SportsHockeyCanucks

11 decent penalty killers Canucks could target in free agency

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Jun 27 2023, 6:59 pm
11 decent penalty killers Canucks could target in free agency
Rick Osentoski | Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks have owned an atrocious penalty kill for far too long.

Over the last three seasons combined, the Canucks have killed off 75% of their penalties. That ranks 31st in the NHL, with only the Philadelphia Flyers being more inefficient.

You could blame coaching. However, as former Canuck Jannik Hansen put it during a radio interview last year, penalty killing has more to do with the players.

“The penalty kill is all about [being] reactionary. It’s all about the players. It’s all about communicating. It’s about reads, it’s about anticipation,” Hansen said.

By that logic, it’s clear that the Canucks’ league-worst penalty kill from 2022-23 needs an influx of guys who can do the job. Here are 11 players who have previously succeeded in penalty killing roles.

1. Noel Acciari, C/LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Noel Acciari was an above average penalty killer for two NHL teams last season.

With the St. Louis Blues, Acciari had the lowest expected goals against total (7.74/60) among all regular Blues penalty killers at 5-on-5.

While his underlying numbers did take a bit of a dip with the Maple Leafs, he was on the ice for the second-fewest scoring chances against per-60, behind only Zach Aston-Reese.

2. Pius Suter, C (Detroit Red Wings)

If the Canucks go the free agent route to upgrade their third line centre, Pius Suter is probably the best option on the market.

One of the reasons is because he’s a reliable penalty killer. Only one regular penalty killer on the Detroit Red Wings last season was on the ice for fewer shot attempts per 60 minutes. That was Filip Hronek.

3. Teddy Blueger, C/LW (Vegas Golden Knights)

Latvian native Teddy Blueger is an intriguing low-cost centre option for the Canucks in free agency.

He’s averaged more than two minutes per game shorthanded throughout his NHL career. Blueger has also registered a shorthanded point in each of his five NHL seasons.

4. Derek Grant, C (Anaheim Ducks)

Abbotsford native Derek Grant could provide some value in a depth centre role for the Canucks.

No forward on the Anaheim Ducks has logged more shorthanded ice time than Grant over the past three seasons. He’s been above average for the Ducks in that role, and only Isac Lundestrom has been better statistically among regular forward penalty killers in Anaheim.

5. Connor Brown, RW (Washington Capitals)

Even though a knee injury limited Connor Brown to four games last season, he’ll likely be a sought after free agent if he’s healthy enough to play.

Over the last three seasons, only Nashville Predators centre Colton Sissons has averaged more ice time per game on the penalty kill. Brown also led the league with five shorthanded goals back in 2020-21.

6. Ryan Graves, LD (New Jersey Devils)

Ryan Graves will be a top free agent target for teams looking to boost their top-four and penalty kill.

He’s exactly the type of player Vancouver needs, although he won’t come cheap. His projected contract from AFP Analytics is a five-year deal worth $5.1 million per season.

Last season with the Devils, his 2:20 in averaged four-on-five ice time per game was second on the team. His 6.5 expected goals against per-60 also ranked first among regular New Jersey Devils penalty killers.

7. Carson Soucy, LD/RD (Seattle Kraken)

There are some reasons to be wary of Carson Soucy as a free agent target.

However, on Seattle’s secondary penalty killing unit last season, Soucy was extremely effective while playing alongside Will Borgen last season. He’s also posted a better Corsi-against total while shorthanded, relative to teammates, in each of the past three NHL seasons.

8. Radko Gudas, RD (Florida Panthers)

The human hit machine himself, Gudas has also been a mainstay on the Florida Panthers penalty kill over the last three seasons, with underlying numbers right around league average.

Gudas also led the Panthers in blocked shots per 60 minutes while shorthanded last season.

9. Mat Dumba, RD (Minnesota Wild)

Saskatchewan native Matt Dumba has really reinvented his game since first entering the NHL.

He was once known as a prolific point producer from the blue line, but Dumba is now more of a defence-first player who hits and blocks shots.

Dumba has excelled in a secondary penalty killing role for the Wild (behind Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin). In each of the last four seasons, Dumba has posted a Corsi-against that’s been better relative to his team’s average.

10. Ian Cole, LD (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Despite being 34 years old, Ian Cole was a top-pairing, penalty killing defenceman for the Tampa Bay Lightning last season.

He posted above average numbers in that role relative to his teammates, with Victor Hedman standing out as the only Lightning defenceman with better PK metrics than Cole.

11. Niko Mikkola, LD (New York Rangers)

Hulking Finnish defenceman Niko Mikkola saw his underlying number slip on the penalty kill last season. However, in the two years prior, the St. Louis Blues allowed 15 fewer shot attempts per-60 while shorthanded with Mikkola on the ice.

ADVERTISEMENT