UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE
UFA Defensemen
Not a lot of defensemen are available this year, and most of them are best suited to a third pairing, so expect to see some overpayments. Teams looking to sign a UFA defenseman who can handle the toughest minutes better get in on the bidding for shut-down specialists Rob Scuderi and Toni Lydman or, failing that, Ron Hainsey. After that, there's a steep drop-off.
Those teams looking for a solid veteran 4th defenseman have arguably eight options – Marek Zidlicky, Michal Rozsival, Douglas Murray, Ryan O'Byrne, Joe Corvo, Jordan Leopold, Andrew Ference and Ryan Whitney. Of them, Zidlicky is certainly the most attractive both offensively and in driving possession while remaining decent defensively – unfortunately he'll likely come with a steep price tag.
Bargain-hunters looking to add offense might get a deal on the injury-prone Whitney, who is coming off a bad year – those less willing to take risks might opt for Corvo. Murray and O'Byrne are both defense-only options, while the others offer a mix of both offense and defense, with Michal Rozsival standing out statistically as the slight favourite.
The remaining defensemen are veteran third-line options, and the key is to avoid paying much more than a million or a million and a half for such players.
Closing Word
Player Usage Charts are sometimes known as “Sledgehammer Charts” for driving massive holes in arguments made for those enjoying favorable playing conditions. By looking at how players are being deployed it's possible to put their statistics in the proper context, making it easier to find bargains and to avoid the UFA
day duds. ◉
Rob Vollman