interesting part is that in order to facilitate the 1st and likely primary demand, former #1C Aaron Wilson will take a step back in order to make space for Scarn. On a team level that's reaching the level of Buffalo and Calgary in terms of centre depth, and gives them even more overwhelming power 5v5. The only downside is wondering who might get squeezed out of personal success, now that they have a quartet of top line level players with Scarn, Wilson, Clapper and Morgan all competing for the most and best minutes. Edmonton has shown that it's possible to drive production out of multiple star centres and wingers but can Hamilton do the same and achieve more without losing people the same way that Edmonton did?

Day 3

Renegades Signs Alexander Wachter
Ah the infamous free agency tour where they end up where they started. To Wacther's credit, it's hard to imagine picking anywhere else that's as exciting of a place to be while still also getting the prime opportunities to produce. Especially seeing how free agency has turned out for most teams, trying to join another contender seems like a difficult gamble with so many stacked teams continuing to get better. It was hard to imagine many teams that were both immediately competitive having the immediate space for him in their top 6. Texas will be happy they were able to convince him to return as he has been value on their 2nd line and can potentially offer 1st line minutes and PP time with the departures of Czerkawski and Manuel Gotze. Playing with Kvalheim while he's still at the peak of his career will be great for Wacther's personal numbers. With a 2 season deal including a player option in the 2nd one, it'll be interesting to see this Texas team continue to make the case for themselves as a long term option for him.

:argounauts: Signs Bo Kane
Atlanta had been active all offseason with free agent signings and Seattle didn't end up sitting this out in the end. One of the last huge names of the free agency finally off the board, Kane finds himself inking a deal with the team that took him in the 7th round of the expansion draft. While being picked may have had something to do with Kane getting inked to Seattle, he does ultimately get what he was aiming for all along, a big payday at 7.5M for this upcoming season. With Seattle's defense being fairly impressive as the result of what they were able to take out of the expansion draft, forward was a major concern for them with only Thomas Vanice and Knute Knurtsson being the only signed players with more than 1k TPE. Kane is easily the #1C and the best forward in a light forward group that will rely on him heavily. With the new playoff rules, I think his committment to the team this season puts them in a very good spot to make the playoffs even if they might not have the punching power of the heavy weights in the east.

Day 5

Stampede Signs Tor Tuck
This one took a little while, both in Tuck coming to a decision of where to sign as well as the official announcement and transaction. In an offseason that has multiple top teams scrambling for defensive depth options, Buffalo come out ahead in finding the last great gem in free agency, picking up a 900 TPE defenseman to be their #6 guy. While there may be some other trade options still available, the only commitment and cost was 4M in cap space for single season while the next defensive prospect in Emilia Bergman has another season to continue to develop. This is about as straight as it gets as Buffalo was likely one of the best teams remaining in needing a defensive depth guy. Manhattan and Hamilton had completed much of their work earlier, either by free agency or through trades and did not have the same need. As a S39 guy, this may be one of Tuck's best chances at a championship and contributing in a relatively significant way. 900 isn't certainly a whole lot to work with but infinitely more compared to than 400 TPE inactive choices that many others are forced to run with now.

Day ???

Specters Re-Signs Rex Kirkby
Not a particularly exciting signing in the sense of another late re-signing but it was one that seemed like it was definitely up in the air for a while there. In the end, Kirkby does return to New Orleans for another possible cup run which they'll be incredibly happy about, considering one of the potential options was rolling with almost 1400 TPE less in their back line. Instead they end up with the 2nd highest scoring defenseman back with their top three including Kaspers Claude and Lyle Odelein III. As a team, they should still be contending for top of the West having only lost a couple significant pieces in Cain and a pair of forwards in Mika Mayfield and likely Michael Fox to new homes. Their new start is a likely capable new young starter in Olli Saarinen Jr who is fresh off of a silver medal performance with Team Japan in the IIHF. This is a team whose window is now, likely only for the next couple of seasons as other upcomers like Texas really start to round out into form.

Platoon Signs Luc-Pierre Lespineau-Lebrunette
In a rare non top/playoff team UFA signing, Baltimore finds some free asset in picking up the infamous LPLL. Combined with Nat Emerson, Sabo Tage and rookie Valentin Kalashnikov, that defense is suddenly looking fairly decent. Not that it will likely mean much for this rebuilding team, this will still make for a step forward which Baltimore will take any day of the week. For LPLL, while he does give up on the chance in competing in the postseason had he stayed with Chicago or signed with a number of other teams in the post season hunt, he does end up with quite a payday, picking up a 3 season deal that will pay him about 17M by the end of it. As well, he'll likely get top 3 minutes in some way, which he might be able to pick up some significant records (likely fights and the like). With Kalashnikov already in a similar mold who throws the body and fists, this Baltimore defense might give up goals easily but at the same time players will be coming out bruised. Thankfully we don't have any injuries to worry about in FHM right now or else.

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#2

+1

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#3

Do you guys live in this league and do IRL stuff in your free time? This network is on it quivk!

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#4

Big money Kane incoming

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#5

Czerkawski no longer a big name in the SHL :(


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#6

the kirkby disrespect

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#7

09-13-2020, 02:56 PMmajesiu Wrote: Czerkawski no longer a big name in the SHL :(

Moyer, never a big name anyway.
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#8

09-13-2020, 03:11 PMCanadianDuck Wrote:
09-13-2020, 02:56 PMmajesiu Wrote: Czerkawski no longer a big name in the SHL :(

Moyer, never a big name anyway.
09-13-2020, 03:03 PMbluesfan55 Wrote: the kirkby disrespect

Could only list the folks who outwardly announced they were going UFA. There might be another place that has this info but I'm not aware of it. Definitely will be adding more as more deals happen and not just the typical "I'm waiting to re-sign".

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#9

09-13-2020, 02:56 PMmajesiu Wrote: Czerkawski no longer a big name in the SHL :(

Only losers think Czerkawski isn't a big name

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#10

Updated with the rest of the deals from today, plus new free agents.

If you're a free agent considering some teams maybe give me a shout and I can throw you on this list preemptively.

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#11

Updated with the Sawchuk, Czerkawski and Scarn deals

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#12

This makes me sad.

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#13

09-14-2020, 03:17 PMhhh81 Wrote: This makes me sad.

We all wanted a real free agency but...

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#14

09-14-2020, 03:17 PMhhh81 Wrote: This makes me sad.

I agree.
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#15

A day in FA not significant enough to make the free agency list, damn

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