Seven NHL Captains Can Be Unrestricted Free Agents Next July

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— Brandon Rubeo

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews leads NHL full-time centers with a 64.9% faceoff percentage. He’s also on a pace to score 30 goals.

Captain Serious’s turn-around this season is no laughing matter.

Last season, many people thought struggling Toews was headed toward retirement. Today, people believe he is headed to a top contender to help them win a Stanley Cup.

Toews, 34, is one of seven NHL captains who can be unrestricted free agents this summer. The list includes Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, Vancouver’s Bo Horvat, Boston’s Patrice Bergeron, Carolina’s Jordan Staal, St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly and Buffalo’s Kyle Okposo.

It’s unusual to have this many captains unsigned in this situation. Only Horvat and Larkin are in the primes of their career. The other five range in age from 31 to 37.

Toews may be the first one dealt, especially now that he looks sharp. The Blackhawks are rebuilding. Toews isn’t in their plans. Speculation is the Colorado Avalanche might be interested in the name of trying to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. The Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets also are logical suitors.

An impediment for a Toews rental is his $10.5 million salary. Even if the Blackhawks eat half of the cap hit, Toews isn’t cheap. Plus, the Blackhawks will ask for a first-rounder and more.

Okposo, 34, might draw interest as a rental, although his $6 million cap hit is a deterrent. 

Bergeron will either retire or re-sign with the Bruins. You would expect the Hurricanes to attempt to re-sign Staal and the Blues to keep O’Reilly.

The variables in the group are Larkin and Horvat. Larkin wants to stay in Detroit, but it is unnerving the Detroit fan base that no deal is done. Is Larkin asking for too much or is GM Steve Yzerman playing hardball?

Horvat wants to stay in Vancouver. They don’t have enough cap space to get this done. If the Canucks can't re-sign him soon, they may deal him.

Matthew Tkachuk’s situation taught us that.

TRIVIA: How many NHL captains were dealt at last year's trade deadline?

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Robertson, Morrissey, Sorokin named NHL's three stars of the week. Jason Robertson, 2nd in the NHL scoring race, recorded six goals and two assists in just four games last week. Josh Morrissey registered seven points in four games, leading all defenseman. And Ilya Sorokin went 3-0-0, registering a .963 save percentage, and 1.32 goals-against average.

🏅 Mitch Marner needs one point in his next game to tie long-standing Leafs' record. With a goal last night in a 4-2 win over the Red Wings, Marner extended his point streak to 17 games. Darryl Sittler set the Leafs' point streak record at 18 games during the 1977-78 season, which was matched by Ed Olczyk twelve years later. Marner could tie the record tomorrow night versus the Sharks and potentially set a new benchmark Saturday against the Lightning.

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TRIVIA ANSWER:

Two: Mark Giordano (SEA ➡ TOR) and Claude Giroux (PHI ➡️ FLA)