John Tavares, Logan Couture, Drew Doughty: these are the marquee players that dominated the opening day of the NHL's free-agent frenzy. However, there are some other names that flew under the radar that deserve some love.
Related: NHL Offseason Tracker: $775M handed out on Day 1 of free agency
Players on this list signed to relatively little fanfare and comparatively cheap deals, but still hold the ability to be true bargains for their clubs next season. After all, role players and depth pieces have an important part to play on any club with eyes on a deep postseason run.
With that in mind, we rank the best bargain signings from a hectic Day 1 of the free-agency period:
5. Austin Czarnik, C - Calgary Flames
Despite playing in only 10 games at the NHL level for the Boston Bruins last season, Czarnik generated a ton of interest from potential free-agent suitors. His four assists through 10 games with the Bruins last year don't jump off the page, but the undrafted forward out of Miami University has shown flashes of offensive brilliance at the lower levels.
Czarnik's 69 points (25 goals and 44 assists) in 64 games for the Providence Bruins saw him finish three points shy of winning the AHL's scoring title. Sprinkle in his excellent vision and youth, and Czarnik becomes a very intriguing add for Flames general manager Brad Treliving.
Calgary is in need of additional scoring, and at an expected cap hit around $1.25 million for two years, the Flames could have something in the speedy forward.
4. Vlad Namestnikov, F - New York Rangers
Namestnikov had the obvious advantage of playing alongside two of the best snipers in the business with the Tampa Bay Lightning in Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, so his 20 goals and 24 assists in 60 games for the Bolts might not be an accurate reflection of his overall potential. But neither are his four points in 19 games for the Rangers at the end of last season, as he was playing on a line with Pavel Buchnevich and the offensively challenged Matt Beleskey.
The versatile forward is comfortable playing both on the wing and up the middle, and despite his limited 5-foot-11 frame, Namestnikov can be an effective offensive producer if he's placed on the right line.
New York is a team in transition, so there's no telling what the franchise's roster will look like by opening night. But if the Rangers' newly-hired coaching staff can keep Namestnikov in a top-six role with the right mix of linemates, the young Russian has the playmaking skills to be a serious offensive threat at only $4 million per season.
3. David Perron, LW - St. Louis Blues
Perron's magical run to the Stanley Cup Final with the Vegas Golden Knights ends with a return to the team that drafted him.
The 30-year-old veteran returns to the St. Louis Blues on a team-friendly four-year contract worth roughly $4 million per season. He's coming off a major bounce-back campaign with the Knights by tallying a career-high 66 points in only 70 games, so the price tag is more than fair for a guy who slots immediately into St. Louis' top-six forward group.
Perron might not be the flashiest guy in the league, but he's a consistent point producer who will put up solid numbers regardless of where he plays. At $4 million per, the winger is easily one of the best bargains of Day 1.
2. Carter Hutton, G - Buffalo Sabres
The biggest free-agent goaltender on the market, Hutton had a coming-out party last season in St. Louis, temporarily stealing the crease away from supposed No. 1 netminder Jake Allen midway through the season.
The career backup turned in a 9-1-1 record from Dec. 29 to Feb. 3., which included this save-of-the-year candidate against the New Jersey Devils in early January:
Hutton has spent his entire career playing behind more talented goaltenders, but last year's performance (17-7-3, 2.09 GAA, .931 save percentage) was enough for him to get a crack at being the main guy in the blue paint for the Sabres. Despite being a solid No. 1 option for Buffalo going forward, general manager Jason Botterill should get some props for bringing in Hutton at a backup's rate.
His expected cap hit of $2.75 million a season could be a great deal for Buffalo if Hutton is able to hold it down between the pipes and bring the Sabres organization back to respectability.
1. Riley Nash, C - Columbus Blue Jackets
This might be the first time in his career that Nash finds himself at the top of any kind of power rankings, but his sneaky offensive production and ability to thrive in basically any scenario make him the bargain of the day - especially at a cap hit of only $2.75 million.
Nash can kill penalties, win faceoffs, play the wing, and contribute on the power play if need be. He's also a streaky scorer who's coming off a solid offensive season for the Boston Bruins in 2017-18. Nash registered 15 goals and 26 assists in 76 regular-season games.
A versatile forward like Nash will be a coach's dream for Blue Jackets bench boss John Tortorella, as Nash is a no-nonsense player with the versatility to play multiple positions. His numbers might not leap off the page, but Nash will be an effective forward in Columbus who will make his contract look like a serious steal.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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