By: Scott Bluni
1. RW Shane Doan (Phoenix)
Now entering the twilight of his career, the 35-year-old
captain of the Phoenix Coyotes has the potential to profoundly impact several
teams in the NHL. While most people seem
to think that Doan will return to Phoenix because he has been playing for them
since 1996, it has been reported that upwards of 16 teams have contacted him
with hopes of signing him. A handful of
teams have also made formal offers for him.
Despite not being the offensive threat he was once, Doan has the ability
to contribute between 20-30 goals and 50-60 points if he has a good supporting
cast of players around him. Last year in
79 games played, he had 22 goals and 50 points.
He also brings a physical game and can easily post 200 hits a
season. In addition to this, taking into
account his captain status in Phoenix, he brings leadership, playoff experience
as well as Olympic experience. The guy
has been a productive winger who brings intangibles since he joined the
league. If any team can grab him this
offseason, they’ll be adding an exceptional amount of offense, hitting and
leadership to their team.
2. C Jason Arnott (St. Louis)
The 37-year-old center is a top 9 forward who can play a
gritty, physical game. Standing at 6’5”,
220 lbs., the guy is built like a middle linebacker who can skate hard and
score goals. With 417G in 938 points in
1,244 games played, the guy is a seasoned veteran who has consistently had a
scoring touch. Last year he had 17G, 17A
and 34 points with a +13 rating with the Saint Louis Blues. He can still put up 30-50 points a season
given good health and a solid supporting cast.
Arnott brings a great two-way game, veteran experience, leadership and a
bit of scoring. The crafty veteran would
be a great addition for any contending team.
3. D Carlo Colaiacovo
(St. Louis)
Colaiacovo is a top-four defenseman with 9 years of NHL
experience. And at the ripe age of 29,
he still has a promising future ahead of him.
During his four years in St. Louis he has done exceptionally well. In
259 games played, he has been able to move the puck exceptionally well with 88
assists and 106 points overall. The former 1st rounder stands at
6’1”, 205 lbs. and is a versatile defenseman. He can distribute the puck well,
make big hits, make smart defensive decisions and can drop the gloves when a
team needs him to. Oh yeah, and with 54
career power play points he can also be a valuable asset to a team’s powerplay.
Colaiacovo is a solid two-way defenseman who has yet to hit his prime and
remains a fantastic top-4 defensive option for several teams this offseason.
4. RW Andrei Kostitsyn (Nashville)
Last season Andrei (the elder Kostitsyn) was traded to the
Nashville Predators from the Montreal Canadians at the trade deadline.
Kostitsyn had a great amount of success there, scoring 4 goals and 12 points in
just 19 games. He ended with 16 goals
and 36 points on the entire season. In 6
out of his 7 years in the NHL, Kostitsyn has managed to get to 15 goals or more
and stay in the 35-50 point range. He’s
a valuable depth-scoring asset, but he does have a bit of an attitude
problem. As some of you may remember,
last year he and KHL star turned NHL bust, Alexander Radulov, were suspended by
the team for a curfew violation during the Predators’ second round playoff loss
to the Phoenix Coyotes. The 27-year-old Kostitsyn is a great scorer who can be
effective on the power play and has 20-career game winning goals, but he’s got
some attitude issues. He’s also fairly young and could possibly play better
later on in his career. Kostitsyn would
thrive in an environment with stern coaching and a mature, veteran leadership
presence.
5. D Matt Gilroy
(Ottawa)
Gilroy has had a rough NHL career thus far playing with
three NHL teams in his first three NHL seasons, but he has serious potential to
be a top-pair defenseman in the right conditions. Being a Boston guy, I love
watching Gilroy play and would love to watch him have success. For those of you who don’t know, Gilroy is a
NCAA champion with the Boston University Terriers and a Hobey Baker Award
winner, which is annually awarded to the top NCAA men’s hockey player. At 27 years old, Gilroy is still young with
his best games far ahead of him. Last
year he had his most successful NHL season with 3G/17A/20P. He’s a skilled player who hasn’t yet
completely brought his game together.
However, with time and patience I believe Gilroy will be a fantastic
defenseman worthy of a top-slot on any roster.
He has the skill, the speed and the size to be one of the more dynamic
defensemen in the league. All he needs
now is a long-term contract with a good team.
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