Top 5 older NHL UFAs who could still provide value
After all the hustle and bustle and hullabaloo of free agency and trades, the NHL is in its least active chunk of the calendar. Some teams are locking in their restricted free agents, and some are handing out entry-level deals for their draft picks.
There’s also an entire market of veteran players and goaltenders who aren’t quite ready to retire and feel like they can contribute to an NHL lineup. Teams may be tight against the $88-million salary cap, but if these players are willing to sign for $1 million or less, there may be a spot waiting for them this fall.
Here’s a look at five free agents, all in their mid-30s, who could provide reliable depth to a team in 2024-25.
James van Riemsdyk, LW, 35
2007 No. 2 overall pick James van Riemsdyk played his 1,000th game last season with the Boston Bruins after spending most of his 15-year career with the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs. His production has decreased in his last two seasons, shrinking to 12 and 11 goals, respectively, but in a limited third- or fouth-line role, van Riemsdyk can provide reliable depth in a deep roster’s forward group.
In 71 games last season, the Middletown, N.J., native recorded 38 points while averaging just 13:30 of ice time. He still has above-average hands and his 6-foot-3 frame is hard to knock off the puck around the net. The one they call “JVR” is well worth a one-year deal for any team looking for another piece in the bottom-six of a championship roster.
Kevin Shattenkirk, D, 35
Another first-round pick from the 2007 NHL Entry Draft who also skated with the Bruins last season, Kevin Shattenkirk is a solid puck-moving defenseman who can still provide some offensive jam for an NHL club. Just how much jam he can provide is another question.
Through the first 13 seasons of his career, Shattenkirk averaged well over 20 minutes a game, and was a reliable second-pair defender who could play some power play minutes. But he took a step back with the Bruins in 2023-24, with his ice time dropping to 15:47 and his 24 points being the lowest total he’s recorded over a full NHL season.
Just like JVR, if you’re only looking for depth on your blue line, Shattenkirk is worth a shot. Just don’t expect the dynamic offensive defenseman we saw during his time with the St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Max Pacioretty, LW, 35
What, is everyone on this list a first-round pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft? What was in the water in the late ’80s? Ahem, sorry. When it comes to Max Pacioretty, I’ve always had the feeling of what “could” have been, instead of what was. Through 16 seasons, the American winger has scored over 300 goals and nearly 700 points, but injuries and glimpses of stagnation have stunted what could have been an elite NHL career.
Let’s focus on the recent and the now: if you get a healthy Pacioretty, you’re getting a decent two-way game with size that can navigate around the net and still the ability to make good passes in the offensive zone. Last season with the Washington Capitals, he recorded 11 power play points in 47 regular-season games, so he could provide some production on a team’s second power-play unit. Having never won a Stanley Cup championship, you can bet the 35-year-old will be happy to take a depth role with whatever club hopes to play deep into the spring.
Tyson Barrie, D, 33
Coming this fall to theaters: The Curious Case of Tyson Barrie, starring Darren Dreger (look it up, they look exactly like one another. Go ahead, Google it. I’ll wait … you see? Now you can’t unsee it).
Between 2014-15 and 2018-19, Barrie was one of hockey’s most dynamic blueliners, hitting the 50-point mark three times and helping the Colorado Avalanche be one of the most successful power-play units. He found that production again in 2022-23 with the Edmonton Oilers before being traded to the Nashville Predators in the Mattias Ekholm trade. The 2023-24 season was a disappointment, as the Victoria, B.C., native was a healthy scratch for a good chunk of the year, not getting the first power-play unit minutes he’s accustomed to.
Barrie isn’t the defensive defenseman teams look for when trying to build depth in their group, and how often do we see players like him get healthy scratched when we reach the post-season? That being said, there’s 32 teams in the league, and at some point, one of them will need a veteran, right-handed blueliner to eat up minutes in their lineup. Someone’s going to give him a one-year deal, it just may not be a Stanley Cup contender.
Antti Raanta, G, 35
Having spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes as a backup netminder, Antti Raanta carved out a reputation as a reliable backup goaltender who could provide spot duty in case it was needed. However, 2023-24 was a step back for the Finnish goalie, posting an .872 SV% in 24 appearances, including an even-strength SV% under .900. In seven of those 24 games, he gave up four or more goals, hardly what you’d want from your backup.
But this is the NHL, and veteran goaltenders with at least some previous success are hard to come by. As we get closer to training camp, an injury here or a poor start there will lead to someone calling Raanta and seeing what their schedule is for the next six months. Besides, how many active netminders can say they have a career .915 SV% and 2.48 GAA through 11 seasons?