The NHL is a decade into the salary cap era, but with a ceiling of $73 million, there still exists the possibility of big spending for franchises willing to open up their wallets.
Here are three teams that should spend big in free agency when the signing period opens July 1.
Detroit Red Wings
The premature departure of Pavel Datsyuk and the subsequent trading of his contract to the Arizona Coyotes has opened up a window of opportunity for the Detroit Red Wings.
With a 25-year playoff streak barely held intact this past season and a new arena set to open its doors for the 2017-18 season, general manager Ken Holland needs to ensure roster stability by filling Datsyuk's top-line center spot with high-end talent.
Steven Stamkos, of course, would fit that bill, and with almost $20 million in available cap space heading into free agency (and possibly more to come if Johan Franzen goes back to the long-term injured reserve), Holland should be able to put together an appealing contract.
Dylan Larkin could end up being the center to follow Steve Yzerman and Datsyuk in leading the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup, but the Red Wings should spend big to sign Stamkos and ensure a happy ending at Joe Louis Arena and a fresh start at Little Caesars Arena.
Buffalo Sabres
The market for Stamkos will be hot, and Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray has openly stated he's ready to chase the big fish in free agency.
While a superstar like Stamkos would certainly be a welcome addition, the Sabres are already quite deep down the middle, with Ryan O'Reilly, Jack Eichel, Tyler Ennis, and Zemgus Girgensons heading up the depth chart at center.
No longer in tear-down mode, this is a team well on the rise from the very depths of the league's basement, and the Sabres might be better served spending big on other needs, particularly on the blue line and on the wings.
Billionaire owner Terry Pegula is not averse to spending, and is committed to building a winner in Buffalo. A splash or two in free agency could put the Sabres within striking distance of a playoff spot as early as this season.
The Sabres also have nearly $20 million to work with, albeit with budding star and restricted free agent Rasmus Ristolainen still to re-sign, as well as Girgensons.
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders will be under new ownership in 2016-17, as Jonathan Ledecky and Scott Malkin assume majority control while longtime figurehead Charles Wang retains a minority stake.
Upon being introduced as new owners back in 2014, Ledecky and Malkin made it clear their intention was to bring a fifth Stanley Cup ring to Long Island.
Well, it's time to back that up.
The Islanders are coming off a second-round playoff loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning, as well as a debut season in Brooklyn that brought mixed reviews for Barclays Center as a viable home for NHL hockey.
General manager Garth Snow is looking to re-sign valuable two-way center Frans Nielsen to a new deal, but the club decided to let Kyle Okposo become an unrestricted free agent, leaving a big hole on the top line.
The Islanders have the luxury of having John Tavares locked in to a ridiculously team-friendly deal for the next two seasons, and while they'll want to ensure they can meet his asking price on what will likely be a big ask on his next deal, there exists an opportunity to sign a big-name free agent or two in the meantime.
Snow has more than $15 million to work with and has to sign restricted free agent Ryan Strome to a new deal, but ownership should try to make a splash in order to chase that fifth ring and entice fans to make the trek to Barclays deep into next spring.
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