In less than a week, 32 general managers around the NHL will begin the process of spending hundreds of millions of dollars on unrestricted free agents.
It’s a shopping spree that happens once a year as teams get the rare opportunity to add to their rosters without having to relinquish any assets except for salary cap room.
The bonanza of transactions will result in plenty of disappointments and perhaps even a few buyouts down the line, but for the most part optimism and excitement will reign supreme on July 1.
Each team will approach the festivities with different needs and wants, and below is a summary of the players who could help the NHL’s GMs cross off the items on their shopping lists:
Centers
For the GM who admires a full trophy case — Ryan O’Reilly
O’Reilly has won the Conn Smythe Trophy, Selke Trophy and Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in his career, and at the age of 32 he should have a few good years left in him.
He’s not the same two-way force he once was, but he performed well after getting traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and plenty of teams would be happy to have him anchor their second line.
O’Reilly is a proven playoff performer who has driven winning at the highest level. His combination of size and hands should age relatively well even if speed might be an issue in the years to come.
For the GM who appreciates a workhorse — J.T. Compher
The Colorado Avalanche stapled Compher to the ice last season, playing him 20:32 per night and featuring him heavily on both special teams.
That would be more of an issue if he weren’t a relatively young free agent (28), and his ability to carry a heavy load should appeal to teams that lack center depth, like the Minnesota Wild.
In a market that lacks trustworthy top-six options at center, Compher is a guy plenty of teams will be intrigued by.
For the GM who values certainty — Lars Eller
There is nothing exciting about Eller, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t useful.
Since 2013-14, the Danish veteran hasn’t scored fewer than 10 goals in a full season or exceeded 18. He hasn’t reached 40 points or fallen below 23. With the exception of one year where he fell out of favor in Washington, his average ice time has been between 14:48 and 17:01.
You know what you’re going to get with Eller, and that’s bottom-six competence. He won’t throw bone-rattling hits or score highlight-reel goals, but he’ll provide a touch of secondary offense and help out on the penalty kill as needed. That’s a skill set plenty of teams could use.
For the GM who already has all the offense he needs — David Kämpf
Kämpf does not put the puck in the net frequently or do much to help his teammates score. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his uses.
The low-event Czech centre wins more than half of the faceoffs he takes, kills penalties, and has started 74.8% of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone over the past two seasons.
In other words, Kämpf is a prototypical fourth-line centre capable of playing a role that isn’t remotely glamorous. Teams that want a little punch from their fourth unit or a guy with some top-nine bonafides should look elsewhere, but Kämpf is capable of excelling in a specialized defensive capacity.
Wingers
For the GM who saw every minute of the playoffs once his team was eliminated — Ivan Barbashev
If you’re about to hit free agency, one of the best things you can do is play on the first line of the Stanley Cup champions.
Barbashev shined for the Vegas Golden Knights throughout the playoffs, and considering he’s just 27, plenty of GMs will see him as a long-term fixture in their team’s top-six. The interest could get a little wild considering Barbashev’s combination of youth, offensive production, and willingness to get physical.
With the bidding likely to get fierce, the team that lands Barbashev will likely be the one who believes most in what they saw during the playoffs.
For the GM who wants goal scoring at a reasonable price — Jason Zucker
Although no unrestricted free agent scored more goals than Zucker last season (27), the veteran winger hasn’t created much buzz in the run-up to July 1. The 31-year-old had two years where he struggled to stay healthy prior to 2022-23, but with six 20-plus goal seasons under his belt, he seems like a solid bet to produce wherever he lands.
Zucker fits into the sweet spot between big-name guys past their prime and younger guys teams are projecting improvement from. If you sign Zucker, you’re hoping he can consistently replicate what he’s done before.
He’s not the sexiest name on the market, but he won’t cost an arm and a leg.
For the GM who likes to live dangerously — Michael Bunting
Bunting has plenty of good qualities and it’s tough to find a free-agent forward coming off two straight 23-goal seasons under the age of 30.
He also draws tons of penalties, although the longevity of that skill is tough to project as his relationship with officials sours.
Bunting’s hit in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs that earned him a three-game suspension showed a reckless side that may need to be addressed at his next stop. That said, the last Maple Leafs player who got a similar reputation for his playoff behaviour recently helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup.
For the GM looking to inject some nastiness into his squad — Corey Perry
Although Perry is 38 he apparently has no intention of retiring and the active penalty minutes leader will be appealing to some teams.
Perry is still capable of tucking in a goal from time to time and he’s been a part of a number of deep playoff runs recently, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons between 2019-20 and 2021-22. He also was a big part of an Anaheim Ducks championship back in 2006-07.
At this point he’s more of an agitator than a reliable producer, but a few teams may come to the conclusion that they need a little more bite — and there’s no doubt Perry can help in that department.
Defensemen
For the GM who has to have the best of the best — Dmitry Orlov
Orlov is not a specialist at any individual facet of the game, but it’s hard to identify a weakness in the veteran. He chips in a little bit on offense, moves the puck effectively, and puts his 214-pound frame to good use.
Since 2017-18, he’s skated 21:49 per night, requires no sheltering, and can contribute on both special teams. If you’re looking for a true first-pair defenseman, Orlov is your guy.
For the GM who loves intangibles — Luke Schenn
Schenn is the type of player who will be valued very differently depending on teams’ tastes. Some clubs will fall in love with his winning pedigree, 15 years of NHL experience, and willingness to throw more hits than anyone else on this ice.
Other clubs will see an aging defender who doesn’t move well or contribute offensively. There’s a reason the Tampa Bay Lightning relegated him to a part-time role during his time there as he was a bit player on their championship teams.
But for the type of GM that emphasizes toughness and culture, Schenn’s appeal will be significant.
For the GM who doesn’t mind a player who can cross the line — Radko Gudas
Not every team wants someone whose nickname is “The Butcher” but some clubs will appreciate the intimidating presence of Gudas.
There are times Gudas hurts his team with an inopportune penalty and he’s no stranger to getting suspended. On the other hand, he’s a physical, right-shot defenseman who kills penalties and makes life difficult for his opponents.
For the GM who just saw Vegas win with a bunch of big blueliners — Ryan Graves
The size of the Golden Knights’ defensemen was noticed by NHL observers, and there will be GMs looking to replicate the Vegas formula.
At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds Graves has elite size. He’s a 28-year-old who can move and contribute a little bit on offense, too.
If you’re looking for a big man with the ability to throw hits and disrupt plays with his stick, Graves is an option who can help your squad for a long time.
Scott Mayfield is another guy in this category with the same dimensions and a right-handed shot, but Graves gets the nod here as he just turned 28 while Mayfield will be 31 in mid-October.
Goaltenders
For the GM willing to spend a little extra on reliability — Tristan Jarry
Jarry is rarely mentioned among the NHL’s top goaltenders, but over the last four years he ranks ninth in the league in games played (177) and 10th in save percentage among those with 100-plus appearances (.915).
In that time period his save percentage has never dropped below .909 in a single season, and at 28 there’s no reason to believe physical decline is right around the corner. If you’re looking for a guy to be your top goaltender for the foreseeable future, there’s no better option.
For the GM who has to have the shiniest new toy — Adin Hill
Hill has never topped 25 starts in a season despite bouncing between three franchises in his first three years, but he’s coming off a playoff run to remember.
The 27-year-old was a legitimate Conn Smythe Trophy candidate for the Golden Knights, and that team might not have earned a Stanley Cup victory without his work between the pipes.
Coming into the season, no one would’ve predicted Hill would be a top free-agent target, but teams willing to throw concerns about recency bias to the side could see him as a difference maker with youth on his side.
For the GM looking in the bargain bin — Semyon Varlamov
Varlamov is 35 and comes with plenty of durability questions, but the man can still play. He posted a rock-solid .914 save percentage last season, and he ranks sixth in the NHL by that metric over the last four years at .917.
As recently as 2020-21 he led the NHL in shutouts and came fifth in Vezina Trophy voting, despite appearing in just 36 games.
You can’t turn your crease over to Varlamov at this point in his career, but he projects to be a productive part of a tandem and won’t cost too much.
