On July 1, NHL teams can re-sign their own players or poach veterans, superstars — and even Stanley Cup champions — from other clubs. While a ton of names are available, a few key players have many possible options for their future. One of those is a Stanley Cup champion who had a complicated season for his club: 28-year-old J.T. Compher.
Compher carried a lot of the weight for the Avs this season, especially as the lineup was decimated with injuries, but he had a disappointing final stretch and playoff run. All that said, his versatility and ability to score goals and play in high-pressure situations will make him a coveted piece in the free agent market. Here are three potential landing spots for J.T. Compher.
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Colorado Avalanche could re-sign J.T. Compher
At the time of writing, the Avalanche have $13.5 million available in cap space and a few key pieces to re-sign, including Bowen Byram. But, if the club makes a trade–for example, moves on that Sam Girard deal that’s been rumored forever–there could certainly be room in the salary cap for Compher, who has progressed well in the Avalanche system, despite some hiccups.
If the Avalanche can offer Compher even $1 million more than his last deal (which was valued at $3.5 million following an arbitration filing, per CapFriendly), he might be enticed to stick around and continue to play on the team that helped him engrave his name on the Stanley Cup.
He’s proven that he can fill in for injuries, which is something the Avalanche need to worry about considering the captain, Gabriel Landeskog, is out again next year. And he’s good in the faceoff dot and on the penalty kill, two areas where the Avalanche need to improve, making him valuable to the organization. So, it’s very likely he could reach another deal in Colorado if the club can make the money work.
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Colorado’s divisional rivals could nab J.T. Compher
The Minnesota Wild have been looking to get over the hump and make it out of the playoff divisional rounds for some time. And, there’s something to be said about poaching a Stanley Cup winner from a divisional rival in an attempt to strengthen the roster and diminish the competition.
Compher fits in with Minnesota’s style of play, as the club focuses on defensive, trap-style hockey that lets Kirill Kaprizov shoulder the bulk of the offensive workload. Compher offers the penalty kill boost they need and can provide insight into how to make it out of the division. The club has roughly $9 million in cap space and a ton of contracts that come due in the immediate future, so the Wild could ink the young Compher to a longer-term deal.
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J.T. Compher could go to the Nashville Predators
Another divisional club could be interested in J.T. Compher: the Nashville Predators. As Barry Trotz prepares to take over, he could look at Compher as a player who fits the Predators’ mold. The club has $15.5 million in cap space and only a few RFAs to worry about this offseason. A majority of the club’s contracts come due next season, so signing Compher to a long-term deal could help ease the situation the Preds will find themselves in next year.
Compher provides a sort of veteran presence and, as he does with every aforementioned club, adds strength to the penalty kill. The Predators’ issue the past few seasons has been consistency, so the team will look to Compher to provide stability through the roster, complement Filip Forsberg offensively, and captain Roman Josi on both ends of the ice. The Predators can also likely offer Compher the most money, which could prove enticing for the 28-year-old forward.
