5 intriguing teams heading into NHL free agency

We'll be the first to admit: The 2023 unrestricted free-agent class is thin.

If you want someone to blame, point your finger at Nathan MacKinnon, David Pastrnak, Dylan Larkin, and Bo Horvat, who stripped the market of its star power by signing extensions with their current squads within the past nine months.

Luckily for us, a potentially red-hot trade market and some 2024 UFAs can make this summer extremely interesting, as squads will have to get more creative to make major improvements to their teams.

Here are five of the most intriguing squads heading into the free-agency period on July 1.

Winnipeg Jets

This summer may very well belong to wayward Winnipeg.

July 1 isn't a big day for the Jets in the sense that they'll be landing some big fish on the UFA market, but the early days of the offseason can mark a significant turning point for the organization.

Franchise mainstays Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and Connor Hellebuyck are set to become UFAs in 2024 and are all eligible to sign extensions on July 1. The problem is, none of them seem particularly interested in doing that. Oh, and pending restricted free agent Pierre-Luc Dubois has made it abundantly clear (again) that he wants to get the hell out of dodge.

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For those keeping track at home, that's four key players who might've already played their last game in a Jets jersey. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff isn't too keen on a rebuild, meaning the Jets will have to retool on the fly, but that's hard to do when you're potentially staring down three major holes in the lineup. No disrespect to Wheeler, but Dubois, Scheifele, and perennial Vezina Trophy candidate Hellebuyck are the major players here.

Luckily for Cheveldayoff, this UFA class isn't particularly strong, so he should be able to fetch a boatload for this disgruntled faction of his core. In terms of Scheifele and Hellebuyck (the former has a 10-team no-move clause, while the latter has no such protection), ripping off the Band-Aid now would benefit Winnipeg a lot more than losing them for nothing a year from now.

Get the right players back in a trade and fill out the rest with some UFA signings (with no internal successor for Hellebuyck in sight, Cheveldayoff would likely have to knock on some free agents' doors), and maybe the Jets can survive a summer exodus bruised but not broken.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins should be spitting nails this offseason after an inconsistent, frustrating 2022-23 campaign that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in 17 years.

The guy tasked with righting the ship is new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas, who's currently serving as Pittsburgh's interim general manager.

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The Penguins are the oldest team in the league, so getting faster and younger will be on Dubas' priority list. One way to do that would be to dump Jeff Carter ($3.125 million, one year until UFA) and Mikael Granlund ($5 million, two years until UFA), whose contracts are an eyesore for a squad that'll be looking to build a competent bottom six. However, Carter carries a full no-movement clause, and a buyout would be ineffective since the Penguins would still have to pay out his full salary because he's on a 35-plus contract.

It'd take some wizardry, but it'd definitely be worth the Penguins' while if Dubas can pull it off. It'd free up more cap space for some fresh blood, not to mention the fact that underrated winger Jake Guentzel has one more year on his deal and is eligible to sign an extension on July 1.

Another pressing issue for Dubas: Is pending UFA goaltender Tristan Jarry the guy? Hellebuyck's potential availability as a replacement should certainly grab Dubas' attention, but the Penguins might find it difficult to compete with other suitors who boast flashier prospect pools. If the price is too high to swing a trade, why not make a pitch for Stanley Cup champion Adin Hill on the free-agent market?

Dubas may be inheriting a bunch of question marks, but one thing is for certain: Futility can't be an option, as Pittsburgh's aging-yet-ageless core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang gets closer to "Last Dance" territory with each passing season.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Let's check in with Dubas' ex, shall we?

Look, the 2023-24 Maple Leafs are going to look a lot different than the squad that just won the franchise's first playoff series since 2004. It might not be the earth-shattering changes that some fans have been craving, but new general manager Brad Treliving will have to transform Toronto's supporting cast.

Andrew Francis Wallace / Toronto Star / Getty

The Maple Leafs have 13 pending UFAs who saw NHL action this season. Four of them - Alex Kerfoot, Michael Bunting, David Kampf, and Justin Holl - have played key roles on the team for multiple campaigns. Others - like Noel Acciari, Ryan O'Reilly, and Luke Schenn - impressed after being brought in around the trade deadline.

There are too many spots to fill by just promoting from within, so Treliving will have to spend some money to fill in the gaps. Could J.T. Compher be a fit, or has his strong 2022-23 campaign priced him out of the Leafs' range? Is Toronto interested in bringing back O'Reilly, or will he be more inclined to go to the highest bidder in a thin market? Kampf has been a reliable soldier for two campaigns, and a reunion wouldn't break the bank, but he'd fetch more money elsewhere. Treliving has $9.143 million to work with, but some of that will have to go to pending RFA goalie Ilya Samsonov.

Despite those question marks, how Treliving handles the core four forwards - Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares - will define his first summer in Toronto. Matthews and Nylander each have one year remaining on their current pacts and are eligible to sign extensions on July 1, with the former being labeled as a "priority" by Treliving.

Prior to Treliving's hiring, president Brendan Shanahan reportedly informed the foursome that they likely won't be moved. Even if Treliving wanted to make a major shakeup, any departure from the core group will get a lot trickier come Canada Day. Matthews' and Marner's full no-move clauses kick in on July 1, while Nylander will submit a 10-team no-trade list.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins have caught our eye for a couple of reasons, but let's start with the most obvious: Patrice Bergeron.

Just like last season, the soon-to-be-six-time Selke Trophy winner's NHL future is in doubt. He staved off retirement last summer by signing a one-year, $2.5-million pact, but whether he's going to put pen to paper again is still up in the air. Bergeron has previously stated that he won't play anywhere else, so it'll be Boston or bust.

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It isn't like Bergeron can't handle the NHL anymore, either. The 37-year-old put up 27 goals and 58 points in 78 games while logging typically stellar underlying numbers (Boston outscored teams 46-18 with him on the ice at five-on-five - insanity).

David Krejci, 37, is in a similar boat. He contributed with an impressive 40 assists and 56 points in 70 games during his return to the NHL after a year overseas, but he also hasn't decided if he's hanging up his skates yet.

The Bruins will be in an interesting spot if they both retire, seeing as they'd be out both of their top-six centers. Unfortunately for them, there's a dearth of suitable replacements available on the free-agent market. O'Reilly might be closest to fitting the bill, but he slotted in as a third-line center in Toronto and is already 32 years old, so a long-term pact could get dicey. The Bruins will be competitive no matter what, but the best outcome here would be if Bergeron and Krejci opted to stick around in Beantown.

Now for problem No. 2: The Bruins currently have 15 active roster players under contract and only $4.937 million to fill out the rest. That isn't ideal. That wouldn't even be enough to retain pending UFA Tyler Bertuzzi, who was a great fit in Boston. Money is going to have to be moved out to put together a full lineup. Does Taylor Hall get traded? How about Jeremy Swayman? There are plenty of decisions to come for general manager Don Sweeney.

Colorado Avalanche

After finding out that captain Gabriel Landeskog would miss the entire 2023-24 season in May, Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland acknowledged that his absence "potentially opens up avenues that weren't available to us this past season" in free agency.

Colorado technically has just over $8.5 million at its disposal after acquiring Ryan Johansen, but they will have an extra $7 million to work with since Landeskog will be placed on long-term injured reserve to start the new campaign.

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So, what could those potential avenues look like? Colorado has plenty of holes to fill, seeing as it only has seven forwards, five defensemen, and two goalies on its active roster currently under contract. Some cash will have to go to pending RFAs Alex Newhook and Bowen Byram, but they're projected to combine for a $5.526-million cap hit, so there's still some room there. Bringing back pending UFA Evan Rodrigues also wouldn't break the bank.

Luckily for the Avs, they're an attractive destination for free agents. They won the Stanley Cup in 2022 and, despite a litany of injuries, finished in first place in the Central Division this season. This particular market also suits Colorado, which doesn't need a game-breaker.

Another facet to consider: It wouldn't be ideal for Colorado to get bogged down in a pricey, long-term pact for a UFA. That could get sticky real quick if Landeskog is healthy for 2024-25. The team is also going to be paying MacKinnon $12.6 million starting this season, and it has an extension for Devon Toews (2024 UFA) to think about. Those parameters might bar a reunion with Compher, who filled in well as the Avalanche's second-line center this season and could fetch upwards of $5 million on his next pact.

So, why not get funky with it and bring in a veteran like O'Reilly or Patrick Kane on a short-term deal? O'Reilly, in particular, would be neat, seeing as he played the first six seasons of his career in Colorado and could certainly go for a little redemption in Denver. He'd also fill a position of need as a center, while his leadership could soften the blow of another Landeskog-less season.

(Salary source: CapFriendly)
(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)

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