The NHL draft will begin Friday night, with plenty of options on the table for all 30 teams.

With countless mock drafts floating around the internet, there are certain scenarios that, appealing as they may be, just don't quite make sense.

Here, then, are three unlikely landing spots for big-name players prior to the NHL draft, based primarily on the needs of the teams in question.

Patrick Laine, Toronto Maple Leafs

Patrick Laine believes he should be taken first overall at the 2016 NHL Draft, and that he can become the next Alex Ovechkin within five years. While he could very well become the most prolific goal-scorer to emerge from this year’s selection process, Laine is not a fit for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brendan Shanahan and Co. worked long and hard to “win” the draft lottery, and before them stands the opportunity to select center Auston Matthews, the expected cornerstone for whatever future success is to come in the so-called center of the hockey universe.

Skilled, goal-scoring wingers are an important component in the winning formula, but an elite talent down the middle is essential. Case in point, every Stanley Cup winner since the 2005 lockout has featured at least one franchise player down the middle: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, Patrice Bergeron, Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Getzlaf, and Eric Staal.

Laine will probably be the next Finnish sensation to hit the NHL, but like a legendary countryman before him (Teemu Selanne), he should get his start in Winnipeg, not Toronto.

Matthew Tkachuk, Edmonton Oilers

Matthew Thachuk enters the draft as the second-ranked North American skater, fresh off scoring the overtime winner for the OHL’s London Knights in the 2016 Memorial Cup final.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound left winger is the son of Keith Tkachuk, who scored 538 goals in 1,201 career NHL games, and the belief is the younger Tkachuk has the potential to be even better than his old man.

His stock entering the draft is sky high, as recently reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet:

Matthew Tkachuk is “gaining momentum,” as one executive put it, days after the London Knight bulled his way through the Memorial Cup. You know the NHL’s preoccupation with skilled power forwards, and he certainly qualifies.

Conventional wisdom is Auston Matthews goes first to Toronto, with Patrik Laine following to Winnipeg. I think we all expected Jesse Puljujarvi to go third, but it sure sounds like Tkachuk is pushing his way into the picture.

Tkachuk, however, is not what the Edmonton Oilers need at this point in their perpetual rebuild. For one, they have a franchise left winger in Taylor Hall, as well as glaring and immediate needs on the blue line. On top of that, the rest of their top six is littered with talented young forwards

As such, Edmonton would be better off trading the pick or using it on a defenseman like Mikhail Sergachev, Olli Juolevi, or Jakob Chychrun.

Jesse Puljujarvi, Columbus Blue Jackets

As Friedman mentions above, Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi is expected to go as high as third in this year's draft, a spot that currently belongs to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Puljujarvi's upside is high, and some believe he could turn out to be a better all-around player than Laine.

The problem for Columbus is they're loaded with prospects at the wing, many of whom were significant contributors to the Blue Jackets' AHL squad's recent championship run. What the Jackets lack following last season's Ryan Johansen-for-Seth Jones trade is a true No. 1 center, a piece that could be landed by way of a trade involving the third overall pick.

Columbus is believed to be receiving "aggressive offers" for the selection, and if the price is right, they might be well served by taking a serious look.

John Tortorella was not hired to coach a rebuilding team, and the Blue Jackets need a star down the middle. Trading this pick, and thereby passing on Puljujarvi, could do the trick.

Related: 3 unlikely pairings for the NBA draft

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Pavel Datsyuk's agent says the veteran forward passed on cashing in a signing bonus that would have made him $2 million richer.

Dan Milstein told reporters Saturday that Datsyuk made $15 million over the first two years of his most recent contract, and didn't take the bonus he was due in February, according to NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika.

Datsyuk signed a three-year extension with the Red Wings in June 2013, at an annual cap hit of $7.5 million.

He has one year remaining on that deal, and because he inked the extension after turning 35, the final year will count against the cap for whichever team takes on the contract.

Datsyuk will address his future Saturday at a noon news conference in Detroit.

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It's time for Steven Stamkos to make his decision.

The Tampa Bay Lightning captain has been surrounded by speculation for a calendar year, and with the clock counting down, the biggest fish in the unrestricted-free-agent pond will soon determine his fate.

Ultimately, Stamkos holds the keys, as all 30 NHL teams would be happy to add a player of his caliber, but only a handful can make it work.

Here are the contenders:

The front-runner

1. Tampa Bay

Unless he's after a max contract, staying put with the Lightning makes the most sense for Stamkos.

Tampa Bay is a notoriously tight-knit group, and has reached the last two Eastern Conference Finals. Remaining with the Lightning likely gives the 26-year-old the greatest chance to win.

The problem for Steve Yzerman and Co. is the salary cap. The Lightning are pressed against the ceiling, and have to work out deals with Nikita Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, Victor Hedman, and Ben Bishop, among others, over the next two seasons.

The contenders

2. Detroit Red Wings

Hockeytown could have a new star come July 1.

With the all but imminent departure of Pavel Datsyuk, the Red Wings have options to lure Stamkos in.

Ken Holland could package Datsyuk's contract ($7.5 million) with a young player to create both cap and roster space. TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Tomas Jurco or Teemu Pulkkinen could be in play, and goaltender Jimmy Howard has said he's open to being dealt.

Perhaps more importantly than any potential deal Holland can muster up, Detroit's most notable free agents are Petr Mrazek and Danny Dekeyser, neither of which should set the Red Wings back too much.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

Linked from the get-go, a Stamkos hometown reunion would set the hockey world ablaze.

Whether liking that tweet in December was inadvertent or not, the Maple Leafs are expected to make a push at Stamkos.

Toronto is littered with young talent, with more on the way on draft day in Auston Matthews (presumably), and the front office has a firm plan in place for a successful rebuild.

Stamkos could essentially be handed the reins as the team's leader, and Toronto has the cap space to make it happen.

The dark horses

4. New York Rangers

Buying a star player would be nothing new for the Rangers.

New York's window to win opens as wide as Henrik Lundqvist can hold it, but, somewhat surprisingly, the Rangers could make this work, and are expected to pursue it, according to McKenzie.

Eric Staal's contract will be off the books, Keith Yandle is expected to sign elsewhere, and Rick Nash is hot on the trade market, creating ample space for the Blueshirts to lure Stamkos to Broadway.

However, forwards Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, and Kevin Hayes need new contracts, and are likely due for raises.

5. Buffalo Sabres

After missing out on the Connor McDavid and Mike Babcock sweepstakes, this could be the splash general manager Tim Murray has long hoped to make.

Much like Toronto, Buffalo has plenty of youth, along with even more cap space, and the addition of Stamkos would accelerate the team's quest to become a contender.

Murray needs to sign youngsters Zemgus Girgensons and Rasmus Ristolainen, but would still have the space to add Stamkos to create an incredibly talented four lines.

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The Dallas Stars are set to promote a few employees. Defensemen, in particular.

Even after trading the negotiating rights of blue-liner Alex Goligoski to the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, the Stars will head into July 1 with another three defensemen set to hit the open market: Jordie Benn, Jason Demers, and trade-deadline acquisition Kris Russell.

That's a lot of minutes to fill. But general manager Jim Nill isn't panicking, because he's relying on some of the kids - Stephen Johns, Esa Lindell, Patrik Nemeth, and Jamie Oleksiak - to step up.

"It's time for them to start grabbing more of the action," Nill told the Stars' website. "If nothing happens, we are comfortable going with what we have right now. If there is somebody out there that is a fit for us, great. They've got to fit for us as a player and fit for us financially. We've got lots of flexibility, and it opens the door for us in other ways."

*UFA

Among the top four Stars defensemen in average ice time - including Russell's small sample size - only John Klingberg is returning. And the Stars may yet sign Russell, Demers, or Benn, but there are certainly holes on the blue line.

Sink or swim, gents.

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Ken Holland has a lot on his mind these days.

As the Detroit Red Wings' general manager prepares for an announcement Saturday with regards to Pavel Datsyuk's future, he's also contemplating a trade involving Jimmy Howard, who has been supplanted as the starting goalie by Petr Mrazek.

"I can see on the one hand that having two goaltenders, it’s a nice luxury," Holland said, according to Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. "Certainly Jimmy Howard played an important role down the stretch in our team qualifying for the playoffs.

"(A trade) might be good for some careers and good for the organization. I’ve thought about it lots."

Mrazek, 24, is set to become a restricted free agent, and posted better numbers in 2015-16 than the 32-year-old Howard, who's on the books for three more seasons at a cap hit of $5,291,666.

Howard was given the opportunity to start for Detroit to begin the playoffs, but posted a save percentage of .891 in two losses to Tampa Bay before Mrazek entered and allowed four goals over the next three games.

Whether there's a team out there willing to take on Howard's contract and seemingly diminished skills remains to be seen.

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The NHL offseason comes quick, especially for the Stanley Cup champions.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford is in a unique position this summer. He may have to decide between Marc-Andre Fleury, a fan favorite and rock-solid veteran, and Matt Murray, the wunderkind who just put together one of the best rookie postseasons in NHL history.

Though no one knows if Fleury will be dealt, he's already garnered attention from other teams, but Rutherford has no problem with keeping two reliable netminders in Pittsburgh's crease.

"Ideally, we'd like to start next year with both goalies, Fleury and Murray," Rutherford told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "But we have to look into some things. We have to, first of all, look into what the expansion guidelines are, and talk internally as to how all this works, if both goalies are here.

"We're very fortunate that we have two very good goalies; one a franchise goalie who's done a lot for the Penguins over the years and another up-and-coming young guy that just helped win a Stanley Cup. We have to look at the situation, but it's a good one to be in."

Fleury was enjoying a strong season before injuries derailed it, posting a 35-17-6 record with five shutouts, a 2.29 goals-against average, and a .921 save percentage.

Murray, on the other hand, has only played 13 career regular season games, winning nine of them. In the playoffs, he was 15-6 with a 2.08 GAA and a .923 save clip.

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Time may be running out for Loui Eriksson and the Boston Bruins.

While agent J.P. Barry confirmed he and Bruins general manager Don Sweeney have been in regular contact, the ball appears to be in Boston's court at this point.

"We were expecting a new offer from the club at some point but we haven’t received one yet," Barry told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "I’m sure we will speak again prior to the draft about their intentions."

The NHL Draft is set for June 24, while Eriksson can begin negotiating with other teams on June 25, with the ability to sign elsewhere on July 1.

Eriksson, who will turn 31 in mid-July, is coming off the best of his three seasons with the Bruins, recording 30 goals and 33 assists in 82 games.

The Bruins decided to hold on to Eriksson prior to the trade deadline for what turned out to be an unsuccessful run at a playoff spot. The winger carried a cap hit of $4.25 million over the past six seasons, and will likely be looking for a bump in salary in light of his productive 2015-16 campaign.

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Garth Snow doesn't sound like a general manager who'll be able to retain Kyle Okposo's services moving forward.

Speaking Friday on SiriusXM's "Stellick and Simmer" show, the New York Islanders' GM said Okposo has been a terrific player both on and off the ice.

"We're just in a situation with the salary cap that you really have to analyze where you are today and where you're going to be five years from now," Snow said. "There's always tough decisions. We're not the only team that has tough decisions to make and potentially could lose free agents on July 1.

"Kyle is a great person and has been a terrific player for this organization. I wish him nothing but the best."

Snow's comments come on the heels of Okposo's agent saying all signs point to his client hitting the open market as an unrestricted free agent.

Okposo, 28, is coming off a five-year deal that carried a cap hit of $2.8 million, a valuation that will likely rise significantly as early as July 1. The Islanders, meanwhile, have close to $14 million in available cap space (according to General Fanager), with plenty of holes to be filled in the forward ranks this season.

Okposo was drafted seventh overall by the Islanders in 2006, averaging 0.7 points per game in 529 career appearances.

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Phil Kessel can flat out fly on the ice, but his reluctance to board small planes apparently cost his linemates a late-night TV appearance.

Nick Bonino revealed that the vaunted "HBK" line - made up of himself, Kessel, and Carl Hagelin - was forced to decline an invite to "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after winning the Stanley Cup last weekend.

"Me, Haggy, and Phil were invited to Stephen Colbert and we were going to go on the day after we won or the day after we got back," Bonino told the Pardon My Take podcast.

"They sent an eight-person jet, and Phil was like, 'No, it's too small,' because he's afraid to fly, so he cancelled the whole show. (He) wouldn't get on the private jet. Me and Haggy are like, 'F---, man, we're never going to get to go on Colbert without you, and (Kessel) just went to sleep and that was it. Never heard from him again."

Kessel's postseason performance nearly earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, and his eccentricities will surely fly with his teammates as long as he continues to deliver on the ice.

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If the Colorado Avalanche wade into the free agency pool, it won't involve a blockbuster signing on the first day of the frenzy.

"We're not going to be looking that day," Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic told Mike Chambers of The Denver Post.

"As the summer goes on, we’ll see what good fits are. But on July 1, don’t expect us to go after any big long-term deals. Within our own, we’re going to discuss what we have within, but outside on July 1 we’re not going to go after a big splash.”

The Avalanche have seven pending unrestricted free agents and five pending RFAs - including Nathan MacKinnon and Tyson Barrie - with about $18.75 million in cap space, according to General Fanager.

Related: Avalanche to let Boedker and Matthias test free agency, but will bid

Sakic said Thursday that Barrie will not be traded and that the club would prefer to sign the defenseman to a long-term deal but will go to arbitration if necessary.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Tuesday that Sakic has told other NHL GMs that he's willing to listen on trades and potentially deal big names.

As he did on the Barrie front, Sakic shot down the notion that the Avalanche could be interested in acquiring pending RFA blue-liner Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets.

“I don’t ever comment on rumors,” Sakic said. “There’s a lot of speculation out there. All I can tell you is we’ve had conversations with different teams and we want to try to improve our crop.”

The Avalanche hold the 10th overall pick in the draft, which takes place next Friday and Saturday in Buffalo. They selected forward Mikko Rantanen in that same spot last year.

Colorado finished five points out of a playoff spot this season, but the Avalanche boast a solid core that includes MacKinnon, Barrie, captain Gabriel Landeskog, and forward Matt Duchene.

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