Playoff payoff: Which pending free brokers have helped or harm their asking worth this post-season?

The season earlier than he signed his since-bought-out four-year, $18-million cope with the Calgary Flames, Troy Brouwer was already enjoying himself in direction of a elevate. On the time, Brouwer was within the ultimate marketing campaign of a three-year pact that paid him $three.67-million per season and was scoring at an 82-game price of 21 objectives and 42 factors throughout the lifespan of the deal. Probabilities have been he was about to change into an almost $Four-million man regardless of who introduced him aboard.
However then the post-season got here round, and with it an nearly in a single day escalation in Brouwer’s asking worth.
Throughout these 2016 playoffs, which preceded the 2016-17 signing season, Brouwer went off offensively. A modest playoff performer up to now, he was seemingly imbued with the spirit of among the nice energy forwards of yesteryear, and the consequence was an eight-goal, 13-point post-season that noticed his record of suitors undoubtedly develop and the greenback figures connected to these gives certainly rise in anticipation of a possible bidding warfare. The top consequence was what on the time was thought-about by some and may now confidently be referred to as an overpayment. The four-year contract with the Flames carried a $Four.5-million cap hit, and it took two seasons – throughout which period Brouwer scored 19 objectives, 47 factors and watched his ice time diminish – earlier than Calgary minimize ties with the veteran winger through buyout.
It’s in that sense that Brouwer’s contract is a cautionary story about paying based mostly on single-season playoff efficiency, regardless of how spectacular that output might have been. After all, this isn’t to select on or single out Brouwer. He’s hardly alone in post-season efficiency significantly impacting his free agent price ticket. Others up to now, and others nonetheless sooner or later, will see their shares both considerably rise or fall on account of post-season performances. And with the low season on the horizon and the Stanley Cup ultimate almost set, right here’s a have a look at a number of gamers who’ve seen a notable change in inventory over via the playoffs:
Matt DucheneDuchene had already accomplished wonders for his free agent inventory along with his efficiency throughout the common season, which noticed him set a brand new career-high with 31 objectives and match his earlier career-best with 70 factors by the top of the common season. However Duchene ought to – and certain will – have an added little bit of bargaining energy because of his post-season efficiency. In his first journey to the playoffs since 2013-14, Duchene was all over the place. In 10 video games with the Blue Jackets, he scored 5 objectives and 10 factors, together with the game-winning tallies in two of Columbus’ six post-season victories.
Duchene is already a high free agent and he’s going to be paid handsomely. However his price ticket may have one other couple-hundred thousand dollars connected to it because of his play within the post-season.
Ryan DzingelIf Dzingel had completed out the marketing campaign in Ottawa, the place he was scoring at a 32-goal, 63-point tempo this season with the Senators, who is aware of what his asking worth may have been. It could have been a marked improve in manufacturing – almost 10 objectives and greater than 20 factors – from his earlier career-best offensive totals, and Dzingel may need been in line for a couple-million greenback elevate into the $Four-million vary, if not larger. However his time in Columbus isn’t going to assist his case. Dzingel’s offense dipped throughout the common season with the Blue Jackets and cratered within the post-season, the place he was even made a wholesome scratch at one level.
There’s nonetheless going to be curiosity in a flexible, 20-goal ahead comparable to Dzingel, however his bargaining energy was doubtless barely weakened by a troublesome time in Columbus.
Robin LehnerIt’s one factor to get the job accomplished as a part of a platoon within the common season. It’s one other to face tall when the intense lights of the post-season are shining squarely in your crease. However Lehner did each this season. Not solely did he flip in one of the best numbers of his profession and earn himself the William M. Jennings Trophy because the netminder of the crew with the fewest objectives in opposition to – an honor he shared with teammate Thomas Greiss – however Lehner stored it going within the playoffs. In truth, after posting a .930 save proportion and a pair of.13 goals-against common in 46 common season appearances, Lehner bettered these numbers with a .936 SP and a pair of.00 GAA. Admittedly, eight video games is a much smaller pattern, however Lehner proved he can persistently publish these numbers in opposition to high competitors in massive video games. There’s worth in that, and he’s due for a good higher elevate due to it.
Wayne SimmondsFive consecutive seasons of no less than 24 objectives and 45 factors and a median of 30 objectives and 56 factors over that span had Simmonds wanting like a main free agent candidate come the low season. His common season efficiency, nonetheless, harm him, as he managed solely 17 objectives and 30 factors in 79 video games this season whereas slipping down the lineup, and he didn’t assist his case as soon as he landed with the Nashville Predators. In 17 video games down the stretch, he scored one aim and 4 factors, and he didn’t handle to seek out the scoresheet within the post-season. Granted, he solely performed one full sport earlier than struggling a lower-body harm in Sport 2 of the opening spherical, however his total efficiency hurts. 
Patrick MaroonMaroon was a curious case final summer season. After consecutive 40-point seasons, some believed Maroon was in line for the sort of big-money, long-term deal that groups come to remorse. As an alternative, he needed to wait greater than every week after the opening of free company to discover a match and he did so by taking a hometown low cost to be nearer to his son in St. Louis. Matter of reality, he’s incomes a full $250,00zero much less this season than he was earlier than some strong years with the Edmonton Oilers. However Maroon’s play with the Blues this post-season goes to make sure he will get a pleasant deal on the open market, particularly from groups hungry so as to add measurement and depth scoring. Maroon’s three objectives and 7 factors in 18 video games aren’t earth-shattering totals, however they’re positive to be sufficient to create some summer season intrigue.
Petr MrazekThis isn’t meant as a knock in opposition to Mrazek, who was a season-saver for the Hurricanes and made a distinction along with his play down the stretch, however somewhat to say that his post-season play is prone to scale back the value Carolina is keen to pay to maintain the netminder round subsequent season, which is what they appear sure to do.
In the course of the common season, Mrazek turned in a strong .914 SP and a pair of.39 GAA to associate with 4 shutouts throughout his 40 appearances, however he merely couldn’t discover the identical kind within the playoffs. Although he had some good outings, together with a 31-save goalie-duel victory over Lehner and the New York Islanders in Sport 1 of the second spherical, Mrazek struggled with consistency and ended up ceding the beginning job to fellow unrestricted free agent goaltender Curtis McElhinney by the top of the Hurricanes’ four-game defeat by the hands of the Boston Bruins within the Japanese Convention ultimate. Ending with an .894 SP within the post-season isn’t going to do a lot to get Mrazek, who earned $1.5 million this season, the elevate that he may have earned if his common season efficiency carried over to the playoffs.
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Tags: free company, listsConnect: Concerning the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and net editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the crew since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he could be discovered lacking the online on out of doors rinks throughout city.