The Anaheim Ducks filled a need at forward by tapping into the lightly populated remaining free agent market, signing veteran Chris Stewart to a one-year deal. Terms were not disclosed, but Andy Strickland of CBS Sports Radio in St. Louis reports the deal is worth $1.7 million.
It’s a budget-effective addition for the Ducks, who remain well below the salary cap as one of the teams getting the most bang for their buck.
For Stewart, the $1.7 million figure gives him the lowest annual salary since coming off of his entry-level contract at the end of the 2009-10 season. His last contract, a two-year deal, paid him an annual average of $4.15 million.
The cost-effective deal is partially due to this being a buyer’s market for free agents, especially now with fewer openings on NHL rosters. It’s also indicative of the somewhat precipitous fall of Stewart’s stock over the last few seasons.
The veteran forward had 36 points last season over 81 games. That represented a 10-point improvement from the previous season, but still well below the high bar he set for himself early in his career.
Over 463 NHL games, Stewart has collected 264 points including 129 goals.
The Ducks will be Stewart’s fifth team in his eight-season NHL career. He spent most of last year with the Buffalo Sabres before being traded to the Minnesota Wild. The 27-year-old finished the season strong with 11 points in 20 games for Minnesota, but posted just two assists in eight postseason contests.
Anaheim is getting good value on this deal, as Stewart has some size and physicality. Put him in the right situation and he might be able to produce again, especially with the multitude of offensive weapons at the Ducks’ disposal.
There doesn’t appear to be much hope that Stewart will regain the touch he had earlier in his career when he posted back-to-back 28-goal seasons. He also had 18 goals during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign.
His last contract proved to be a disastrous one as his top-six level production dried up while with the St. Louis Blues and later the Sabres. Putting up just 62 points for $8.3 million spread out over two seasons and three teams was awfully disappointing.
Now on a more affordable deal, the Ducks don’t have to try to force Stewart to be something he’s not. He can bring value in a bottom-six role, and has enough versatility that they can experiment with him in the top six if there's a need.
The contract also puts Stewart in a position to prove himself, which may be what he needs after building up such high expectations early in his career. That’s where this deal could end up working out very well for both the team and the player. It’s a nice low-risk addition for the Ducks in that regard.
