It's been well over a month since the start of NHL free agency, but there's no shortage of players still looking to sign a deal for the 2016-17 season.
Here's a look at the three best available free agents still on the market.
Jiri Hudler
The 32-year-old winger took a big step back this past season after recording careers highs in goals (31), assists (45), total points (76), and shots (158) with the Calgary Flames in 2014-15.
Traded to the Florida Panthers prior to the 2016 trade deadline, Hudler did record six goals and five assists in his final 19 regular-season games, but was held to one assist in six playoff appearances.
For his career, he's averaging almost 20 goals and 50 points per 82 games played, and should provide the signing team with great value on a deal likely to come in much lower than the $4-million cap hit carried over the past four seasons.
Brandon Pirri
In order to make room for Hudler at the deadline, the Panthers sent Brandon Pirri to the Anaheim Ducks for the pittance of a sixth-round draft pick.
This after he scored 40 goals in 122 games with the Panthers, including a single-season high of 22 scored in 49 regular-season games in 2014-15.
Pirri - who wasn't floated a qualifying offer by the Ducks after finishing the season on the injured list - has proven to be an effective goal-scorer in limited ice time.
Over the course of the past two seasons, he ranks 14th among all NHL players with at least 1,000 minutes of ice time with 1.34 goals per 60 minutes, tied with Brad Marchand and Mike Hoffman, and sandwiched between the likes of Nikita Kucherov and John Tavares.
Surely at least one team is interested in that kind of production.
Jimmy Vesey
Jimmy Vesey won't technically become a free agent until Aug. 15, provided he doesn't come to terms on a contract with the Buffalo Sabres - who acquired his rights from Nashville earlier in the offseason - prior to the signing deadline.
At this point, that appears unlikely, meaning the 23-year-old college standout will take some meetings and explore his options before hand-picking his team of choice with whom to sign his entry-level deal.
Over his past two seasons at Harvard, Vesey scored 56 goals and added 48 assists in 70 games, giving NHL teams a taste of what's hopefully to come at the NHL level.
Las Vegas' expansion franchise named Wil Nichol its director of player development Thursday, the club announced.
Nichol is listed on the Washington Capitals' website as an amateur scout, and has held the position since 2011, according to Yahoo Sports' Josh Cooper. He never played in the NHL but coached in the USHL and NCHA.
McPhee, Vegas' first general manager, spent 17 seasons in the Washington front office. His squad now officially consists of Nichol and Kelly McCrimmon, who was named assistant general manager earlier in the week.
George McPhee, the general manager of the NHL's expansion franchise in Nevada, spoke with Sports Illustrated's Alex Prewitt and described his vision for the team he's been tasked with putting together.
"I'd like to build it the same way we built the Washington teams - big, talented teams that can score goals," McPhee said. "I think that's the way the game should be played."
The 58-year-old executive spent 17 seasons in D.C. and was the architect of the best Capitals outfit in history. While a Stanley Cup eluded him, a Washington team led by Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom has consistently been one of the more exciting clubs in the league.
"We are in the entertainment business and we certainly want to win, but you want to entertain while you're doing it," McPhee added. "We're not going to play sit-back hockey. We're going to attack."
Welcome words, surely, in an era when coaches, systems, and goaltenders seem to have a more significant impact on the game than star offensive players. However, putting together an attacking expansion team will be far easier said than done.
Working in Las Vegas' favor is the fact that next June's expansion draft will leave a number of established players available. But McPhee knows it's a process, and that scouting trumps all.
"You have to find elite players in the draft," McPhee said when he was hired last month. "We'll get a nice squad together from the expansion draft, but our elite players will come through drafting."
The unrestricted free-agent defenseman is waiting for prospective teams to clear salary cap space before signing a new contract, reports Darren Dreger of TSN.
Russell, 29, split this past season between Calgary and Dallas, ranking second in the NHL in blocked shots with 210 in only 62 games played.
In terms of offensive production, he recorded four goals and 15 assists with a Corsi For rating below 45 at even strength.
Prior to the start of free agency, Dreger reported the Toronto Maple Leafs - currently right up against the cap ceiling - were interested in Russell.
Every day this week, theScore's hockey editors are evaluating NHL teams on a different level of management. This time, we're focusing on the owners, ranking them based on their willingness to spend, level of involvement, and the long-term viability of the franchises in their respective markets.
Only one NHL owner is being sued by his sons, and that's Peter Karmanos after he borrowed millions against their trust to help fund his club. While general manager Ron Francis is doing great work rebuilding the roster, the Hurricanes are one of the lowest-spending teams and would appear to be a logical candidate for relocation if Karmanos can't get his house in order.
30. Arizona Coyotes
A great measure of faith has been placed in 27-year-old John Chayka to build a winning roster, but despite all assurances from the IceArizona ownership group, this is a low-budget team in search of a new arena, and relocation talk has dogged the Coyotes for years.
29. Ottawa Senators
Eugene Melnyk essentially lifted the Senators out of bankruptcy, but the club has become notorious for its internal salary cap. The budgetary concerns mean Melnyk is more hands on than his colleagues, and his apparent meddling is leaving a bitter taste in the collective mouth of the fan base.
28. Edmonton Oilers
Daryl Katz will likely sign off on one of the biggest contracts in the league when Connor McDavid is eligible to sign an extension next summer, which will hopefully make it easier to attract talent to Edmonton. The propensity to keep former players in key front-office roles has proven to be a detriment, however, and his veiled threats to move the team to Seattle prior to getting approval to build a new arena (opening this season) remain a huge black mark on his record.
27. Anaheim Ducks
Henry Samueli bought the Ducks in 2005 and was suspended by the NHL in 2008 after pleading guilty to lying to U.S. securities regulators, but the charges were later dropped. In the present, he signed off on the firing of Bruce Boudreau and hiring of Randy Carlyle and likely won't be spending to the cap ceiling anytime soon.
26. Las Vegas
Bill Foley is saying all the right things about building a winning team in Sin City, and is off to a good start after hiring George McPhee as GM. Still, the proof will be in the pudding, and he still has to come up with a name for the team.
25. Columbus Blue Jackets
John P. McConnell took over after his father and team founder passed away in 2008. The Blue Jackets are one of the least successful teams, and while the payroll is high, there are several bad contracts on the books, which doesn't speak well of the hockey operations staff entrusted with ownership's money.
24. New York Islanders
Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin - who recently took over majority ownership of the Islanders from Charles Wang - have been talking a big game about doing what it takes to restore glory on Long Island, but Barclays Center doesn't seem like a permanent home, and much depends on whether John Tavares does indeed decide to re-sign with the club as early as next summer.
23. New Jersey Devils
The Devils have largely been in tear-down mode since Josh Harris took over as principal owner in 2013. Ray Shero appears to have carte blanche in terms of the rebuild, and New Jersey did take on a big-ticket salary in Taylor Hall, but whether Harris will go to the cap for a Cup remains to be seen.
22. Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche is technically owned by Ann Walton Kroenke, wife of Stan Kroenke; she took over on paper in 2014 after he had to give up his majority stake in accordance with NFL rules. Former star players Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy are running the show, which has not proven to pay off quite yet.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
This franchise would have ranked higher in the past, but after the passing of legendary owner Ed Snider, it's unclear what direction the Comcast overlords will take it moving forward. Suffice to say it will be hard to top Snider's passion and devotion to his beloved hockey team.
20. Vancouver Canucks
The locally-based Aquilini Group came this close to bringing a Cup to Vancouver in 2011. Attendance has dwindled in recent years, however, and the hockey operations cohort led by Trevor Linden and Jim Benning isn't inspiring much confidence.
19. Boston Bruins
The Bruins are coming out of one of the most successful runs under Jeremy Jacobs, and hockey has been hot in a city replete with championships. Jacobs, however, is notorious for his role in pushing the league to lock out its players, and son Charlie is too heavily involved in hockey decisions.
18. New York Rangers
Largely loathed by New York's basketball-loving community, James Dolan ranks higher as an owner of the Rangers primarily for his willingness to spend up to the cap while allowing the front office to take care of the day-to-day operations of running a hockey team.
17. Calgary Flames
The Flames are on the rise thanks to ownership's handing of hockey operation control to president Brian Burke and GM Brad Treliving. The need for a new arena and a reluctance on the part of the city to use public funds could become a defining period of time in for Murray Edwards and Co.
16. Winnipeg Jets
David Thomson and Mark Chipman were seen as heroes after buying the Atlanta Thrashers and moving the team to Winnipeg. Content to allow success to simmer at a slow burn, at some point the coffers are going to have to open up.
15. Dallas Stars
Tom Gaglardi took control of the Stars in 2011 and wisely put the team in the most competent hands. The Stars are as popular as ever in the Lone Star state, with legitimate Cup prospects in the years to come.
14. Nashville Predators
The current Predators ownership group took over in 2007 and allowed David Poile - the team's first and only GM - to continue to guide the on-ice product. This team isn't afraid to spend and hockey has never been hotter in the Music City.
13. Florida Panthers
Vincent Viola became owner of the Panthers in 2013, and has enabled the club to rise out of the doldrums. The jury is out on a front-office shakeup on the heels of a division championship, but Florida is spending big bucks, and the Panthers are becoming a Miami mainstay not long after struggling to fill the building.
12. St. Louis Blues
A self-described lifelong hockey fan, Tom Stillman has helped put the Blues in position to finally bring a Cup to St. Louis, giving GM Doug Armstrong all resources necessary to build a winning roster.
11. Minnesota Wild
Craig Leipold transitioned from the founding owner of the Predators to principal owner of the Wild in 2008, and later made a massive investment in bringing Minnesota natives Zach Parise and Ryan Suter home. He also recently paid a premium to reel in the best available head coach in Bruce Boudreau to guide his club.
10. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Lightning have been a team on the rise since Jeff Vinik bought the team in 2010, in large part due to his decision to hire Steve Yzerman as GM after clearing out the old regime. All he's done since is spend on keeping a legitimate contender together while securing Tampa as a true hockey hot spot.
9. San Jose Sharks
Hasso Plattner serves as figurehead of the Sharks ownership group, and is committed to helping long-time GM Doug Wilson make good on the quest to bring a Cup to Silicon Valley.
8. Los Angeles Kings
The Kings are a salary cap team and only three GMs have more tenure than Dean Lombardi. Two Stanley Cups this decade have cemented the ownership group's legacy in California.
7. Buffalo Sabres
Upon taking over the team in 2011, Terry Pegula made it clear his main interest was bringing a championship to Buffalo, no matter the cost. He also cares deeply about the community and is a fan to boot, making him an owner any fan base would love to have.
6. Washington Capitals
Similar to Pegula, Ted Leonsis is passionate about bringing the Cup to Washington, will write the checks to make it happen, and has made hockey a hot ticket in the process. One can't ask for much more from an owner.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins
Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, who pulled the Penguins back from the precipice upon taking over the team early this century, have greatly benefited from building a team around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin while allowing GM Jim Rutherford to work some magic en route to a Cup win in 2016. Good thing they didn't sell (yet).
4. Montreal Canadiens
Hockey's most storied franchise isn't going anywhere, and - for better or worse - the Molson family clearly has given management its full blessing to spend to the cap and make even the most controversial trades.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are the most financially stable and geographically locked-in franchise in the league, and, thanks to Brendan Shanahan, the team seems to be tracking the right way on the ice.
2. Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are the most successful team of the past decade and have never been more popular in Chicago, while GM Stan Bowman's ability to build a winning roster after constantly shaving salary is remarkable.
1. Detroit Red Wings
Twenty-five straight playoff seasons, multiple Cups, the longest-tenured GM, a consistently high payroll, and a brand new arena opening in 2017 that is set to help revitalize downtown Detroit. Mike Ilitch continues to serve up an exemplary model of NHL franchise ownership.
Count "The Great One" among those unsure about the inclusion of North America and Europe in the field of eight teams competing at the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.
North America will be made up of the best 23-and-under players from Canada and the United States, and Europe will be built around 23 players from European nations outside the top four (Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic).
Wayne Gretzky, who has fond memories of representing his home country at the Canada Cup and the inaugural World Cup, wonders about the merits of putting on a jersey fabricated specifically for this tournament.
"I just wonder if there was a 19-year-old that's good enough to play for his particular country, should he not have that option?" Gretzky told Dan Rosen of NHL.com, referring more to the North American squad. "You want to play for your country, you know."
At the same time, the European team gives players whose countries wouldn't be there a chance to play on the big stage.
"I'm excited for a guy like (Anze) Kopitar (from Slovenia), who gets to participate when he might not have had that opportunity in an event of this magnitude," Gretzky said. "So I think from that point of view it's a chance to show off our great players and show people how good they really are."
He added that the young stars won't be pushovers, and he'll be rooting for Connor McDavid and Co. to medal in the tournament.
Because everyone loves a good underdog story, right?
Whether you like it or not, NHL hockey is heading to Las Vegas, and while it might not be the majority opinion, Calgary Flames defenseman Deryk Engelland is on board with the idea.
Many are concerned with the popularity among a barebones fan base in an unknown market, as well as potential trouble for teams and players on the Las Vegas Strip.
Engelland, who played 72 games with the former Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL in 2004-05 and lives there in the offseason, believes any skepticism of problems on the strip or in Sin City is nothing to worry about.
"It wears off," Engelland told Aaron Vickers of Flames.NHL.com. "We've lived here for 12 years, it's almost a hassle to go down there now. Everyone that's down there are tourists. When you go down there, you know where you're going but there's so many people."
Vladimir Tkachyov of the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan wowed the hockey world with his javelin-style goal, but as it turns out, that wasn't the first time he pulled off an absurd shootout move.
BarDown discovered video of a spinning goal Tkachyov scored during a 2013 game.
Sure, captain Jamie Benn is from Victoria, British Columbia, and Tyler Seguin was born in Brampton, Ontario, but those are simply details. If Mr. Trump has proven anything in 2016, it's that anything is possible.
President Benn and Vice-President Seguin has a ring to it, after all.
