NHL free agency is coming up in less than six weeks and there are some players who deserve more attention.
Teuvo Teravainen has been a steady point scorer for the Hurricanes since 2016. When he’s healthy, he averages 19 goals and 57 points per season if he plays at least 60 games. In four seasons, he even scored over 20 goals and had more than 60 points.
Teravainen will be turning 30 next season, but last year he had his best shooting percentage at 17.6% and scored nine power-play goals. With the right team and coach, he could regularly hit the 60-point mark again.
Dakota Joshua from the Vancouver Canucks is another player to watch. He’s known for his physical play and agitation on the ice rather than just scoring. Standing tall at 6-foot-3 and weighing 206 pounds, Joshua can add grit to any team’s second or third line. This spring, during playoffs against Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers, he scored four goals with eight points while delivering a whopping 74 hits in just 13 games!
Hidden Gems in Free Agency:
Matt Roy of the Los Angeles Kings is one of the top defensive players entering free agency this year. Coaches love him because he excels at killing penalties, blocking shots, and defending against top lines from other teams. While mainly a defensive player, Roy can also contribute offensively with over 21 points in each of his last three seasons.
Fans might think these players are underrated gems waiting to shine on new teams.
Kevin Lankinen from Nashville Predators showed that he’s ready to be a starting goalie for many NHL teams. Backing up Juuse Saros this past season, Lankinen often faced tough opponents in back-to-back games. Out of his 17 starts this season, eleven were against playoff teams—and most were road games! He managed big wins against strong teams like Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers (both Stanley Cup finalists), Dallas Stars (twice), Vegas Golden Knights, and Carolina Hurricanes—all away games! His stats? A solid .908 save percentage with a goals-against average of just under three (2.82).
Sean Monahan from Winnipeg Jets may not be in his prime anymore as he’s nearing age-30 but still has value as a middle-six forward option for contending teams needing depth scoring options between their second or third lines; last season saw him netting respectable numbers: putting up twenty-six goals alongside fifty-nine total points despite having seen better days back when achieving thirty-goal eighty-point campaigns back around ’18 era—Monahan’s still got gas left!
What do you think about these players? Do they deserve more attention?
