Call it a frenzy, call it a feast, but don’t call it finished. Free agency got off to a flying start on Monday (or perhaps, on Sunday evening) when names like Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all inked expensive, long-term deals. A plethora of other signings soon followed and many teams used up all the cap space they had. But then, as the evening rolled around on July 1, everything slowed. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche were busy introducing their newest players after a substantial trade, but the second tier of free agents were unheard from.
Now, two days later, we still haven’t seen much movement on the remaining names. Eight of our top 25 names are still out there waiting to find out where they’ll play in 2019-20, with few rumors giving any indication. Perhaps there is a wave of signings coming, or perhaps many of these names will have to wait until some of the top restricted free agents finalize their deals. After all, many teams around the league are stuck wondering how much the likes of Mitch Marner, Brayden Point, Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy and (and, and, and) others will make coming out of their entry-level deals.
So who will be next off the board? Jake Gardiner is our top ranked free agent left, and the best defenseman available even with his injury concerns from last season. Micheal Ferland, Ryan Dzingel and Marcus Johansson all provide some offensive punch at forward, while veterans like Justin Williams and Joe Thornton are still unsigned by their former clubs. Who will be the next to go, and when will it finally happen?
Cast your vote below and let us know where you think they’re going in the comments:
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