As one of the top centers of the 2018 free-agent class, Riley Nash will have no shortage of interest from around the NHL. However, one team has apparently already caught his eye: the Vancouver Canucks.

"(Joining a rebuilding team is) not something I would be scared of and I'm looking forward to talking to them," Nash said, according to The Province's Ben Kuzma. "We've done our research and it's pretty interesting. We're obviously aware of what's going on in Vancouver and I think they have a pretty good future ahead of them."

"They're not that far off and I don't think it will be a long rebuild."

The 29-year-old is coming off a breakout season in 2017-18, totaling 41 points in 76 games with the Boston Bruins, surpassing his previous career-high of 25. He's a very reliable defensive player as well, as he was one of two players this past season with at least 50 takeaways, but fewer than 20 giveaways.

Behind John Tavares and Paul Stastny, Nash is arguably the third-best center set to hit the open market on July 1, followed by pivots like Tyler Bozak, Derek Ryan, Kyle Brodziak, and Valtteri Filppula.

Like many teams, the Canucks are in need of help down the middle. After Bo Horvat, Nash would likely slot in as their second-line center ahead of Brandon Sutter and Sam Gagner. Young phenom Elias Pettersson is a natural center, but it appears as though he'll begin his NHL career on the wing.

A chance to play a top-six role might be awfully tempting for Nash, especially if the Canucks use their abundance of cap room to make him a very rich man.

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Every few summers a pending superstar free agent gets the NHL buzzing over a highly-anticipated move to a new market. This summer, that player is longtime New York Islanders forward and franchise cornerstone John Tavares.

Related: Report: Tavares to meet with Sharks, Leafs, Bruins, Lightning, Stars

Prior to Saturday, the situation surrounding Johnny T and his pending decision on where his future will be spent was relatively murky. However, after numerous conflicting reports and even more unsubstantiated rumors, Tavares will officially entertain presentations from the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins.

Other than the half-season of donning the red, black, and yellow for SC Bern of Switzerland's National League (he played 28 games for the team during the 2012-13 NHL lockout), Tavares has only ever rocked Islanders colors, so the situation he would be moving to has to be just the right fit. Also, it should be noted that the Islanders are still the likely front-runners to retain his services.

Regardless, we take a look at, and rank, the five teams Tavares will speak to over the next few days based on which club would be the best fit for the perennial All-Star center.

5. Dallas Stars

Projected 2018-19 available salary-cap space: $19.8M.

Market: While everything might be bigger in Texas, Big D doesn't exactly boast a storied hockey culture. However, the ninth-largest city in the United States (1.38-million people) has all of the big-market appeals.

Aside from the night life and stellar barbecue, Tavares could more seriously be enticed by the lack of income tax on his paychecks he would receive should he be employed in the state of Texas.

Dallas might not top the list, but don't count out the impact that star players like Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Alexander Radulov could have on Tavares' decision-making process.

Potential line combo:

Best-fit rating: 4/10.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

Projected 2018-19 available salary-cap space: $10.5M.

Market: Speaking of states with no income tax, Florida's white beaches and clear-blue shorelines aren't the only bonuses that come along with playing in the Sunshine State. In addition to the extra coin he would pocket by playing in Tampa Bay, South Florida would also provide the perfect kind of calm hockey setting Tavares is rumored to be interested in.

However, the Lightning are up against the cap next season and will have both Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point commanding serious loot in 2019. Steve Yzerman's hands look to be tied.

However, if Stevie Y can work some magic with his roster, the extra cash, decreased media scrutiny, and potential to play with a close friend and elite sharpshooter in Steven Stamkos might just be enough to have Tavares heading to Tampa.

Potential line combo:

Best-fit rating: 6/10.

3. Boston Bruins

Projected 2018-19 available salary-cap space: $11.9M.

Market: If it's a storied history of winning that Tavares craves, he need look no further than the Bruins, a team which has qualified for the playoffs nine of the last 11 seasons.

Boston isn't as flashy as other cities on the list, but in terms of its hockey culture, Bean Town is one of the very best. It's long been rumored that Tavares, a quiet and composed individual both on and off the ice, has always had eyes for a subdued market - something the hockey-crazed New England area is not.

It should also be noted that the Bruins already own a handful of forwards on long-term contracts north of the $6-million mark, so Boston general manager Don Sweeney would have to do some roster shuffling to make room for Tavares.

However, if Tavares were to jump ship and join the Bs, he would be joining a team already boasting one of the best top lines in the business with Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Pastrnak. He could relish an opportunity to play more of a supporting role rather than having to shoulder the burden of being the lone face of the franchise in New York.

Potential line combo:

Best-fit rating: 6.5/10.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs

Projected 2018-19 available salary-cap space: $24.6M.

Market: Take a deep breath, Toronto. Just because he sits second on this list doesn't mean that an order for a Tavares jersey in every colorway needs to be placed ... just yet.

Aside from the obvious draw of playing in his hometown, the Maple Leafs can offer Tavares the legitimate chance of winning right now. And while the same can be said for the other clubs on our list, Toronto employs one of the best young lineups in the NHL, making sustained success a real possibility.

Toronto's crazed hockey market and rabid media have proven to affect even the most grizzled of hockey vets, and the city is truly gasping for a winner. Needless to say, the pressures of playing in Canada's biggest city are intense. The Leafs will also have to come up with the cash to lock down William Nylander, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner over the next 12 months, which could potentially be the biggest hurdle to clear in getting Johnny T in blue and white.

There really is no telling if Tavares wants to subject himself to the media meat-grinder in Toronto, but the chance to bring the Cup back to where he grew up might be a deciding factor.

Potential line combo:

Best-fit rating: 8/10

1. San Jose Sharks

Projected 2018-19 available salary-cap space: $18.8M.

Market: Everything about San Jose seems to fit the mold as Tavares' town. Aside from the Nor Cal appeal of living in the Bay Area with the Pacific Ocean as his everyday backdrop, Tavares could be lured to the Sharks with the promise of living in relative obscurity.

He may be a big-name star in NHL circles, but playing in San Jose could afford Tavares the type of anonymity that he's looking for, regardless of how the team performs.

The Sharks also have a proven track record of recent success, failing to qualify for the playoffs only twice in the past 20 seasons. The team also employs the services of some of the best players in the league, with Brent Burns on the blue line and Joe Pavelski up front.

San Jose's beautiful setting, hockey culture, cap flexibility, and on-ice product has it in prime position to land the biggest free agent in recent memory.

Potential line combo:

Best-fit rating: 8.5/10

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The NHL's 5 p.m. ET deadline to extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents came and went on Monday, and there were more than a handful of household names who weren't tendered.

As a reminder, a restricted free agent who doesn't receive a qualifying offer will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and will be free to sign with any team he chooses.

Here is a list of the most notable names:

Forwards

Defense

Goalies

The unrestricted-free-agent market just got a little deeper.

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The Montreal Canadiens drafted center Jesperi Kotkaniemi with the third-overall pick in this year's NHL draft, but they don't appear to be finished addressing their needs down the middle of the ice.

The Canadiens are among the list of teams that have called free-agent pivot Paul Stastny's camp, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

The Habs aren't alone, though, as LeBrun adds that there's "no shortage of suitors." He says Stastny and the Jets have mutual interest in his return to Winnipeg, but the team would have to make cap room in order to make it work.

Stastny will likely wait until fellow free-agent center John Tavares signs a contract before he makes his own decision, but it wouldn't be surprising if he ended up in Montreal. The 32-year-old was born in Quebec City while his father, Peter Stastny, was starring for the Quebec Nordiques in the 1980s.

Splitting last season between the Jets and St. Louis Blues, Stastny had 53 points in 82 games, and added 15 more in 17 postseason contests.

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Add another goaltender to the unrestricted free-agent field.

The Philadelphia Flyers did not give a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agent Petr Mrazek, meaning he will become a UFA on July 1, according to Sam Carhidi of Philly.com.

Related - Report: Blackhawks, Isles among 8 teams to reach out to Hutton

The 26-year-old was acquired by the Flyers from the Detroit Red Wings - who drafted him in the fifth round back in 2010 - in February, where he was went 6-6-3 in 17 games with a 3.22 GAA and a .891 save percentage.

While he's still young and the last couple seasons haven't been his brightest, Mrazek does have experience serving as a No. 1, including during the 2015-16 campaign where he put up a respectable 27-16-6 record with a 2.33 GAA and a .921 save percentage in 54 games.

With the free-agent interview period in full swing, teams can begin calling on Mrazek.

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The Detroit Red Wings inked a pair of wingers to contract extensions Monday, signing Tyler Bertuzzi to a two-year deal and Martin Frk to a one-year pact, the team announced.

Frk is coming off a season in which he tallied 11 goals and 14 assists in 68 games for the Wings. While Bertuzzi split the season between Grand Rapids of the AHL and Detroit, registering seven goals and 17 assists to go along with 39 penalty minutes in 48 games for the big club.

Both forwards were set to become free agents as of July 1, with Frk being of the unrestricted variety.

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The free-agent goalie market is thin, and as a result, St. Louis Blues netminder Carter Hutton has become one of the most sought-after names.

Once the UFA interview period opened on Sunday, eight teams reportedly reached out to Hutton's camp; the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Islanders have been confirmed, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun believes Hutton has cut the original eight clubs down to six and separated those teams into two groups: those offering him a backup position and those willing to ride him as their No. 1.

The Islanders, Sabres, and potentially the Hurricanes (who still have Scott Darling under contract) could offer starting positions, while the Blackhawks would like to have a healthy Corey Crawford between the pipes. But, after the veteran netminder missed 54 games last season due to injury, Chicago could be in the market for a serviceable backup.

Hutton is coming off his best season statistically in which he posted a record of 17-7-3 with a 2.09 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage.

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The list of potential destinations for pending unrestricted free agent John Tavares is starting to grow.

The New York Islanders captain's camp will meet with the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning this week at CAA offices in Los Angeles, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun adds that the Islanders remain in the mix and that Tavares will speak with two to three other teams over the phone, after which he may speak to one or two in person.

The UFA interview period opened Sunday, meaning teams can now speak to pending free agents ahead of July 1 to make their case.

Related: Lamoriello not discouraged as Tavares prepares to field rival offers

Tavares is coming off a strong 2017-18 season that saw him reach the 30-goal plateau for the fourth time and the 80-point threshold for the third time.

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