The 2019-20 NHL campaign remains on pause, but it's never too early to look ahead to the offseason. With that in mind, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating the best players that could be available in unrestricted free agency, whenever that occurs.

Zdeno Chara and Jay Bouwmeester were omitted from this list because they're unlikely to switch teams if they continue playing.

Forwards | Defensemen | Goaltenders (June 20)

1. Alex Pietrangelo

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Blues
2019-20 cap hit: $6.5M

Defensemen of Pietrangelo's ilk rarely hit the open market. Over the last few years, players like Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, and John Carlson all signed mammoth eight-year extensions before hitting free agency. The Blues will likely do everything in their power to get Pietrangelo locked up, but they'll have to move some money around - they have just $4.5 million in projected cap space for next season and he could demand an average annual value somewhere between $8 million and $11 million.

Pietrangelo is a bona fide No. 1 defenseman and there will be a bidding war for his services if he makes it to free agency.

2. Torey Krug

Handedness: Left
Age: 29
Current team: Bruins
2019-20 cap hit: $5.25M

Krug is not a legitimate No. 1 defenseman, but he's pretty close. He's perfectly suited for the role he played in Boston, where he excelled in second-pairing minutes with plenty of offensive-zone starts while a top pairing played a shutdown role. He's also an elite power-play quarterback. As an excellent skater and rather durable player, he should age well, so a long-term contract shouldn't scare teams off at the right price (around $6 million-$8 million AAV).

3. Dustin Byfuglien

Handedness: Right
Age: 35
Current team: N/A
2019-20 cap hit: $7.6M

*2018-19 stats

Byfuglien is the biggest wild card of this free-agent class. He missed the entire 2019-20 season due to an ankle injury and a dispute with the Jets over his pay, which eventually led to the termination of his contract in April. Will the year of rest and rehab serve Byfuglien well? Or will he be a step behind when he returns? Signing him is risky, especially since defensemen in Big Buff's weight class generally don't perform well in their mid-to-late 30s. Paying a premium on a one-year deal would be a smarter move than trying to get a bargain on a multi-year pact.

4. T.J. Brodie

Handedness: Left
Age: 30
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $4.65M

Brodie is left-handed, but he's primarily played on the right side during his nine seasons in Calgary, usually alongside Mark Giordano. Coaches and, to a lesser extent, general managers covet that type of versatility. Brodie's offensive production dipped this season - he didn't play at a 30-point pace for the first time since 2012-13. However, he's still a serviceable top-four blue-liner who can move the puck and adequately defend without it.

5. Tyson Barrie

Handedness: Right
Age: 28
Current team: Maple Leafs
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5M

Barrie is a highly skilled offensive defenseman. He got off to a rough start with the Maple Leafs this season but settled in after Mike Babcock was fired, playing at a 56-point pace (over 82 games) once Sheldon Keefe took over in November. Barrie doesn't come without his flaws, as his teams routinely give up more chances than they generate when he's on the ice. He can play a top-four role, but he needs to have a coach who encourages his high-risk, high-reward game.

6. Chris Tanev

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Canucks
2019-20 cap hit: $4.45M

Tanev is the polar opposite of Barrie. His offensive contributions are minimal, but he always makes the safe, conservative play, and he defends really well despite not being very physical. His shot-suppression numbers have been outstanding his entire career, up until 2019-20. Was this season an aberration? Or is it the beginning of his decline? Tanev's also struggled to stay healthy, never playing more than 70 games in any of his 10 seasons. He could be the missing ingredient for a team that needs a steady presence on the back end, but any contract longer than three years would be incredibly risky.

7. Travis Hamonic

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $3.857M

Hamonic is much like Tanev, but at their respective peaks, he's never been as effective at suppressing scoring chances. Though he's not going to light up the scoresheet, he can serve as a quality top-four defenseman as long as he's paired with someone who thrives at moving the puck. His decline could be steep, so overpaying in the short term would be smarter than trying to get a bargain on a long-term deal.

8. Kevin Shattenkirk

Handedness: Right
Age: 31
Current team: Lightning
2019-20 cap hit: $1.75M

Shattenkirk had a huge bounce-back season with the Lightning after a forgettable two-year stint with the Rangers. The Blueshirts bought him out with two years left on his contract, but he took a one-year prove-it deal with the Bolts and showed he still has plenty left in the tank. As long as he's on a team that embraces his offensive mentality, he can still excel in a sheltered role. He can quarterback a top power-play unit, too.

9. Sami Vatanen

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $4.875M

Vatanen is a well-rounded defenseman who lacks a single standout trait. He's a solid defender, but he's below average at suppressing scoring chances. He can chip in offensively, but he doesn't drive possession the way the blue-liners ahead of him on this list do. He's an above-average skater, which helps make up for his lack of size at 5-foot-10. Overall, he's simply an average second-pairing rearguard.

10. Dylan DeMelo

Handedness: Right
Age: 27
Current team: Jets
2019-20 cap hit: $900K

DeMelo is one of the youngest players on this list, which could help him land a long-term deal. He's not flashy and will contribute almost nothing in the offensive zone, but he's an extremely smart defender with good positioning and an active stick. Though he can make a decent first pass, he's better off paired with someone who can shoulder most of the puck-moving duties.

11. Brenden Dillon

Handedness: Left
Age: 29
Current team: Capitals
2019-20 cap hit: $3.27M

Dillon is a physical specimen. The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder finished fourth among NHL defenseman with 194 hits this season. He brings the type of nastiness that strikes fear into his opponents - a trait that can't be measured by advanced metrics. However, it's not just the old-school crowd that appreciates Dillon; his above-average career possession numbers appeal to the analytics community as well.

12. Justin Schultz

Handedness: Right
Age: 29
Current team: Penguins
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5M

Schultz looked bound for stardom after his 51-point season in 2016-17, followed by a spectacular playoff run during which he stepped up in Kris Letang's absence and tallied 13 points in 21 games en route to Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup win. He hasn't come close to replicating that peak, though, as injuries have contributed to inconsistent play. While Schultz still has plenty of upside, there's also lots of risk involved in signing him.

13. Justin Braun

Handedness: Right
Age: 33
Current team: Flyers
2019-20 cap hit: $3.8M

Braun is a steady veteran presence who could be the missing ingredient for a young team looking to take the next step. His offensive contributions are minimal, but he excels at preventing scoring chances. He's an ideal No. 5 blue-liner, but any deal longer than two years would be risky.

14. Radko Gudas

Handedness: Right
Age: 30
Current team: Capitals
2019-20 cap hit: $3.35M

Gudas is a human bowling ball. He's listed at just 6-feet, 204 pounds, but he's one of the league's most feared hitters. Playing him 20-plus minutes per night is not conducive to success, but he brings plenty of value in a third-pairing role.

15. Erik Gustafsson

Handedness: Left
Age: 28
Current team: Flames
2019-20 cap hit: $1.2M

Gustafsson's out-of-nowhere 60-point season in 2018-19 is starting to look like an outlier. There's still some upside, but paying him top-four money would be a dicey proposition since he can be a defensive liability. He'd be a good signing for a rebuilding team looking to catch lightning in a bottle.

16. Jon Merrill

Handedness: Left
Age: 28
Current team: Golden Knights
2019-20 cap hit: $1.375M

Merrill is arguably the most unheralded name to crack this list, but he's a very steady third-pairing option. Even though he rarely has to go up against opposing top lines, he's proven to have a knack for limiting opponents' scoring chances. He could be a very nice bargain signing for a depth-needy team.

17. Joel Edmundson

Handedness: Left
Age: 26
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $3.1M

Edmundson is the youngest player on this list, so it wouldn't be shocking if he received a long-term deal with a modest cap hit. The 6-foot-4 rearguard has his offensive limitations, but he doesn't shy away from the rough stuff. He's a very safe No. 5 or 6 defenseman.

18. Trevor van Riemsdyk

Handedness: Right
Age: 28
Current team: Hurricanes
2019-20 cap hit: $2.3M

It took some time for van Riemsdyk to find his footing after missing the first eight games of the 2019-20 regular season due to offseason shoulder surgery. He's not physical by any stretch, but he's a smart defender who makes a solid first pass. He shouldn't be relied upon as a top-four option, but he's handled weaker competition with relative ease.

19. Mike Green

Handedness: Right
Age: 34
Current team: Oilers
2019-20 cap hit: $5.375M

A premier offensive defenseman in his heyday, Green's production has dried up as he's gotten older. Playing for the god-awful Red Wings over the last few years hasn't helped, but Green was also miscast playing 20-plus minutes a night. He only skated in two games with the Oilers after the trade deadline, so we haven't really seen how he'd perform in a limited role. However, the playoffs should be a decent indicator of how he looks on a third pairing. We know he's still capable of quarterbacking a second power-play unit.

20. Mark Borowiecki

Handedness: Left
Age: 30
Current team: Senators
2019-20 cap hit: $1.2M

Borowiecki is a pure heart and soul guy. He gives his all every shift and is always willing to lay his body on the line. Borowiecki's not the most skilled or analytically friendly player, but he's good to have in the locker room and is a capable No. 6 or 7 defenseman.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)
(Salary source: Cap Friendly)

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Welcome to Puck Pursuit, an interview-style podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's national hockey writer.

Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Spotify.

Scott Wheeler, an NHL draft and prospects writer for The Athletic, joins the show to discuss a variety of draft-related topics, including:

• The all-around brilliance of Ottawa 67's forward Marco Rossi
• Why the Erie Otters' Jamie Drysdale is the class of 2020's best D-man
• The curious case of sharpshooting Swede Noel Gunler
• Who's top of the class in skating, hockey sense, and defensive play?

... and more!

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Arizona State Sun Devils forward Dominic Garcia revealed Wednesday night that he's been the subject of racist slurs throughout his time in the hockey world.

In a statement issued through the program, the 23-year-old said an opposing player called him the N-word for the first time at age 10. Garcia also divulged that he was called the same slur while concession snacks were thrown at him as he was walking back to the dressing room at the intermission of a junior game when he was 19.

"It's numbing," Garcia wrote. "I question if I made the mistake and misheard them. When reality sets in - that I heard what I heard - a deep pain and sadness comes over you. It's a feeling that lingers no matter what unfolds the rest of the day. It occupies your mind, even though I (along with many others) continue to put on a brave face."

The Sun Devils alternate captain said that at age 17, he stayed behind on the team bus after a game while everyone else left to go eat because the area they were in was "known to be racially confrontational."

Garcia added that he's experienced racism outside of hockey as well and that he "should be seen as an equal to all."

The Las Vegas-born winger also shared a photo of himself playing against K'Andre Miller, the New York Rangers prospect and then-University of Wisconsin defenseman who was targeted by a racist hacker during a video call with the NHL club in April.

"To you all, it may look like two players on opposing teams battling for the puck," Garcia wrote. "To me, I see a great person and hockey player in K'Andre. But I also see two black men in a predominantly white sport, who overcame adversity from not only a performance-based standpoint, but racial adversity as well. Two men who play at some of the highest levels of hockey but still continue to fight for equality."

Garcia played his junior season with Arizona State in 2019-20.

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The Western Hockey League has a tentative plan to begin its next campaign in the fall.

The league confirmed Wednesday it is targeting a start date of Oct. 2 for the 2020-21 regular season, but that date is dependent on approval from government and health officials.

"The WHL is committed to protecting the integrity of the WHL regular-season schedule and fully intends to complete a full 68-game schedule for 2020-21, regardless of when the season begins," the league said in a statement.

It added it will work with authorities in relevant regions to determine how many fans will be permitted to attend games once play resumes.

The WHL's 2019-20 campaign began on Sept. 20. The league halted play on March 12 and canceled the rest of the schedule six days later amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

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When Andrew Raycroft was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006, he was ecstatic to get the chance to play near his hometown of Belleville, Ontario.

Unfortunately for the netminder, things didn't go as planned.

"It started to snowball on me, getting more and more difficult," Raycroft said of his two seasons in Toronto, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle. "I just didn't know what to do. I wasn't Martin Brodeur. I wasn't Patrick Roy, where I had the talent or the pedigree to just to play my way out of it. I needed confidence and I needed mental clarity and I wasn't able to find that."

Raycroft showed immense promise as a young goaltender, taking home the Calder Trophy in 2003 while with the Boston Bruins. The Maple Leafs, who were looking for an immediate answer in net at the time, traded away the rights to Tuukka Rask to bring in Raycroft.

He started 71 games in his first season with the Leafs and went 37-25-9 with an .894 save percentage and 2.99 goals-against average. His peripheral numbers dipped as the year went on, and Toronto eventually missed the playoffs by a single point.

With the roller coaster of ups and downs during his first year and constant media spotlight, Raycroft believes he may have periodically suffered from depression.

"I don't know. I'm sure there was. I wasn't happy, that's for sure," he said. "It was hard for me to be excited about anything and get to the rink. ... I don't know if it was depression clinically or what exactly that feels like, but there was certainly times when I was really sad and just didn't want to deal with anything.

"It was still at a time where it wasn't frowned upon but (getting help) wasn't encouraged by any means. And it goes to the point of me not really having the confidence to go and ask for help and just trying to deal with it myself. I don't really have many regrets. I tried my best. But I wish I asked for help."

Raycroft pointed to the constant pressure from the media in Toronto as a key reason why he didn't seek help at the time.

"It would have made miles of difference, I believe, had I been able to just go and talk to someone," he added. "But if that had got out in the media that I was going to see someone? I was scared of that happening and looking even more weak than not just playing bad and losing games, but also looking like I can't handle it."

His second season in Toronto was one of the worst of his career, as he won just twice in 19 games. He bought out of his contract in the summer of 2008 and went on to be a backup goalie with the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, and Dallas Stars until he went to play overseas in 2012. He announced his retirement from pro hockey in 2014.

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NHL players won't be required to wear full face shields if the season resumes this summer, sources told The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno.

The NHL and NHLPA have focused on testing and other off-ice safety precautions rather than equipment changes amid return-to-play negotiations, Whyno added.

An infectious disease specialist recommended last month that players take extra precautions if the NHL returns. They suggested the use of face shields and the elimination of scrums, spitting, and fighting from the game.

However, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in May that players and personnel would be tested every evening for the coronavirus. As a result, there isn't expected to be specialized on-ice equipment.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly also said he didn't think drastic changes to equipment would be necessary.

Bauer Hockey is expected to announce a new line of protective equipment including specialized facial protection, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.

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