How NHL Futures Changed After Free Agency

Boston Finally Makes Some Inevitable Moves 

The talk from almost the time that the Boston Bruins were eliminated was that Boston was going to make one last run by “putting the band back together.” 

A lot of that chatter centered around Patrice Bergeron (the Captain). There was some semi-credible talk that the perennial Selke Trophy award winner might retire. 

That was squashed earlier this week when Bergeron was inked to a one-year deal. This contract pays the top-line center $5 million in AAV. The 37-year-old will make $1.5 million in base salary with a $1 million signing bonus and $2.5 in performance bonuses.   

Bergeron was only getting better. He fired 293 shots on goal with 25 goals and 65 points in 73 games last season. Boston added back former top-six center David Krejci. Krejci took a year off in Czechia to be with family. 

The Bruins signed him to a one-year deal. Krejci is 36. His cap hit will be $1 million, with potential performance bonuses of up to $2 million. Also, they are temporarily over the salary cap by $2.24 million. 

Even further, Boston might have an extension with goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Swayman makes a hair less than $1 million for the 2022-23 season. 

Add in the Pavel Zacha deal (one year, $3.5 million) for further center depth. The bottom line for American and Canadian sports bettors is what impact does this have on the Stanley Cup futures for Boston?

Shifting Numbers Could Hook Bettors Into Boston

From Sports Interaction, Boston stood at 19.00 on July 12 and is currently at 25.95. That represents some movement for a team who could contend for a Stanley Cup. Yes, the Bruins have injuries that keep some players from playing in October.

Boston still has moves to make because they are over the cap and carry one person over the 23-man roster limit, so stay tuned. Don Sweeney and the Bruins know this is it for their window. Betting on a team like Boston has value now but may not last. 

Some Nazem Kadri Tidbits From The Tea Leaves

If some rumors are true with Nazem Kadri, sources have mentioned on a few occasions recently that the New York Islanders have offered the forward a seven-year deal in the neighborhood of $7 million AAV. This is believed to be a formality. Formalities are not certainties in this business.

Now, if the Islanders do sign Kadri, moves will have to be made with pending announcements of a Noah Dobson signing and Alexander Romanov contract. That would place the New York team temporarily over the salary cap.

Yes, there are still other offers, but it seems the Islanders are the team to beat in this “sweepstakes.” With Stanley Cup futures on the Islanders ranging from 31.00 to 51.00 depending on the sites, the key may be to dig around. A simple hint is that offshore sites are more toward the higher number while DraftKings and FanDuel (about 41.00) were more towards the middle.

Canadian sites like Sports Interaction were near the lower end (31.55). They ironically seem to have faith in the Islanders making the playoffs. 

And Then More Signings

The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed Martin Necas to a two-year contract worth $3 million AAV. It is interesting because now Max Pacioretty will be out at least six months following surgery for a torn Achilles. Pacioretty will be placed on LTIR, inevitably freeing up considerable cap space. 

Keep an eye on the Hurricanes as they are amongst the top five regarding Stanley Cup futures. 

Finally, the Vegas Golden Knights extended Nicolas Roy for five years at just an AAV of $3 million. Roy had 14 points in his final 22 games for a total of 39 in 78 games last year. 

He also became a regular in the top-six and is expected to figure in prominently again this season. Vegas is a team that may be overvalued, but Roy is far from overrated. 

Again, are these the beginnings of the last gasps of free agency? That answer is yes. However, the betting world never truly stops.