Alexander Radulov is headed back to the KHL after signing a two-year contract with Ak Bars, the league announced Thursday.Radulov spent the past five seasons with the Dallas Stars. He returned to the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens for the 2016-17 campaign after a four-year stint with CSKA Moscow.The 36-year-old also bounced between the NHL and KHL as a member of the Nashville Predators, who drafted him 15th overall in 2004. He suited up for the Preds for two seasons from 2006-08 but went back overseas to play for Ufa for four years.Radulov then played nine regular-season games and eight playoff contests with Nashville in 2011-12 prior to another lengthy tenure in his home country.The powerful winger had some productive campaigns in his latest stint in North America, racking up 198 points in 228 games across his lone season with the Habs and his first two years with the Stars. Radulov's numbers dropped off drastically after that, though. He managed 22 points in 71 games in 2021-22 while averaging just over 14 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings signed defenseman Mark Pysyk to a one-year contract worth $850,000, the team announced Thursday.Pysyk spent last season with the Buffalo Sabres, registering 12 points in 68 games. The 30-year-old has also had stints with the Florida Panthers and the Dallas Stars, posting strong underlying numbers throughout his career.

Just like that, the opening flurry of the NHL's free-agent frenzy has come and gone. Teams have already doled out hundreds of millions of dollars in a matter of hours, leaving hockey fans breathless in a whirlwind of transactions.There's surely more action on the horizon. But now that the dust has mostly settled on the league's busiest day of the year, let's take a step back and look at the potential ripple effects from some of Wednesday's moves.Just how good is the Atlantic Division now? Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyThe Atlantic Division had four teams - Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins - finish top 10 in the league standings last season. None of those squads were major players in free agency, and all should be competitive again in 2022-23. However, the gap between the elites and rebuilders within the division appears to have gotten significantly smaller.The Senators continued their aggressive summer on Wednesday by signing Claude Giroux to a three-year deal. Factor in his arrival with the Alex DeBrincat and Cam Talbot trades, along with a burgeoning pre-existing core, and suddenly Ottawa seems ... half decent? At worst, the Sens are a strong offensive club with capable goaltending. At best - perhaps coupled with a move or two to reinforce the blue line - they look like a potential fringe playoff team.Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings appear to be in a similar position. Detroit made a handful of notable signings Wednesday, bringing in Andrew Copp, David Perron, Dominik Kubalik, and Ben Chiarot. That quartet of reliable veterans adds much-needed depth to the Red Wings and should insulate a promising group of incumbent youngsters. Yzerman's busy day may not pay immediate dividends, but there are surprise teams in the NHL every year. Detroit is now better equipped to be one of those clubs than it was previously.It remains to be seen how the moves from the Senators and Red Wings will pan out on the ice, but one thing is certain: there will be no nights off in the Atlantic next season.What's the latest on the unsigned big guns? Michael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyDespite an avalanche of early moves, a few of this summer's biggest free agents remain ripe for the picking. What gives?Nazem Kadri: No bites for Kadri on Day 1. The Avalanche forward met with suitors Wednesday, while some teams in the market for centers (Rangers, Red Wings, and Penguins) went other routes. Interestingly, Colorado re-upped with fellow free agents Darren Helm, Josh Manson, and Artturi Lehkonen.John Klingberg: A weak market for defensemen didn't lead to anything for Klingberg. His options took a hit when Dallas opted to ink Colin Miller for cheaper and potential suitor Carolina traded for Brent Burns. Klingberg might not get the deal he hoped for at this point.Who still has room to add? Andre Ringuette / National Hockey League / GettyMost teams across the league are pressed too close to the cap and are probably done for the summer. Here are some squads that still have the financial flexibility for fireworks.New York Islanders: After whiffing in the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes, the Isles are scrambling to Plan B with a ton of dough to spend after losing out, but where they pivot remains a mystery. One would think New York wants to be aggressive after a tremendously disappointing season.New Jersey Devils: New Jersey was also in on Gaudreau, but managed to make a nice contingency signing in Ondrej Palat. It still feels like the Devils have more to give though, with over $17 million in cap space and a hunger to take a step forward as a young team.Winnipeg Jets: The Jets entered the day with roughly $15 million in cap space - a number that will shrink significantly with a new deal for restricted free-agent forward Pierre-Luc Dubois - and all they did was sign journeyman backup netminder David Rittich for $900,000. Not only could Winnipeg do something of significance, it probably should.Senators: As busy as GM Pierre Dorion has been, he still has $15 million to continue his impact summer. As mentioned above, allocating the extra funds to the blue line is probably the best course of action.Seattle Kraken: Ron Francis made a nice add in Andre Burakovsky but still has $10.6 million available to help erase the memory of a disappointing inaugural season in Seattle. Could the Kraken go big-game hunting on Day 2?Who signed a deal they may already regret? Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyAdmittedly, this was the most fun section to write. The salary cap has turned hockey fans into chaos fiends, and a big part of the fun on the first day of free agency is the disbelief of an immediate red-flag signing breaking on Twitter.Philadelphia Flyers: Rather than moving money to go after Gaudreau (clearing James van Riemsdyk's $7-million cap hit would have been a good start), Philadelphia boxed itself in with a questionable $10-million extension for Tony DeAngelo. GM Chuck Fletcher then decided to buy out the final year of Oskar Lindblom's $3-million contract to sign Nicolas Deslauriers to a four-year deal. Deslauriers recorded 13 points and 113 penalty minutes last season.Blue Jackets: Before Columbus shocked the hockey world by landing Gaudreau, it was labeled the laughingstock of the day for signing Erik Gudbranson to a $16-million contract over four years. Overjoyed fans have probably forgotten all about the deal for the aging blue-liner for the time being, but Gudbranson's pact is a near lock to age poorly.Red Wings: We previously lauded Yzerman for being active, but that's a lot of money for Chiarot. Teams need serviceable players, especially rebuilding ones. But dedicating $4.75 million per year to a stay-at-home defender with dreadful underlying numbers is never a good thing. This contract could be a major hindrance down the road if Detroit's rebuild elevates to the next phase.St. Louis Blues: Did Nick Leddy really need $4 million per season? It's less than what he previously earned, but St. Louis has three defensemen ahead of him on the depth chart, and all of them are being paid until at least 2026-27. Additionally, Ryan O'Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko are playing on expiring contracts this coming season. Keeping as much money available as possible seemed smart for the Blues this summer.Vancouver Canucks: We identified Ilya Mikheyev as a prime candidate to be overpaid this signing season, and Vancouver took the bait. The Canucks have been overpaying depth players for years, and it's costed them. This deal looks like the same old story despite a new regime in place.What's next for Matthew Tkachuk? Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images Sport / GettyLosing Gaudreau has Flames fans feeling jaded. We regret to inform loyal Calgarians that it may get worse.All of general manager Brad Treliving's focus will now shift to Tkachuk, a restricted free agent with a ton of leverage. Will he want to sign a long-term deal with Calgary now that his linemate has left town? Can the Flames stomach a bridge deal - or worse yet, Tkachuk signing his qualifying offer - to walk him straight to unrestricted free agency in his prime? It's an extremely delicate situation, one that feels more tenuous when remembering Tkachuk briefly held out a few offseasons back before signing his current contract: a three-year bridge.Treliving must consider trading Tkachuk for maximum value and begin a rebuild if the superstar isn't willing to sign a long-term deal. A full teardown felt unfathomable mere months ago when the Flames looked like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but it's a real possibility now.What should we make of the goalie carousel? John McCreary / National Hockey League / GettyThe number of teams seeking goaltending improvements was a major subplot heading into this year's frenzy. And, as predicted, the netminder market was scorching hot. Accurately forecasting goaltending is usually a fool's errand. With so much movement this summer, that notion is truer than ever. Below we'll try to make sense of some of the most impactful signings between the pipes.Maple Leafs gamble on Samsonov: Toronto found a partner for Matt Murray by luring Ilya Samsonov, a former can't-miss prospect, into town on a one-year deal. Instead of giving Jack Campbell the contract he desired, the Leafs opted to pay their new tandem a combined $6.4 million with minimal term. It's a high-upside bet with major implications, but GM Kyle Dubas is hopeful the two reclamation projects can be enough to complement the deep roster he built elsewhere.Campbell joins Oilers: This deal was a formality leading up to Wednesday, and Edmonton got its guy. Campbell is still largely unproven as an NHL starter with a small body of work and a wonky contract year in Toronto, but he's undoubtedly better than Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. The signing is a win for now, but the stakes are high in Oil Country. We'll see how it plays out.Kuemper heads to D.C.: The former Avalanche backstop was considered the best goalie available, and he picked the Capitals on a five-year pact. Kuemper was more of a weak spot than a difference-maker during Colorado's Cup run. It'll be interesting to see the effect of a bigger workload on a less-stacked team in Washington.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Day 1 of the NHL's free-agent frenzy is in the books, and what a day it was. According to CapFriendly, teams dished out over $900 million across 149 contracts.Below, we dive into the winners and losers from Wednesday's festivities.WinnersColumbus Blue Jackets Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyThe Blue Jackets pulled off the unthinkable. A franchise notorious for allowing star talent to walk out the door - or overpaying to keep it - just landed the biggest free agent available for below market value.Yes, Johnny Gaudreau is heading to Columbus on a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $9.75 million.Gaudreau, who finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting this past season after recording 115 points, turned down the Calgary Flames' reported offer of an eight-year deal with an AAV north of $10 million. The New Jersey native also passed up opportunities to play closer to home with the Devils or New York Islanders.The 28-year-old not only improves the Blue Jackets on the ice - he could change the entire culture of the organization.Many assumed prolific sniper Patrik Laine would dart as soon as possible, but playing alongside one of the game's most dynamic playmakers would surely be a dream worth sticking with. Could Gaudreau also lure future unrestricted free agents to Central Ohio?Gaudreau won't make the Jackets a contender overnight, but he'll definitely speed up their rebuild. Columbus drafted a pair of promising centers in the top 15 last year (Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger) and two defensemen in the top 15 this year (David Jiricek, Denton Mateychuk). The future is bright.Ironically, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen also handed out arguably the worst contract of the day, signing Erik Gudbranson to a four-year, $16-million deal. But we can look past that for now. Outside of sweeping the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, this is arguably the greatest day in Blue Jackets franchise history.Ottawa Senators Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyLet's get one thing out of the way before we focus on the positives: The Senators' offseason will remain incomplete until they add a top-four defenseman. They need one more piece on the right side to complement a group that already features Thomas Chabot, the underrated Artem Zub, and the promising Jake Sanderson.The remaining UFA options are limited, although John Klingberg is still out there. A trade route seems more likely, and Ottawa has been linked to MacKenzie Weegar.Nonetheless, the Sens stand to be one of the league's most improved teams next season. The draft-day trade for Alex DeBrincat was a steal, and adding Claude Giroux on a three-year deal with a $6.5-million AAV is an excellent move. The Sens have historically struggled to recruit high-profile UFAs, so snagging Giroux, who grew up in the Ottawa area, is a big deal. He can still play and will provide some much-needed veteran leadership.Trading Filip Gustavsson for Cam Talbot reinforced management's aggressive mindset and provides the club with a reliable tandem, along with Anton Forsberg, in goal.Sens fans have every reason to be excited, but Ottawa shouldn't be considered a playoff contender until it adds another quality blue-liner to the mix. There's still plenty of time to make a move, and GM Pierre Dorion has ample trade bait at his disposal to get a deal done.Tampa Bay Lightning Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Lightning didn't make any splashy additions on the day, but GM Julien BriseBois wisely took care of three 2023 restricted free agents, signing Mikhail Sergachev, Erik Cernak, and Anthony Cirelli to eight-year extensions.Sergachev's contract ($8.5M AAV) may seem rich, but with his expanded role on the left side of the blue line following Ryan McDonagh's departure, he could've demanded more next summer. Plus, at just 24 years old, this contract will take him through the prime of his career.The same can be said for Cirelli ($6.25M AAV) and Cernak ($5.2M AAV), who are just 24 and 25 years old, respectively. The former is already a perennial Selke Trophy candidate, so if he can find another gear offensively, this deal will be a home run. Cernak brings less upside, but he's already a rock on the back end.Tampa Bay wasn't done there, though. It also brought back versatile winger Vladislav Namestnikov for a second stint on a team-friendly one-year, $2.5-million contract. It also added the still reliable veteran blue-liner Ian Cole on a one-year, $3-million pact to hold down the third pair.Anyone who thinks the Bolts are past their window is sorely mistaken. Not only does BriseBois have his team built for another Cup run, but he's also set Tampa Bay up nicely for the future.Carolina Hurricanes Jeff Bottari / National Hockey League / GettyThe Canes weren't overly active on the free-agent market Wednesday - their only signing was Ondrej Kase to a low-risk, high-reward one-year, $1.5-million deal - but they used their cap space to their advantage by making a pair of blockbuster deals.First, GM Don Waddell scooped up Brent Burns from the San Jose Sharks for a depth forward, a depth goalie, and a third-round pick. Burns is 37 and has three years left on his deal, but Waddell got San Jose to retain one-third of the remaining salary, making the $5.28-million cap hit palatable.Burns isn't the perennial Norris candidate he used to be, but he's still quite good. As one of the NHL's biggest volume shooters from the blue line, he'll be an excellent fit with a team that loves taking point shots and crashing the net.Then, Waddell landed Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coghlan from the Vegas Golden Knights for future considerations. That's right, he basically got them for free.Pacioretty is also getting up there in age - he turns 34 in November - but there's just one year left on his deal, so the move carries little risk. The winger is one of the NHL's best goal scorers over the last decade, so he should improve a consistently strong possession team that sometimes struggles with finishing.The Canes lost Vincent Trocheck to the New York Rangers, but Waddell was wise to not sign the 29-year-old center to a risky seven-year deal.Honorable mention: Detroit Red Wings. We love the deals general manager Steve Yzerman made to land David Perron, Andrew Copp, and Dominik Kubalik, but the overpayment for Ben Chiarot (four years, $4.75-million AAV) takes away some of the shine from Detroit's big day.LosersCalgary Flames Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThis is low-hanging fruit, but we're taking it. Losing a homegrown superstar in his prime like Gaudreau is always detrimental, but it's the ripple effect that could make matters even worse.Matthew Tkachuk may want out now that Gaudreau has left. While he's an RFA, he could simply accept his $9-million qualifying offer and become a UFA in 2023. The Flames certainly can't afford to let him walk for free, so a trade would be their only option if he becomes intent on leaving.This is all just horrible timing, too. The Flames are coming off their second-best regular season in franchise history, but dark days could be ahead.Flyers, Islanders, Devils Bruce Bennett / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe're grouping these teams together because they all somehow managed to lose out to the Blue Jackets - of all teams - on Gaudreau. It's unclear why he chose Columbus over the Devils or Islanders, but here we are. The biggest losers of all, though, are the Philadelphia Flyers, who didn't even give themselves a chance.Philadelphia GM Chuck Fletcher was unable or unwilling to pay the price to move off of the final year of James van Riemsdyk's deal, which would've helped clear the necessary cap space to go after Gaudreau. Growing up a Flyers fan, it's possible Gaudreau intended to sign in Philly before they told him they no longer had room for him.Fletcher's frivolous spending in the past is the reason Philly couldn't pursue the marquee free agent. The Kevin Hayes contract from 2019 and the Rasmus Ristolainen deal from last summer, in particular, look rough.Fletcher also made a pair of questionable signings. He gave Nic Deslauriers, a 31-year-old enforcer, a four-year deal with a $1.75-million AAV.

Johnny Gaudreau is taking his talents to Columbus.The coveted free-agent star signed a seven-year deal with an average annual value of $9.75 million to join the Blue Jackets, the team announced Wednesday.The Calgary Flames reportedly offered Gaudreau an eight-year deal with a cap hit of $10.5 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, meaning he left nearly $16 million on the table before taxes to join Columbus, per TSN's Chris Johnston."Johnny Gaudreau is a superstar in the National Hockey League, and we couldn't be happier to welcome him to the Columbus Blue Jackets family," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He is an elite player with great character that makes the players around him better. We are thrilled to add a player of his caliber to our group."This is an exciting day for our franchise, our fans and the city of Columbus."Gaudreau will take on the Flames on Dec. 9 in Columbus. He'll make his return to Calgary on Jan. 23.Flames general manager Brad Treliving confirmed Tuesday that the talented winger would test the open market. He added that he didn't anticipate the two sides would make a reunion work.Treliving also said he believes Gaudreau's choice to move on from the Flames was a family decision.The 28-year-old was closely linked to the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils heading into free agency. He grew up in southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia.The Devils reportedly attempted to acquire Gaudreau's services with a seven-year offer that carried an average annual value of over $9 million, according to LeBrun.Kekalainen explained how the deal with Columbus came together."He told us this was one of his true primary destinations," Kekalainen said. "We were like, 'OK, wow, is this real?' Once we realized that, yeah, he wants to come here, we got into serious talks."We obviously let him know that he was one of the players that we desired the most, and when it got real serious to where he was like, 'OK, I want to come there,' then we got it through the finish line pretty quickly."Gaudreau is familiar with current and former Jackets players, who helped persuade him to come to Central Ohio."I played in the Worlds with Zach Werenski. I've known Eric Robinson for like 15-20 years," Gaudreau told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline. "And some former guys, like Cam Atkinson and Dalton Prout ... those guys were just like, 'You're going to absolutely love the place.'"Gaudreau was due for a substantial raise after playing out the final season of a six-year deal with a $6.75-million cap hit. He potted a career-high 40 goals and 75 assists for 115 points, finishing second in the Art Ross Trophy race behind Connor McDavid. He also ranked fourth in Hart Trophy voting this past season.In addition to ranking fifth all-time in franchise history with 399 assists and 609 points, he also entered Calgary's single-season record books in 2021-22. He produced at a 1.4 point-per-game clip, which is the third-best rate in Flames history.Gaudreau was a scoring threat virtually every time he hit the ice this past season. The Flames controlled 71.6% of the goals and 67.7% of the high-danger goals with him on the ice at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The six-time All-Star brings excellent playmaking ability to Columbus and will punch up the Blue Jackets' play at five-on-five - he led the league with 90 even-strength points in 2021-22, which is 12 clear of McDavid, who had the second most.Gaudreau ranks sixth in points and third in assists among all active players since his first full season in 2014-15.Selected by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, Gaudreau suited up for 602 career NHL games, all with Calgary.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Quick-hit analysis of important NHL signings and trades completed July 13.Signing: Stars sign F Mason Marchment to 4-year deal

Two of the Staal brothers are heading to South Florida.The Panthers signed defenseman Marc Staal to a one-year, $750,000 contract, the team announced.Forward Eric Staal will join the club on a professional tryout, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.Marc spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings following a 13-year stint with the New York Rangers. He recorded 16 points in 71 games in 2021-22 while averaging 17:25 of ice time per contest. The 35-year-old isn't the top-four, shutdown blue-liner he used to be, but he still brings size (6-foot-4, 213 pounds) and physicality (94 hits).Eric did not play in the NHL last season. The 37-year-old played four games with the AHL's Iowa Wild, racking up five points in four games. He also captained Canada's Olympic team, recording four points in five games.The former Carolina Hurricanes captain registered five goals and eight assists in 53 games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens during his last NHL season in 2020-21.If Eric makes the team, it'll mark the second time in his NHL career he's been teammates with Marc. The two played together briefly with the Rangers in 2015-16.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Anaheim Ducks signed center Ryan Strome to a five-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.The deal carries an average annual value of $5 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Strome recorded 21 goals and 33 assists in 74 games last season while primarily playing alongside Artemi Panarin. He averaged 66 points per 82 games over the last three campaigns. Though he's strong offensively, Strome has defensive shortcomings. Evolving-Hockey.comHe was selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 2011 draft.The 29-year-old is Anaheim's second marquee signing of the day. The Ducks signed winger Frank Vatrano to a three-year deal earlier Wednesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames re-signed defenseman Nikita Zadorov to a two-year contract, his agent, Dan Milstein, announced Wednesday.The deal carries an average annual value of $3.75 million, per Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.The 27-year-old posted a career-high 22 points in 74 games last season while averaging 16:55 of ice time per contest.Zadorov's calling card is his size (6-foot-6, 235 pounds) and physicality (181 hits in 2021-22).Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes added forward Ondrej Kase on a one-year contract worth $1.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Kase, 26, put up 14 goals and 13 assists in 50 games as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season."Ondrej is an exciting young player, and we're happy to add another goal-scoring winger to our forward group," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "He can play in all situations, and we expect him to contribute offensively."He became an unrestricted free agent earlier this week after the Maple Leafs opted not to tender him a qualifying offer.Kase has flashed stretches of potential, but injuries have hampered him. He only played three contests with the Boston Bruins in 2020-21.The Czech native spent the majority of the first four seasons of his career with the Anaheim Ducks.Selected by the Ducks in the seventh round of the 2014 draft, Kase has 124 career points in 257 career games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A Day 1 Golden Knight is staying put in Vegas.The club re-signed winger Reilly Smith to a three-year contract with a $5-million cap hit.Smith recorded 16 goals and 22 assists in 56 games for the Golden Knights last season. He ranks third on Vegas' all-time points list with 230, behind Jonathan Marchessault and William Karlsson.The Golden Knights shipped Max Pacioretty to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier Wednesday to help make cap space for Smith.Vegas also re-signed center Brett Howden to a one-year, $1.5-million contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have made another blockbuster trade.The Canes landed winger Max Pacioretty and defenseman Dylan Coghlan from the Vegas Golden Knights for future considerations, the team announced Wednesday.The Hurricanes reeled in Brent Burns via trade earlier Wednesday.The move helps the Golden Knights become cap compliant. Pacioretty has one year remaining on his contract with a $7-million cap hit.Pacioretty remains one of the game's most lethal snipers, even though he'll turn 34 in November. He recorded 19 goals and 18 assists in 39 games with Vegas last season. He's averaged 31 goals per 82 contests in his 14-year career."Adding offensive firepower and improving our power play were priorities this offseason, and Max certainly checks those boxes," general manager Don Waddell said. "This acquisition gives us an elite scorer and another veteran voice in our dressing room."Coghlan projects to fill a void on the right side of Carolina's third defensive pairing, behind Burns and Brett Pesce. The 24-year-old has one year remaining on his contract with a $762,500 cap hit before becoming a restricted free agent. He recorded 13 points in 59 games with Vegas last season while averaging 14:12 per contest."Dylan is a young, right-shot defenseman who fits our system well," Waddell said. "We like his ability to take away time and space and play fast defensively."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks added forward Nico Sturm, general manager Mike Grier confirmed, according to NBCS Sharks' Sheng Peng.Sturm signed a three-year pact with an average annual value of $2 million, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.The 27-year-old Sturm won the 2022 Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche after being traded from the Minnesota Wild prior to the deadline. He logged nine goals and 11 assists in 74 contests split between the two squads. He added a pair of assists in 13 postseason games with the Avs.The Sharks also signed defenseman Matt Benning to a four-year contract.Benning's deal carries an AAV of $1.25 million, per Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News.The 28-year-old recorded 11 assists in 65 games with the Nashville Predators last season."Matt is a steady, veteran defenseman who plays with a physical edge and can chip in offensively," Grier said. "His age and style of play fit well with our existing group."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals acquired winger Connor Brown from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2024, the teams announced.Brown, 28, has one year remaining on his contract at a cap hit of $3.6 million before hitting unrestricted free agency next season. He's been an effective middle-six player and penalty killer for much of his career.

The Philadelphia Flyers aren't planning to sign Johnny Gaudreau despite speculation that the star winger is interested in playing for them."We don't have the cap space to pursue those free agents," general manager Chuck Fletcher said Wednesday, according to Kevin Durso of 97.3 ESPN FM.Gaudreau hit the open market hours after reportedly informing the Calgary Flames he won't re-sign. The 28-year-old registered 40 goals and 75 assists last season, making him the face of the 2022 free-agent class.The Flyers began the offseason pressed up against the salary cap. They bought out Oskar Lindblom to create $3.3 million in space but used most of the savings to bring back defenseman Justin Braun and add forward Nicolas Deslauriers on Day 1 of free agency."You'd have to move multiple contracts," Fletcher said of a potential run at Gaudreau. "You have to have a team as well. Some contracts are hard to move, some we don't want to move."Gaudreau grew up in southern New Jersey, near the border to Philadelphia, and was most heavily linked to the Flyers and New Jersey Devils leading up to free agency.The Columbus Blue Jackets entered the sweepstakes with a rumored seven-year, $84-million offer, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli. The New York Islanders are also in the mix, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.Gaudreau, a six-time All-Star, has spent his entire NHL career in Calgary.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken brought in goaltender Martin Jones and defenseman Justin Schultz, the team announced Wednesday.Schultz agreed to a two-year pact with an average annual value of $3 million, while Jones signed a one-year contract worth $2 million.Jones guarded the crease for the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021-22. He authored a .900 save percentage and 3.42 goals against average to go along with a 12-18-3 record.The 32-year-old owns a career 2.68 goals against average and a .907 save percentage across 396 showings. Jones has also suited up for the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.Schultz put up four goals and 19 assists in 74 games with the Washington Capitals while averaging almost 17 minutes per contest. He also chipped in with 40 hits and 87 blocks.A second-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2008 draft, Schultz has 264 career points in 602 NHL games.Jones won the Stanley Cup in 2014 as a member of the Kings, while Schultz claimed back-to-back titles with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars signed defenseman Colin Miller to a two-year pact with an average annual value of $1.85 million, the team announced Wednesday.The 29-year-old spent the last three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres."Colin is a puck-moving defenseman that will add experience and a right shot to our defensive core," general manager Jim Nill said. "We are excited to have him under contract with our organization for the next two years."Miller put up two goals and 12 assists in 38 games with the Sabres in 2021-22 while averaging almost 19 minutes per contest.The Ontario native has also suited up for the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, he's recorded 136 career points in 387 games.Miller also has 30 games of playoff experience under his belt.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers and defenseman Justin Braun, the team announced Wednesday.Both players signed for an average annual value of $1.75 million, but Deslauriers joined for four years while Braun is returning on a one-year pact.Deslauriers split the 2021-22 season between the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild. He put up eight goals and five assists in 81 contests while averaging 11:22 of ice time per game.The Wild acquired Deslauriers' services from the Ducks before the trade deadline. He's racked up 44 goals, 41 assists, and 1,536 hits in 506 career NHL games.Braun started this past campaign with the Flyers before getting dealt to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline. He logged six goals and 12 assists in 69 games while averaging 19:33 per contest. The 35-year-old spent parts of the last three seasons with the Flyers.Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round of the 2009 draft, Deslauriers has also suited up for the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.The San Jose Sharks drafted Braun in the seventh round in 2007. He has 197 career points in 791 games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Seattle Kraken brought in two-time Stanley Cup champion Andre Burakovsky on a five-year deal with an average annual value of $5.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Burakovsky spent the 2021-22 season with the Colorado Avalanche, logging three goals and five assists in 12 playoff games. He scored the overtime winner in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.The 27-year-old played in Colorado for the past three seasons. He enjoyed a solid breakout campaign in 2021-22 and reached career highs in goals (22), assists (39), and points (61).He became an unrestricted free agent after playing out the final season of a two-year deal with a $4.9-million cap hit.Burakovsky also won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Washington Capitals in 2018.Selected by the Capitals in the first round of the 2013 draft, Burakovsky has 295 points in 519 career NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks inked forward Colin Blackwell to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $1.2 million, the team announced Wednesday.Blackwell, 29, spent the 2021-22 season with the Seattle Kraken and Toronto Maple Leafs.He logged eight goals and nine assists in 39 contests with the NHL's newest franchise, but his production took a bit of a hit once he was traded to the Maple Leafs before the deadline.All in all, he registered 10 goals and 10 assists in 58 games in the 2021-22 season while averaging almost 12 minutes per contest. Blackwell also chipped in with a pair of shorthanded goals.He added a goal and an assist in seven playoff games with Toronto.Selected by the San Jose Sharks in the seventh round of the 2011 draft, Blackwell has 52 points in 138 career games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars signed winger Mason Marchment to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $4.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Marchment is coming off a breakout year in which he tallied 18 goals and 47 points in 54 games with the Florida Panthers while averaging 14:07 of ice time per contest. His underlying numbers were impressive, too: Evolving-Hockey.comHe brings considerable size, forechecking ability, and physicality to Dallas. He's listed at 6-foot-4, 209 pounds, and threw 114 hits last year.Marchment is just 27, making him one of the younger UFAs available. However, he had only registered 11 points in 37 career NHL games before last season.He's the son of the late Bryan Marchment, who played 17 years in the NHL.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings made yet another move for an impact player Wednesday, signing David Perron to a two-year contract carrying an average annual value of $4.75 million.Perron, a 15-year veteran, is coming off a 27-goal, 30-assist season for the St. Louis Blues. The 34-year-old forward had spent the last four campaigns with St. Louis in his third stint with the club.He's coming off a four-year pact carrying a $4-million cap hit, which he signed with the Blues in July 2018.Perron has had some of his best seasons at a point when players typically decline. He needed only 67 games to notch his 57 points in 2021-22, falling one goal short of his career high, which took 78 contests to achieve in 2013-14.The Quebec-born winger started his career with the Blues in 2007-08 and played his first six seasons with them. He then had relatively brief stints with the Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis again, and the Vegas Golden Knights before rejoining the Blues.The Red Wings made several other splashes Wednesday, bringing in forwards Andrew Copp and Dominik Kubalik as well as defenseman Ben Chiarot.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers and goaltender Jaroslav Halak agreed to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced Wednesday.The contract is worth $1.55 million, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The Rangers were in need of a new backup netminder for Igor Shesterkin after sending Alexandar Georgiev to the Colorado Avalanche. Halak, 37, spent the past season with the Vancouver Canucks.Halak went 4-7-2 and authored a .903 save percentage and 2.94 goals against average in 17 appearances with the Canucks in 2021-22.He owns a career .916 save percentage in 556 career appearances across 16 seasons.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks dealt defenseman Brent Burns and forward Lane Pederson to the Carolina Hurricanes for forward Steven Lorentz, goaltending prospect Eetu Makiniemi, and a conditional third-round pick in next year's draft, the team announced Wednesday.San Jose is retaining one-third of Burns' $8-million cap hit in the swap. The veteran blue-liner is signed through 2024-25.Burns played the last 11 seasons with the Sharks and was a key part of numerous playoff runs during his tenure, including their Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2016.The 37-year-old is entering his 19th season. He ranks third on San Jose's all-time assists list, fifth in points, and seventh in goals.Burns played the first seven years of his career with the Minnesota Wild.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Detroit Red Wings continued to dip into the free-agent pool Wednesday, landing defenseman Ben Chiarot on a four-year agreement with an average annual value of $4.75 million.Chiarot collected eight points in 20 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers down the stretch after they acquired him in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens. He collected 18 points in 54 contests for the Habs in 2021-22 before the deal.The 31-year-old played two-plus campaigns with the Canadiens, who signed him as a free agent in July 2019. Chiarot played his first six seasons with the Winnipeg Jets franchise, which drafted him 120th overall in 2009 when it was the Atlanta Thrashers.Detroit brought versatile forward Andrew Copp aboard on a five-year deal earlier in the day. The Wings also inked forward Dominik Kubalik to a two-year contract.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks signed forward Oskar Lindblom to a two-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.The deal is worth $2.5 million per season, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Lindblom had the final year of his contract bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. He was owed $3 million on the deal.The 25-year-old was drafted by the Flyers in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. His career was put on hold in 2019 after being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma - a form of blood cancer - but he worked his way back into Philadelphia's lineup and won the Masterton Trophy for dedication to the sport in 2021.Lindblom has notched 97 points in 263 career games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers are retaining defenseman Brett Kulak on a four-year pact carrying an average annual value of $2.75 million, the team announced Wednesday.Edmonton acquired Kulak from the Montreal Canadiens before this past season's trade deadline. He collected eight points in 18 regular-season games with the Oilers before adding another five in 16 playoff contests.The 28-year-old spent three-plus seasons with the Canadiens after playing his first four campaigns with the Calgary Flames.Calgary drafted Kulak 105th overall in 2012.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers landed goaltender Jack Campbell on a five-year contract carrying an average annual value of $5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Campbell spent the last two-plus seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made him an offer early in 2021-22 but didn't make another after that, according to ESPN's Emily Kaplan.The Oilers were highly in need of reinforcements in the crease this offseason after Mikko Koskinen went back to Europe, while Mike Smith's future remains uncertain. General manager Ken Holland said Wednesday he doesn't expect the veteran netminder to play again due to a collection of injuries.Campbell had a roller coaster contract year in Toronto, earning an All-Star Game appearance for a stellar first half before injuries and inconsistency marred his stretch run. From Jan. 1 onward, Campbell posted an .893 save percentage in 26 appearances. All told, the 30-year-old finished the campaign with a 31-9-6 record, five shutouts, and a .914 save percentage.Campbell had an .897 clip in Toronto's first-round loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.Edmonton has been busy in the early stages of free agency, already re-signing forward Evander Kane to a multi-year contract before reeling in Campbell.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche have re-signed restricted free-agent winger Artturi Lehkonen to a five-year contract, the team announced Wednesday.The deal carries an average annual value of $4.5 million, per TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Lehkonen was acquired by the Avs from the Montreal Canadiens at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for a 2024 second-round pick and prospect Justin Barron. He recorded 19 goals and 19 assists in 74 games, split between the two clubs.The 27-year-old was also integral in Colorado's Stanley Cup triumph. He tallied eight goals and six assists in 20 postseason contests, including the series-clinching overtime winner in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a four-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million, the team announced Wednesday.Gudbranson spent the 2021-22 season with the Calgary Flames."Adding experience, size, and toughness to our blue line was a priority for us this summer and Erik Gudbranson fits that bill perfectly," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He also has tremendous character and will be a great addition to our leadership group."Gudbranson, 30, put up six goals and 11 assists in 78 games with the Flames while averaging just over 18 minutes per contest. He also ranked fifth on the team with 145 hits and third with 92 blocks.The Ottawa native logged one assist in 12 games for Calgary in the playoffs.Selected by the Florida Panthers third overall in the 2010 draft, Gudbranson has 94 points in 641 career contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Jan Rutta to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.75 million, the team announced Wednesday.Rutta has spent the last four seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, so the two-time Stanley Cup champion comes with ample postseason experience.The soon-to-be 32-year-old isn't flashy, but he brings size (6-foot-3, 204 pounds) and physicality. He has experience playing up the lineup (pairing with Victor Hedman at times), but in Pittsburgh, he projects to play on the right side of the third pairing behind Kris Letang and John Marino.Rutta recorded 18 points in 76 games while averaging 16:23 per contest last season. He also threw 93 hits and blocked 71 shots.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers signed free-agent center Vincent Trocheck to a seven-year contract, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is worth $5.625 million per season, reports The Athletic's Arthur Staple.Trocheck heads to Broadway after spending the past two-plus seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, where he put up 96 points in 135 games.The Rangers were known to be in the market for a No. 2 center this summer as its expected Ryan Strome - whose held the role the past few seasons - will test free agency. New York, fresh off a surprise trip to the Eastern Conference Final this spring, has approximately $4.5 million to continue adding to its roster after the Trocheck signing, according to Cap Friendly.Trocheck adds some scoring depth and playmaking to the Rangers' top six behind top pivot Mika Zibanejad.

The Ottawa Senators have signed unrestricted free-agent forward Claude Giroux to a three-year deal with an average annual value of $6.5 million, the team announced Wednesday.Giroux, 34, split the 2021-22 season between the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers. He put up 21 goals and 44 assists in 75 contests in 2021-22, and he was one of the biggest names on the free-agent market."I wouldn't sign here if I didn't think we had a chance to win the Cup," Giroux told TSN after the news broke. He added, "For me coming here, I'm just excited to play with young talent that likes to compete; they have character. I'm not saying we're going to win the Cup this year, but the plan is to build on it and have baby steps to that."He spent 15 seasons in Philadelphia, and the Flyers moved him before the trade deadline shortly after he played his 1,000th career NHL game with the franchise.Giroux potted three goals and 20 assists in 18 regular-season games with the Panthers and went on to score eight points in 10 playoff games before Florida was swept in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning.Selected by the Flyers in the first round of the 2006 draft, Giroux has 923 points in 1,018 career contests."We're thrilled to add a player of Claude's calibre to our lineup," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a news release. "He's an elite offensive talent with exceptional faceoff prowess and a player who maintains a strong work ethic. His leadership skills are arguably among his best assets. We've set out to bolster our roster this offseason and this addition is another important component in helping us achieve that. We're very happy to welcome Claude and his family home to Ottawa."The Senators have made a series of eye-popping moves so far this offseason. Ottawa acquired two-time 40-goal scorer Alex DeBrincat last week and traded for veteran goaltender Cam Talbot on Tuesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Andrew Copp is going home, as the Michigan-born forward is signing with the Detroit Red Wings for five years, the team announced. Copp will earn $5.625 million per season, TSN's Darren Dreger reports.Copp finished this past campaign with the New York Rangers, who acquired him from the Winnipeg Jets before the trade deadline.The 28-year-old became an unrestricted free agent after playing out a one-year deal with a $3.64-million cap hit. Copp earned himself a solid raise after logging 21 goals and 32 assists in 72 contests this past season.Copp went on to dazzle during the Rangers' run to the Eastern Conference Final and ranked fifth on the team with 14 points in 20 games while averaging almost 20 minutes per contest.Lauded for his strong two-way play, New York controlled 57.9% of the shot attempts and 56.4% of the expected goals with Copp on the ice at five-on-five during the regular season, according to Natural Stat Trick.Selected by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, Copp has 202 points in 483 career contests.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings brought back forward Brendan Lemieux on a one-year deal worth $1.35 million, the team announced Wednesday.Lemieux became an unrestricted free agent after Los Angeles opted not to tender him a qualifying offer earlier this week.The 26-year-old logged eight goals and five assists in 50 appearances with the Kings last season while averaging 10:45 minutes per contest. He was acquired by Los Angeles from the New York Rangers midway through the 2020-21 campaign.Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round of the 2014 draft, Lemieux has 60 points in 230 career NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to a one-year, $3-million deal with free-agent defenseman Ian Cole, the team announced Wednesday.Cole is coming off a one-year stint with the Carolina Hurricanes. He registered a pair of goals and 17 assists while averaging 17:09 of ice time across 75 appearances.The Lightning entered free agency looking to bolster their defense corps, especially after trading Ryan McDonagh to the Nashville Predators in a salary-shedding move.Cole brings 12 years of NHL experience to the table. The 33-year-old began his career with the St. Louis Blues before stints with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, and Hurricanes.The Lightning reached the Stanley Cup Final for the third consecutive season in 2021-22, but lost to the Avalanche after prevailing in their previous two trips.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals signed goaltender Darcy Kumper to a five-year contract carrying an average annual value of $5.25 million.Kuemper was the top netminder available on the free-agent market after helping the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in June.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed a trio of key pieces on Wednesday, announcing eight-year extensions for Mikhail Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli, and Erik Cernak.Sergachev's deal carries an $8.5-million cap hit, while Cirelli and Cernak will earn $6.25 million and $5.2 million per year, respectively, on their new pacts.All three players have one year remaining on their current deals and received significant raises. Sergachev and Cirelli will both earn $4.8 million in 2022-23, while Cernak counts for $2.95 million next season.When Sergachev's new contract kicks in, he'll usurp Victor Hedman ($7.875 million) as Tampa Bay's highest-paid blue-liner. Sergachev, 24, has blossomed into a quality top-four defender since being acquired from the Montreal Canadiens prior to the 2017-18 campaign. He registered 38 points in 78 games this season while averaging a career-high 22:28 of ice time per game.Cirelli is one of the league's top defensive centers, finishing top-five in Selke Trophy voting twice in the past three years. The 24-year-old had 43 points in 76 games this season.Cernak is known for his hard-nosed, defensive style. The Slovakia native notched 13 points this season but also had 165 hits and 73 blocks in 55 appearances.Sergachev, Cirelli, and Cernak were each part of Tampa Bay's three consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final from 2020-22.In a smaller piece of business, the Lightning also signed forward Vladimir Namestnikov to a one-year deal when free agency opened Wednesday.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs agreed to a one-year, $1-million contract with forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel.Aube-Kubel primarily served a bottom-six role for the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche this past season. The 26-year-old matched a career high with 11 goals to go along with 11 assists over 67 games in 2021-22.Colorado claimed him off waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers in November. Aube-Kubel played his first three seasons and the first seven games of his fourth campaign with the Flyers, who drafted him 48th overall in 2014.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed a pair of forwards at the outset of free agency on Wendesday, landing Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou on matching one-year, $3 million contracts, according to Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues and defenseman Nick Leddy agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $16 million, the team announced Wednesday.More to come.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Even with Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury off the board, this summer's crop of potential NHL unrestricted free agents is one of the deepest in years.The Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche provide a handful of impact players to this list and have already all but said goodbye to one of them.Numerous stars and many more solid contributors could sign with new clubs, though some big names may elect to stick with their current squads. Patrice Bergeron has reportedly elected to do just that, and others could do the same, especially given the fact that the salary cap is only going up by $1 million for next season. However, the stars listed here are still candidates to join the frenzy unless things change in the days ahead.Here are the league's top pending UFAs who could test the market beginning Tuesday:Goals saved above expected figures are at five-on-five1. Johnny GaudreauGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit82407529 on Aug. 13$6.75MThere's no question "Johnny Hockey" will be the biggest name out there if he and the Calgary Flames can't agree on a new deal, but that's the biggest "if" of this offseason. Either way, Gaudreau is in line for a hefty raise after he tied for second in the NHL in points and finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting, helping the Flames win the Pacific Division title and a playoff series this spring.The New Jersey-born winger has said he loves being in Calgary, and Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy called an extension a "done deal" in February. There'll clearly be an abundance of teams lining up to lure Gaudreau away from Alberta if those talks don't result in an agreement.2. Nazem KadriGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit71285931$4.5MNo one made a bigger jump on this list over the course of this past campaign than Kadri. The Avalanche center set career highs in assists and points while eclipsing his personal-best average ice time by over 90 seconds at 19:14. He further boosted his value in the playoffs with clutch performances and gutted it out en route to the championship after having thumb surgery during Round 3.Peaking after 30 is rare, and with Kadri turning 32 in early October, giving him term and a large raise would definitely carry some risk. He's likely to regress - especially if he departs Colorado - but Kadri has undoubtedly earned a pay bump and will be highly coveted if he tests the market.3. Claude Giroux (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit75214434$8.28M ($4.14M after trade)Giroux and the Ottawa Senators reportedly agreed to a three-year contract carrying an average annual value of $6.5 million Wednesday.Teams are reportedly already lining up for Giroux; the Edmonton Oilers are apparently eyeing him as a backup plan if Evander Kane departs. Giroux had a very good 2021-22 season despite his age and the fact he played for the lackluster Philadelphia Flyers for most of it before they traded him to the Florida Panthers.4. Evgeni Malkin (signed) Kirk Irwin / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit41202236 on July 31$9.5MMalkin and the Penguins agreed to a four-year deal with an AAV of $6.1 million on Tuesday.Malkin's negotiations with the Pittsburgh Penguins haven't gone as swimmingly as the Letang talks, and the Russian forward is now reportedly expected to test free agency for the first time after 16 seasons with the club. Malkin showed this past season he can still perform at a high level when healthy, but his age and injury history have made his next contract far less cut-and-dried than the previous ones.5. Evander Kane (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit43221731 on Aug. 2$2.1MKane and the Oilers agreed on a 4-year extension carrying an AAV of $5.125 million Wednesday.Kane fit in seamlessly with the Oilers after signing a one-year contract in late January, and he's clearly looking for more money and term now. However, his numerous transgressions should give other teams pause if Edmonton doesn't bring him back. It's also unclear how Kane would play without Connor McDavid now that the former San Jose Sharks winger is nearing the wrong side of 30.6. Valeri Nichushkin (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit62252727$2.5MNichushkin and the Avalanche agreed on an 8-year extension carrying an AAV of $6.125 million Monday.Much like Kadri, Nichushkin significantly improved his stock while playing for the Avalanche in a contract year. The 10th overall pick in 2013 finally provided consistent offense in his sixth full NHL campaign before going off with 15 points in 20 playoff games. While Nichushkin - like Kadri - owes some of his success to his situation in Colorado, his strong two-way game and impressive underlying numbers suggest he'd succeed elsewhere.7. Darcy KuemperRecordSV%GSAxAge2021-22 Cap Hit37-12-4.9214.9532$4.5MFor the second straight year, the Avalanche are letting their No. 1 goaltender walk out the door. Kuemper will follow in Philipp Grubauer's footsteps and hit the market after the champs traded for Alexandar Georgiev at the draft. Kuemper had a difficult postseason despite winning the Cup, but he performed commendably during the regular season and is undoubtedly the best netminder available.8. John Klingberg Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit7464130 on Aug. 14$4.25MThings have been fairly quiet on the Klingberg front since the Dallas Stars tried to trade him in the winter. The experienced blue-liner was a defensive liability last season, but he can still contribute offensively while authoring favorable possession numbers.9. David PerronGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit67273034$4MPerron has long been one of the most underrated players in the NHL. The Quebec-born winger will be entering his 16th season, but he allayed wear-and-tear concerns with a strong 2021-22 campaign. Though Perron posted a sub-50 expected goals for percentage this past season, it'd be unwise to bet against him while he's consistently producing.10. Andre BurakovskyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit80223927$4.9MBurakovsky, another key piece of Colorado's championship run who's up for a new contract, is among the best secondary scorers available. The Austrian-born Swede had a career year this past season and, much like Nichushkin, is only now entering his prime. The question is whether he can duplicate his 2021-22 success.11. Vincent Trocheck (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit81213028 on July 11$4.75MTrocheck and the New York Rangers reportedly agreed to a seven-year contract with a $5.625M AAV on Wednesday.Trocheck has been a rock-solid second-line center for the Carolina Hurricanes since they acquired him from the Panthers in 2020. The Hurricanes have lots of other players to sign, so there's no guarantee Trocheck sticks around. He'd be an underrated addition for a club that needs help down the middle.12. Mason Marchment Bill Wippert / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit54182927$800KMarchment was one of the NHL's biggest surprises in 2021-22. The former Toronto Maple Leafs prospect repeatedly made his old organization regret trading him for Denis Malgin in 2019 by notching nearly a point per game for the Panthers.13. Andrew Copp (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit72213228$3.64MCopp and the Detroit Red Wings reportedly agreed to a five-year contract carrying a $5.625-million AAV on Wednesday.Like several others on this list, Copp is hoping to parlay a career year into a sizeable raise. The skilled defensive forward discovered his offensive game this past season. Copp, who can play all three positions up front, stated his case with strong play for both the New York Rangers and the Winnipeg Jets in 2021-22.14. Ondrej PalatGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit77183131$5.3MPalat has been one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's unsung heroes for years, and he certainly picked a good time to have the best postseason of his career. The veteran forward known for his reliable two-way play erupted for 11 goals and 10 assists over 23 playoff games. The Bolts want to bring him back, but Palat reportedly appears set to explore the market.15. Ryan StromeGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit74213329 on July 11$4.5MStrome has been decent as the Rangers' second-line center, but playing with Artemi Panarin padded his numbers and masked some of his deficiencies. Strome somehow failed to drive possession despite his enviable situation this past season. That said, while he's not elite, Strome would still be one of the better players available at his position.16. Jack Campbell (signed) Mark LoMoglio / National Hockey League / GettyRecordSV%GSAxAge2021-22 Cap Hit31-9-6.914-10.7830$1.65MCampbell and the Oilers agreed to a five-year contract carrying a $5-million AAV on Wednesday.Campbell was the biggest reason Toronto's goaltending was so concerning for the club this past season. The Leafs' pre-playoff success inflated his 2021-22 counting stats, and the underlying numbers proved he was among the NHL's worst netminders. But because the goalie market is extremely thin, he'll be one of the most coveted puck-stoppers.17. Dylan StromeGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit69222625$3MThis Strome brother was initially a pending restricted free agent, but the Chicago Blackhawks chose not to issue him a qualifying offer before Monday's deadline, so he'll now be testing the UFA waters.Strome had a streaky season and benefited from playing alongside Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat in the latter half of the campaign. But Strome notched as many even-strength goals as Kane (17) while playing nine fewer games and logging 4:23 less in average ice time.18. Ilya MikheyevGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit53211127 (28 on Oct. 10)$1.64MMikheyev may have priced himself out of Toronto due to the Leafs' cap constraints. The Russian winger enjoyed a mini-breakout in scoring during an injury-shortened 2021-22 season. However, his 14.3 shooting percentage more than doubled from the previous campaign, so some regression's likely in order, particularly if he joins a team with a less potent offense.19. Josh Manson (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit6761030$4.1MManson and the Avalanche agreed to a four-year contract extension carrying an AAV of $4.5 million Wednesday.Manson doesn't light up the scoresheet, but the Avalanche rearguard is a dependable top-four defenseman whose gritty style makes him an effective penalty killer. Manson's subpar 2021-22 xGF% with the Anaheim Ducks got worse after they traded him to Colorado, but it rose to an excellent 56.24 in the playoffs as he helped his new squad win the Cup.20. Nino Niederreiter Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit75242029 (30 on Sept. 8)$5.25MTeams needing a dependable forward who won't break the bank will likely look at Niederreiter if he becomes available. The Swiss winger scored at least 20 goals in six of his 11 NHL seasons and has great underlying numbers.21. Ben ChiarotGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit7491731$3.5MThe analytics community doesn't love Chiarot, but the metric-driven Panthers wanted him enough to give the Montreal Canadiens a first-round pick and other assets at last season's trade deadline. Chiarot could be sought after due to his special-teams prowess and size at 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds. The defenseman isn't known for piling up points, but he collected eight over 20 games with the Presidents' Trophy winners.22. Paul StastnyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit71212436$3.75MStastny's second go-around with the Jets worked out pretty well for both parties, and perhaps his one-year deal had something to do with that. Even at his age, the grizzled vet can still center a team's second or third line next season.23. Rickard Rakell (signed)GPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit70202129$3.79MRakell and the Penguins agreed on a 6-year extension carrying an AAV of $5 million Monday.Rakell is still a bit streaky, injury-prone, and not the 30-goal-scorer he was in his prime. But the veteran winger drove possession in 2021-22 while playing most of the season with the retooling Ducks before they dealt him to the Penguins. He can still make plays, but teams will surely be wary of signing him long term.24. Nick LeddyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit7532131$5.5MLeddy is heading into his 13th NHL season and won the Cup in 2013. The reliable defenseman got traded last July and then again in March. Leddy is also entering the point of his career when players usually decline, but he's worth a look as a third-pairing option if he reaches free agency.25. Phil Kessel Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAAge2021-22 Cap Hit8284434$8MKessel will be entering his 17th season, and he's certainly not an $8-million player anymore. However, he managed more than half an assist per game for an awful Arizona Coyotes squad last season and suited up for all 82 contests. Kessel also had more individual expected goals than Malkin, Mikheyev, and Marchment while posting a career-low 4.6% shooting rate. The latter's bound to get closer to his career mark of 10.8% in 2022-23, especially if he lands with a better team.(Salary source: CapFriendly)

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed defenseman Josh Manson to a four-year deal, the team announced Wednesday.The deal carries a cap hit of $4.5 million, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. It also includes a no-trade clause for the first two seasons of the deal and a modified no-trade clause for the last two campaigns.Manson, 30, joined the Avalanche from the Anaheim Ducks prior to the trade deadline. He chipped in with eight points in 20 playoff games including one game-winning goal to help Colorado claim the Stanley Cup.The Illinois native logged two goals and five assists while averaging just over 17 minutes of ice time per contest in 22 regular-season games after being acquired by Colorado."Josh was a huge addition to our back end down the stretch and into the playoffs," general manager Chris MacFarland said. "He played big minutes on our second pairing throughout the postseason, providing a tough, steady presence in the defensive zone while also contributing on the offensive end with some key goals."Getting him under contract for the next four years helps further solidify our blue line."Manson put up a combined six goals and 10 assists in 67 contests for Anaheim and Colorado in 2021-22.Selected by the Ducks in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, Manson has 120 career points in 475 NHL games.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils are trading forward Pavel Zacha to the Boston Bruins for Erik Haula, reports TSN's Chris Johnston.Zacha is a restricted free agent, while Haula has one more year on his current deal at $2.375 million.The Devils drafted Zacha sixth overall in 2015. He didn't quite live up to the hype of a top prospect in New Jersey, registering 110 points in 386 games across seven seasons.Haula has bounced around the league in recent years, suiting up for five teams since 2018. He notched 44 points in 78 games while averaging 15 minutes per night in his first campaign with the Bruins in 2021-22.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Colorado Avalanche are bringing back forward Darren Helm on a one-year contract worth $1.25 million, reports TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Helm, a 15-year veteran, served a fourth-line role for the Avalanche this past season. He scored the game-winner in the final seconds of regulation to eliminate the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of their second-round playoff series in May.The longtime member of the Detroit Red Wings played his first 14 seasons in the Motor City before signing a one-year, $1-million pact with Colorado last July.The Avalanche came into this week with a handful of key pending unrestricted free agents. They re-signed Valeri Nichushkin to an eight-year extension Monday, but are expected to lose Nazem Kadri and Darcy Kuemper on the market Wednesday.However, Colorado is reportedly inking trade-deadline acquisition Josh Manson to a new four-year deal. Andre Burakovsky is the team's other significant UFA.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues and forward Robert Thomas have agreed to an eight-year contract extension worth approximately $64 million, The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford reports.Thomas was already signed through 2022-23 at a cap hit of $2.8 million. He was due to become a pending restricted free agent if the Blues didn't sign him by next summer.The 23-year-old had a major breakout season in 2021-22, posting 77 points - including 60 at even strength - in 72 games in a larger role in St. Louis' top six. Thomas settled into the Blues' No. 2 center role behind captain Ryan O'Reilly this past season, logging almost 19 minutes per contest.When Thomas' new deal kicks in for the 2023-24 campaign, he'll be the Blues' highest-paid player. O'Reilly and longtime St. Louis winger Vladimir Tarasenko each make $7.5 million but are entering the final years of their respective contracts come October.The Blues drafted Thomas 20th overall in 2017.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers and pending unrestricted free agent Evander Kane agreed on a four-year deal with an average annual value of $5.125 million, the veteran forward announced late Tuesday.Kane's announcement comes hours before the NHL's free agency period is set to open. The agreement keeps the 30-year-old winger in Edmonton after the team brought him in on a one-year deal in January following his release from the San Jose Sharks."Throughout the last 12 months, there have been lots of roadblocks, tons of adversity, and many tough days," Kane's statement read. "I'm grateful for the tremendous amount of support from family, friends, teammates, and others who have helped me stay strong through those difficult times."Kane was suspended by the NHL in October 2021 for the first 21 games of the season for a violation of the league's COVID-19 rules and protocols. At the completion of his suspension, Kane was placed on waivers by the Sharks and reassigned to the AHL before his contract was terminated for a violation of AHL mandates.The Oilers signed Kane on Jan. 27, and he made his debut for the team two days later, immediately becoming a key contributor. Kane recorded 22 goals and 17 assists in 43 regular-season outings for the Oilers and bagged his first-ever playoff hat trick in the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. Kane scored 14 goals with three assists as part of the Oilers' run to the Western Conference Final."I want to thank the Edmonton Oilers for giving me an opportunity to REMIND people who I am as a player and a person," Kane's statement continued.He added, "A big part of my decision to stay in Edmonton was because of the opportunity given to me only seven months ago but also the chance to be a part of a championship team."Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Geno isn't going anywhere, after all.Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $6.1 million on the eve of free agency.The contract also contains a full no-movement clause, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Recent reports indicated that Malkin would hit the open market. He even apparently texted some of his Penguins teammates that the front office thinks he's "not good anymore." There appeared to be serious tension between the two sides.But that's likely water under the bridge now. The new pact will keep Malkin in Pittsburgh through his age-39 campaign and possibly through the end of his storied playing career."Evgeni is a generational talent who will be remembered as one of the greatest players in NHL history," general manager Ron Hextall said. "His hockey resume and individual accomplishments speak volumes about him as a player, and we are thrilled to watch him continue his remarkable legacy in Pittsburgh."The center's new contract also comes in at the same AAV that Kris Letang received on his new deal, although the defenseman received two additional years.Malkin ranks third behind Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby on the Penguins' all-time franchise leaderboards in goals (444), assists (702), and points (1,146) through 981 games. He's won numerous accolades in his 16-year career, including three Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe Award, a Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies, a Ted Lindsay Award, and a Calder Trophy.The 35-year-old can still play despite missing the first half of the season while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Malkin recorded 20 goals and 22 assists in 41 games this past campaign while adding three goals and three assists in seven postseason contests.The Penguins appear set to run it back with primarily the same group in 2022-23. The club re-signed trade deadline pickup Rickard Rakell on Monday and now has just $4.2 million in cap space this offseason, with no remaining UFAs and only one RFA in Kasperi Kapanen.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Johnny Gaudreau's time with the Calgary Flames has come to an end.The superstar winger will test the free-agent market when it opens Wednesday, Flames general manager Brad Treliving confirmed."It's a disappointing day to say the very least," Treliving said."I can assure our fans that we have done everything possible to keep John in Calgary. ... I want to wish him and his family the very, very best. He gave us eight great years here."It is my strong belief that this was a family decision, and I respect that fully. John has every right, and we have nothing but respect for John the player and John the person."Treliving offered a blunt response when asked if there's any chance the Flames and Gaudreau could circle back Wednesday."I don't anticipate that," he told Postmedia's Wes Gilbertson.The Flames reportedly offered Gaudreau an eight-year contract with a cap hit over $10 million in an effort to keep him. It would've made him the highest-paid player in franchise history.Gaudreau will go down as one of the best players to ever suit up for the Flames. His name is littered all over the club record books, ranking fifth all-time in assists (399) and points (609) in just 602 games played. Among Calgary's single-season records, Gaudreau's 75 assists and 115 points in 2021-22 both rank second in team history."Johnny Hockey" will also go down as one of the best draft picks for the team. The Flames selected him 104th overall in 2011.Gaudreau ranked fourth in Hart Trophy voting this past season after finishing second in the league in points behind Connor McDavid. He also led the NHL with a plus-64 rating. His underlying numbers over the last three seasons are off the charts, too. Evolving-Hockey.comThe Salem, New Jersey, product has established himself as one of the league's most electrifying playmakers. Since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2014-15, he ranks third among active players in assists and sixth in points. Gaudreau has averaged 29 goals and 83 points per 82 games in his nine-year career.Evolving-Hockey projects the 28-year-old will sign a seven-year deal with a $10.9-million cap hit in free agency.Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hallelujah for general managers and front offices everywhere: The salary cap is going up by $1 million for the 2022-23 season, marking the first increase in three years.However, that extra million obviously won't solve every team's problems. Free agents who are eligible for a decent price tag will be just as important as ever, with bonus points going to those who can outplay an already reasonable contract.Last season, the model for a "more-bang-for-your-buck" type of player was Michael Bunting, who earned a Calder Trophy nomination after scoring 23 goals and 40 assists in 79 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs while carrying a $950,000 cap hit.A Bunting-type player doesn't come along every day, and there most likely isn't another one in this unrestricted free-agent class, but there are quite a few players out there who have a real shot at outperforming their pacts in 2022-23. The pending UFAs below all project to sign contracts for less than $3 million per season, according to Evolving Hockey.Mason Marchment - LW Eliot J. Schechter / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOI2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract54182914:07$800K$2.456M x 3 yearsMason Marchment is an intriguing case. He erupted during his second season with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22, but interested general managers will have to assess whether that kind of production is the rule rather than the exception for the physical forward.For starters, his sample size is small. Marchment has suited up for just 91 NHL games across three campaigns with varying results. The winger scored a combined 11 points in 37 games throughout his first two NHL seasons, which is obviously a far cry from his offensive output in 2021-22.Even more impressive, Marchment did the bulk of his work this past season at even strength. He averaged less than a minute of power-play ice time per contest, and only two of his 47 points came on the man advantage. The 6-foot-4 winger also threw 114 hits, further adding to the pros column.There's no doubt that Marchment is an attractive candidate to teams in the market for a gritty forward with a scoring touch. However, unless you can tell the future, there's no way to know whether Marchment can be a 30-goal guy over 82 games or if he's due for some regression. If it's the former, the 27-year-old will be a guaranteed steal based on Evolving Hockey's projected contract of just under $2.5 million by three years.Phil Kessel - RW Norm Hall / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOI2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract8284416:41$8M*$1.917M x 1 yearNote: The Toronto Maple Leafs signed Kessel to an eight-year deal with an $8-million cap hit beginning in 2014-15 but have retained $1.2 million of that deal for the past seven seasons.Sure, Phil Kessel is a far more established NHL player than the other forwards on this list, but that doesn't take away from his potential to be a low-risk, high-reward option for any curious parties at a projected $1.9-million cap hit for one year.With 1,204 career NHL games under his belt, teams will know exactly what they’re getting out of the 34-year-old veteran: A savvy playmaker who isn't always the most defensively-inclined on the ice. And as the owner of the league's longest active ironman streak after playing in 982 straight contests, he's a sure bet to be in the lineup every night.Kessel led the struggling Arizona Coyotes with 44 helpers, resulting in assists on 21% of the team's league-low 206 goals in 2021-22. His eight goals on the campaign may seem like a serious red flag, but keep in mind that a career-worst shooting percentage of 4.6% kept Kessel handcuffed.If Kessel leaves the desert, he'll likely end up on a side with more offensive firepower where he could have a larger impact. His championship pedigree as a two-time Stanley Cup winner also can't be overlooked. Kessel may have missed out on the playoffs for the past two seasons, but that's arguably when he's at his best: He owns a career 0.79 point-per-game clip in the regular season and a 0.84 rate in the postseason.Colin Blackwell - C/RW Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAATOI2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract58101011:56$725K$959.5K x 1 yearWith 138 games of NHL experience to his name, Colin Blackwell has already played for four organizations and could make it five this summer.Wherever the journeyman-in-the-making ends up, he'll likely slot in just fine thanks to his Swiss Army knife style of play. Blackwell hasn't seen a ton of ice time - his career average is 12:21 - but what he's able to do in those limited minutes is admirable and dependable. The 2011 seventh-rounder can play in all situations and has proven he can provide a bit of a pop on the penalty kill after scoring two shorthanded goals in 2021-22.The 29-year-old's offense diminished following the trade to the Maple Leafs just before the deadline this past season, but he did produce for the Seattle Kraken at a respectable clip, with eight goals and nine assists in 39 contests. His best statistical season came in 2020-21 when he scored 12 times in 47 games with the New York Rangers, translating to a 20-goal pace over 82 contests. Blackwell did some of his work that campaign alongside Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome, so he can move up and down the lineup in a pinch.Blackwell will likely never provide quite the same eyepopping value as Bunting for less than $1 million. But teams can feel confident they'd be getting a player who can inject a ton of energy into their bottom six at an extremely agreeable price tag.Braden Holtby - G Darcy Finley / National Hockey League / GettyGPSV%GAARecord2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract24.913%2.7810-10-1$2M$1.443M x 1 yearAfter the Vancouver Canucks bought him out following their COVID-19-ravaged 2020-21 campaign, goaltender Braden Holtby desperately needed a bounce-back season. Luckily for him, that's essentially what he got with the Dallas Stars in 2021-22 despite being limited due to injuries.Holtby was 22nd in the league in goals saved above average (4.57) and 41st in goals saved above expected (0.81) at five-on-five this past season. To compare, he was in the bottom 10 in both metrics while with the Canucks. His .922 save percentage at even strength ranked 14th among all goaltenders who played at least 20 games in 2021-22. The veteran also got his overall save percentage back over the .900 mark and his goals against average under three for the first time since 2018-19.The 32-year-old may no longer be the Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender who captured the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals. However, he can still be an ideal fit on a squad that has a young netminder who can benefit from sharing the crease with an accomplished and experienced mentor.Details surrounding the injured Holtby's playing status for the 2022-23 season are fuzzy, but barring a season-long absence, he has a real shot at outperforming his projected sub-$2-million contract if he stays healthy and builds on his momentum.Ian Cole - D Dustin Bradford / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOI2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract7521717:09$2.9M$2.613M x 2 yearsIan Cole isn't the flashiest rearguard slated to hit the market this summer, but he's been a safe bet on the blue line for the bulk of his career. His projected cap hit of just over $2.6 million may be a small price to pay for the consistency he brings in a bottom-pairing role.Cole wasn't just a passenger on the defensively sound Carolina Hurricanes this past season. Among Hurricanes defensemen to play at least 20 games, Cole's 2.2 expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five were the best on the team.Carolina also controlled 56.5% of the expected goals with Cole on the ice at five-on-five, which was the second-highest mark amongst the team's blue-liners behind only Jaccob Slavin. Additionally, the 33-year-old ranked third on the Hurricanes' league-leading penalty-killing unit in shorthanded ice time per game (2:30).Cole isn't in the same tier as John Klingberg or Kris Letang - who re-upped in Pittsburgh for six years to the tune of $6.1 million per season - and will obviously come at a far lower price. However, he's also projected to cost less than other pending UFA rearguards such as Calvin De Haan, Nikita Zadorov, and Brett Kulak.Michael Stone - D Derek Leung / Getty Images Sport / GettyGPGAATOI2021-22 Cap HitProjected Contract112417:27$750K$800.7K x 1 yearThis one is mostly for fun since it's admittedly a bit of a reach to call Michael Stone a potential bargain, especially if we're just looking at his regular-season results - he watched a lot of Calgary Flames games from the press box in 2021-22.However, Stone truly came alive in the playoffs, scoring two goals and three assists in nine contests while averaging 13 minutes per game. Stone's possession numbers were also eyebrow-raising: The Flames controlled a team-high 67.9% of the shot attempts and 64.3% of the expected goals with him on the ice at five-on-five in the postseason.Of course, no organization will pay him millions of dollars based on a few sparkling performances in the playoffs, but he has some serious low-risk, high-reward potential. The 32-year-old will get paid like a depth defenseman, which certainly can't make-or-break a team, but if he demonstrates even the smallest flash of what he accomplished in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, then there's no doubt Stone has some level of bargain capability.(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)Copyright © 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.