The NHL salary cap has made it more difficult than ever to stay on top and while the draft and development is still the biggest key to success, savvy spending in free agency could make a big difference in the success or disappointments of a franchise. Here is a look at five low-risk, high-reward unrestricted free agents that are paying off early on so far this NHL season.
W: Jonathan Marchessault, Florida Panthers
Marchessault signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract looking for a chance to prove he can be a top-six winger in the NHL and injuries to key plays on the Panthers’ roster have given him the opportunity. Marchessault moved on to Florida’s top line with Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr when Jonathan Huberdeau was injured and he has taken full advantage of the opportunity with six goals and 11 points through 10 games. The Panthers hit big on the Marchessault signing and it will be very interesting to see how the 25-year-old fares as a high upside play that should have his best NHL years still ahead of him.
Florida has had a rough time of things so far this season, posting just a 5-5-1 record so far. They are currently just one point out of last place in the Atlantic Division. They’ll need Marchessault and the rest of the team to pick up the pace if they hope to make the playoffs once again.
W: Brandon Pirri, New York Rangers
The Rangers signed Pirri away from Florida with the hope that his shot could help their scoring depth and that has certainly been the case so far. Pirri has four goals and six points through his first 10 games in a Rangers’ uniform, contributing on the powerplay while playing a solid two-way role on the fourth line at even strength. Pirri is clearly worth the one-year, $1.1 million deal he signed with New York in the offseason and so far his addition has really helped a Rangers’ team that leads the NHL in goals per game. The team’s offense is one of the main reasons why they’re currently at the top of the standings in the Metropolitan Division with 16 points in 11 games.
W: Radim Vrbata, Arizona Coyotes
Vrbata inked a one-year, $1 million deal with the Coyotes that was laced with incentives hoping a return to the desert would help reinvigorate his play and maximize his offensive potential. Vrbata has looked good early on for Arizona with four goals and six points through nine games. The Coyotes took on minimal risk adding the veteran winger and if he continues at his current pace he could turn a lot of heads as a potential 30-goal scorer and top-six winger at a bargain price.
W: Thomas Vanek, Detroit Red Wings
Vanek is another former elite scorer that signed a one-year prove it deal with the Red Wings this offseason and he has certainly looked good early on. Vanek led Detroit with four goals and eight points through seven games when he suffered a groin injury that has kept him out for the last week but as long as he can get back in the lineup and stay healthy he will continue to be a bargain add for a Red Wings team that really needs him to perform at a high level offensively and on the powerplay in particularly this season.
W: Lee Stempniak, Carolina Hurricanes
Stempniak has been around the block in the NHL with stops in Calgary, Pittsburgh, New York, Winnipeg, New Jersey and Boston before signing a two-year, $5 million deal with the Hurricanes this offseason. Stempniak won’t win a Stanley Cup over the next two years in Carolina but he has some job security with the Hurricanes and has been used as a veteran compliment to help maximize the potential of the team’s young core. Stempniak has four goals and six points with a plus-four rating through his first nine games with Carolina and while he won’t lead the team in scoring this season he is definitely a low-risk, high-reward UFA signing for the Hurricanes.
