A few marquee NHL pending unrestricted free agents appear likely to re-sign with their current clubs or have already done so. But several impact players may still opt for a change of scenery.

While Alex Ovechkin isn't expected to hit the market and Taylor Hall has already chosen not to explore it again, it would be compelling to see a quartet of other pending UFAs do just that.

These may not be the most likely scenarios, but that doesn't mean we can't still hope they'll happen. Here are four signings we'd love to see when NHL free agency opens Wednesday:

Kraken ensnare Hamilton

The Seattle Kraken should nab Carolina Hurricanes star defenseman Dougie Hamilton for several reasons.

The league's newest squad chose not to make any huge splashes in the expansion draft, passing on the likes of Carey Price and Vladimir Tarasenko for more affordable options. As a result, Seattle has nearly $31 million in cap space, and Hamilton is a franchise cornerstone defenseman who only turned 28 last month.

The Kraken did reportedly commit to inking steady blue-liners Adam Larsson and Jamie Oleksiak, but Hamilton is a bonafide No. 1 rearguard who can anchor a power play and a defensive unit in general. The club could also use a right-handed shot like Hamilton for their top pairing since Mark Giordano, Carson Soucy, Vince Dunn, and Oleksiak are all lefties. Larsson should be in the team's top four, but Hamilton would be a major upgrade.

Seattle should swoop in and sign Hamilton - the move would more than solidify the Kraken blue line for years to come, and the NHL's 32nd team could justify the cost by having more than enough financial wiggle room.

Kraken land Landeskog

Would it be fun to watch Gabriel Landeskog continue to produce with the Colorado Avalanche on arguably the NHL's best line alongside Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen? Sure. But it would be more interesting to answer the question, "How good would the Swedish winger be on an entirely different squad?"

How about a brand-new outfit that laid part of its foundation in last week's expansion draft and - even after signing Hamilton - would still have a bunch of money to spend on more core players that could carry the club for years? Landeskog would give Seattle a combination of playmaking ability, physicality, two-way prowess, and the leadership qualities that earned him the "C" with Colorado.

Considering how poorly negotiations between Landeskog and the Avalanche have apparently gone, it wouldn't be surprising to see him leave. The St. Louis Blues were reportedly ready to push hard for him, but they're less likely to do so now after acquiring Pavel Buchnevich.

Colorado has around $20 million in cap space after re-signing Cale Makar, but the team still has to take care of Philipp Grubauer, who's coming off a career year in goal. The Avs might be able to bring both big-ticket pending UFAs back, but it remains to be seen whether Landeskog wants to return given how "disappointed" he said he's been with the negotiations. The 28-year-old may have a better chance at the Stanley Cup with Colorado, but the two parties don't seem to be seeing eye-to-eye at the moment.

Joining the Kraken would allow Landeskog to silence critics who say he can't excel away from the two aforementioned superstars, and few other organizations have the flexibility to pay him what he may feel he deserves.

Flyers fetch Grubauer

Speaking of the Avs, their No. 1 netminder, Grubauer, is on the verge of becoming the top free-agent goalie available. However, it remains unclear whether he'll re-sign or test the market. The logical scenario involves Colorado inking the Vezina Trophy finalist to a long-term deal while pulling off the cap gymnastics required to keep the goalkeeper and Landeskog with enough room left to fill out the roster.

Only the Avalanche can give Grubauer a max-length eight-year deal, and they're still a perennial Stanley Cup favorite despite their repeated playoff failures. But if the franchise can't get a deal done, no team needs the German puck-stopper more than the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Flyers' goaltending was atrocious last season, as no side allowed more goals in 2021. The club's two primary netminders - Carter Hart and Brian Elliott - posted the NHL's worst and second-worst goals saved above expected rates at minus-24.45 and minus-20.5, respectively, according to Evolving Hockey. The squad in front of Grubauer helped inflate his stellar numbers, but he'd still be a massive upgrade.

Hart remains Philadelphia's goalie of the future, but the soon-to-be 23-year-old was awful in his third campaign, and Elliott is a 36-year-old pending UFA. Signing Grubauer wouldn't sit well with Hart - who's a pending RFA himself - but the Flyers are in dire need of some stability in the crease until Hart's ready to retake the reins.

Grubauer may not settle for less than a long-term pact after his big year, but if he's willing to take a higher salary for fewer seasons, maybe he could be convinced. Colorado could then pursue a younger, cheaper puck-stopper like the vastly underrated Linus Ullmark in free agency. It may not be the most likely outcome, but it would be a fun one.

Bruins snag Suter

Ryan Suter is an absolute workhorse on the back end. So, it's no surprise that he has his share of suitors, with at least five teams reportedly showing interest.

The Boston Bruins are apparently among the clubs in that quintet, and that's hardly shocking, either. Boston played with a depleted defense corps in 2021 following Torey Krug's and Zdeno Chara's departures, and then the unit lost Jeremy Lauzon in the expansion draft last week.

Suter will be 37 in January, and while he'll probably take a pay cut after the Minnesota Wild bought out his contract, he likely won't settle for what he deems below market value. But on a short-term, relatively team-friendly contract, he'd provide a major boost to the Bruins' blue line. It would also take some pressure off Charlie McAvoy and solidify Boston's top four.

The defenseman's point production declined this past campaign, but his underlying numbers were favorable - particularly on offense - and he's still capable of logging heavy minutes. There are risks involved, but the potential benefits and the fact that it would fill a big hole make this a no-brainer for the Bruins.

(Salary source: CapFriendly)

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Arizona Coyotes defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson is calling it a career after 14 NHL seasons, reports NHL Network's Craig Morgan.

Hjalmarsson, 34, has been with the Coyotes for the last four campaigns. He previously spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played a vital role on the club's Stanley Cup-winning teams last decade. Hjalmarsson was one of seven players to be part of all three victories in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

The Swedish defenseman was one of the league's top defensive defensemen for more than a decade.

Since the beginning of the 2008-09 campaign, Hjalmarsson ranks second among all defensemen with 75.23 blocked shots per 60 minutes and 13th with 15.12 takeaways per 60 minutes.

The Blackhawks drafted Hjalmarsson 108th overall in 2005. In 821 career games, he scored 25 goals and added 147 assists. He also won a silver medal with Sweden at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

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Ottawa Senators chief amateur scout Trent Mann believes his team knows more than everyone else when it comes to some of the draft picks it made over the weekend.

Mann defended the Senators' selections despite the fact that experts projected several of Ottawa's draftees would be taken much later.

"There's a lot more work that goes into producing our list over a public list," he said, according to the Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch. "There’s more details, more things put into a profile of a kid so we know exactly what we're getting.

"Sometimes it's easy to say, 'Why don't you just move down?' If there's a player you feel will help the organization, you can't necessarily move back to a certain point. There's only certain trading partners."

The Senators went off the board to take right winger Tyler Boucher with the 10th overall pick, then also grabbed center Zack Ostapchuk and defenseman Ben Roger earlier than expected.

TSN's Bob McKenzie ranked Boucher 29th overall about a week before the draft, and The Athletic's Corey Pronman slotted the forward 53rd in June. Additionally, NHL Central Scouting, the league's own prospect evaluation department, ranked each of the Senators' first three picks far lower among North American skaters than where they were selected.

"If we move back eight spots, is Tyler Boucher still going to be there? You know what? He's not going to be there," Mann said. "I know that, (Senators general manager) Pierre Dorion knows that, and the general public doesn't know that. They don't have to know that, it's not their job.

"For us, Tyler Boucher is another step in the Senators getting better and being what we want. I know Tyler Boucher is going to go 10-to-20. I know, and the public list doesn't know what we know."

Mann added that the club faced the same criticism when it drafted 2021 Hobey Baker Award finalist Shane Pinto 32nd overall two years ago, and he said the team was also questioned about now-franchise players Thomas Chabot and Brady Tkachuk.

Despite the external criticism, Dorion was pleased with Mann's work.

"We're really happy," the GM said. "I thought our scouting staff, led by Trent Mann, did a terrific job. We targeted some players and we were able to get all of them. It's a great day for our organization, adding some prospects to our group."

The Senators landed the 10th overall pick in the lottery after finishing the year with the NHL's ninth-worst record.

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theScore's NHL offseason tracker lists every major transaction completed since the Stanley Cup was awarded (in alphabetical order by team per day). Pull down the page to refresh.

July 24

• Avalanche sign D Cale Makar to 6-year, $54M contract
• Flyers trade F Jakub Voracek to Blue Jackets for F Cam Atkinson
• Kings sign F Trevor Moore to 2-year, $3.75M contract
• Sabres trade F Sam Reinhart to Panthers for G Devon Levi, 2022 1st-round pick

July 23

• Blue Jackets trade D Seth Jones, 2021 1st-round pick, 2022 6th-round pick to Blackhawks for D Adam Boqvist, 2021 1st-round pick, 2021 2nd-round pick, 2022 1st-round pick; Blackhawks sign D Seth Jones to 8-year, $76M contract extension
• Bruins re-sign F Taylor Hall to 4-year, $24M contract
• Coyotes trade D Oliver Ekman-Larsson, F Conor Garland to Canucks for F Jay Beagle, F Loui Eriksson, F Antoine Roussel, 2021 1st-round pick, 2022 2nd-round pick, 2023 7th-round pick
• Hurricanes trade D Jake Bean to Blue Jackets for 2021 2nd-round pick
• Rangers trade F Pavel Buchnevich to Blues for F Sammy Blais, 2022 2nd-round pick
• Sabres trade D Rasmus Ristolainen to Flyers for D Robert Hagg, 2021 1st-round pick, 2023 2nd-round pick

July 22

• Flyers trade D Shayne Gostisbehere, 2022 2nd-round pick, 2022 7th-round pick to Coyotes
• Hurricanes trade G Alex Nedeljkovic to Red Wings for G Jonathan Bernier, 2021 3rd-round pick
• Kraken trade F Tyler Pitlick to Flames for 2022 4th-round pick
• Oilers re-sign G Mike Smith to 2-year, $4.4M contract
• Rangers sign F Barclay Goodrow to 6-year, $21.6M contract
• Red Wings sign F Michael Rasmussen to 3-year, $4.38M contract extension, re-sign G Alex Nedeljkovic to 2-year, $6M contract
• Sharks re-sign F Rudolfs Balcers to 2-year, $3.1M contract

July 21

• Kraken sign D Jamie Oleksiak to 5-year, $23M contract, sign D Adam Larsson to 4-year, $16M contract, sign G Chris Driedger to 3-year, $10.5M contract

July 17

• Coyotes trade G Adin Hill, 2022 7th-round pick to Sharks for G Josef Korenar, 2022 2nd-round pick
• Islanders trade F Andrew Ladd, 2021 2nd-round pick, conditional 2022 2nd-round pick, conditional 2023 3rd-round pick to Coyotes; Islanders re-sign D Andy Greene to 1-year, $750K contract
• Lightning trade F Barclay Goodrow to Lightning for 2022 7th-round pick
• Penguins trade F Jared McCann to Maple Leafs for F Filip Hallander, 2023 7th-round pick
• Predators trade D Ryan Ellis to Flyers for F Nolan Patrick, D Philippe Myers and Predators flip Nolan Patrick to Golden Knights for F Cody Glass
• Rangers trade F Brett Howden to Golden Knights for D Nick DeSimone, 2022 4th-round pick
• Stars trade F Jason Dickinson to Canucks for 2021 3rd-round pick; Stars sign D Miro Heiskanen to 8-year, $67.6M contract extension

July 16

• Islanders trade D Nick Leddy to Red Wings for F Richard Panik, 2021 2nd-round pick

July 15

• Avalanche trade D Ryan Graves to Devils for F Mikhail Maltsev, 2021 2nd-round pick
• Devils re-sign F Michael McLeod to 2-year, $1.95M contract
• Flames re-sign F Brett Ritchie to 1-year, $900K contract
• Panthers re-sign F Anthony Duclair to 3-year, $9M contract, re-sign D Gustav Forsling to 3-year, $7.98M contract
• Sharks re-sign F Dylan Gambrell to 1-year, $1.1M contract

July 14

• Bruins sign D Brandon Carlo to 6-year, $24.6M contract extension
• Oilers trade G Dylan Wells to Hurricanes for future considerations
• Penguins re-sign F Teddy Blueger to 2-year, $4.4M contract

July 12

• Blackhawks trade D Duncan Keith, F Tim Soderlund to Oilers for D Caleb Jones, 2022 conditional pick

July 9

• Devils re-sign D Jonas Siegenthaler to 2-year, $2.25M contract

July 8

• Maple Leafs sign D Travis Dermott to 2-year, $3M contract extension

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While several pending unrestricted free agents have already found homes before the frenzy begins Wednesday at noon ET, there's still a large group of intriguing players up for grabs. Below, we rank the best of the bunch:

1. Dougie Hamilton

Position: RD
Age: 28
2020-21 cap hit: $5.75M
Last team: Hurricanes

True No. 1 defensemen in their prime like Hamilton rarely hit the open market. When they do, they get paid handsomely (see Pietrangelo, Alex).

2. Gabriel Landeskog

Position: LW
Age: 28
2020-21 cap hit: $5.57M
Last team: Avalanche

The longtime Avs captain is a premier two-way winger with all sorts of intangibles, although there are questions about how Landeskog's physical game will age over the duration of a long-term deal.

3. Alex Ovechkin

Position: LW
Age: 35
2020-21 cap hit: $9.54M
Last team: Capitals

Nothing to see here. Ovechkin is seemingly a lock to re-sign in Washington.

4. Blake Coleman

Position: LW/RW
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $1.8M
Last team: Lightning

An excellent defensive forward who's played at a 20-goal pace for three straight seasons, Coleman is set for a massive raise.

5. Alec Martinez

Position: LD/RD
Age: 33
2020-21 cap hit: $4M
Last team: Golden Knights

Martinez, a reliable two-way defender with playoff pedigree coming off a career-best offensive season, will be a tempting add for any contender needing help on the back end.

6. Phillip Danault

Position: C
Age: 28
2020-21 cap hit: $3.08M
Last team: Canadiens

Centers are always in demand during free agency. Danault, one of the game's elite shutdown pivots, will be no different despite his offensive limitations.

7. Philipp Grubauer

Position: G
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $3.33M
Last team: Avalanche

Grubauer was a Vezina Trophy finalist this past season. However, his goals saved above expected (GSAx) indicates a solid yet unspectacular netminder who was propped up by an excellent team in front of him.

8. Ryan Suter

Position: LD
Age: 36
2020-21 cap hit: $7.54M
Last team: Wild

Suter's buyout was much more surprising than teammate Zach Parise's. The veteran blue-liner can still be a serviceable No. 4 defenseman.

9. Linus Ullmark

Position: G
Age: 27
2020-21 cap hit: $2.6M
Last team: Sabres

Ullmark has posted stellar numbers on bad Buffalo teams. He'll be appealing to clubs around the league given his age.

10. David Krejci

Position: C
Age: 35
2020-21 cap hit: $7.25M
Last team: Bruins

Even in his mid-30s, Krejci is still a defensively reliable, playmaking second-line center. It's hard to envision him leaving Boston, though.

11. Paul Stastny

Position: C
Age: 35
2020-21 cap hit: $6.5M
Last team: Jets

Stastny doesn't move around the ice as well as he used to, but he can still be an effective middle-six center if he's surrounded by the right pieces.

12. Tuukka Rask

Position: G
Age: 34
2020-21 cap hit: $7M
Last team: Bruins

Rask has said before that he'll retire before playing for an NHL team other than the Bruins, so don't expect him to leave Beantown.

13. Jaden Schwartz

Position: LW
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $5.35M
Last team: Blues

Schwartz is coming off his second down year in the last three seasons, but he's registered 55-plus points five times. There should be a strong market for the two-way winger.

14. Tyson Barrie

Position: RD
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $3.75M
Last team: Oilers

Barrie led all NHL defensemen in points this past season, but he didn't receive any Norris Trophy votes. That's telling how much of a defensive liability he is.

15. Jake McCabe

Position: LD
Age: 27
2020-21 cap hit: $2.85M
Last team: Sabres

McCabe battled injuries last season - which prevented the Sabres from trading him at the deadline - but he's posted superb defensive metrics in a shutdown role over the last few years.

16. Brandon Saad

Position: LW/RW
Age: 28
2020-21 cap hit: $6M
Last team: Avalanche

A north-south winger with playoff pedigree and a goal-scoring touch, Saad won't have any difficulty finding a home.

17. Tomas Tatar

Position: LW
Age: 30
2020-21 cap hit: $5.3M
Last team: Canadiens

Tatar has been a healthy scratch for the majority of two Stanley Cup Final runs over the last four years. He's been a consistent offensive producer during the regular season, but he may need to take a one-year prove-it deal to rebuild his value.

18. Mikael Granlund

Position: C/LW/RW
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $3.75M
Last team: Predators

Granlund can play center in a pinch, but his most productive seasons have come as a complementary winger.

19. Mike Reilly

Position: LD
Age: 28
2020-21 cap hit: $1.5M
Last team: Bruins

Reilly is a strong skater who came into his own this season and solidified himself as a capable No. 4 defenseman.

20. Petr Mrazek

Position: G
Age: 29
2020-21 cap hit: $3.13M
Last team: Hurricanes

Which version of Mrazek will a team get? He was excellent in a limited sample size when healthy in 2020-21, but his track record in the four years prior is spotty (.905 SV%, -17.1 GSAx).

21. Frederik Andersen

Position: G
Age: 31
2020-21 cap hit: $5M
Last team: Maple Leafs

Andersen carries similar risks to Mrazek. He was excellent his first three seasons in Toronto (.918 SV%, 37.5 GSAx), but he's struggled mightily over the last two campaigns (.905 SV%, -21.5 GSAx). Can Andersen regain his old form?

22. Alexander Edler

Position: LD/RD
Age: 35
2020-21 cap hit: $6M
Last team: Canucks

After spending 15 years with the Canucks, Edler has said he'll test the open market. The 6-foot-3 Swede isn't the offensive threat he used to be, but he's still sound defensively and could help a contending team as a No. 4/5 defenseman.

23. Nick Bonino

Position: C
Age: 33
2020-21 cap hit: $4.1M
Last team: Wild

Bonino isn't the sexiest name available. However, centers are few and far between, and he's posted strong underlying results over the last couple of seasons.

24. Alexander Wennberg

Position: C
Age: 26
2020-21 cap hit: $2.25M
Last team: Panthers

Wennberg entered 2020-21 as a career 8% shooter, and then he converted at a 20.7% clip. His age and position will make him enticing to teams, but banking on a repeat season could prove costly.

25. Ryan Murray

Position: LD
Age: 27
2020-21 cap hit: $4.6M
Last team: Devils

The 2012 No. 2 pick hasn't lived up to the hype and has been slowed by injuries in the past, but Murray's still a serviceable No. 5 blue-liner.

26. Kyle Palmieri

Position: RW/LW
Age: 30
2020-21 cap hit: $4.65M
Last team: Islanders

Palmieri showed serious signs of decline this past season, although a career-low 8.7% shooting percentage didn't help. He can still serve as a complementary middle-six winger, but his days driving his own line are likely over.

27. Casey Cizikas

Position: C
Age: 30
2020-21 cap hit: $3.35M
Last team: Islanders

Cizikas carried the best fourth line in hockey alongside Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck on Long Island. He has obvious offensive limitations, but he could serve as a shutdown third-line center.

28. Niklas Hjalmarsson

Position: LD/RD
Age: 34
2020-21 cap hit: $5M
Last team: Coyotes

Hjalmarsson has more mileage on his tires than the average 34-year-old thanks to his deep playoff runs with the Blackhawks, but he's still a rock-solid defender who can play both sides.

29. Mike Hoffman

Position: LW/RW
Age: 31
2020-21 cap hit: $4M
Last team: Blues

Hoffman possesses an elite shot and is a legitimate one-time power-play threat, but he's a total liability at five-on-five.

30. Ryan Getzlaf

Position: C
Age: 36
2020-21 cap hit: $8.25M
Last team: Ducks

Getzlaf's career-worst season was probably related in part to his own decline, as well as the horrendous team around him. He may want to finish his career in Anaheim, but he could be a helpful veteran in a lesser role on a contending team.

(Analytics source: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving-Hockey)
(Cap source: CapFriendly)

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Trade season is officially upon us. With a flurry of deals made in the past week, we decided to hand out grades for every major swap since the expansion draft Wednesday. The Seth Jones trade was omitted because it was analyzed in a previous feature.

Canucks land OEL, Garland

*Arizona retains 12% of Ekman-Larsson's cap hit.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning took a massive gamble here. Ekman-Larsson, 30, is signed for six more years, and even with the salary retention, he still comes with a $7.26-million annual cap hit. The Swede used to be a star but has shown severe signs of decline over the past few seasons.

Those who attribute his poor play to being surrounded by a lackluster Coyotes squad should consider that Jakob Chychrun posted great metrics while playing tougher minutes on the same team.

There's always a chance Ekman-Larsson finds his old form, but it seems unlikely. Additionally, his best asset is running a power play, but Vancouver already has a quarterback for its top unit in Quinn Hughes.

Beagle, Eriksson, and Roussel are all significantly overpaid, but there's just one season left on their contracts. Benning was one year away from getting out of cap hell, but instead took on a deal that could cripple the club's ability to contend during the prime years of its promising young core.

Garland, a 25-year-old RFA, is extremely underrated and would've been a nice piece to build around in the desert. He'll thrive in Vancouver, but his addition isn't worth taking on Ekman-Larsson.

The rebuilding Yotes got out from under a bad long-term deal and re-entered the first round of the draft, where they took Dylan Guenther - who many considered a top-three talent - ninth overall.

Coyotes: B+
Canucks: D+

Blues steal Buchnevich

This one is puzzling from the Rangers' perspective. Buchnevich, a 26-year-old RFA, is exactly the type of player teams on the verge of contending should want to keep around. He's coming off a breakout season in which he tallied 20 goals and 28 assists in 54 games.

Blais, 25, has one year left on his deal with a $1.5-million cap hit and recorded just eight goals and seven assists in 36 games. He's a physical, bottom-six winger, but he isn't great at suppressing chances or driving offense.

Here's how Buchnevich and Blais stack up analytically.

The value gap between the two players shouldn't be bridged by merely a second-round pick. The Rangers may be trying to clear cap space for a potential Jack Eichel trade, but that wouldn't have been necessary if they didn't overpay Barclay Goodrow. This is poor asset management from New York and a great addition for the Blues.

Blues: A
Rangers: D

Panthers acquire Reinhart

*1st-rounder is top-10 protected

Reinhart, a 25-year-old RFA, is a quality top-six, two-way forward. He has the ability to play center but is much better suited for the wing. Over the last three seasons, he's averaged 62 points per 82 games with strong underlying numbers. He proved this past season that his past strong performances weren't a product of playing with Jack Eichel.

This is an excellent get for the Panthers. Florida needed another weapon in its top-six forward group, and Reinhart should be a nice fit. His next contract shouldn't break the bank, either.

Levi, a 2020 seventh-round pick, is coming off an outstanding world juniors with Canada, so his value may never be higher. Plus, Florida has Spencer Knight as its goalie of the future.

The return package for the Sabres is a bit thin, but everyone knew the Sabres had to trade Reinhart prior to next year's trade deadline before he walked as a UFA, and it never hurts to stockpile first-rounders.

Panthers: A-
Sabres: C

Flyers, Jackets swap wingers

One-for-ones are extremely rare in the NHL, and on the surface, the deal seems fair for both sides.

Both players are entering their age-32 campaign. Over the last three seasons, Atkinson, a high-volume shooter, has averaged 59 points (31 goals, 28 assists) per 82 games. Voracek, a playmaker who was originally drafted by the Blue Jackets in 2007, has averaged 68 points (17 goals, 51 assists) per 82 contests over that same span. Both wingers have struggled defensively.

Atkinson has four years left on his deal with an annual cap hit of $5.875 million. Voracek's contract carries an $8.25 million cap hit for the next three seasons. So the Flyers, who are clearly in win-now mode, get a cheaper player with an extra year of control. They get a slight edge here.

Flyers: B-
Blue Jackets: C+

Flyers clear cap space ...

This is a pure cap dump. Gostisbehere fell out of favor in Philadelphia and has two years left on his contract with a $4.5-million annual cap hit. The second-rounder is a price worth paying if the Flyers use the newfound cap space wisely, but it's far from ideal.

Arizona needs players to get to the cap floor, and Gostisbehere, a former 65-point blue-liner, will get a chance to rejuvenate his career on a team that should grant him plenty of ice time. Getting a free second-round pick is a savvy addition for the rebuilding Coyotes.

Coyotes: A
Flyers: D

... then Philly wastes that space on Ristolainen

Ristolainen is one of the most polarizing players between people who prefer the eye test and those who value analytics.

He's just 26 years old, stands 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, shoots right, is physical, and has already put up 40 points four times in his career. However, despite those tools, nothing good seems to happen when he's on the ice.

The Flyers, essentially, gave up a first-round pick, two second-rounders, a seventh-rounder, Gostisbehere, and Hagg - a replacement-level, third-pairing defenseman - for Ristolainen. That's an egregious overpay.

This is an outstanding return for the Sabres, especially considering Ristolainen has just one year left on his contract ($5.4 million) before he becomes a UFA.

Sabres: A
Flyers: F

Red Wings pluck Nedeljkovic

This deal makes no sense for the Hurricanes. Nedeljkovic, 25, was a Calder Trophy finalist this past season after posting a .932 save percentage and 1.90 goals-against average in 23 games. The Canes used a second-round pick on him in 2014, took the time to successfully develop him, then dealt him for a third-rounder as soon as they had to give him a modest contract.

Bernier, a solid veteran backup, is a pending UFA.

Even Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman didn't seem to understand why Carolina made the deal. "You're going to have to ask them why they were comfortable doing that," he said after the trade.

Detroit immediately signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year contract with a $3-million annual cap hit. He's certainly due for some regression, but it's hard to imagine the Hurricanes - who have been plagued by inconsistent goaltending for years - will be able to find a better goalie for under $3 million.

Red Wings: A
Hurricanes: D-

(Cap source: CapFriendly)

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