Lundqvist's future became unclear when he was bought out by the New York Rangers earlier this week with one year remaining on his deal. He's spent all 15 seasons of his career with the club, helping it reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
The 38-year-old owns a .910 save percentage and 3.05 goals-against average in 145 appearances over his last three campaigns.
Though his best days are behind him, the veteran puck-stopper could make an impact in a backup role, while his leadership and experience could prove invaluable to a team in the hunt for a Stanley Cup.
The offseason has officially begun, and the free-agent frenzy is right around the corner. With the salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million for next season, general managers will be more desperate than ever to find low-cost impact players on the market while pinching their pennies.
We all saw what talents like Corey Perry and Pat Maroon were able to contribute to their clubs after inking team-friendly deals last offseason. The following players will likely be available at an appealing cost, and they could outplay their contracts in 2020-21.
Jason Spezza - C/RW
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
Cap hit
58
9
16
25
10:50
$700K
Spezza has made it clear he'd love to stay with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs if he plays in 2020-21, but it's uncertain the cap-strapped team can keep the veteran in its plans going forward. If the Leafs move on, lots of clubs could benefit from using Spezza in a depth role.
The 37-year-old put together a solid 2019-20 campaign while proving he can still contribute in several areas. Spezza produced more points per game last season (0.43) than he did in 2018-19 (0.35) despite logging considerably less ice time. He also showed off his versatility, playing center and wing throughout the season and winning 54.4% of his faceoffs.
Spezza's off-ice value also can't be overlooked. The 17-year pro adds plenty of experience, his teammates love him, and he's on a mission to end his career with a Stanley Cup win.
Mikael Granlund - LW/RW
Dave Sandford / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
Cap hit
63
17
13
30
17:48
$5.75M
How quickly things can change. Nashville Predators general manager David Poile appeared to have fleeced the Minnesota Wild when he acquired Granlund for Kevin Fiala just over 18 months ago, but the latter has become the far more productive player ever since.
The aftermath of that trade could impact how much a team is willing to invest in Granlund. We're not suggesting the 28-year-old pivot will end up signing for low-end money, but his recent decline will likely prove costly. However, his offensive potential could lead to Granlund outperforming his next contract, making him a bargain candidate.
The 5-foot-10 Finn has registered a pair of 60-plus point seasons, and he's capable of playing throughout the lineup. Granlund has also been a strong possession player for most of his career, and the Predators boasted an impressive 62.42% of expected goals when he was on the ice at five-on-five in 2019-20.
Henrik Lundqvist - G
Jared Silber / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
GAA
SV%
GSAA
Cap hit
30
3.16
.905
-4.16
$8.5M
Despite Lundqvist's bona fides, it's unlikely a team will overpay for a No. 2 goalie, so he should be available for a reasonable price if the veteran continues his career. It's tough to picture King Henrik in another jersey, but taking a chance on him wouldn't be the worst idea for a contender looking to shore up its crease.
The 2012 Vezina Trophy winner has declined statistically in recent years, but he didn't receive much help from a Rangers team that's been one of the worst defensively over the past several seasons. Fulfilling a lighter role for a stronger club could help give Lundqvist a second wind. At the very least, his presence and experience would be invaluable to a Stanley Cup contender.
Tyler Ennis - LW/RW
Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
Cap hit
70
16
21
37
14:43
$800K
Ennis was on our 2019 edition of potential free-agent steals, and for good reason. The veteran winger's production in 2019-20 far outweighed his six-figure contract. Although he's due for a slight raise, Ennis should still be a low-cost option who can provide plenty of value.
The 30-year-old paced all players making under $1 million who were not on entry-level deals last season in both goals and points. He outscored multi-million dollar pending free-agent forwards such as Granlund, Vladislav Namestnikov, and Craig Smith despite logging less ice time per game than the former two.
Ennis also plays a lot larger than his 5-foot-9 frame suggests, as evidenced by his career-high 96 hits last season. His mix of grit and skill makes him a versatile talent who can play up and down a club's lineup.
Wayne Simmonds - RW
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
P
ATOI
Cap hit
68
8
17
25
14:55
$5M
Despite his body of work, it became clear that Simmonds' value had dropped after he managed just a one-year contract last offseason. The 6-foot-5 winger failed to meet expectations in 2019-20, so he'll likely be securing a far less lucrative salary now.
However, Simmonds spent 2019-20 playing for a pair of struggling teams in the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. His ice time dropped noticeably with Buffalo, and he wasn't able to find his game before the season was cut short in March.
Simmonds' days as a top-six option are clearly behind him, but the 32-year-old power forward can still bolster a club's depth. He recorded 145 hits last season while also showing he can still contribute on the power play, recording five of his eight tallies with the man advantage.
The San Jose Sharks are discussing a potential trade with the Minnesota Wild to acquire veteran netminder Devan Dubnyk, according to TSN's Daren Dreger.
Dubnyk, 34, has one year remaining on his current deal, which carries a cap hit of $4.33 million. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 campaign.
The Los Angeles Kings have fired mascot actor Tim Smith following a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him earlier this year, the team has said in a brief statement, according to The Associated Press.
A former female member of the club's ice crew sued Smith, who portrayed the mascot "Bailey," along with the Kings and team owner AEG.
Smith allegedly verbally and physically harassed the woman and then fired her after she confronted his behavior, according to the lawsuit.
Malgin, 23, will become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
Toronto acquired the 5-foot-9 pivot from the Florida Panthers in February. He logged 10:21 of average ice time over eight regular-season games with the Maple Leafs.
Malgin has amassed 28 goals and 60 points over 192 career contests.
The Panthers selected the Swiss native in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
The Columbus Blue Jackets need to bolster their offense this offseason and are apparently open to trading one of their budding young goaltenders to do so.
Columbus is reportedly listening to offers for both Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins and would like a first- or second-line center in return, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun on Thursday's edition of "Insider Trading."
The Blue Jackets also don't believe there will be enough net to go around - both puck-stoppers have proved they're capable of fulfilling a starting role, LeBrun adds.
Here's how each netminder stacked up this season:
Player
GS
GAA
SV%
GSAA
Korpisalo
35
2.60
.911
1.14
Merzlikins
31
2.23
.935
12.10
GSAA = Goals saved above average
Korpisalo enjoyed a consistent campaign before he took a massive leap in the postseason. The 26-year-old posted a .941 save percentage and a 7.21 goals saved above average across nine playoff starts. Korpisalo also set the modern-day NHL record for saves in a playoff game when he turned aside 85 shots in a five overtime game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Merzlikins, 26, went on an absolute tear after failing to record a win over his first 10 NHL appearances. The Latvian goalkeeper enjoyed a 12-2 stretch in which he authored a ridiculous .953 save percentage and five shutouts to propel the Blue Jackets from lottery players to playoff participants.
Both netminders have two years remaining on their respective deals, with Korpisalo carrying an annual cap hit of $2.8 million and Merzlikins $4 million.
The Tampa Bay Lightning got rather creative with their Stanley Cup celebration on Wednesday, as the championship squad floated down the Hillsborough River by boat while showcasing the trophy.
After such a unique NHL season, an equally quirky celebration was only fitting.
Here are the most memorable moments from a parade the Lightning and their fans will never forget:
It appears as though Cody Ceci will be finding a new home this offseason.
The Toronto Maple Leafs blue-liner is set to become an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 9 and is headed to the open market, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun. However, the 26-year-old could circle back to the Leafs once the market opens, LeBrun adds.
Ceci signed a one-year, $4.5-million deal with Toronto after being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in July 2019.
The 6-foot-2 defenseman tallied one goal and eight points while logging 20:32 of average ice time across 56 contests. He ranked second on the Leafs in hits (92) and third in blocked shots (79).
The Leafs have $6.106 million in projected cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly. Defenseman Travis Dermott and winger Ilya Mikheyev are two important restricted free agents in need of new deals, while 29-year-old blue-liner Tyson Barrie is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
The 2018 Norris Trophy winner scored his 10th goal of the playoffs against the Dallas Stars to join Hall of Famers Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch as the only blue-liners in NHL history to record 10-plus tallies in a single postseason, according to StatsCentre. Coffey set the record during the 1985 playoffs with 12 goals while Leetch potted 11 in 1994.
Hedman's marker put the Lightning up 3-1 just moments into the second period and stood as the eventual game-winner in the 5-2 victory in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Tampa Bay Lightning captain is in the lineup for Game 3 against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday. Stamkos, who hasn't played since Feb. 25 after requiring core muscle surgery, has been dealing with a lower-body injury since the club entered the bubble in July.
Stamkos ranked second on the Lightning in both goals (29) and points (66) through 57 regular-season contests. He scored points in 15 consecutive games before being injured.
The 30-year-old sniper led the team with 10 power-play goals during the regular season. His presence on the man advantage should boost a unit that's been struggling as of late. Tampa Bay buried a pair of power-play markers in Game 2 but hadn't scored on its 15 previous opportunities.
Stamkos has contributed 23 goals and 53 points over 70 career playoff outings.
