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What’s it like being an unrestricted free agent? Depends who you ask. Because every situation is different.
For me, it was always pretty straightforward. My role as a No. 3 goaltender was well defined by the midpoint of my career. I just needed a place to play.
But for NHL regulars, and especially the superstars, there is so much to consider when free agency opens up on Wednesday, July 13. Money is always at the forefront. And fit with a team matters. But I think the most important factor is gut instinct.
I was lucky: most offseasons it was pretty clear which team represented my best option. My agent would keep me up to date on which franchises he thought were going to have openings in goal, and we’d come up with a game plan.
Early in my career, we weren’t allowed to speak to NHL clubs in advance of free agency. So it was always something of a guessing game until actual offers came in on July 1. We knew which teams were likely to have interest. But I was always nervous until an actual offer came across the table.
Nothing was a sure bet during those years. Teams and agents were very leery of tampering accusations. And for someone like myself that’s very risk-averse, it was brutal. I was always so nervous.
But the market usually worked itself out. Allain Roy, who represented me for all but my first pro season, was really good at navigating the market and presenting me with potential landing spots. Our discussions were always easy because we were both realistic. I knew what my market value was. And I was clear about which NHL organizations I had a desire to play for, if given the choice.
People often ask me how hard it was to choose a team to sign with. And truthfully, I think my answer was always a little disappointing: the first deal offered.
My logic was that whichever team offered first wanted me the most. And even if the money wasn’t quite where I thought it should be, I probably had the best chance of getting to play. And for a depth goalie like myself, that also meant the best chance at getting called up to the NHL.
The best example of that line of thinking was when I signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the summer of 2013. I felt that the minor-league dollars were below my market value. But I knew that I’d have a chance to work with goalie coach Ian Clark, who I thought was one of the best in the world. So that was a major selling point.
I felt comfortable taking the deal, and it was a great decision. Clark reinvented my game, and I earned a month-long NHL call-up. By the end of the season, the dollars worked out. I was happy. And I hope the Blue Jackets were as well. It was a good contract for both sides.
I was never someone that was willing to sit around waiting for a better deal to come along. Because it might not. I’d seen goaltenders price themselves out, then end up having to go to Europe when a suitable contract couldn’t be found later in the summer. That scared me.
When you’re a No. 3 goaltender, the market isn’t very big. Most of the signings happen in the first two days of free agency. I never wanted to be left without a seat when the music stopped.
But sometimes a deal is offered that you just can’t get excited about. And that’s a really bad feeling when it’s the only contract offered. I’ve been there before. Coming off two straight AHL Calder Cup Final appearances with the Syracuse Crunch and Texas Stars, I thought for sure something decent would be available in the summer of 2018.
What happened really caught me out. I had one suitor: the Ottawa Senators. And it was a low-ball offer from a team that had just endured a horrific season from a PR standpoint. The Senators were probably the last team in the NHL that I wanted to sign with. I’d already been burned by the organization once during the 2011-12 season.
My gut said it was a bad deal. But I wanted to play one more season so that my youngest daughter could remember me as an active hockey player. And the Senators were very persuasive. They reassured me that the setup in Belleville would be good for our young American family that included our oldest daughter entering kindergarten.
Things didn’t go as planned. My gut was right. And while I’m thankful to have played in the NHL for longer than any other during my career, there was a cost. I hardly saw my family for four months — when they were the main reason why I was playing in the first place.
In retrospect, I’m still glad I took the deal with Ottawa. It was an eyes-wide-open moment where I knew what I was getting into. But it doesn’t change the fact that my gut instinct was right.
And that’s really what being an unrestricted free agent is about. There are always pros and cons to contracts offered. And you need an agent that’s honest and realistic. But most importantly, what you feel on the inside is what matters most. You can’t fool your own gut. It always knows best.
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