5 Affordable UFAs for Top-Six Help On The Wing

There are a lot of front offices around the National Hockey League looking for an offensive boost for their top six. And while every team would love to have a Jake Guentzel, a Jonathan Marchessault, or a Tyler Toffoli, not everyone has the cap space to afford those big ticket items.

With that in mind, we take a look at five of the top “affordable“ unrestricted free agent wingers who could offer a nice boost to any team's top six.

Anthony Duclair

Duclair had a sizzling finish to the 2023-24 season after being dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline, with eight goals and 15 points in 17 games. Overall, he topped the 20-goal mark for the third time in five seasons, finding the net 24 times. AFP Analytics sees him coming in at a 3-year, $4.3 million AAV, about a million higher than his midseason projection due to his strong showing for Tampa.

Anthony Mantha

Mantha just revealed earlier this week that he will not be back with the Vegas Golden Knights, who acquired him as a rental from the Washington Capitals at the trade deadline. Unlike Duclair, Mantha had a disappointing finish to his season after the trade, recording just three goals for Vegas in 18 games. But overall, his 23-goal effort on the year could earn him a three-year deal at $4.75 million AAV, per AFP. His slow finish to the campaign could potentially bring down that price.

Max Domi

The Toronto Maple Leafs are still hoping to bring back Domi, and the feeling is mutual, but nothing is done as of yet. If he makes it to July 1st, his nine-goal season may hurt his value in negotiations, and AFP has him listed at a two-year, $3.575 AAV on the open market. He does have 20-goal chops in a good year.

Jason Zucker

It was a down season for the formerly productive forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins (27 goals in 2022-23) and Minnesota Wild (five 20-goal seasons in six years). Now 32, his 14-goal season should see him take a hit in the pocketbook from the $5.3 million he earned this past season. He's projected to land a two-year deal worth about $3.7M annually.

Michael Amadio

More of a complementary piece for the middle-six, Amadio has been nothing if not consistent in his two seasons in Vegas, registering 27 points both years while averaging about 13 minutes a night over that period, and had 14 goals this season and 16 the year before. After not having cracked the million dollar mark in salary yet in his career, he is set to eclipse that this summer, per AFP, potentially to come in at just over the $3M AAV mark over three years.