No player in the NHL this past season delivered more bang for his team's buck than Florida Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison. The 27-year-old emerged as one of the league's better two-way defenseman while averaging nearly 24 minutes of ice time per game.
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound defenseman played solid hockey in his own zone in each of the last two seasons. Given greater offensive responsibilities this season for the first time in his pro career, Garrison responded with 16 goals (9 on the power play) and 33 points.
Not a bad return on investment for a player making only $700,000 ($675,000 cap hit).
Garrison can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. No matter where he goes, he'll be in line for a huge raise. He'll have no shortage of suitors.
Garrison has stated that he's interested in staying with the Panthers. However, the British Columbia native also recently gave a radio interview to a Vancouver station in which he said that the Canucks would be very high on his list of alternative destinations if he hits the open market.
Of course, things have a way of changing in a hurry in free agency. If the Flyers are unable to land unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter or trade for restricted free agent Shea Weber, a player like Garrison could move to the top of their shopping list of defensemen who can play on the power play and contribute in other areas.
Whenever it comes to signing defensemen on the open market, there is a significant risk of overpayment. I don't think Garrison will go the way of Jeff Finger and other blueliners who came out of nowhere one year to have a strong season, cashed in on a big free agent contract and then wound up a waiver wire candidate within a year or two. However, there are absolutely no guarantees that Garrison's outstanding 2011-12 season will be the norm for him in the years to come.
You never know how a player will respond when he gets his first big contract. Likewise, there is a significantly higher degree of pressure for a hockey player in Philadelphia -- or Vancouver for that matter -- than there is for someone in South Florida. These markets are especially tough on goalies and defensemen. Every turnover or coverage slip-up gets analyzed. The team can be winning but the boos can rain down if a few power plays go awry. There is also much more media presence and scrutiny, both in the regular season and the early rounds of the playoffs.
If Garrison were to wind up being a Flyer or Canuck, could he handle the added external pressure? In fact, it might be even tougher on him if he's playing near his hometown, which is a "dream" situation that can easily turn into a nightmare. Of course, the flip side of the risk is the potential rewards for success. When a player does well in a hockey-crazed market, there are a host of perks that come with it.
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