Surprise Landing Spots for Top 2024 NHL Free Agents

Lyle Richardson@@SpectorsHockeyFeatured Columnist IVMay 20, 2024Surprise Landing Spots for Top 2024 NHL Free Agents0 of 7

Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart (left) and Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. Joel Auerbach/Getty Images

The 2024 NHL free-agent market opens at noon ET on July 1. Once the Stanley Cup playoffs have ended, we can expect plenty of media speculation over where the top unrestricted free agents will land.

Among the top names eligible for UFA status are Tampa Bay Lightning winger Steven Stamkos, Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart and Vegas Golden Knights winger Jonathan Marchessault.

Most of those pending UFAs could end up re-signing with their current clubs, but some will move on to new teams willing to pay them more.

Some could also catch everyone off guard by joining teams no one expected them to sign with. We’ve seen that sort of thing before. On July 13, 2022., the Columbus Blue Jackets shocked NHL followers by signing winger Johnny Gaudreau to a lucrative seven-year deal.

Here’s a look at some surprising landing spots for this summer’s top NHL UFAs and why they’d be a good fit with those clubs.

Feel free to weigh in with your thoughts on this topic in the app comments below.

Elias Lindholm: Buffalo Sabres1 of 7

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After narrowly missing the playoffs in 2022-23, the Buffalo Sabres entered this season hoping to end their lengthy playoff drought. Instead, their offensive production declined and they missed the postseason for the 13th straight season.

The Sabres are loaded with good young talent but need experienced two-way depth at center. That’s where Elias Lindholm could come in. While he could end up signing with a more established playoff team, there’s also the possibility of landing with one on the verge like the Sabres.

The 29-year-old was traded by the Calgary Flames to the Vancouver Canucks in January. His production suffered in part because of a nagging wrist injury, finishing with 12 points in 26 regular-season games as a Canuck. However, he’s stepped up in the postseason, sitting third among their scorers with five goals and nine points in 12 games.

When healthy, Lindholm is a highly skilled two-way center. He’s also proved capable of putting up big offensive numbers, netting a career-best 42 goals and 82 points in 2021-22 skating alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk with the Flames.

The Sabres possess scoring wingers like Alex Tuch, Jeff Skinner, and JJ Peterka. They also have promising youngsters such as Jack Quinn and Zach Benson, with Jiri Kulich, Noah Ostlund and Matthew Savoie in their pipeline.

Lindholm could be an excellent addition to any combination of those wingers. He’d provide the invaluable depth and experience at center they would need to end their playoff drought.

With $23.2 million of cap space and 12 active roster players under contract for 2024-25, the Sabres have room to sign Lindholm to a long-term deal worth between $7 million and $8 million annually. They might have to shed a bit of salary, such as Jordan Greenway and his $3 million cap hit, to give themselves a little more wiggle room.

Brandon Montour: Ottawa Senators2 of 7

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The Ottawa Senators have considerable depth on the left side of their defense corps with Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson and Jakob Chychrun. However, they’re thin in comparable talent among their right-side blueliners.

That issue contributed to the Senators missing the playoffs despite possessing a promising roster in recent years. Failure to suitably address this by general manager Steve Staios could leave them outside next season’s postseason picture.

Brandon Montour could be just the fix for Ottawa. He could become available if the Florida Panthers re-sign Sam Reinhart to an expensive new contract. They have $19.7 million in cap space for next season with 14 active roster players under contract.

The 30-year-old is an eight-year NHL veteran. He came into his own as a puck-moving defenseman after being acquired by the Panthers from the Buffalo Sabres during the 2020-21 season. If he ends up testing the market, he could be intrigued by the possibility of joining a young team poised to break through as a playoff contender.

That included a career-best 73-point performance in 2022-23. Despite missing the first 16 games of this season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, he still tallied 33 points in 66 games.

Montour is also a solid playoff performer, tallying eight goals and 13 points in 21 games during the Panthers’ run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. He currently has eight points in 11 postseason contests.

That level of skill and experience would make Montour a welcome addition to the Senators defense. They’ll have to pay up to land him as he’ll seek a substantial raise over his $3.5 million average annual value. It could cost between $6 million and $7 million on a six- or seven-year contract.

The Senators have $12.2 million in cap room next season with 16 active roster players signed. They could create cap room by trading Chychrun and his $4.6 million cap hit for draft picks and prospects and use the savings to sign Montour.

Patrick Kane: Florida Panthers3 of 7

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The Florida Panthers will attempt to sign high-scoring right wing Sam Reinhart to a contract extension before July 1. With $19.7 million in projected cap space for next season with 14 active roster players, they could be out of luck if he seeks over $10 million annually.

That would leave Panthers general manager Bill Zito in the market for a scoring right winger. He could pursue someone like Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault, but he could end up being an expensive option coming off a 42-goal performance.

Given the Panthers’ limited cap space, Zito might have to consider more affordable short-term options. Patrick Kane could be someone who fits the bill.

The 35-year-old’s best seasons are behind him, but he’s still an effective second-pairing winger. Coming off a hip resurfacing procedure last June, he had 20 goals and 47 points in 50 games with the Detroit Red Wings this season. He’s coming off a one-year, $2.8 million contract.

Kane won’t replace Reinhart’s 57 goals, but he can still be an invaluable addition to the Panthers’ top six forwards. He has considerable experience and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. He’d be a good veteran addition to a team in “win-now” mode like the Panthers..

The Panthers could sign Kane to a one-year, plus-35 contract with a $2 million base salary with performance bonuses that could take him up to between $4 million and $5 million.

Jonathan Marchessault: Utah4 of 7

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The Arizona Coyotes’ relocation to Utah also gives them a new owner in billionaire Ryan Smith. He could be willing to invest more in this club than its previous ownership, allowing general manager Bill Armstrong the opportunity to bring in experienced veterans with playoff experience to lead its young players.

Jonathan Marchessault could be a good fit here. He is completing a six-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights with an average annual value of $5 million.

The 33-year-old winger is an original member of the Vegas Golden Knights and played a crucial role in turning the team into a perennial playoff contender. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season while leading them to their first Stanley Cup. In his seven seasons with Vegas, he tallied 20-plus goals six times and 44 or more points seven times.

The Golden Knights have limited cap space for 2024-25 with $897, 516 with 20 active players under contract. They’ll get an additional $5 million in wiggle room if goaltender Robin Lehner remains on long-term injury reserve. However, that won’t leave much cap room for Marchessault and their other free agents.

Marchessault and Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon hope to get an extension done before July 1. If that doesn’t happen, the veteran winger must find a new home.

Going to Utah would allow Marchessault to take over a leadership role with a young team poised for postseason contention. With $43.3 million in cap space for next season, it could also afford to pay him a healthy raise of between $7 million and $8 million annually on a three- or four-year deal.

Jake Guentzel: Nashville Predators5 of 7

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Acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Carolina Hurricanes before the March trade deadline, Jake Guentzel needed little time to adjust to his new club. He netted 25 points in 17 games with the Hurricanes and nine points in 11 playoff contests.

The 29-year-old winger is completing a five-year contract with an annual cap hit of $6 million. He’s a proven offensive forward, eclipsing 70 points this season (77) for the fourth time in his eight-season NHL career. A Stanley Cup champion with the Penguins in 2016-17, he also has 38 goals and 67 points in 69 playoff contests.

The Hurricanes will attempt to re-sign Guentzel before his UFA eligibility on July 1. If that doesn’t happen, he’ll be among the most sought-after players in this summer’s free-agent market.

A team seeking scoring depth, like the Nashville Predators, could come calling if he hits the open market. A lack of offensive punch was a key factor in their first-round elimination at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks, tallying two goals or less in four of the six games in that series.

Guentzel would provide the Predators with an impact scorer. He usually skates on the left wing but can also play on the right side. With Filip Forsberg entrenched as their first-line left winger, Guentzel could play on that side with Thomas Novak as his center and Luke Evangelista at right wing. He could also play right wing on the Forsberg line.

The Predators have $19.3 million in projected cap space for 2024-25 with 16 active roster players under contract. They could afford to pay Guentzel a long-term deal worth between $8.5 million and $9.5 million. The Predators could get another $5 million in cap room if they trade Juuse Saros to make room for promising Yaroslav Askarov.

Sam Reinhart: Chicago Blackhawks6 of 7

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Chicago has been rebuilding under general manager Kyle Davidson for the past two seasons. It has a franchise player in rookie star Connor Bedard but needs to surround him with skilled, experienced talent.

With $33.8 million in projected cap space and 14 active roster players signed for next season, it has plenty of cap space to add a top unrestricted free agent such as Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers.

He has tallied at least 40 points in each of his nine NHL seasons. He enjoyed a career-best performance with the Panthers in 2023-24, hitting a team-leading 57 goals and 94 points. The versatile 28-year-old right winger also plays a solid defensive game and can also skate at center.

That effort ensures Reinhart a hefty raise on his next contract. He earned an average annual value of $6.5 million on his three-year deal with the Panthers. Chicago would be well-positioned to offer him over $10 million annually on a long-term contract if he hits the open market on July 1.

Adding a skilled two-way 50-goal scorer on Bedard’s wing could accelerate Chicago’s rebuild. He could become a mentor to its young star and the other promising players on the roster. With the teenager as his setup man, Reinhart could have more 50-goal campaigns ahead of him.

In all likelihood, Reinhart could end up re-signing with the Panthers. During an April 3 interview with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, he expressed his confidence they’ll work out a new deal. Nevertheless, it would raise eyebrows around the league if he opted to sign with Chicago to play with Bedard.

Steven Stamkos: Montreal Canadiens7 of 7

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The idea of Steven Stamkos leaving the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 1 seems unthinkable.

He’s spent his entire 16-season NHL career with them, becoming the face of the franchise. He’s led them to two straight Stanley Cups and a Presidents’ Trophy plus he’s their all-time leader with 555 goals and 1,137 points in 1,082 career regular-season games.

However, Stamkos accepted less than market value with the Lighting on his current contract and could seek a raise over his $8.5 million annual cap hit. With $11.8 million of cap space for 2024-25 and 17 active roster players under contract, the Lightning could lose him to free agency if they fail to find sufficient cap space to keep him.

On May 2, Sportsnet’s David Morassutti looked at five potential destinations for Stamkos. One of which was the Montreal Canadiens.

At first glance, that seems a surprising choice. The rebuilding Canadiens’ last playoff appearance was the 2021 Stanley Cup Final when Stamkos and the Lightning defeated them in five games. Stamkos is also 34 and would only be a short-term contributor before age begins to catch up with him.

However, Morassutti pointed out Stamkos’ former Lightning teammates Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis now work for the Canadiens, with the latter as head coach. Stamkos has respected St. Louis since their days as linemates. Montreal can afford him with Carey Price and his $10.5 million cap hit on permanent long-term injury reserve.

Despite his age, Stamkos is coming off his seventh 40-goal season. He still has enough in the tank to help the Canadiens improve their scoring punch. His leadership and experience would also make him a worthy mentor for their young roster as they continue to build toward becoming contenders.