Boone Jenner and four other centers combine for just 162 points across 331 games in 2025-26, setting up a seller’s market on July 1.
Scarce Supply Forces Quick Decisions
Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner, 33, posted 13 goals and 38 points in 67 games on a $3.75 million cap hit. His 13 NHL seasons make him the highest-profile name available despite zero playoff success in Columbus.
Los Angeles Kings acquisition Scott Laughton, 32, managed only 20 points in 64 games after a mid-season trade from Toronto yet provides penalty-kill and defensive structure teams crave. His prior $3 million deal suggests a similar or lower figure this summer.
Nashville Predators veteran Erik Haula, 35, reached 14 goals and 38 points in 81 games on a $3.15 million contract, extending his five-year streak of double-digit goal totals. Haula’s 840 regular-season games offer immediate lineup stability.
Defensive Metrics Dictate Contract Lengths
Utah Mammoth center Alex Kerfoot, 31, recorded 7 goals and 13 points in just 34 games on a $3 million cap hit, limiting his leverage to short-term minimum or near-minimum offers. His 639 career games still appeal to depth-needy clubs.
Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger, 31, tallied 9 goals and 17 points in 35 games on a $1.8 million deal while excelling on the penalty kill. Blueger’s 453 NHL appearances position him for a fourth-line role on a contending roster.
Ottawa Senators winger Claude Giroux, 38, led qualified NHL players with a 63.1 percent faceoff rate despite mostly playing right wing and finishing with 49 points in 82 games on a $2 million contract. His versatility adds another layer to the thin center pool.
Playoff Teams Benefit Most from Experience
Contenders needing faceoff help and shutdown minutes will absorb these veterans faster than rebuilding clubs. The July 1 opening creates a narrow window where modest salaries secure proven depth before training camp.
Teams avoiding long-term commitments will favor one-year pacts that preserve cap flexibility for 2027 trades or extensions. The absence of high-end scoring talent amplifies the value of these five players’ combined 1,932 regular-season games.
Claude Giroux’s faceoff dominance and Laughton’s defensive reliability illustrate why experience trumps raw production in this cycle.
By the 2027 trade deadline at least three of these five centers will have changed teams again after signing one-year deals this summer.
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Par Mike Jonderson
Mike Jonderson is a passionate hockey analyst and expert in advanced NHL statistics. A former college player and mathematics graduate, he combines his understanding of the game with technical expertise to develop innovative predictive models and contribute to the evolution of modern hockey analytics.