The Minnesota Wild re-signed restricted free-agent forward Kevin Fiala to a two-year, $6-million contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Fiala was acquired in a deadline deal with the Nashville Predators in exchange for Mikael Granlund. The trade was made by ex-Wild general manager Paul Fenton, who had previously been the assistant GM in Nashville.

In 83 games split between the two clubs, Fiala registered 12 goals and 39 points in 2018-19. This marked a bit of a down year compared to his 23-goal, 48-point output in 2017-18.

The 23-year-old will compete for top-six minutes in his first full campaign with the Wild.

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Divisions:
Metropolitan | Central
Pacific | Atlantic (Sept. 12)

While there wasn't a ton of impact player movement out west this summer, one team in the desert made a big addition that should help it become even more competitive, while a certain general manager in Northern California worked his magic once again.

Here's how the eight Pacific Division clubs fared in their respective offseasons:

Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted. Total contract value does not include bonuses.

Anaheim Ducks

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Ducks could be on the verge of acquiring Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes, but the deal would reportedly be contingent upon the blue-liner signing an extension with Anaheim. It would also require him to waive his no-trade clause, as the Ducks are one of the teams on his no-trade list, so it's far from a certainty that this swap gets done.

More importantly, even if Faulk is amenable to the move, his acquisition alone won't single-handedly solve Anaheim's problems.

The fact remains that until and unless the rearguard gives his approval, Anaheim has to this point failed to make any significant offseason additions this summer. Its most buzz-worthy transaction - at least for the time being - was the buyout of Perry, the longtime franchise fixture and 2011 Hart Trophy winner.

Putting their one possible defensive upgrade aside, the Ducks should have done more with their cap space to bail out stellar goaltender John Gibson by improving what was the league's worst offense in 2018-19.

Grade: D

Arizona Coyotes

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Coyotes were the clear winners of the Kessel-Galchenyuk trade, and the deal signals that they're going all-in after coming up just short of a playoff berth in 2018-19. Kessel, a game-breaking goal-scorer and elite playmaker, is exactly what Arizona needed, and general manager John Chayka further cushioned his forward group when he added Soderberg.

Locking up franchise cornerstone Keller long term was another win for a franchise perpetually in search of stability. Yes, the 2016 seventh overall pick took a step backward from a production standpoint last season, but he's only 21 years old. If he can return to the 65-point form he displayed in his rookie campaign and build on that in the coming years, his next contract will be more than justified.

Beyond taking some mild, perhaps unfair criticism for the Keller deal, It's been a very good summer for Chayka. If starting goaltender Antti Raanta can stay healthy this season, the Coyotes should make an even stronger postseason push, thanks in no small part to the GM's moves.

Grade: B+

Calgary Flames

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

*Tore ACL in August, no timetable for return

Calgary came out as the loser of the Lucic-Neal trade, and that was really the only headline-grabbing move general manager Brad Treliving made this offseason.

He did cross a couple of items off his summer to-do list by getting Rittich and Bennett back under contract, but Tkachuk is among the slew of NHL restricted free agents who remain without new deals, and the Flames can ill afford to begin the campaign without the 21-year-old forward who broke out with 34 goals and 77 points in 2018-19.

Allowing Smith to walk and replacing him with Talbot will give Rittich another chance to secure Calgary's No. 1 goaltending job, but overall, it's hard to say Calgary is in a much better position than it was at the end of 2018-19.

Grade: C

Edmonton Oilers

Key arrivals

Key departures

*Contract includes opt-out clause, allowing him to cut ties before Dec. 1

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Aside from winning the Neal-Lucic trade, did the Oilers do anything to surround Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl with a playoff-caliber group?

Beyond the Puljujarvi saga, it was fairly quiet summer in Edmonton, this time with new GM Ken Holland at the helm. That isn't always a bad thing, and he didn't have a lot of cap space to work with, but the Oilers' two stars need a better supporting cast if they hope to return to the postseason.

The Puljujarvi mess consumed the headlines in Edmonton for most of the offseason, and while it may be far from over, the Oilers haven't yet been able to turn any value he may have into an asset that can help them either now or in the future.

After a tumultuous 2018-19 season, the club needed to make an impact move or two. While the new GM is likely waiting until contracts come off the books in 2020 to make more significant changes, this roster requires more speed and skill to complement its dynamic duo, and it needs it now.

Grade: C-

Los Angeles Kings

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Unlike the summer of 2018 when the Kings jumped into the UFA pool with the blockbuster but regrettable Ilya Kovalchuk signing, they took a much different approach to this offseason.

Now firmly in rebuild mode, general manager Rob Blake instead locked up a slew of his secondary talent at team-friendly prices rather than opting for a big-ticket signing. Blake appears to have learned his lesson from a year ago, and in securing his depth pieces at affordable rates, he's set the Kings up better for the future.

Buying out Phaneuf was necessary, and it will only really burden Los Angeles' cap flexibility in 2020-21 when the club still likely won't be ready to truly compete.

That being said, just because you don't sign a Kovalchuk-priced UFA in 2019 doesn't mean you should all but avoid the UFA market entirely, and Los Angeles' refusal to dip further into the free-agent pool was a bit surprising for a team trying to turn things around.

Grade: C

San Jose Sharks

Key arrivals

N/A

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Doug Wilson is a sorcerer.

Not so much for the Karlsson contract, which was basically inevitable once the Sharks GM and the superstar defenseman decided they were committed to each other long term. Karlsson's injury history is a bit concerning, but when he's healthy, the all-world rearguard is clearly worth every penny.

Where Wilson deserves the most credit is for two of the other contracts he negotiated, both of which - remarkably - came after the hefty Karlsson pact. Somehow, someway, he got Labanc to agree to a one-year, $1-million deal coming off a 56-point campaign, and the Meier money could turn out to be a steal if the 30-goal scorer continues to blossom.

Throw in the PR win of the team-friendly Thornton contract, and to say Wilson and the Sharks had a successful offseason would be an understatement.

Grade: A

Vancouver Canucks

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Despite the term handed out in some of these moves, credit Canucks GM Jim Benning (yes, you read that correctly) for adding to his emerging core both in free agency and via the trade route this summer. Vancouver has a deeper roster and is better positioned to challenge for a postseason berth as a result.

The Myers contract isn't ideal when viewed in a vacuum, but UFAs are often overpaid and he's proven to be a fairly effective blue-liner over the years.

Hughes will certainly be in the Canucks' lineup, and the left-shooting uber-prospect should be a regular member of Vancouver's top-four on the back end, especially with Hutton out of the picture.

One major hurdle remains in Benning's offseason, and that, of course, is coming to terms with Boeser. That impasse is obviously significant, but it shouldn't take away from an otherwise active and encouraging summer for the Canucks.

Grade: B-

Vegas Golden Knights

Key arrivals

N/A

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Karlsson contract was a reasonable one, assuming he continues to be a very solid two-way center. While the 26-year-old Swede experienced a predictable offensive regression in 2018-19, he once again proved he can be more than effective on both ends.

He also continued a remarkable run of durability by playing all 82 regular-season games, and he's missed only two contests over the last four regular seasons. So while the term of his new contract is a bit long, it's hard to argue that he isn't worth the $5.9-million cap hit.

However, the Golden Knights also dealt away a couple of key pieces this summer without getting a roster player in return. That was due to the club's salary cap constraints, but they may live to regret trading away a potential NHL star in Gusev and a solid blue-liner in Miller for a combined haul of two second-round picks, a third-rounder, and a fifth.

Grade: C+

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Mitch Marner apparently declined an offer that would've made him one of the highest-paid players in the NHL.

The Toronto Maple Leafs offered the restricted free-agent winger a contract with an annual cap hit of $11 million in June, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The average annual value would've tied Marner with Drew Doughty and teammate John Tavares as the fourth-highest paid player in the league.

The $11-million offer also included performance bonuses that the club wouldn't pay during his entry-level contract, according to Dreger.

The Leafs have been pushing both seven- and eight-year contracts for Marner, Dreger added. However, a three-year extension now remains the focus, which would be problematic for Toronto, as his salary in the final season could be as high as $12 million. Marner could then accept the $12-million qualifying offer and walk into unrestricted free agency after the fourth year.

San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier, one of the few premium RFAs to get a deal done, signed a similar contract earlier this offseason. He inked a four-year, $24-million backloaded deal to assure he gets a $10-million qualifying offer in his final year of restricted free agency.

The Leafs currently have a projected cap hit of $85.35 million - nearly $4 million above the cap ceiling, according to CapFriendly. However, the dead contracts of David Clarkson and Nathan Horton (combined $10.5M AAV) are projected to hit long-term injured reserve, and Zach Hyman and Travis Dermott (combined $3.13M AAV) could join them on LTIR to begin the season.

The Leafs can also option a couple of players to the minors to create additional cap space.

Marner finished 11th in league scoring in 2018-19 with 94 points.

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Age should always be a concern in fantasy, but it shouldn't deter owners from drafting certain players altogether.

While most veterans experience a natural decline in production after playing for a decade or so, some remain effective well into their 30s for a variety of reasons. Their success is often due to their respective roster situations as much as their ability to sustain individual skill.

Most fantasy hockey owners won't think twice about drafting aging superstars like Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, and Brent Burns, and rightfully so. There are other players of relatively advanced age, however, who will likely have them on the fence. In some cases, such hesitancy is unnecessary.

Here are three experienced players primed to overcome Father Time and be more than reliable fantasy contributors in 2019-20:

Pekka Rinne, G, Predators

The longtime Nashville netminder will turn 37 in early November, and though that is always cause for concern, there are a couple of reasons you shouldn't worry about Rinne this season.

Rinne still plays behind one of the stingiest defense corps in the NHL. The Predators allowed the fourth-fewest goals per game in the league in 2018-19 and were a top-10 club in terms of average shots allowed. P.K. Subban is no longer in the fold, but fellow blue-line stalwarts Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Mattias Ekholm all return, so look for Nashville to once again be one of the NHL's best defensive clubs.

Despite struggling in the playoffs for a second straight year, Rinne was his usual steady self during the regular season, when it obviously matters most for fantasy.

Across 56 games, Rinne posted a .930 save percentage at 5-on-5, good for sixth in the NHL among goalies with at least 41 games played. He also authored the league's second-best high-danger save percentage (.875) and sixth-best goals saved above average (13.54) among qualified netminders.

Ryan Suter, D, Wild

Suter is never a sexy fantasy pick, but he's as consistent and dependable as any defenseman over the grind of the regular season. The workhorse will turn 35 in January, but don't let that stop you from selecting him where you normally would.

The 14-year veteran is currently going off the board around Pick 135 in most Yahoo fantasy drafts. While there are younger, higher-upside blue-liners getting drafted in that range, Suter is a lock for 40-plus points, having averaged 49 over the last two campaigns while leading the NHL in average ice time (26:42) over that span. He's also incredibly durable, missing only four games over the last four seasons despite the heavy workload.

Suter is an assist machine who plays more than anyone else in the league and still contributes on the power play. Even if his ice time decreases slightly during the upcoming campaign, you can still bank on the grizzled rearguard as an upper-tier defenseman in most fantasy leagues.

Phil Kessel, RW, Coyotes

Kessel will be 32 on opening night, and while not exactly "old," he will be suiting up for his 14th NHL season.

The winger's move from a Pittsburgh Penguins roster featuring several all-world teammates to a Coyotes club with fewer offensive weapons will cause some fantasy owners to pass on him in drafts. But Kessel's proven so consistently productive throughout his career, both at even strength and on the power play, that writing him off entirely would be foolish.

He won't be surrounded by as much firepower in Arizona as he was in Pittsburgh - a fact which will lead to at least a slight dip in offensive output - but he will be relied upon far more heavily, so he'll likely be more proactive in creating scoring chances. More opportunity should bode well for his overall production and could help offset any significant decrease precipitated by less potent linemates.

Though you likely shouldn't draft Kessel as early as you might have in the past, you can still bank on solid RW2 numbers in 2019-20 if you snag him in the middle rounds.

(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)

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Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin says the team has done its part and is now playing the waiting game with restricted free-agent forward Kevin Fiala.

"We've made him a fair offer and he's deciding," Guerin told The Athletic's Michael Russo on Tuesday. "I understand the position he's in. I've been in it a couple times myself. We want to get him in as quick as possible because if you miss training camp, the chances of you having a good year aren't very good. We want to get him in here and get him going."

Fiala collected seven points in 19 games with the Wild after Minnesota acquired him from the Nashville Predators in exchange for Mikael Granlund ahead of last season's trade deadline.

The Wild open training camp Friday, and Fiala is the team's lone remaining RFA.

"I'm just speaking from experience that you're better off being in camp than not," Guerin said. "For Kevin's sake and our sake, I hope he's there, I really do."

Minnesota has nearly $8 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.

Fiala, 23, produced 10 goals and 32 points in 64 games before the trade. The winger spent parts of five seasons with the Predators, who drafted him 11th overall in 2014.

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Divisions:
Metropolitan | Central
Pacific (Sept. 11) | Atlantic (Sept. 12)

Five teams from the ultra-competitive Central reached the playoffs in 2018-19, and the division became stronger over the summer.

The St. Louis Blues remain in good form to defend their Stanley Cup championship, and several other teams are in a better position to contend. After an offseason of transactions, we've graded each club's efforts.

Some contract figures are reported. Most players on two-way deals have been omitted. Total contract value does not include bonuses.

Chicago Blackhawks

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman acquired Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan in an attempt to tackle the team's blue-line weakness. Neither are necessarily stand-out talents, but they'll upgrade a team that allowed the second-most goals last season.

Bringing in 2018-19 Vezina Trophy finalist Robin Lehner was also a smart move considering Corey Crawford's uncertain conditioning heading into his age-34 season. Lehner signed a low-risk one-year deal, but with neither goalie under contract for the 2020-21 campaign, Bowman will need to revisit the club's situation between the pipes sooner rather than later.

Trading Henri Jokiharju, a young and highly touted rearguard, for forward Alex Nylander was perhaps the only real head-scratcher, though some may also ponder the reacquisition of Andrew Shaw for multiple future draft picks.

The Blackhawks didn't make any major splashes, but they improved where necessary and still have some cap space to work with heading into the season.

Grade: B

Colorado Avalanche

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The 2019-20 version of the Avalanche will look slightly different, but mostly for the better after Joe Sakic made an assertive effort to improve the club's forward depth.

Acquiring Nazem Kadri in a deal centered around Tyson Barrie was prudent. As productive as Barrie has been, the 28-year-old needs a new contract after this season, and the Avalanche likely won't be able to meet his price. There's also a surplus of highly skilled defensemen on the team. That includes Bowen Byram, who was wisely selected with the fourth overall pick this year.

Sakic also showed the foresight to lock up Samuel Girard, who was scheduled to become a restricted free agent at the end of this season.

It's tough to dock points for not signing RFAs yet considering how that market has operated all summer. Mikko Rantanen still not being under contract with training camp set to begin this week is the only real blemish after Colorado's otherwise successful offseason.

Grade: B+

Dallas Stars

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The Stars were rock solid in front of Vezina Trophy candidate Ben Bishop in 2018-19, but their 29th-ranked offense cost them in the end.

General manager Jim Nill responded to that deficiency this offseason by signing perennial goal-scorer Joe Pavelski and inking two-time All-Star Corey Perry to a one-year deal with little risk. Though their best hockey is behind them, the two veterans should still serve as offensive upgrades relative to who they're replacing.

Keeping trade deadline addition Mats Zuccarello around would have been a bonus, but the 32-year-old wanted a long-term deal and Nill understandably opted to focus on retaining younger homegrown talents in Esa Lindell, Jason Dickinson, and Mattias Janmark.

Veteran Andrej Sekera is also a nice addition to a young Stars defensive core.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Wild

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Unsigned RFAs

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Firing the general manager in the middle of the offseason is rather disruptive, but Paul Fenton was running the organization into the ground fast. Bill Guerin seems like a good fit for the position, though it's far too early to tell.

The Wild didn't lose any significant pieces this offseason, but a team trying to stay competitive in a cutthroat Central Division didn't add much, either. Zuccarello is a nice playmaker who should help an offense in need, but Minnesota still lacks scoring ability.

The Wild hold just under $8 million in projected cap space heading into the season, and restricted free agent Kevin Fiala remains unsigned, with the GM shuffle possibly to blame. But Guerin needs to get the young Swiss talent on board, and then focus on re-signing defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Grade: D

Nashville Predators

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

Could the Predators have fetched more for All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban? Sure, but Subban's $9-million cap hit over each of the next three seasons hindered general manager David Poile's ability to improve the club in other areas.

The Predators used that money to sign Matt Duchene to a long-term deal, and they'll now head into the 2019-20 campaign with their strongest top-six forward group in recent memory. Poile also understands the importance of maintaining cap space with Roman Josi, the team's defensive anchor and captain, slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Parting with slower, aging players in Brian Boyle and Wayne Simmonds was a no-brainer, and locking up depth forward Colton Sissons long term on a contract with a relatively low average annual value ($3.85 million) was a swift move. Promising rookie Dante Fabbro will likely fill Subban's spot on the blue line, with the Predators deploying a more well-rounded team this season.

Grade: A

St. Louis Blues

Key arrivals

N/A

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

General manager Doug Armstrong made his best effort to keep the Blues' Stanley Cup-winning core intact for a title defense in 2019-20. The team didn't make any significant additions, and it parted with only Pat Maroon. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

The Blues locked up Jordan Binnington for two more seasons at a reasonable price ($4.4 million AAV), and they rewarded other pending free agents with new deals. However, Armstrong will face major decisions next summer. Four key players - including captain Alex Pietrangelo - are set to become unrestricted free agents, and three will be RFAs.

St. Louis did a good job of keeping key players for one more run while still managing the future.

Grade: B+

Winnipeg Jets

Key arrivals

Key departures

Re-signed

Rookies who could crack the lineup

The summer was a bit of a trainwreck for general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and the Jets. The club lost half of its defensive core, including two valuable right-shooting blue-liners, and replaced them with inferior talents. Feisty winger Brandon Tanev, who figured prominently in one of the league's best checking lines, also departed in free agency.

The departures were somewhat involuntary, however, as Cheveldayoff has to prioritize re-signing restricted free-agent forwards Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. But those two young stars remain without new deals, and training camp starts this week.

The RFA market has been stagnant league-wide, but with $15.45 million in projected cap space, the Jets failing to sign either top talent could create a nightmare situation.

Even if the Connor and Laine standoffs get resolved, it feels like the Jets took a step back in a division that's only getting stronger.

Grade: D-

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Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin may have influenced the club's decision to ship former linemate Phil Kessel to the Arizona Coyotes.

The Russian sniper asked to be traded if the Penguins kept Kessel, multiple team sources told The Athletic's Rob Rossi, though Malkin denied it when asked and said his friendship with Kessel is real.

Malkin was tired of feeling caught in the ongoing conflict between his linemate and Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan, multiple team and league sources told Rossi. "By the end of last season, everybody from ownership to management to coaches believed Kessel had to go for Malkin to stay," Rossi wrote.

Kessel joined the club ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, and his incredible on-ice chemistry with Malkin played a pivotal role in the Penguins capturing back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017.

Malkin believed Kessel was content with two titles and mostly interested in his statistics, and the 33-year-old worried he'd be seen in the same light if the American remained his winger, according to Rossi's team and league sources.

The Penguins traded Kessel to the Coyotes on June 30 in exchange for forward Alex Galchenyuk and defense prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph.

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