I know it's been a while. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup, the Sharks did not, other teams got screwed by them. Yes, there's been a lot of news and notes and now we have entered the perfect time to get back into a hockey mix: NHL free agency, or as I like to call it, where players screw their original teams for more money. So how about we take a look at two players who left their respective teams to join the Carolina Hurricanes?
And do the names Lee Stempniak and Viktor Stalberg come to mind when you think hockey? Probably not in a star-studded way, but here they are. The Hurricanes have agreed to terms with Lee Stempniak on a two-year contract while Viktor Stalberg just got a one-year.
Lee Stempniak is set to make $2.5 million this season, as well as in 2017-18 and has 19 goals and 32 assists in 82 games with New Jersey and Boston this past season. So now Stempniak will head down the coast to Carolina in hopes to continue making an impact on a new season. I remember Lee Stempniak when he was with the Calgary Flames back in 2008 and now he's been jumping around a bunch of different teams, like St. Louis, Toronto, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and the New York Rangers. He has had a stellar career, no doubt about it, but he has been jumping around a lot like a frog that just had too many cups of coffee.
In the meantime, Viktor Stalberg turns 30 years old and is set to make $1.5 million this season. Not as much as Stempniak, but Stalberg has proven to be a tough player who can score when necessary. Last season, he had nine goals and 11 assists in 75 games with the Rangers. He has been quoted by GM Ron Francis. as being "another big strong player who can skate" and "adding size to our forward corps was a priority this offseason." Yeah, well, nine goals and 11 assists is not something I'm probably going to look forward to if I'm a Carolina Hurricane fan, but he has won the cup with the Blackhawks in 2013 so if he can make an impact somehow that can help carry this team up, then why not try it.
The Hurricanes have a long ways to go to get back to where they want to be. I guess trying out Stempniak and Stalberg are a good way to go, but is it a long-term solution. Stalberg is on a one-year contract and if he doesn't perform to what the Hurricanes want, then he's gone. Meanwhile, Stempniak seems to be closing in on the end of his career. He is not exactly the goal and assist career he was early in his career, so you would have to see how much he brings. I want Stempniak to do well wherever he goes, but at the same time, how much is left in the tank for him. 19 goals and 32 assists last season isn't bad, but those numbers look them they are starting to decline. I want to see how they play and if they can be impactful players on a rebuilding team, then they have a chance to get into the playoffs and potentially be a threat in the Eastern Conference.
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