While everyone is fixated on where big names in this year's free-agent class like Kevin Shattenkirk and Alexander Radulov will end up, the free-agency winners are usually the teams that sign the top bargains.

Jonathan Marchessault, Michael Grabner, and Radim Vrbata are three examples of players who signed for pennies last offseason and ended up being valuable assets to their respective teams.

The following four players likely won't cost much this offseason, but all four have a chance to be this class' biggest steal:

Patrick Sharp, forward

Sharp will turn 36 years old in December and is coming off his worst season in a decade. He'll likely receive a one-year "prove it" contract for around $2 million.

If he lands on a team with good centers and spots open on the wings (the Oilers come to mind), he could easily return to his 20-25-goal, 50-60-point form. His 2016-17 season was hampered by injuries, and the Stars' offensive catalysts, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn, had down years.

Furthermore, Sharp had some bad luck last season. His 5.5 shooting percentage was nearly half of his career rate of 10.8, and his team's shooting percentage at five-on-five while he was on the ice was also just 5.5, compared to his career mark of 9.1. He could be in line for a bounce-back season if the right team comes calling.

Jordan Weal, forward

Weal is being courted by a lot of teams for someone with just 37 games of NHL experience - an anomaly theScore broke down Tuesday. However, just because there's plenty of interest, it doesn't mean he'll be expensive.

Considering his lack of experience, it's hard to imagine Weal getting more than $3 million per season, and the 25-year-old could wind up outperforming his contract.

He scored eight goals and added four assists in 23 games with the Flyers last season, and his advanced stats were off the charts. He had an offensive zone start percentage of 61.1, a Corsi For percentage of 55.9, and 14 takeaways compared to just six giveaways.

Weal will likely go to a team offering him a top-six role, giving him 30-goal potential.

Michael Del Zotto, defenseman

Del Zotto is a former first-round pick, but he's had an up-and-down career. His first year in Philadelphia was impressive, but in the past two seasons he's been surpassed by younger defensemen (Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov) in the pecking order.

There has, however, been one constant for Del Zotto: Whenever he's playing for a new contract, he flourishes. Have a look:

Even though he's just 27, it's hard to imagine him getting more than a one-year deal given how he's played the past two seasons. He clearly needs that motivation to succeed.

If he's signed by a team that can give him top-four minutes with power-play time, he could easily rack up 40 points. The Penguins could use a puck-mover on the back end, and could be a potential destination.

Anders Nilsson, goaltender

Nilsson has been exclusively a backup in his career, but it might be time for the Swedish netminder to earn a role in a platoon.

The 6-foot-6 goaltender posted a .923 save percentage and a 2.67 goals-against average last season while playing for the Sabres, who were one of the worst defensive teams in hockey.

If the 27-year-old gets signed by a team with question marks in the crease, such as Philadelphia, Winnipeg, Vancouver, or Arizona, he could very well become a reliable starter.

(Advanced stats courtesy: Hockey Reference)
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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The Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid appear to be in the midst of hammering out a deal that will keep the superstar with the club for the foreseeable future.

McDavid's agent Jeff Jackson says both camps continue to iron out the parameters of a deal and that for the time being an extension is "not done yet," according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted on Wednesday morning that he had heard McDavid's pending contract extension could be an eight-year deal in the ball park of $13.25 million per season, similar to the figure floated by TSN's Ryan Rishaug on Tuesday.

As for the details of the contract, LeBrun suggests one key that could be under discussion is what to do in the event of a potential lockout during the 2020-21 season when the NHL and NHLPA can both elect to terminate the final two years of the 10-year deal.

The reigning Hart Trophy-winner still has one year remaining on his entry-level deal at $925,00, but the 20-year-old can breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that he's in line to receive a significant raise down the line.

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Corey Hirsch is a former NHL goaltender who spent parts of seven seasons with the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals, and Dallas Stars.

Every year at midnight on July 1, the NHL's free-agent frenzy begins - and it's a very different experience depending on how sought-after a player is.

The most popular players sit on their royal thrones as agents feed them grapes and let the offers roll in. Teams trip over themselves, courting and overspending, trying to sign that special player they believe will put their team over the top and bring them the Stanley Cup.

Well, that's not it exactly, but for some players it's that easy - and rightfully so. Those players have worked hard, and earned that right.

For the other 95 percent of free-agent players, it's nothing even remotely like that. On July 1, most will have already received a phone call or a couriered letter from their team that informs them their services are no longer needed.

Mike McKenna, a 12-year veteran depth goaltender, is one of those players. He's coming off a great season in which he took Syracuse to the AHL finals, losing to Grand Rapids in six games. He will become a free agent on Saturday.

"July 1 is incredibly nerve-racking; depth goalies are almost always on one-year deals, and the pressure to perform is constant," McKenna says. "Even when you know you've had a good season, there are only so many jobs available and every year someone really good ends up without a seat."

Free agency always offered a special twist for me; my birthday falls on July 1. The hardest one without a doubt was 1997 - the year I found out the Canucks had signed Arturs Irbe and realizing I was on my way out.

Let the birthday celebration commence.

What's fascinating to me is how the decision of a free-agent player at the top can completely affect the direction of someone else's life.

The year I thought I was going to make the New York Rangers, they signed Glenn Healy as a free agent. I was crushed, but went on to play in the Olympics. It was the best hockey experience of my life. If Healy doesn't sign with the Rangers, I never play in the Olympics.

So when Joe Thornton signs with a team, the domino effect will begin.

Thornton will take the first-line center spot, and bump everyone a seat back. The kid in the minors that was hoping to crack the fourth line will find himself in the minors again. The free-agent journeyman, hoping to take that player's place in the minors, will now be looking in a new direction.

The same thing will happen to the goaltending pecking order when Ryan Miller signs. That team's third-string goalie will be back in the minors, and the Mike McKennas of the world will have to go somewhere else.

I can't pinpoint that moment when a player goes from prospect to suspect, but free agency isn't always a million-dollar windfall. For most, it's nervously waiting for a chance to stay alive in hockey - and when one door closes, you can only hope that another one opens.

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In the end it was opportunity that steered Spencer Foo toward signing with the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

The highly-touted NCAA prospect out of Union College was courted by several teams before picking the Flames due in large part to the perceived hole on the team's right side.

"A couple different reasons. One was opportunity," Foo said, according to Wes Gilberton of Postmedia. "The Flames have a really good opportunity on the right side and have a lot of exciting players down the middle and on the left wing to play with. So I figured that pretty much whoever I'm playing with on the Flames, they're going to be great linemates, and that's exciting."

It certainly makes sense.

On Monday the team announced it was not sending Alex Chiasson a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent and freeing up a spot on the right side. That leaves three other right wingers currently plugged into spots: Troy Brouwer, Michael Frolik, and Curtis Lazar, meaning Foo should indeed get a strong chance to make the club this season.

It was believed that Foo's decision ultimately came down to the Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, and possibly the Vegas Golden Knights, according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal.

"The other thing is that the Flames are right on the cusp of winning," Foo said. "That's what they believe, that's what I believe, and that was a big reason in making the decision. Obviously, I want to win, and it seems like it's going to be pretty exciting times for Calgary over the next few years."

Following the announcement of the signing, Foo received a welcomed shout-out from new teammate Johnny Gaudreau, which the 23-year-old was ecstatic about.

"I mean, that's incredible," said Foo. "I hope to be a great teammate to him."

If Foo can just replicate some of the magic that saw him post 26 goals and 62 points in 38 games this season, he would certainly make one heck of a teammate.

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The Chicago Blackhawks and pending unrestricted free agent Sam Gagner have expressed mutual interest in each other, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic.

Gagner, 27, joined the Columbus Blue Jackets last offseason on a one-year deal and produced a career season, bagging 18 goals and 32 assists while earning just $650,000.

The Blackhawks have already made numerous changes since a first-round sweep at the hands of the Nashville Predators in April. Chicago sent dynamic winger Artemi Panarin to Columbus for Brandon Saad, and also dealt reliable defender Niklas Hjalmarsson to Arizona. Not to mention, future Hall of Famer Marian Hossa has been ruled out for the entire 2017-18 season due to a skin condition.

As always, salary cap restrictions will be the biggest hurdle. Despite recent moves, Chicago is still a projected $2.9 million over the limit, per CapFriendly.

However, should a deal come to fruition, Gagner could fit nicely with the Blackhawks at a reasonable price. He'd help the club's weak depth down the middle and could feasibly replace a chunk of Panarin's production on the power play.

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Spencer Foo is off to Calgary.

The Union College forward has agreed to sign with the Flames, the team announced Tuesday. The deal will become official once free agency opens July 1.

Foo joins the Flames as an undrafted free agent. The highly touted 23-year-old spent the past four seasons with Union, and wrapped up the 2016-17 campaign with 26 goals and 36 assists in 38 games.

The move to Calgary is somewhat of homecoming for Foo, who hails from the same province in nearby Edmonton.

Foo's brother, Parker, was selected 144th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in last week's entry draft.

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The Columbus Blue Jackets have their eyes on a former NHL superstar, having spoken with Ilya Kovalchuk's agent, Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson told Sportsnet's John Shannon on Tuesday.

Kovalchuk, 34, has spent the past four years in the KHL, notching 78 points in 68 games last season with St. Petersburg SKA.

The Russian sniper has expressed interest in returning to North America, but his path forward isn't so simple. Kovalchuk left the NHL in 2013, but in doing so walked away from a contract with the New Jersey Devils that was not set to expire until 2025.

While that agreement was eventually terminated, the NHL has since ruled that the Devils hold Kovalchuk's rights until he turns 35.

So, if Kovalchuk is to make an NHL comeback, he would need to sign with New Jersey first, who would ostensibly proceed to trade him elsewhere. Earlier this month, Devils general manager Ray Shero appeared open to facilitating the superstar's return.

Kovalchuk has played 816 games in the NHL with the Devils and Atlanta Thrashers, registering 417 goals and 399 assists.

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