NHL free agency: Lesser signings of note

As we begin day 2 of the NHL’s free agency period, with most of the big name players off the board, teams will start to get into the more lesser known side of things, signing players to either add depth to the NHL roster or help out their AHL team.

While most people don’t look twice at these offers, there are a couple that are of some note, whether it be due to the player’s history or performance last season. Here’s a few of those.

Gabriel Dumont to the Minnesota Wild

Dumont was captain of the St. John's IceCaps one year. Credit: St. John's IceCaps

During the Tampa Bay Lightning’s rebuilding phase, where the team went through injuries troubles as players like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point came into their own, one of the things that surprised most people was the performance of their AHL call ups.

Despite not producing a ton offensively, their defensive acumen was what kept the Bolts in a lot of games down the stretch. Gabriel Dumont was one of those players. A former 5^th round pick in 2009, Dumont spent the first half of his career as a spare part in the Montreal Canadiens organization, getting the odd call up here and there, but mostly being confined as a depth player with the Hamilton Bulldogs and St. John’s IceCaps.

Signed as a free agent by the Lightning in 2016, Dumont suddenly found himself playing consistent minutes every night, alongside other Canadiens castoffs like Mike Blunden and Michael Bournival. This ended with him receiving his first 1 way contract, though I didn’t amount to much in the end, as he spent last season entirely in the AHL.

A very physical player despite his small stature (5’10, 190 pounds) Dumont is an above average checking forward who’s useful on the penalty kill and can produce the odd offensive play now and then. While it’s likely he’ll spend the entire season with AHL Iowa, don’t be surprised if he gets the odd injury call up here and there. At 28 years old, he’s still got gas left in the tank.

Harry Zolnierczyk to the New York Rangers

Harry Zolnierczyk with the Nashville Predators. Credit: NHL.com

Another checking forward, though of a different kind this time, Harry Zolnierczyk was one of the more enjoyable players to watch during the Nashville Predators Stanley cup run in 2016-17.

An undrafted free agent out of Brown University, Zolnierczyk started his career with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing 37 games for them in 2011-12, establishing himself as a hard hitter with speed to burn and pretty good hands. In many ways, Zolnierczyk is a more skilled version of Gabriel Dumont, bringing the same grit and intensity, but with a more offensive edge, which makes him even more dangerous on the penalty kill and especially out of the penalty box. Think a discount Paul Byron and your there.

Since his 24-game stint with the Preds, where coach Peter Laviolette chose to play him over more talented forwards like P.A Parenteau, Zolnierczyk hasn’t played in the NHL, spending the past 2 years with AHL Milwaukee and Springfield. If anything, he brings consistent scoring to New York’s farm team, and great leadership abilities as well. At 31 years old, he’s just entering the end of his prime, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s giving at least 1 more NHL shot.

Daniel Carr to the Nashville Predators

Daniel Carr with the Montreal Canadiens. Credit: Minas Panaglotakis/Getty Images sport

For many Habs fans, the question ever since he left has been,

When will Daniel Carr finally get another NHL opportunity?

The former Montreal Canadiens prospect, who was signed to the team as an undrafted free agent, has just come off a season where he won AHL MVP, as his Chicago Wolves made an appearance in the Calder Cup finals. With 71 points in 52 games, he was on pace for well over 100 points, a feat the AHL hasn’t seen in a while.

Despite this though, he was only given a 6-game cup of coffee with the Vegas Golden Knights, as the team chose to use guys like Tomas Nosek and Brandon Pirri instead. Now, on his 3^rd organization in 3 years, here’s hoping Carr can finally prove himself as a legitimate NHL player.

Possessing good hands, a strong shot, and solid passing abilities, Carr’s plays a very well rounded, 200-foot game, standing out during a rather weak 2015-16 season for the Canadiens. While Carr will have to fight for his job on a rather depth filled Nashville Predators team, don’t be surprised if we see him get at the most another cup of coffee, and if he stays healthy, win AHL MVP for the 2^nd year in a row.

Daniel Carr's hands on full display.

Tomas Jurco to the Edmonton Oilers

Tomas Jurco with the Charlotte Checkers. Credit: NHL.com

I was fortunate enough (I guess) to catch Tomas Jurco’s weird mid-season success story from NHL castoff to Calder Cup Champion, right as it unfolded. A former 2^nd round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, Jurco was a key part of their bottom six for the better part of 3 years, before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. Following an unimpressive stint there, he received no offers for the 2018-19 season until January, where the Florida Panthers affiliate signed him to a 1 year deal.

After a solid start, recording 10 points in 14 games, he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, where he became a key part of their Calder Cup run, recording 18 points in 18 playoff games. Now signed to a 1 way deal with the Oilers, it’s expected that Jurco will start the season in the NHL, marking an impressive turnaround for the Czech Native. With great speed and hands, he’ll hopefully bring some offensive spark to an Oilers squad that was lacking in it last year.

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