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Best free agent signing to date?

October 17, 2020, 11:42 AM ET [25 Comments]
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In this edition of the hotstove, we share our thoughts on the best free agent signing thus far.

Todd Cordell

I thought Montreal did very well getting Tyler Toffoli for the price, and term, they did.

He is not a pure finisher but he will score goals because of the volume he generates. The Canadiens have struggled to find the net in recent years so they'll take any scoring boost they can get. Toffoli is also a big-time play driver and will help the Canadiens tilt the ice in their favor at 5v5. They were already good in that regard but Toffoli should push the envelope even further.

What I like about Toffoli is how he can seamlessly fit in on any line. He can compliment stars at the top of the lineup. He can also play on the 2nd unit and drive his own line.

While Montreal is still without any prolific point producers, per se, the signing of Toffoli allows them to ice a really balanced top-9 that can take care of business at both ends of the ice.

Michael Stuart

I'll take Ottawa's signing of Evgenii Dadonov here, with full appreciation that recency bias might be colouring my opinion. As I mentioned in my Senators blog earlier this week, the signing makes sense on a number of fronts:

1) The Senators acquired a really good player. He's a proven offensive weapon, having tallied at least 25 goals in each of his seasons since returning to the NHL. While his game might be lacking on the defensive side of the puck, that consistent track record as an offensive threat should help to take away some of the pressure on an otherwise young/inexperienced Ottawa roster.

2) The Senators were able to get this deal done at a really fair rate. The $5M number for three years is good for the team both in dollars and term. This is a top-tier 2020 free agent that they didn't have to overpay, which automatically makes the signing a win.

3) From an off-ice perspective, the signal that this signing sends to the fan base is huge. It says that the organization has both the capacity to spend money and the ability to attract high-end options on the market. With so many great prospects in the system, there's a clear opportunity for free agents in Ottawa. Not long ago, a move like this would have felt like something out of a dream for this organization.

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