{"id":214289,"date":"2025-09-29T00:11:34","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T00:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/214289\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T00:11:34","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T00:11:34","slug":"flyers-toews-unrestricted-free-agents-contracts-blackhawks-dynasty-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/214289\/","title":{"rendered":"Flyers, Toews, Unrestricted Free Agents, Contracts, Blackhawks, Dynasty Picks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include what type of impact Jonathan Toews<\/a> might have this season, if shorter-term contracts could become more prevalent moving forward, and more.\u00a0 If your question doesn\u2019t appear here, check back in last weekend\u2019s mailbag<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Emoney123: What\u2019s the next move for Briere? Collect 2026 draft picks; is there anyone on the roster worth a first-round pick? Flyers hold two first-round picks in 2027 and the new arena is to open in 2030; will the team be winning by then?<\/p>\n

They\u2019re running out of veterans to sell, at least not without cutting into the perceived longer-term core group of this roster.\u00a0 Christian Dvorak<\/a> won\u2019t fetch a first-round pick but with 50% retention, they can get something for him.\u00a0 Considering the strong interest in Rasmus Ristolainen<\/a> in the past, he\u2019s someone I think could move this time and with teams always looking to add players like him, maybe they get a first-rounder if they\u2019re willing to eat half the contract.\u00a0 Maybe there\u2019s a smaller depth move in there as well but that might be it for pick accumulation.<\/p>\n

I think they might be sniffing around buying as well.\u00a0 Not necessarily in the traditional sense of adding rentals and veterans but looking to buy low on a distressed asset, something along the lines of the Trevor Zegras<\/a> move.\u00a0 At some point, you have to emerge from the rebuild with some players capable of making an impact now.\u00a0 That\u2019s the next step for the Flyers so if there\u2019s a chance to take a flyer on a player or two who might not be fitting in where they are, perhaps they can make a low-key move to get someone who might improve with a change of scenery.\u00a0 Those are typically more offseason deals but if you\u2019re like me and think there\u2019s going to be a more pronounced race to the bottom of the standings, some of those types of deals could materialize in-season.<\/p>\n

I would hope Philadelphia is back to being a playoff team by 2030.\u00a0 They\u2019re already a few years into this rebuild; if they\u2019re still rebuilding five years from now, it\u2019s probably not going to be Briere at the helm and something will have gone rather wrong.\u00a0 While it happens periodically, rebuilds aren\u2019t supposed to typically last a decade and at this point, I don\u2019t think the Flyers are in a position to be doing one for quite that long.<\/p>\n

Cla23: What type of impact will Toews have in Winnipeg?\u00a0 Do you think it will be a one-and-done?<\/p>\n

I like the Jets landing Jonathan Toews<\/a> as he\u2019ll add some much-needed depth down the middle.\u00a0 But I\u2019m not overly optimistic that he\u2019s going to be overly impactful, at least offensively.\u00a0 He was starting to slow down in terms of production over his final two years in Chicago and while some of that could have been affected by his lingering illness, he\u2019s also now 37, not 33 or 34 as he was in those seasons.\u00a0 One will likely offset the other.<\/p>\n

But Toews has always been well above average at the faceoff dot and while he might be a bit rusty, he should still be on the happy side of 50%.\u00a0 Winnipeg has finished below 50% as a team in that regard for three straight seasons.\u00a0 He could be a faceoff specialist for them and late in the season and in the playoffs, that can be a big deal.\u00a0 I also expect he\u2019ll still be good defensively, though probably not at the level he was when he last played.\u00a0 That long of a layoff will make a difference.<\/p>\n

If Toews can get through this season healthy, my guess is that it wouldn\u2019t be a one-and-done unless he really struggles.\u00a0 If he can still help a contender, he\u2019ll probably want to do so.\u00a0 But if he\u2019s in and out of the lineup and banged up or the struggles from the illness return, then the safe assumption is that he\u2019ll hang up his skates, knowing he gave it an honest effort to come back.<\/p>\n

frozenaquatic: Most UFAs are 29, and the good ones sign for seven or eight years, bringing them to their age-36 or 37 season, at which point, it\u2019s exceedingly rare (Marchand notwithstanding) for a player to get much more than a one or two-year deal. There\u2019s a lot of smoke these days about players signing NBA-style three or four-year deals on their UFA. Will that make any sense? It\u2019ll be really interesting to see what happens with Panarin given that he\u2019s had an unconventional career, having started so late, and he\u2019s going to be a UFA at 34. Assuming he has a solid year this year, what do you think Panarin\u2019s next deal looks like?<\/p>\n

Part of the reason we see NBA players sign shorter-term deals is simply because those are the maximum term lengths of a deal in most cases.\u00a0 Beyond a small group of players (either designated rookie extensions or veteran re-signings with Bird rights) eligible for five-year deals, four is the maximum so many players opt for that.\u00a0 (There are also considerations for contracts of a specific length that get them to a specific amount of service time, increasing their maximum cap percentage but I don\u2019t want to get too much into the nitty gritty.)\u00a0 But that\u2019s why NBA contracts are typically shorter.<\/p>\n

Could NHL players follow suit?\u00a0 Some might in the short term, thinking that another big jump could be coming to the cap.\u00a0 But UFA-eligible players in your scenario (becoming eligible around 29) would then be setting themselves up to try to get a bigger deal in their age-33 year or so.\u00a0 That could be tricky.<\/p>\n

For most UFA-eligible players, I think the move is either short-term (two years) if you\u2019re trying to set up for a bigger deal when there\u2019s a bigger spending environment or aim for long-term and max out on what you can get now.\u00a0 But if you\u2019re still in the back end of your RFA eligibility, then a three-year deal or four-year pact becomes a bit more defensible.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>With Panarin specifically, there are two options.\u00a0 A max-term deal is unlikely at his age and even short-term doesn\u2019t make a lot of sense as he\u2019s at the age where a decline could come quickly.\u00a0 I could see a four-year agreement around $11MM per season, basically close to an extension at where he is now.\u00a0 Alternatively, if the signing team is a little more cap-strapped, they could tack on a couple of cheaper years which might get the AAV more around the $9MM to $9.5MM territory.\u00a0 That would buy some short-term flexibility for the signing team but that could be a rough contract on the books over those last couple of years.\u00a0 It\u2019s a deep UFA market but Panarin still finds himself in good shape, assuming he\u2019s once again the offensive leader for the Rangers.<\/p>\n

kodion: Why are teams not more proactive with expiring \u201csuperstar\u201d contracts when they get NOTHING in return if deals don\u2019t get done and the guy bails in FA?<\/p>\n

They will never get true, or even fair, value if they move them out with a year or less to go and fanbases will beat on management relentlessly, almost regardless of the return, but that would seem to be a better business practice than running the risk of a no-return departure.<\/p>\n

I know it\u2019s not as simple as that but what am I missing?<\/p>\n

While this isn\u2019t always the case, if you\u2019re a team with a superstar player (or even a high-end one) that\u2019s on an expiring contract, you probably have hopes of making a long playoff run.\u00a0 As you noted, teams generally aren\u2019t going to get top value for their services.\u00a0 So, what\u2019s better \u2013 salvaging some value for the longer term and hurting your chances of winning now or going for it now with a core group you think can win at the expense of the future?\u00a0 Most of the time, teams feel the answer will be the latter.<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m a general manager, I have a hard time selling to my owner that we need to move a fan favorite top-end piece to get some pieces that should help us later.\u00a0 That\u2019s going to cost potential playoff revenue and anger a big chunk of the fan base and the dressing room.\u00a0 That\u2019s probably not going to help my cause for staying as GM, especially if I\u2019m throwing in the towel on being able to sign the player.\u00a0 That\u2019s why you don\u2019t see it happen too often.<\/p>\n

Objectively speaking, you make a very valid point.\u00a0 In the long run, teams would probably be better off moving out top expiring contracts for some value if they don\u2019t re-sign quickly because, after all, only one team can win the Stanley Cup every year.\u00a0 But the fear of \u2018what if this was our year and I just sunk it by trading a star player\u2019 will almost always put an end to it actually happening.<\/p>\n

UncleMike1526: Hypothetical question. Say the Blackhawks show a marked improvement this year and some of the young talent starts to shine. With a boatload of draft picks in a deep 26 draft, name some FA\u2019s or trade targets they could chase for 2026? I know big-time FA\u2019s probably won\u2019t go to a declining team just like last year but with some improvement who should they be chasing? Thanks.<\/p>\n

For starters, I don\u2019t see this happening.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think GM Kyle Davidson does either.\u00a0 This year will be about getting some prospects some reps so that they can see how close (or far) they are from getting back into the thick of things.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve said before when this question came up that they\u2019re not in a spot to be too choosy.\u00a0 They need a talent influx to help propel them into the postseason picture.\u00a0 It could be a center, a winger, or a defenseman.\u00a0 (I think they\u2019re set in goal for now.)\u00a0 I don\u2019t think it necessarily matters what the combo is, just that there are upgrades coming.<\/p>\n

Objectively, they probably need a couple of wingers and a top-six center up front and at least one top-four defenseman.\u00a0 Here is the list of pending UFAs, per PuckPedia<\/a>.\u00a0 The center and defenseman could be tricky to get if the top guys re-sign or pass on Chicago but there are wingers out there.\u00a0 I think Alex Tuch<\/a> would be a perfect fit to play with Connor Bedard<\/a>, Martin Necas<\/a> would up their skill, and even someone like Mason Marchment<\/a> could give them some extra grit in the middle six with some offensive upside.\u00a0 How realistic those options are remains to be seen but those are some fits I like.<\/p>\n

As for trade targets, the same idea applies.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be picky; if there\u2019s an impact player who can be around for a few years, try to get him.\u00a0 It\u2019s way too early to start hypothesizing 2026 offseason trades but if there\u2019s a talent upgrade available, Davidson should be looking.\u00a0 And that applies even if this hypothetical scenario isn\u2019t in place.\u00a0 Win or lose, next summer is when they should be starting to build back up talent-wise.<\/p>\n

Duke II: You\u2019re drafting a Dynasty Team and are looking for future scoring studs; you get three of these forwards + two defensemen. GO!<\/p>\n

Lysell, Nikishin, Savoie, Perreault, Snuggerud, Lekkerimaki, Turcotte, Howard, Parekh, Ritchie, Brunicke, and Levshunov.<\/p>\n

Forwards: I\u2019ll start with Jimmy Snuggerud<\/a>.\u00a0 A strong producer in college, he looks to be well on his way to being a top-six NHL piece, probably relatively quickly even; it wouldn\u2019t shock me if he\u2019s a top-six regular by the end of the season.\u00a0 I think Gabriel Perreault<\/a> will get there as well, but not quite as fast.\u00a0 For the third player, Calum Ritchie<\/a> might be the safest pick but if you\u2019re swinging for offense, I\u2019d go with Isaac Howard<\/a>.\u00a0 If he can work his way into a top-six spot over time he has a chance of playing with Connor McDavid<\/a> (assuming he re-signs) or Leon Draisaitl<\/a>.\u00a0 That would be a nice way to pick up some points.<\/p>\n

Defense: Zayne Parekh<\/a> has a chance to be one of the more impactful offensive defensemen in the NHL if everything goes according to plan.\u00a0 Granted, his defensive game is part of why he slipped in the draft but if you have the floor of an offensive-minded player who could rack up power play points, that\u2019s generally a good player to have in a pool.\u00a0 Alexander Nikishin<\/a> might have to bide his time a little bit in Carolina this season but long-term, there\u2019s a clear path for him to become their go-to player offensively on the back end.\u00a0 They\u2019re generally a solid team offensively so he has a chance to put up some points with them.<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include what type of impact Jonathan Toews might have this…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":214290,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5115],"tags":[521,37,96,5263,5,4,860,697],"class_list":{"0":"post-214289","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-chicago-blackhawks","8":"tag-blackhawks","9":"tag-chicago","10":"tag-chicago-blackhawks","11":"tag-chicagoblackhawks","12":"tag-hockey","13":"tag-nhl","14":"tag-phr-mailbag","15":"tag-pro-hockey-rumors-originals"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/115284691165403089","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214289\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/214290"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}