Schultz was in the odd situation of possessing RFA status at the beginning of the 2017 offseason. The defenseman was an unrestricted free agent last summer after not being given a qualifying offer by the Penguins. He eventually re-signed with the team and enjoyed a breakout 2016-17 campaign.
He scored 12 goals and added 39 assists in 78 regular-season games. He replaced the injured Kris Letang as the team's No. 1 defenseman in the second half of the season and through the playoffs. He scored four goals and totaled 13 points through 21 postseason games en route to the Stanley Cup, despite missing part of the Penguins' third-round series against the Ottawa Senators due to an upper-body injury.
Schultz will enter his sixth NHL season with 160 points in 344 regular-season games. He has added 17 points in 36 postseason games while helping the Penguins win consecutive Stanley Cups.
Criticized for poor defensive play during his three-plus seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Schultz operated at a Corsi For percentage of 51.2 last season, his second consecutive year with a positive possession rate.
The four-time Stanley Cup champion spent the past eight-plus seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning three Cups and a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. He won his first Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.
Kunitz has totaled 250 goals and 580 points over 884 regular-season games in his career, adding 92 points in 161 playoff games. He is coming off his least productive season at the offensive end of the ice, scoring just nine goals and 29 points in 71 games. He rebounded with 11 points in 20 games during the Penguins' playofrun.
Kunitz rose to prominence while playing left wing on the Penguins' top line beside center Sidney Crosby, but he played the 2016-17 season mostly on the second line with forwards Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel.
The $6.65-million cap hit may be lower than what he could have reeled in elsewhere, but all signs point to Shattenkirk wanting to play close to his New York-area home.
Not a massive force in his own end, Shattenkirk is a positive possession player at even strength and is averaging 0.61 points per game over his career. His right-hand shot will nicely complement the team's more defensive-minded lefties.
Grade: A
Sam Gagner, Canucks
The Columbus Blue Jackets received tremendous value from the one-year, $650,000 deal signed by Sam Gagner last summer, getting 18 goals and 50 points out of that small investment.
Adding a 27-year-old to a seemingly rebuilding roster is a curious move, but Gagner should add some much-needed depth down the middle while taking some of the pressure off the club's up-and-coming forwards.
His career high in points is 21 and he's not a particularly effective possession player, but he does help in the shot suppression department.
All things considered, it's not a great signing in a league that's trending younger and faster.
Grade: C-
Nick Bonino, Predators
The Nashville Predators are stacked on the blue line, but their lack of center depth was all too evident during a Stanley Cup Final loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The $4.5-million cap hit may be steep for a player who will turn 36 prior to the start of next season, and the Hurricanes don't seem in position to make good on Williams' desire to play for a Cup winner.
Still, his experience will be valuable to the team's young core and Carolina could make the playoffs if all goes well.
Grade: C
Dmitry Kulikov, Jets
Kulikov's brief tenure in Buffalo was a bit of a disaster. He was limited to 47 games, in which he registered two goals, three assists, a minus-26 rating, and a Corsi For rating of 45.2 at even strength.
Miller has long wanted to play in California to be closer to his wife, actress Noureen DeWulf. The Anaheim Ducks granted that wish thanks to a two-year deal for the 37-year-old goalie.
Miller posted a .914 save percentage last season for a bad Vancouver team, and will presumably back up and mentor John Gibson while being able to carry starts for longer stretches if needed.
It's a reunion of sorts, as Dadonov was drafted 71st overall by Florida in 2007, but appeared in only 55 games over three seasons before heading home for the majority of his career to date.
Dadonov returns to the #FlaPanthers after ranking fourth in goals (30) and fifth in points (66) in the KHL last season.
He's a bit of an X-factor, but could provide the Panthers with some offensive pop. In the end, we'll downgrade this move a bit based on the relative unknowns.
Moore will occupy a depth role for Toronto, likely as the fourth line pivot, replacing Brian Boyle, who joined the New Jersey Devils earlier in the free agent frenzy.
The 36-year-old previously spent two seasons with the Maple Leafs, recording a career-high 41 points in 2008-09.
In 2016-17, Moore suited up in all 82 games for the Boston Bruins, notching 11 goals and 14 assists.
It hasn't exactly been a wild first day of free agency for Minnesota, but the team did add to its back end, announcing the signing of Kyle Quincey to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million.
Quincey, who will turn 32 in August, totaled 15 points in 73 games split between the Devils and Blue Jackets last season, averaging 17:54 minutes of ice time per night with a 46.9 Corsi For percentage.
Morrow has played a total of 65 NHL regular-season games, scoring just two goals with seven assists. He had a lone helper and no goals last season while averaging 15:32 of ice time per game.
There was plenty of speculation that Thornton would leave the Sharks, as the Kings, Maple Leafs, Predators, and Canadiens were all rumored to be interested in his services.
Though among the greatest playmakers of all time, the soon-to-be 38-year-old Thornton is coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, tallying just seven goals and 50 points in 79 games.
Thornton being back in the fold could persuade longtime Shark and unrestricted free agent Patrick Marleau to return to the Bay Area as well.
The former star forward will vacate his role as senior advisor of hockey operations.
"After two enjoyable years learning about the front office of hockey with the Senators, I'm pleased to pass along that I've made the decision to step away from the game and will take this time to evaluate what professional challenge I will pursue next," he announced in a statement Saturday.
Forward Nate Thompson, who spent the last three seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, signed with the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The deal is worth a total of $3.3 million over two years.
Thompson scored just one goal with one assist in 30 regular-season games last campaign, but added two tallies and four helpers in 17 playoff contests. He has career totals of 111 points in 550 regular-season appearances and 18 points in 58 postseason games.
Typically relegated to fourth-line duties and an average of 13:19 in ice time per game, Thompson owns a career Corsi For percentage of just 45.9.
Thompson played with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2009-10 through 2013-14 and will be reunited with head coach Guy Boucher, who was the Lightning's bench boss from 2010-11 through 32 games of the 2012-13 season. Thompson's best offensive campaign came in 2010-11, when he scored 10 goals and contributed 15 assists in 79 games.
