It has been some years since the annual July 1st “Free Agent Frenzy” actually contained a batch of free agents worth dedicating several hours of TV to. This summer promises to be one of the busiest free agency periods the NHL has seen since the last lockout, with teams looking ahead to the Seattle Expansion Draft and the stipulations they need to meet.
While it would be amazing if Jim Benning were to acquire a forward such as Artemi Panarin, or an elite defenceman like Erik Karlsson, the reality of the Vancouver Canucks‘ situation is that star signings of such proven caliber are unlikely – the deadly combination of the Canucks’ poor record over the last four years, and the over-exaggerated impact of the “additional travel” experienced by the team will likely put off any true superstars from signing on July 1st.