Erik Haula receiving tons of interest, but remains unsigned

Free agent center Erik Haula surprisingly has not signed his next contract with an NHL club yet. Going into the 2020 offseason, he was arguably the top center on the market, but finding a contract this year has been proven to be much more difficult than in recent years.

The COVID-19 pandemic across the world has affected people everywhere, and NHL teams were definitely included in its effects. Many teams do not have the freedom to spend up to the cap, like others have had in the past. Even with these factors, Haula has still received tons of interest.

According to Haula's agent, the forward has received at least 10-12 offers, but most of them appear to be low. It seems that the former Golden Gopher is mulling over the options of what team he wants to play for next for a while before ultimately making a decision.

TSN analyst Pierre LeBrun is shocked that Haula is still available:

“I am surprised he's still out there just based on the scarcity of UFA centres,” LeBrun stated. “Pandemic pricing has affected many free agents, some who have signed lower deals than expected, others who remain unsigned. And Haula is Exhibit A of a player who in an ordinary year, pre-COVID, would have been signed by now.”

Haula has dealt with knee injuries the past two seasons, but he is still a player that can help any team that is in need of center depth. Don't forget that just a couple of seasons ago, in the 2017-18 season, he had 29 goals and 55 points playing top-6 minutes for the Vegas Golden Knights.

The 29-year-old can contribute on both the penalty kill and powerplay, while also being above average in the faceoff dot. He is not a top line player, but he could definitely be a useful piece in the middle or bottom-six of any lineup.

It's only a matter of time before Haula signs, and my prediction is that he could be the steal of the offseason if he is put in the right situation.

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