Notable Remaining NHL Restricted Free Agents Update

Three weeks until NHL training camp starts, and preseason games are just around the corner.

We recently checked in on free agents looking for new teams, and now we’ll focus on restricted free agents still negotiating with their current clubs.

Goalies

Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins has been a hot topic this summer. Reports say he’s not asking for $10M a year but closer to $8.5M. The Bruins want to offer around $6M, so they’re far apart. They might agree on a short-term deal that could lead to Swayman becoming an unrestricted free agent later, giving the Bruins more time to manage their salary cap.

Swayman’s stats are strong: 79-33-15 record in 125 starts with a .919 SV% and 2.34 GAA. Some argue he’s benefited from playing behind a solid team and sharing the net with Linus Ullmark, now with Ottawa Senators. His side will likely argue that $8.5M is fair for a starter on a playoff team since he had 43 starts last season and was sixth in goals saved above average.

Defensemen

Moritz Seider had a quiet summer after his entry-level contract expired on July 1st, with little news about negotiations with the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit has about $17.65M in cap space, so money shouldn’t be an issue for retaining Seider or Lucas Raymond (more on him later).

Seider hasn’t missed a game since his debut on October 14th, 2021, scoring 21 goals and 134 points in 246 games over his entry-level deal . His defensive metrics are harder to interpret as he often faces tough situations as Detroit’s best defenseman.

Fans might wonder why it’s taking so long for these deals to get done.

Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars had an impressive season with 15 goals and 47 points in 79 games. He became an offensive threat behind Miro Heiskanen and improved the Stars’ power play. General manager Jim Hill is confident Harley will sign soon.

Forwards

Lucas Raymond joins Seider as another restricted free agent yet to re-sign with Detroit. Raymond scored 31 goals and had 72 points last year but averaged only 53 points per season before that . The Red Wings might prefer a short-term deal before committing long-term due to concerns about potential regression next year.

Seth Jarvis of the Carolina Hurricanes is one of the most talented players left unsigned. A report from David Pagnotta suggests a long-term deal may be near due to Jarvis’s importance last season when Carolina lost key forwards over the summer . He finished second on the team in scoring with 33 goals and added five more goals during postseason play.

Dawson Mercer of the New Jersey Devils is also notable among restricted free agents . Both sides have exchanged proposals suggesting they’re close to finalizing something soon! Mercer isn’t as high-profile as some other Devils’ forwards but has been consistent since joining three years ago without missing any games—valuable given New Jersey’s injury issues lately!

What do you think? Are these players worth their asking prices? Let us know!