RFA Lowdown: Facts, Stats And Circumstances Facing Swayman, Perfetti And Alexandrov
The NHL's training camps are well underway, but there are a few players still in need of contracts for the 2024-25 season – specifically, a handful of youngsters who are restricted free agents. So let's look at those players and see if we can point out where their individual situations are likely to take them in the next few weeks.
The most prominent RFA at the moment is Boston Bruins No. 1 goaltender Jeremy Swayman. Bruins GM Don Sweeney spoke out this week about his disappointment that Swayman hasn't yet agreed to a new deal, but clearly, Swayman's agent and Sweeney aren't agreeing on the dollar amount he should be earning this coming year or the contract length.
We can see why Swayman's potential contract demands are considerably large. The 25-year-old posted a .916 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average in a career-high 44 games in 2023-24, while the season prior, he had a 2.27 G.A.A. and .920 SP in 37 games. Even with new Bruins backup Joonas Korpisalo coming in and playing 30-35 games, Swayman will likely be leaned on to play somewhere in the area of 45-50 games this year, so it's understandable why he'd want to get a major raise on the $3.475 million he earned last year.
Now, what should that new salary look like? It's a seller's market for Swayman, so we're expecting at the very least, he'll get $8.63 million – the exact amount of money Boston has left on its salary cap. But if Swayman is looking for more, the Bruins are going to have to make roster changes and deplete their depth in other areas, so we're thinking Sweeney is drawing a line in the sand. And if Swayman wants to hit a bigger home run two or three years from now, he can sign a short-term pact that makes him one of the NHL's top-earning netminders.
Related: The Bruins And Swayman Saga IntensifiesMeanwhile, the next most prominent RFA is Winnipeg forward Cole Perfetti. The 22-year-old generated 19 goals and 38 points in 71 games last season, and the Jets have $5.77 million in cap space to bring him on board for 2024-25. Perfetti struggled later in the season, so he doesn't have the kind of leverage Swayman has in Boston. But a deal similar to what New Jersey just gave youngster Dawson Mercer – $4-million per season, for the next three years – could be enough to get a deal done for Perfetti.
Related: Five NHL Pre-Season Predictions For The Blackhawks, Blues And The Central DivisionFinally, St. Louis Blues forward Nikita Alexandrov, is still an RFA. He made $816,667 last season and put up only two assists in 23 games, so he's not likely to get a raise of any kind, and the Blues have only $1.26 million in cap space anyway. Blues GM Doug Armstrong can afford to be patient with the 24-year-old Alexandrov, so we can see this particular predicament dragging on for a few more weeks, unlike the scenarios of Swayman and Perfetti. And if Alexandrov isn't satisfied with what Armstrong has to offer, going back to his native Russia and playing in the Kontinental League is a serious option for him.
Each RFA's situation is different, but one thing is common for them – the longer they wait, the harder it will be for them to get up to speed with their teammates and opponents who've been participating in training camp. Swayman, Perfetti and Alexandrov have to decide on their own what's best for them, but being on the sidelines obviously isn't best, and the faster they rectify the issues they face, the easier the season will be for them.
Related: Four Notable PTO Signings Around The NHL Related: Six NHL Free Agents Who Didn't Get A Tryout Related: Red Wings Pay More For Seider Than Recent NHL Comparables This story was originally published September 21, 2024, 5:20 PM.
