NHL free agency 2020: Top 10 available players
2019-20 cap hit: $6.1 million
After leading the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship in 2018, the 30-year-old netminder saw an early exit in the playoffs with the Caps the past two years after hoisting the Cup. Holtby also saw a noticeable dip in his numbers for the 2019-20 regular season, logging a 3.11 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. There should be several clubs open to giving him a crack at their crease for a lesser cap hit.
2019-20 cap hit: $4 million
Dadonov, 31, has scored 25-plus goals in his last three seasons with the Florida Panthers. He reached 70 points in 2018-19 for the best year of his career. The winger didn't do much this postseason (one assist in four games), but he's regularly shown an ability to find the back of the net the past few years.
2019-20 cap hit: $5.19 million
The 30-year-old winger recorded 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists) in his second year with the Florida Panthers for the 2019-20 regular season campaign after putting up 70 (36 goals, 34 assists) for 2018-19. Like fellow Panthers teammate Dadonov for the last two seasons, Hoffman looks to be able to generate a decent amount of offense for any potential suitors out there.
2019-20 cap hit: $863,333
The lone restricted free agent on the list, who's likely to remain with the New York Islanders despite commanding a big pay day, recorded 60 points for the third consecutive season while playing in a system that stresses defense. The 23-year-old center put up 85 points in 2017-18, his rookie season.
2019-20 cap hit: $3.67 million
Markstrom, 30, was having a strong season in net for the Vancouver Canucks (23-16-4, 2.75 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage) and took the squad to the second round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs before being eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights. What could have him playing for another club next year is 24-year-old Thatcher Demko emerging as the Canucks' likely goalie of the future.
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5 million
The 29-year-old defenseman could use a change of scenery after a bit of a down season in 2019-20 with the Toronto Maple Leafs in which he only recorded 39 points (five goals, 34 assists). The Leafs were in eighth place in the Eastern Conference at the time of the NHL pause on March 12. The offensive blueliner recorded 59 points in 2018-19 and 57 in 2017-18, when he was with the Colorado Avalanche.
2019-20 cap hit: $5 million
The 2019 Vezina Trophy finalist, who signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks last offseason, was traded from Chicago to the Vegas Golden Knights ahead of February's trade deadline. Vegas has been a good fit for Lehner, who has taken the Golden Knights to the Western Conference Final this postseason. The 29-year-old netminder went 19-10-5 during the 2019-20 regular season with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage with the Hawks and Knights combined. He's more than earned a long-term deal somewhere, which could be Vegas.
2019-20 cap hit: $5.25 million
The 29-year-old defenseman could be heading out of Boston for the first time in his career after playing 523 games across the past nine seasons with the Bruins. Krug, an offensively-gifted blueliner, is still near the top of his game after registering 49 points (nine goals, 40 assists) with the Bruins during the 2019-20 regular season.
2019-20 cap hit: $6 million
Hall, 28, only put up 52 points (16 goals, 36 assists) in 65 games split between the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes during the 2019-20 regular season. The forward won the Hart Trophy following the 2017-18 regular season as a Devil, recording 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) that year. It seems he could be righting the ship after having knee surgery in early 2019.
2019-20 cap hit: $6.5 million
The 30-year-old defenseman has been with the St. Louis Blues organization since they selected him at No. 4 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. Across 12 seasons with the Blues, Pietrangelo has recorded 450 points (109 goals, 341 assists), a career +/- rating of +77 and led St. Louis to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019 as the team's captain.
