Near the end of every NHL offseason, there are inevitably a few half-decent players looking for a contract for one reason or another.
Some are shunned because of injuries, age, or diminished production, some are casualties of the salary cap or a buyout, and some are cast aside simply due to roster circumstances.
Here's a trio of players who've been done in by factors largely out of their control:
Scott Hartnell
Hartnell had a number of things working against him this summer. His age was obviously a factor, but equally significant was the fact that the Nashville Predators have a player with sky-high upside likely taking his spot in the lineup.
The grizzled forward turned 36 in April, and that, combined with highly anticipated prospect Eeli Tolvanen's arrival and the Nashville Predators' depth at left wing, all but spelled the end of Hartnell's second tenure with the team.
While Hartnell's overall offensive production dipped in 2017-18, he still managed to score 13 goals and drive possession with a 51.24 even-strength Corsi For percentage. The consistently durable veteran played only 62 games last season, his lowest total in a full campaign since 2003-04 and the first time he appeared in fewer than 77 contests in an 82-game campaign since 2006-07.
Brooks Orpik
Orpik may have a home, but there's no doubt the system failed him after he had his salary trimmed thanks to some financial maneuvering by the Washington Capitals and the Colorado Avalanche.
Orpik had one year and $4.5 million in base salary (at a $5.5-million cap hit) left on his deal with the Capitals. They included him in the Philipp Grubauer trade at the draft, and the Avalanche promptly bought out the remaining year of Orpik's deal. About a month later, the Capitals re-signed Orpik on a one-year, $1-million contract.
He's owed $1.5 million in buyout payments in each of the next two seasons, and he's reportedly eligible for separate $250,000 bonuses if he hits 20 and 40 games played this season. However, he'll turn 38 later this month, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll hit both of those benchmarks.
Luca Sbisa
Sbisa played the first month of last season in the Vegas Golden Knights' top four alongside Nate Schmidt, contributing eight points in the first 16 games. But then he got hurt, missed about three weeks, and was in and out of the lineup for the rest of the 82-game schedule.
Making matters worse for the 28-year-old blue-liner, the Golden Knights stopped negotiating an extension with him after he suffered the injury and let him walk as an unrestricted free agent at season's end, even after he came back and played in the playoffs.
Sbisa's season ended in embarrassing fashion, as his turnover behind the Vegas Golden Knights' net allowed Lars Eller to score the eventual Stanley Cup-winning goal for the Washington Capitals. However, he did provide some value when healthy, chipping in 14 points in 30 regular-season games and adding four assists in 12 playoff contests.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Analytics courtesy: Corsica Hockey)
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