2020 NHL UFA Top 75: Carson Soucy, Ryan Miller, Cody Eakin, Tyler Pitlick and Alex Galchenyuk
Welcome to the DailyFaceoff UFA preview. Over the next 15 days, I’ll be profiling the top 30 players in this years UFA class, as listed by TSN. Contract information is from our friends at Puckpedia. Full UFA list via puckpedia here. Analytics provided by hockeyviz.com and naturalstattrick.com. Contract projections are done by evolving-hockey.com with the presumption contracts are signed between Aug. – Oct. 11.
Today, we’re looking at the 60th ranked @Carson Soucy, 59th ranked @Ryan Miller, 58th ranked @Cody Eakin, 57th ranked @Tyler Pitlick, and the 56th ranked @Alex Galchenyuk.
@Carson Soucy
Soucy, a left-shot defenceman, is coming off a one-year deal with the Minnesota Wild after a season that saw him score seven goals and as many assists in 55 games. The 26 year old was drafted by the Wild in the 5th round of the 2013 draft.
This past year, he contributed offence at a six percent rate worse than league average and defence at a three percent rate higher than league average. At 5v5, he posted a 46.76 CF%, a 51.33 xG% and a goals for rate of 62.07 percent.
Soucy appears to be a solid depth defender, and appears to be re-signing with the Wild, TSN’s Frank Seravalli reported Friday.
Contract projection: Two-year, $1.4m AAV.
@Ryan Miller
Miller, 40, is hitting the free-agent market after a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks that saw him paid $1.125-m. A 17-year-veteran of 780 NHL games, Miller posted a 9-6-4 record with a .907 save percentage.
It’s hard to project what Miller could do next season, but he may be able to over some minutes playing as a backup.
Contract projection: N/A
@Cody Eakin
Eakin, 29, is coming off a four-year deal paying him $3.85-m that saw him sign in Dallas and play one season there, before playing two and a half years in Vegas. The Winnipeg Jets acquired Eakin last February in exchange for a 4th round pick playing eight games scoring five points.
All in all, he scored 15 points in 49 games last year and his isolated impacts were nothing to write home about. Offensively, he contributed at a six percent rate below league average while defensively, he contributed at an eight percent rate below league average. Neither of those are remotely good.
At 5v5, he posted a 49.4 CF%, a 48 xG% and a goals for rate just above 50%.
Contract projection: One year, $1.082m.
@Tyler Pitlick
Coming off a three-year, $1-m AAV deal signed with the Dallas Stars. However, Pitlick, 28, was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in June 2019 for @Ryan Hartman. This past season, Pitlick scored eight goals and 20 points in 63 games for the Flyers, and has totalled 73 points in 248 games with the aforementioned teams, as well as the Edmonton Oilers.
While he didn’t do much offensively contributing at a seven percent below league average, he contributed defence at a rate three percent higher than league average. At 5v5, Pitlick posted a 46.77 CF%, a 47.48 xG% and a 56.36 goals for percentage.
He would be a solid bottom-six defensive winger for a team.
Contract projection: One year, $872,900.
@Alex Galchenyuk
Galchenyuk has bounced around the league in the last few years between the Montreal Canadiens, Arizona Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins and now the Minnesota Wild.
He’s remained a decent player despite that. Last year he contributed offence at a two percent rate below league average and defnece at a four percent rate above league average while scoring eight goals and 24 points in 59 games between the Pens and the Wild.
His underlying 5v5 numbers were average over the course of the full year, posting a 50 CF%, an xG% just below 50 and a goals for rate just above 50 percent.
He would be a solid bottom-six winger who looks to be on the rebound.
Contract projection: One year, $1.044-m.
On Twitter: @zjlaing