Chandler Stephenson becomes a free agent on July 1st when the new league year in the NHL begins. The 6’0, 209lb center from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, will be looking to sign a contract that will set him and his family up for life. Stephenson turned 30 on April 22nd, and this could be his last chance at a large free-agent contract. He needs to weigh what’s most important to him, as he’ll have plenty of suitors around the league. Does he want the most money or the best chance to win? Here are five landing spots that would be a good fit for the left-shot center as he decides on his future:
Vegas Golden Knights
Stephenson blossomed in Vegas as he was given more opportunity and playing time than he received with the Capitals. He averaged only 11:40 of time on ice (TOI) with Washington, and once traded to Vegas, Stephenson’s TOI bumped to 18:25. “Stevie” has scored 14 or more goals every full season in Vegas and has eclipsed 60 points twice, including 65 points when the Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in the 22-23 season. Vegas has a lot of question marks to answer within their roster, and with limited cap space, GM Kelly McCrimmon has some tough decisions to make. Stephenson’s value to the Knights can’t be underestimated, he adds valuable depth to the forward group while playing wing and center. Vegas would like to bring him back, but it’s probably not in the cards.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins are looking for center help, and Stephenson could fit in nicely with Boston. He fits their style as a good 200 ft. center, with his top 30 finish in the 22-23 Selke Trophy race as evidence. The Saskatoon native also has elite skating ability that generates offensive chances for his linemates. Stephenson is better than 50% at the dot, which would be an upgrade for a Bruins team that struggled at the face-off circle all season. Stephenson would be a solid addition at the center position for Boston and would potentially be less expensive than another free agent center target, Elias Lindholm (No, please God, NO!). If Stephenson wants to win, the Bruins are probably the best landing spot for him because they’re consistently competitive and have money to spend.
Utah Hockey Club
The Arizona Coyotes are looking for a fresh start in Utah, and have a boatload of cap space to spend (over 43.5 million). The former “Desert Dogs” could use a solid responsible 2-way center to mentor some of the young talents currently on the roster like Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley, and Matias Miccelli. Stephenson has the experience of winning a Stanley Cup, and passing on some of the wisdom can only help the young core in Utah. Utah has the most cap space and could blow Stephenson away with a ridiculous offer, but how much does the new ownership in Utah want to make a splash? And is Stephenson a splashy enough signing?
Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim has a lot to be excited about right now, the new leaked jerseys are fire, and the Ducks have built a young talented group with the likes of Leo Carlsson, Troy Terry, Cutter Gauthier, Sam Colangelo, Mason McTavish, and Pavel Mintyukov, and could use some veteran leadership with Stanley Cup experience. Anaheim is in a similar position to Utah, with a brighter future. Stephenson could fill the void of veteran leadership within the forward group while fitting in seamlessly with his speed and skill.
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken has fallen off since surprising in the playoff a few years ago. Seattle has struggled to score goals and the speedy Stephenson could help add depth to a forward group that sometimes struggled. The Saskatoon native would be a good signing for a team looking for offense. Seattle has cap space to add a few forwards and could transform that group in free agency this off-season and be ready to compete for a playoff spot next season.
