RFA Extravaganza!
BIG NAMES TESTING WATERS
With RFA being a more viable option/gamble for teams not wanting to pay huge dollars to RFA's many teams will be taking the gamble this season and letting their players test the RFA waters. Here is a look at the top players who look to test RFA, if the player name is in ALL CAPS, they are only able to sign a 1 year deal. If normal font, they will sign multi year deals, as this is their last contract before UFA.
A quick reminder on the rules:
1) Restricted Free Agents (RFA) are those players who are 27 years of age or under (27 with 1 year left if during the season). During the season, when a player will be a pending RFA the owning team is not required to offer that player a contract if they do not wish, they will maintain that players rights as an RFA regardless.
2) RFA Age is players who are 28 with no contract left. Or 27 with 1 year left.
1) Compensation for signing a RFA is as follows;
a. $475,000 to $999,999 = no compensation
b. $1,000,000 to $1,499,999 = 5th Round Draft Pick
c. $1,500,000 to $1,999,999 = 4th Round Draft Pick
d. $2,000,000 to $2,999,999 = 3rd Round Draft Pick
e. $3,000,000 to $3,999,999 = 2nd Round Draft Pick
f. $4,000,000 to $4,999,999 = 1st Round Draft Pick
g. $5,000,000 to $5,999,999 = 1st & 2nd Round Draft Picks
h. $6,000,000 to $6,999,999 – two 1st Round Draft Picks
i. $7,000,000 + = Three 1st Round Draft Picks
2) You must have the proper compensation before bidding on a RFA. If you have multiple picks that qualify. The team losing the player would have their choice amongst your available picks.
a. At least 1 of the highest picks MUST be in the next draft
b. Beginning season 10, you do not necessarily have to have paid for future years to make a bid, you can pay if/when you win.
i. You will have 24 hours from when the other team announces it is taking the compensation, to pay for future years needed. Failure to do so will result in hefty fine (precedent to be set if/when it first happens)
3) When bidding on RFA’s they are for 1 year deals, and can not include signing bonuses, the amount of years will be open from 1-5 if a player is only 1 year away from UFA.
4) When bidding for RFA’s your bid must be at least 200k higher than the prior bid.
5) If your RFA does not sign an offer sheet during RFA period. You will be required to negotiate a new contract for a minimum term with the league offices.
6) Teams CANNOT give other team incentive to bid on their RFA at discounted rates. This will result in HEAVY fines, including draft picks, cash, and potentially the player(s) involved becoming instant UFA's
7) Teams may agree to take other forms of compensation outside of the draft pick fines. In an instant where a team is not liking the RFA offer presented, they can shop around for someone to increase the offer, having a set compensation set out, where they let that player sign elsewhere for the alternative compensation. When this occurs the RFA player MAY not be staying with his current team, that would be a manipulation of rule 7.
8) Anything, outside of the basic RFA structure, any alternative bids/comp/arrangements MUST be cleared with the league office BEFORE the offer(s) are made.
9) Unlike UFA, there is no penalty for trading recently signed RFA's
10) For FA bidding, you may partake in UFA bidding. If one of YOUR RFA’s get an offer, you have the opportunity to match or take compensation, regardless of what your cap hit shows at. In short, you can go over the 3 million threshold in free agency, if it’s matching an RFA offer that puts you over. Obviously, once you have matched, and that salary is added to your team, your ability to up your UFA offers could be significantly impacted.
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Top 15 RFA’s
1. Jonathan Toews (Win)
a. 78ph-79pa-85sc-73df
b. His credentials don’t need to be summarized. He’s going to get paid a shit ton. Will it be more or less than what he makes in the NHL? What will the term be? At what level does Jordan not match? Toews is the biggest RFA name we’ve ever seen hit the wire as he looks for his final contract before being a UFA.
2. Anze Kopitar (Det)
a. 81ph-90pa-82sc-81df
b. The most under appreciated superstar of our generation. Check the ratings, he’s better than Toews. Unfortunately for Nolan, the Kings don’t underrate him, and paid him accordingly. Kopitar as well will get a ton. The Wings franchise is at a crossroads, what they decide to do with Kopitar will dictate the next 3-4 years of the franchise.
3. RYAN O’REILLY (Dal)
a. 89ph-87pa-81sc-83df
b. Another underrated star in the league. Ryno has the added benefit that you don’t have to take his dad or brother in the BRHL. He’s going to get paid, and I wonder if Junya will regret letting him test RFA, it may have been cheaper to just pay him a 1 year deal.
4. Phil Kessel (LA)
a. 88ph-80pa-83sc-57df
b. Back in the spotlight with his playoff performance, all 1 Nut does is score, and that’s a pretty valuable ability. This will be his last contract before FA, and he’s probably the hardest to get a read on. Does someone offer him term and big bucks, or a lower base, short term deal that forces Rumpy to make a tough decision?
5. SERGEI BOBROVSKY (LA)
a. With many teams looking for a #1, I am surprised that Bobs hasn’t been dealt yet, his salary, while big, can be minimized with another 1 year deal while keeping him RFA, and he would seemingly allow a team the ability to avoid the nuthouse that is goaltending FA. I don’t think Bobs actually makes it to RFA and is traded before hand.
6. Eric Johnson (Ott)
a. 78ph-60pa-61sc-95df
b. EJ is a very good dman, a legit number 1, although not a franchise guy. He has strong ratings (remember SC and PA are suppressed for D), and will get paid. The problem for Kirk is that after a decade plus of being a dbag. EJ is a prime target for a poison pill offer from many a GM. Kirk is undoubtedly regretting backing out of a deal with EJ last year.
7. Bryan Little (Phi)
a. 84ph-82pa-81sc-79df
b. I’m not sure why Rex hesitated to pay him, the numbers he puts up aren’t out of line with his extension numbers. As is Little will get paid in RFA, and like Kirk, Rex’s abrasive style will make him a prime target for a poison pill offer. Little will be one of the more interesting RFA’s to watch.
8. Nick Foligno (Edm)
a. 79ph-77pa-70sc-71df
b. After a career year the season before, Foligno settled back down into what he is, a solid second liner. Unfortunately, that’s not how he is getting paid. Leon smartly is letting him test RFA, and I expect we will see a multi-year deal at a more reasonable term. With the Oilers cap crunch though, he could be a guy that changes teams.
9. Jeff Petry (Det)
a. 76ph-60pa-53sc-85df
b. One of the more underappreciated number three dmen in the league, again, except at pay time. Petry has good offensive rates, and a strong defensive rate. I suspect he will get signed near his NHL deal, but have also heard that he may be traded and signed before RFA gets here. With the depth Nolan has on D, especially since the Sekera trade, they could let Petry walk. He’s probably THE favorite to end up elsewhere via trade or taking comp.
10. Jori Lehtera (LA)
a. 74ph-76pa-60sc-67df
b. A good playmaking middle six forward, Lehtera will be sought after no doubt. This is his last contract before UFA, so it will be interesting to see what the term ends up being. A team looking to get a good complimentary player could do a lot worse.
11. Michael Frolik (SJ)
a. 65ph-72pa-74sc-80df
b. A solid player, just not at his NHL cap hit. Frolik should provide a reasonable depth middle six option for those shopping in RFA. I’d imagine the first inkling of the Sharks is to match, but we will see what happens based on term etc.
12. Tommy Wingels (Det)
a. 63pa-63pa-59sc-80df
b. Offensive numbers were down this NHL season, but he’s shown in the past he’s able to contribute a lot more. He won’t be a big money signing, but one who can fill many roles, and again, with the depth the Wings have, he’s a prime target to move.
13. SAM GAGNER (Clb)
a. 76ph-62pa-68sc-63df
b. Will provide some offense in a bottom six role. Gagner won’t get near what his NHL cap hit is, and is another likely candidate to move. Since it’s only a 1 year deal, any team offering on him knows they can use the same route for next 2 years if needed.
14. Evgeni Medvedev (TB)
a. 77ph-58pa-52sc-68df
b. Before you say I’m an idiot, he’s 33 and not a RFA. This is Medvedev’s first year in the league, as the franchise drafted him last year. Rather than sign him using the calculator, Roger (wisely) elected to let him test RFA. Same rules apply as if he was 28, this is the last deal before UFA. Medvedev provides some decent all around ratings for a back pairing dman. A unique case, I have no idea what to expect contract value and term wise.
15. Jiri Tlusty (Col)
a. 68ph-57pa-58sc-74df
b. A cheap back end option with a good DF rating. Tlusty still has use, despite the worst season of his career, a decent bounce back option that won’t command much. The Aves just acquired him, but its’ rumored they are letting him test RFA still. Will be interesting to see where he comes out.