5 free agents who could become steals

The offseason has officially begun, and the free-agent frenzy is right around the corner. With the salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million for next season, general managers will be more desperate than ever to find low-cost impact players on the market while pinching their pennies.

We all saw what talents like Corey Perry and Pat Maroon were able to contribute to their clubs after inking team-friendly deals last offseason. The following players will likely be available at an appealing cost, and they could outplay their contracts in 2020-21.

Jason Spezza - C/RW Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

GP	G	A	P	ATOI	Cap hit
58	9	16	25	10:50	$700K

Spezza has made it clear he'd love to stay with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs if he plays in 2020-21, but it's uncertain the cap-strapped team can keep the veteran in its plans going forward. If the Leafs move on, lots of clubs could benefit from using Spezza in a depth role.

The 37-year-old put together a solid 2019-20 campaign while proving he can still contribute in several areas. Spezza produced more points per game last season (0.43) than he did in 2018-19 (0.35) despite logging considerably less ice time. He also showed off his versatility, playing center and wing throughout the season and winning 54.4% of his faceoffs.

Spezza's off-ice value also can't be overlooked. The 17-year pro adds plenty of experience, his teammates love him, and he's on a mission to end his career with a Stanley Cup win.

Mikael Granlund - LW/RW Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty

GP	G	A	P	ATOI	Cap hit
63	17	13	30	17:48	$5.75M

How quickly things can change. Nashville Predators general manager David Poile appeared to have fleeced the Minnesota Wild when he acquired Granlund for Kevin Fiala just over 18 months ago, but the latter has become the far more productive player ever since.

The aftermath of that trade could impact how much a team is willing to invest in Granlund. We're not suggesting the 28-year-old pivot will end up signing for low-end money, but his recent decline will likely prove costly. However, his offensive potential could lead to Granlund outperforming his next contract, making him a bargain candidate.

The 5-foot-10 Finn has registered a pair of 60-plus point seasons, and he's capable of playing throughout the lineup. Granlund has also been a strong possession player for most of his career, and the Predators boasted an impressive 62.42% of expected goals when he was on the ice at five-on-five in 2019-20.

Henrik Lundqvist - G Jared Silber / National Hockey League / Getty

GP	GAA	SV%	GSAA	Cap hit
30	3.16	.905	-4.16	$8.5M

Despite Lundqvist's bona fides, it's unlikely a team will overpay for a No. 2 goalie, so he should be available for a reasonable price if the veteran continues his career. It's tough to picture King Henrik in another jersey, but taking a chance on him wouldn't be the worst idea for a contender looking to shore up its crease.

The 2012 Vezina Trophy winner has declined statistically in recent years, but he didn't receive much help from a Rangers team that's been one of the worst defensively over the past several seasons. Fulfilling a lighter role for a stronger club could help give Lundqvist a second wind. At the very least, his presence and experience would be invaluable to a Stanley Cup contender.

Tyler Ennis - LW/RW Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty

GP	G	A	P	ATOI	Cap hit
70	16	21	37	14:43	$800K

Ennis was on our 2019 edition of potential free-agent steals, and for good reason. The veteran winger's production in 2019-20 far outweighed his six-figure contract. Although he's due for a slight raise, Ennis should still be a low-cost option who can provide plenty of value.

The 30-year-old paced all players making under $1 million who were not on entry-level deals last season in both goals and points. He outscored multi-million dollar pending free-agent forwards such as Granlund, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Craig Smith despite logging less ice time per game than the former two.

Ennis also plays a lot larger than his 5-foot-9 frame suggests, as evidenced by his career-high 96 hits last season. His mix of grit and skill makes him a versatile talent who can play up and down a club's lineup.

Wayne Simmonds - RW Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

GP	G	A	P	ATOI	Cap hit
68	8	17	25	14:55	$5M

Despite his body of work, it became clear that Simmonds' value had dropped after he managed just a one-year contract last offseason. The 6-foot-2 winger failed to meet expectations in 2019-20, so he'll likely be securing a far less lucrative salary now.

However, Simmonds spent 2019-20 playing for a pair of struggling teams in the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. His ice time dropped noticeably with Buffalo, and he wasn't able to find his game before the season was cut short in March.

Simmonds' days as a top-six option are clearly behind him, but the 32-year-old power forward can still bolster a club's depth. He recorded 145 hits last season while also showing he can still contribute on the power play, recording five of his eight tallies with the man advantage.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)

Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.