Mikael Granlund, one of the vital outstanding free agent facilities, signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Geese value $7 million yearly on Tuesday.
Granlund was already going to be a participant to observe coming into free company along with his most up-to-date group, the Dallas Stars, dealing with a wage cap disaster that made it difficult to supply something remotely near what the 33-year-old might obtain on the open market.
It initially appeared that this specific free company window may very well be a somewhat profitable one for facilities. And it was, however not in the way in which most would have anticipated with facilities equivalent to Sam Bennett, Matt Duchene, Brock Nelson and John Tavares remaining their present groups and Jonathan Toews signing along with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.
That meant any group searching for a top-six or a top-nine middle would seemingly be pressured to pay high greenback to accumulate anybody who was obtainable, permitting Granlund, who may also play on the wing, to ink the richest deal of his life with a franchise that is making an attempt to make the playoffs in 2025-26.
Granlund is a three-time 20-goal scorer who completed with 22 targets and 66 factors in a season that began with the San Jose Sharks earlier than he was traded to the Stars. He was a part of a setup of 5 Finnish gamers in Dallas with Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Mikko Rantanen that was nicknamed “The Finnish Mafia.”
The Finnish Mafia performed an instrumental function within the Stars advancing to the Western Convention ultimate for a 3rd consecutive season earlier than they have been eradicated by the Edmonton Oilers for a second 12 months in a row.
Granlund being a two-way, top-nine middle who could be trusted in each scenario is why the Stars wished to maintain him, however it’s additionally why they could not afford to.
Enter Anaheim.
Lacking the postseason for seven consecutive seasons supplied the Geese with the infrastructure to construct via the draft. They used that capital to construct their present roster round Troy Terry, Leo Carlsson, Lukas Dostal, Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe and Mason McTavish solely to then add extra younger expertise through commerce, which is how they bought Cutter Gauthier and Drew Helleson.
Ending with 80 factors for the primary time since 2018-19 season created the expectation that the Geese may very well be able to soar to new heights subsequent season.
That led to Geese common supervisor Pat Verbeek firing coach Greg Cronin after two seasons and hiring Joel Quenneville, who guided the Chicago Blackhawks to a few Stanley Cup titles.
Verbeek additionally acquired New York Rangers winger Chris Kreider through commerce final month to offer his membership a veteran top-nine ahead and dealt ahead Trevor Zegras, who was as soon as the face of the Geese’ youth motion, together with goaltender John Gibson to offer the membership greater than $35.9 million in cap area.
It created the concept that the Geese might make a signing in free company whereas maintaining cap area put aside for pending restricted free brokers equivalent to Dostal, McTavish and Helleson.
They used it to signal Granlund with the thought he may very well be used down the center or on the sting to strengthen a high six that would critically problem for one of many two Western Convention wild-card spots after ending 16 factors behind the St. Louis Blues for the ultimate playoff berth in 2024-25.