The 2024-25 season is less than two months away, yet there are still many players who have true star potential that remain restricted free agents (RFAs). Normally, this wouldn’t mean a whole lot, as RFAs often take some time before agreeing to terms on a new deal. While offer sheets are always a possibility, they are so rare that teams don’t seem to fear the opportunity of dealing with one. That’s now changed.
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The St. Louis Blues made huge waves across the hockey community this past week when they signed Edmonton Oilers RFAs Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to two-year deals. This was an opportunity the Calgary Flames missed out on, as both are well on their way to becoming good NHL players. It will hopefully show general manager Craig Conroy just how valuable offer sheets can be, and may even get him to look at sending one himself before the 2024-25 season begins. Should he consider doing so, these four are ones worth considering.
Matty Beniers, C
Matty Beniers isn’t just the best remaining RFA available, he’s also one of the best young talents in the game. The second overall pick from the 2021 Draft has all sorts of star potential, and in 2022-23 scored 24 goals and 57 points in what was an impressive rookie season.
Though Beniers’ numbers regressed slightly in 2023-24, he’s just 21 years old, and will undoubtedly get things back on track. He would immediately become the face of the Flames future, and while the Seattle Kraken will want to do everything they can to keep him around, their hands could be tied depending on what the offer comes in at, as they only have roughly $5.5 million in cap space.
Dawson Mercer, C
Yet another RFA who plays a position the Flames could use help in is Dawson Mercer. Though Mercer doesn’t have as high of a ceiling as Beniers, he is an exceptional young talent in his own right. He’s hit the 20-goal mark twice in his three NHL seasons, and had a career-high 56 points in 2022-23.
The New Jersey Devils wouldn’t be too keen on losing Mercer, who they took 18th overall in 2020. They too could find themselves hard-pressed to match a deal, however, as they have just over $5.7 million in cap space. Given Mercer’s impressive showing early in his career, giving him a contract with a salary larger than that wouldn’t be the worst decision for another team, such as the Flames, to make.
Nick Robertson, LW
Though not the same calibre player as Beniers or Mercer, a cheaper option the Flames could consider is Nick Robertson. The 22-year-old doesn’t seem all too willing to return to the Toronto Maple Leafs after requesting a trade following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season.
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Robertson scored 14 goals and 27 points in 56 games last season, solid totals given that he received little playing time. He has proven he can produce in the American Hockey League (AHL) and is certainly worth considering. The Maple Leafs also have less than $1 million in cap space, which means he could be had for a much cheaper price than the two mentioned above.
Thomas Harley, D
Aside from Moritz Seider, the most intriguing RFA defenceman is Thomas Harley. The 22-year-old really burst onto the scene this past season, registering an impressive 15 goals and 47 points in 79 games. That appears to only be the beginning for the young defenceman, who was selected 18th overall in 2019.
On top of his great offensive instincts, Harley also brings plenty of size at 6-foot-4, 206 pounds. That size, along with his top-notch skating ability, allows for him to be steady defensively as well. The Flames already have some blue line prospects that have plenty of offensive potential, but adding one that has proven he can produce at the NHL level is something worth considering.
Offer Sheets Worth the Risk
The thought amongst fans is that offer sheets generally don’t take place as front offices don’t want to irritate one another. While it can certainly do that, the reward outweighs the potential risk. The Blues decided to take that risk, and could soon end up with two very good young players on their roster as a result. The Flames should take note of that and consider the offer sheet approach moving forward, whether this offseason or in the years to come.
