This year's unrestricted free-agent pool could pack some superstar punch in all three position groups.

Dustin Byfuglien isn't included because he's reportedly unlikely to continue playing. Meanwhile, Henrik Lundqvist is already a UFA after the New York Rangers bought him out, but his plans are unclear.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the top players who could be available when the frenzy begins Oct. 9.

xGF% = Expected goals for percentage at five-on-five
GSAA = Goals saved above average at five-on-five

25. Wayne Simmonds

Position: RW
Age: 32
2019-20 cap hit: $5M
Current team: Buffalo Sabres

Simmonds' play has noticeably declined, and he certainly isn't worth his previous cap hit, which the New Jersey Devils retained half of upon shipping him to the Sabres. However, the veteran winger should garner some interest considering his track record of providing both offense and physicality.

24. Ilya Kovalchuk

Position: LW/RW
Age: 37
2019-20 cap hit: $700K
Current team: Washington Capitals

After struggling and falling out with the Los Angeles Kings, Kovalchuk surprisingly produced 13 points in 22 games with the Montreal Canadiens. However, the former superstar wasn't as effective with the Capitals and virtually disappeared in the playoffs, but there's little risk involved in offering him another league-minimum deal.

23. Corey Perry

Position: RW
Age: 35
2019-20 cap hit: $1.5M
Current team: Dallas Stars

What a difference a postseason makes. Perry bolstered his stock significantly in the playoffs after barely contributing on the offensive end during the regular season. The longtime agitator buried three goals over a two-game span in the Stanley Cup Final, including the double-overtime winner in Game 5.

22. Zdeno Chara

Position: LD
Age: 43
2019-20 cap hit: $2M
Current team: Boston Bruins

Chara has spent the last 14 years with the Bruins (all as their captain), signed one-year deals with Boston in each of the last two offseasons, and said recently he wants to keep playing for the team. But general manager Don Sweeney was noncommittal when asked about the towering blue-liner's future with the club. So, though it may seem unlikely, the door appears open for an exit.

21. Vladislav Namestnikov

Position: LW/C
Age: 27
2019-20 cap hit: $4M
Current team: Colorado Avalanche

Teams looking for depth scoring from a versatile forward would be wise to consider Namestnikov, who tallied four goals in 12 playoff games with the Avalanche after notching four markers and a pair of helpers in nine regular-season contests down the stretch.

20. Corey Crawford

Position: G
Age: 35
2019-20 cap hit: $6M
Current team: Chicago Blackhawks

Crawford may not be well-suited to shoulder the load at this point in his career, but the experienced goaltender proved more than capable in 2019-20 while sharing the crease. His GSAA ranked 10th in the NHL among netminders who played at least 25 games.

19. Erik Haula

Position: C/LW
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $2.75M
Current team: Florida Panthers

Haula didn't wow anyone with his stats this past season, but like Namestnikov, he's capable of playing multiple positions up front and may come cheaper due to his diminished production and past injury woes. Despite those concerns, the Finnish forward is only two seasons removed from a 29-goal, 55-point campaign.

18. Travis Hamonic

Position: RD
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $3.86M
Current team: Calgary Flames

Hamonic doesn't post gaudy numbers, nor is he likely to limit opposing goals or scoring chances at an elite level. But he is a proven top-four rearguard with 10 years of NHL experience. If he opts to leave the Flames, other teams in need could certainly do worse, as long as it's not for a long term.

17. Brenden Dillon

Position: LD
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $3.27M
Current team: Washington Capitals

Not many defensemen are able to drive possession while providing as much of a physical presence as Dillon does. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound blue-liner ranked among the NHL leaders at his position in hits this past season and also authored expected goals for, scoring chances for, and Corsi For rates above 50%.

16. Sami Vatanen

Position: RD
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $4.87M
Current team: Carolina Hurricanes

Vatanen is capable of producing at a 35-to-40-point pace, as he did with the Hurricanes and Devils in 2019-20. He's also a decent defender, though his possession figures leave something to be desired. The Finnish blue-liner has been limited by injuries over the last two seasons, but he missed only one playoff game this campaign and should be fine entering 2020-21.

15. Chris Tanev

Position: RD
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $4.45M
Current team: Vancouver Canucks

Tanev has spent his entire 10-year career with the Canucks, but the defenseman has the opportunity to hit the market if he so desires. The Pittsburgh Penguins will reportedly make a play for the rearguard if he becomes a UFA. Given his dependability, it wouldn't be shocking to see other clubs do the same.

14. TJ Brodie

Position: RD
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $4.65M
Current team: Calgary Flames

Much like Hamonic, Brodie is an adequate top-four defenseman, though he'll have a slight edge over his teammate if he pursues free agency by virtue of being a left-hander who's played much of his Flames tenure on the right side.

13. Mikael Granlund

Position: C/LW
Age: 28
2019-20 cap hit: $5.75M
Current team: Nashville Predators

It was a tale of two seasons for Granlund, as he led the Predators with 11 goals in the 28 games after John Hynes took over as head coach in January. Granlund hasn't matched the level of production he previously established with the Minnesota Wild, but he'll still be one of the top free-agent forwards on the market.

12. Anton Khudobin

Position: G
Age: 34
2019-20 cap hit: $2.5M
Current team: Dallas Stars

Khudobin's stock soared after he helped lead Dallas to the Stanley Cup Final as the team's starter following a stellar regular season as Ben Bishop's backup. The Stars reportedly want to keep Khudobin, but he may opt to cash in elsewhere upon proving he's more than capable of holding a No. 1 job and carrying a team in the playoffs.

11. Braden Holtby

Position: G
Age: 31
2019-20 cap hit: $6.1M
Current team: Washington Capitals

Holtby would have pushed for the top five on this list if he had a solid regular season - only Jimmy Howard had a worse GSAA - or was remotely reliable in the playoffs. Despite those struggles, the longtime Capitals starter isn't far removed from winning a championship in 2018 and the Vezina Trophy two years prior, so he may just need a change of scenery.

10. Kevin Shattenkirk

Position: RD
Age: 31
2019-20 cap hit: $1.75M
Current team: Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning inking Shattenkirk to such a team-friendly contract in August 2019 wasn't shocking after the New York Rangers bought him out, but it proved to be arguably the biggest bargain of the offseason. He was an immediate fit with Tampa Bay and raised his game in the playoffs, posting 13 points in 25 games.

9. Tyson Barrie

Position: RD
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $5.5M
Current team: Toronto Maple Leafs

Barrie didn't fully mesh with the Maple Leafs, but the former Avalanche blue-liner remains a capable offensive defenseman with plenty of value. He improved after Sheldon Keefe took over as Toronto's head coach, and despite the rearguard's deficiencies in his own end, he'll undoubtedly get calls from interested clubs.

8. Evgenii Dadonov

Position: RW
Age: 31
2019-20 cap hit: $4M
Current team: Florida Panthers

Dadonov isn't the best Panthers forward on this list, but he's been one of the NHL's most underrated scorers over the last few years. The Russian winger potted 28 goals in back-to-back seasons and was on a 30-goal pace before the pause. Dadonov produced 135 combined points over the previous two campaigns, and though he benefited from playing with elite linemates, there's clearly talent there.

7. Tyler Toffoli

Position: RW
Age: 28
2019-20 cap hit: $4.6M
Current team: Vancouver Canucks

Toffoli said in September that staying with the Canucks is his top priority, but Vancouver has its hands full this offseason. He racked up six goals and 10 points in 10 regular-season games with the club after it acquired him from the Kings before the deadline, and he kept contributing in the playoffs. If the winger hits the market, he'll be one of the top players available.

6. Mike Hoffman

Position: LW
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $5.19M
Current team: Florida Panthers

Hoffman is as consistent as they come in the goal-producing department, averaging 28.7 per season over his nine-year career. He's the second-best forward who could be available in free agency, and it remains to be seen whether the Panthers will choose to keep either of their skilled scorers around.

5. Jacob Markstrom

Position: G
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $3.67M
Current team: Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver general manager Jim Benning made it clear he wants to re-sign Markstrom, and the netminder has also said he wants to stay with the Canucks. However, there's no guarantee that happens, and if it doesn't, he'd likely be the second-most coveted puck-stopper on the market.

4. Robin Lehner

Position: G
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $5M
Current team: Vegas Golden Knights

Lehner spent most of the regular season splitting time in the Blackhawks crease with Crawford, but his strong play with both Chicago and Vegas helped him secure the Golden Knights' starting role in the postseason. Lehner is the youngest among the top members of the pending UFA goalie class, and he certainly proved himself worthy of a longer contract after signing a surprising one-year deal in July 2019.

3. Torey Krug

Position: LD
Age: 29
2019-20 cap hit: $5.25M
Current team: Boston Bruins

Krug said in September he's "very opposed" to settling for a one-year deal, and it's tough to dispute the notion that he deserves a longer pact considering his track record and production from the back end.

2. Taylor Hall

Position: LW
Age: 28
2019-20 cap hit: $6M
Current team: Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes GM Bill Armstrong recently admitted the team would need to get creative to retain Hall, who helped Arizona reach the postseason in 2019-20 for the first time since 2012, albeit in an expanded format. The 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner said in August his priority is "probably all winning," adding that the Coyotes "have a bright future." Still, he may be tempted to take his talents elsewhere.

1. Alex Pietrangelo

Position: RD
Age: 30
2019-20 cap hit: $6.5M
Current team: St. Louis Blues

There's no question who the biggest fish on the market will be with the way things are trending. The Blues reportedly advised Pietrangelo to pursue free agency, and the superstar rearguard subsequently said maybe that's "best for both sides" after admitting there's been little progress in contract talks. However, he hasn't ruled out re-signing. Regardless of where he lands, Pietrangelo is in for a hefty payday.

Honorable mention: Thomas Greiss, Dylan DeMelo, Cam Talbot, Carson Soucy, Patrick Maroon

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick)
(Salary source: CapFriendly)

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