At one point, it looked like at least a couple of NHL restricted free agents would end up missing some regular season games as contact negotiations remained at a stalemate. However, once the dominoes started to fall on RFA signings, they fell quickly. After the signings this weekend of Mikko Rantanen and Kyle Connor, Julius Honka, of the Dallas Stars, remains the lone RFA who has not yet signed a new deal with his team or jetted overseas to play in Europe.
Honka, 23, has demanded to be traded from Dallas. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Stars wants a 2nd or 3rd round pick for the blueliner. Honka has played 87 games with the Stars over the last three seasons, scoring just two goals and 13 points, so the ask seems fairly high.
-
Of all the RFAs this year, two choose to take their services overseas. Jesse Puljujärvi, of the Edmonton Oilers, is playing with Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga. He has stated he wants a "fresh start" in the NHL and will not return to North America until the Oilers trade his rights to another team. Saku Mäenalanen, of the Carolina Hurricanes, signed a one-year deal with Jokerit of the KHL, with the option for an extension for another year. While there has been no official word from the team, it's seems likely that this was an amicable split between the two as Carolina simply doesn't have the cap space to sign the 25-year-old. Carolina continues to hold his rights should be want to return to the NHL, until he reaches the age of 27, when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
It's worth mentioning that, while no big name RFAs will be missing regular season games, many signed the week before training camp began. This trend will probably continue, if not worsen, in the coming years as budding stars in the NHL now seem to be getting paid based on their projected worth, rather than their existing accomplishments. Even the bridge deals that have been signed are lucrative contracts worth several million per season.
-
