If you were disappointed in the Jason Blake signing well he wasn't the only free agent disappointment. Of the top 25 scorers in the NHL in 2007-08, not a single one was acquired as a free agent last summer. The top free agents were Daniel Briere (28th) and Scott Gomez (37th), and it took a boat full of money for the next 7 years or so to sign them. And for that you get 70-point seasons from players at the supposed peak of their careers.
Of the top 50 NHL scorers, only 14% were acquired through free agency. Most of these top scorers were still playing for the team that drafted them. The lesson here is, if you're a team like Toronto that will be looking to add a scorer via free agency in the off-season, be prepared to (a) overpay and (b) receive dwindling production. So hang onto Sundin until you can develop your own scorers. With the salary cap and parity, most teams are able to afford their top stars and sign them long term.
12 years ago
