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The Impact of Free Agency: The Backend
Jul 10 2008 8:54AM
By Erin Bolen
The NHL free-agent market has slowed down with only an aging Mats Sundin as at premier target left on the open market. But in the 10 days since the opening of the free-agent period, several marquee free agents and hot names in the hobby world have changed addresses.
Last week, this column looked at some of the big-name forward free agents and the effect their new uniforms would have on their hobby values. This week, we examine the free agent defensemen and goalies that have moved.
Rob Blake, Los Angeles to San Jose
Dan Boyle, Tampa Bay to San Jose
Two very different defensemen ended up together as the Sharks put together a somewhat surprising overhaul of their defense. Blake, a veteran, stay-at-home defenseman, came to the Sharks via free agency while San Jose traded several assets to pick up offensive-defenseman Boyle.
Boyle, a high-priced, high-risk and high-reward defenseman, made a name for himself among hockey analysts in Tampa but never drew a lot of interest on the hobby market. The trip to San Jose should bring up his value, if only slightly, because the Sharks are one of the most desirable non-traditional teams.
Blake has a solid following stemming from his time in Colorado and Los Angeles. Though he is definitely at the tail end of his career, he has a small group of ardent collectors and shouldn't see much of a change in value.
Brian Campbell, San Jose to Chicago
The Sharks prize from the trade deadline didn't stick around long. Campbell turned down a better financial deal from the Thrashers to head to Chicago, and his hobby status will benefit even if his wallet will not.
The Blackhawks have been on the edge of true contention for years with a corps of young talent. But their blueline has been a weakness and their goalies inconsistent. Campbell should, at the very least, provide some offense from the back end.
Chicago is a huge market, especially as the fans return to the franchise after a long cold war with its previous owner. Campbell won't hold the interest of the market like Johnny Toews and Patrick Kane, but he could establish a solid niche.
Cristobal Huet, Washington to Chicago
The former Montreal Canadiens netminder had a brief stop in Washington and now heads to Chicago as the apparent successor to Nikolai Khabibulin. A young goalie always has the potential for hobby growth, and with the Hawks supposedly on the edge of making the playoffs, Huet could see a huge uptick in interest if he backstops them to a good season.
Collectors also adore Chicago's uniform for the beautiful patch swatches. Both Campbell and Huet could have some six-or-seven color patches on the market after a long stint with the Hawks.
Wade Redden, Ottawa to New York Rangers
Redden, the premier shut-down defenseman on the market, commanded a huge salary from the Rangers to help stabilize the Blueshirts' blueline. And as several marquee names abandoned Broadway this off-season, there would seem to be a hole that Redden could fill in the hobby world.
Redden is not only a defensemen, he's a steady defenseman who picks up most of his points through assists rather than goals and has scored more than 10 goals only once in his career.
On the ice, he will be a huge asset to the Rangers. But that impact won't carry over to the hobby market.
Jose Theodore, Colorado to Washington
The veteran goalie's cold and hot streaks have made collectors crazy since he won the Hart and Vezina after the 2001-2002 season. Theodore will be playing with one of the most explosive NHL players in Alexander Ovechkin, but as a market, Washington is far from the hotbeds of Colorado of Montreal. Even though he has flashes of brilliance even still, he's definitely on the downside of his career and should start to fade from the hobby landscape during his stay in Washington.
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