CRANBERRY, Pa. — Think of July 1 in the NHL like doing your Christmas shopping on Dec. 24.
Almost all of the best stuff has already been picked over and whatever’s left, you’re going to overpay for it. Worse, you might regret it. It's sort of like buying that $60 tie complete with LED lighting. On Dec. 26, that same tie is worth $15.
That’s just the nature of the beast on July 1, the start of the NHL free agent signing period.
Conor Sheary's and Matt Hunwick's bloated contracts might be off the books but Jim Rutherford will still be in no position to overpay for anyone. With defenseman Jack Johnson expected to sign a five-year, $16 million contract on Sunday and a contract for Jamie Oleksiak, which should be in the range of $1-1.5 million to come soon after, the Penguins should have just under $4 million available. That's miniscule.
With that in mind, you might wan to hold off buying that No. 91 John Tavares Penguins jersey. Or, for that matter, a James van Riemsdyk, James Neal or Paul Stastny sweater.
Who might the Penguins get over the next few days? Besides a player on the relative cheap they have a need for some help in the bottom six, particularly at left wing. With only 49 combined NHL games experience between Dominik Simon and Zach Aston-Reese, might Rutherford want to bring in some help?
Aston-Reese is clearly a big part of the Penguins' future and his spot in the lineup seems all but assured. Simon is a little more of a question mark. He recently signed a two-year, one-way contract that will pay him a modest $750,00 for each of the next two seasons.
Can the Penguins win with two rookies on one side?
The free agent pool is strong but it is top-heavy. That leaves Rutherford with few attractive mid-to-low range options. Here are the five best fits for the Penguins:
1. Michael Grabner
Before they acquired Derick Brassard in a three-team blockbuster at the trade deadline, the Penguins were very interested in Grabner, then of the Rangers. They still are.
Grabner’s speed alone would make him a good fit in the Penguins’ system. Picture Carl Hagelin but a far better finisher — 27 goals in each of the last two seasons — and one who comes at a much cheaper price tag. He can play PK and he can play either side.
Grabner made just $1.8 million (compared to $4 million for Hagelin). The question is how much the 31-year-old will command on the open market. Despite his goal totals the last two seasons, he always leaves a little to be desired. He has just 91 assists in 553 career games.
After being dealt to the Devils in February, Grabner scored just two goals in 21 games and was a healthy scratch for the final three games of New Jersey's first-round loss to Tampa Bay.
2. Patrick Maroon.
At 6-3 and 225, Maroon is built like a prototypical bottom-six wing but he has shown he can have success in a more prominent role. Two years ago with Edmonton he scored 27 goals while riding shotgun with Conor McDavid.
Though it's hard to see Maroon getting that kind of plum assignment in Pittsburgh with Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, he still managed 13 points in 17 games after being acquired by the Devils. Maroon could bring some much-needed size and snarl to the wing.
But much like everyone else on this list, it comes down to how much he's going to want. The 31-year-old's salary came with a $2.1 million cap hit last season. If he's interested in playing for a contender, he might have to settle for that same salary or slightly less in Pittsburgh.
3. Chris Kunitz.
Kunitz needs no endorsement here. Everyone in western Pennsylvania knows what Kunitz is about and what he has brought to the Penguins over the years.
The question is whether he can still bring it.
The Penguins passed on the 38-year-old version of Kunitz last summer, when he signed a one-year, $2 million contract with Tampa Bay after spending the previous nine seasons in Pittsburgh.
Despite his age, Kunitz played all 82 games for the first time since 2011-12 and put up a very respectable 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points last season. But the wheels started to come off at the end as he had just one assist in 17 playoff games while averaging 10:28 in a fourth-line role.
If Kunitz were to come back, it would have to be in a similar role — his days of working with Crosby and Malkin are over — and he'd have to do it at about half of what he made last season. I wouldn't dismiss Kunitz out of hand.
4. Antoine Roussel.
OK, 5-11 and 195 isn't very big but Roussel plays bigger than his size and could bring some 36-grit sandpaper to a Penguins team that could use some. Roussel can stir the pot with the best of them and he's good for a dozen goals a season. Can also play on the penalty kill.
5. Thomas Vanek.
Vanek is far removed from his 40-goal heyday, but he did score 24 as recently as last season split between Vancouver and Columbus. And he's 34, which isn't young, but not too old either. After 15 years in the league, he'll certainly be motivated to win a Stanley Cup.
Even if put in a third-line role, allowing Aston-Reese to play on the fourth line, the Austrian should find offensive success with the Penguins.
