The 2024 free agent class is stockpiled full of great talent, some of which will find new homes this summer. One of the biggest spenders this offseason might be NHL Utah, who in their first offseason in franchise history has one of the most cap space in the league. With owner Ryan Smith most likely wanting the team to be competitive in their first season in Salt Lake City, general manager Bill Armstrong will have a good selection of forwards to try to sign to help his core succeed next season. Here are three forwards Utah could sign during free agency.
Steven Stamkos
There’s no doubt that if Steven Stamkos hits the open market, he will be the most sought-after free agent this offseason. The Tampa Bay Lightning’s captain has been instrumental in helping his team be one of the model franchises in the league. He went to four Stanley Cup Finals with the Lightning in 2015, 2020, 2021, and 2022, winning two Stanley Cups. His team also won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2019 and two Atlantic Division championships in 2018 and 2019.
Individually, Stamkos has been one of the best players in the past decade. He has won two Rocket Richard Trophies and has been a seven-time All-Star. Statistically, he has had seven 40-plus goal campaigns and multiple 80-plus point seasons. He’s a player who will automatically be one of the best players on any team that is fortunate to sign him.
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NHL Utah has enough cap space to fit Stamkos into their plans if they choose to. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is coming off an eight-year, $8.5 million average annual value (AAV) contract. After a season that saw him score 81 points in 79 games and six points in five playoff games, he’ll most likely be commanding a similar value on what could be his final contract. It all depends on how long he wants to sign for. Smith likes to swing for the fences so it wouldn’t be surprising if he convinces Armstrong to go after the top player on the market. While the 2008 first-overall pick will probably head back to the Lightning, Utah could be an underdog to land him this July.
Martin Necas
Coming off of two good seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, Martin Necas could be the first casualty of the incoming cap crunch and changes the team would like to make. He was drafted 12th overall back in 2017 by the Hurricanes. After winning the Calder Cup with the Charlotte Checkers, the young forward carved himself a permanent roster spot in the NHL.
Necas is coming off of a 24-goal, 53-point 2023-24 season. However, he has shown that he can be a dominant player in the league after posting 71 points the season before. The Hurricanes have been rumored to part with the center for a while due to the incredible amount of free agents they will have to sign.
Necas was signed by the Hurricanes to a two-year extension back in 2022 worth $3 million AAV. Now, he most likely will double that figure after having two fantastic seasons. While the Hurricanes most likely can’t fit him in, Utah has plenty of cap space to bring the forward on board. Utah also will most likely want some more centers as they continue their climb back into the playoffs. He is only 25 years old, which is around the average age of the players on the team.
The only issue with acquiring Necas is that he is a restricted free agent, which means the Hurricanes have the power to retain his rights, so Utah will most likely have to trade some assets to try to sign him. Utah has numerous draft picks, enough to pry Necas out of the Hurricanes’ grasp. It just depends if Armstrong thinks it’s the right move for the organization.
Tyler Johnson
While not the flashiest name in the book, Tyler Johnson could be a sneaky pickup by Utah. After winning two Stanley Cups with the Lightning, he was sent to the Chicago Blackhawks for the final three seasons of his contract. On a horrible Blackhawks team, he put up back-to-back 30-plus point seasons while playing less than 75% of the season.
Now at 33 years old, Johnson most likely is approaching his final couple of seasons in the NHL. As a bottom-six forward, he’s still a valuable forward who will provide a nice veteran presence wherever he goes. With the departures of Jason Zucker and Matt Dumba at the trade deadline and even more youth coming into the lineup for Utah, there’s no doubt they might want to replenish that side of the team.
Johnson signed a seven-year, $5 million AAV contract back in 2017. He will be making less money on his new contract. The question is how much. Most likely it will be within the $2 to $3 million range. The other question will be if the Blackhawks will try to re-sign the forward. Similar to Utah, they’ll most likely try to sign some veterans to surround their youth. If Johnson hits the free-agent market, he could be a fantastic pickup for Utah.
It’ll be interesting to see what Utah will do in their first offseason to help their new core flourish and compete for a playoff spot next season. There will be a lot of players hitting the open market this free agency that could help the team immediately and into the future. Utah could be an underrated hot spot for free agents this summer and the newest team in the league could quickly become a competitive one.
