2021 NHL free agents: Top 25 players available this offseason

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The 2021 NHL offseason is underway with the Stanley Cup Final now in the rearview mirror.One of the most important and exciting events on the league's summer calendar is the start of free agency, which is scheduled to begin July 28 at noon ET. There are plenty of good players expected to hit the market, which is great for teams with salary cap space looking to make meaningful roster improvements.Here's a rundown of the top 25 unrestricted free agents of the 2021 NHL offseason.

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1/25

Position: Center/Left wing

Age: 33

The Leafs gave up some good assets, including a 2021 first-round pick, to acquire Foligno from the Blue Jackets before the trade deadline. The move didn't work out, as Foligno failed to score in seven regular season games and four playoff matchups with Toronto. Foligno can still be an effective third-line forward, and being able to play both left wing and center boosts his value a bit. His days as a legit top-six forward likely are over, though.

2/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 31

You can't question Hoffman's goal-scoring ability. He came into 2021 having scored 20-plus goals in six consecutive seasons, and he would've extended that streak if a full 82-game schedule was played (17 goals in 52 games for the Blues).

Hoffman isn't a good defensive player, but quality 5-on-5 scoring and power-play production should make him a target for at least a couple of teams desperate for an offensive boost.

3/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 35

Goligoski is a consistent and dependable defenseman with loads of experience. He's played 20-plus minutes per game and tallied 19 or more assists in 11 consecutive seasons. He'd be a strong third-pairing addition for any team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

4/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 28

Larsson is a solid defensive defenseman and had a very good season for the Oilers in 2021. Edmonton should prioritize keeping him, especially if Tyson Barrie departs in free agency. Losing two key defensemen would be a tough blow for the Oilers.

5/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 30

David Savard was acquired by the Lightning before the trade deadline and played a key role on the blue line during their latest Stanley Cup run. He can play 20-plus minutes per game, and he brings plenty of size (6-foot-2 and 229 pounds) and physicality to the ice. Savard would be another good third-pairing defenseman for a contender.

6/25

Position: Left wing/Center

Age: 29

Granlund had a productive season with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 51 games. He's the type of role player who can provide valuable scoring depth, power-play ability, versatility and lots of experience to a Stanley Cup contender.

 

 

7/25

Position: Center

Age: 35

Stastny is in the later stages of his career but remains a productive offensive forward (eight consecutive seasons with 10-plus goals) with 103 games of playoff experience. He would be a strong No. 3 center on a contender.

 

 

8/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 27

Reilly was a nice fit for the Bruins after they acquired him from the Senators at the trade deadline. His excellent skating, playmaking skill and ability to jumpstart the transition up ice with a good first pass out of the defensive zone were valuable skills for the B's. He didn't have a great second-round series versus the Islanders, though.

But if the Bruins can work out a reasonable deal, they should bring Reilly back. Boston can't afford to lose any more defensemen capable of playing a top-four role because they already don't have enough of those players.

9/25

Position: Goaltender

Age: 27

The Sabres would be wise to keep Ullmark, but if he gets to the open market, other teams should strongly consider pursuing him. Posting a 2.63 GAA and a .917 save percentage with a horrendous team in front of him was an amazing feat. Buffalo had a 9-6-3 record in games Ullmark played and a 6-28-4 mark when he didn't.

10/25

Position: Goaltender

Age: 27

Driedger was fantastic this season, posting a 2.07 GAA and a .927 save percentage in 23 games for the Panthers. He's clearly ready to be a starting goalie somewhere. The only concern is he's played just 38 games in five NHL seasons, which isn't much of a sample size. Still, goaltending is the premium position in hockey, and Driedger's body of work is worth betting on.

11/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 30

Tatar's scoring went down this season after posting 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 50 games. He did, however, score 20-plus goals in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons for the Canadiens. Any contender looking for a second- or third-line winger with a scoring punch should consider targeting Tatar in free agency. 

12/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 29

Schwartz has the ability to score 20-plus goals and tally 50-plus points in a given season, but durability is a concern with him. He's missed a lot of games to injury in his career, including 16 of the Blues' 56 games this past season. 

13/25

Position: Center

Age: 29

The Lightning traded a first-round pick to get Coleman before last season's trade deadline and he became a key depth piece in two Stanley Cup title runs. Coleman can score around 20 goals and provide much-needed toughness in all three zones. He's the type of player general managers absolutely love and also tend to overpay in free agency. Coleman shouldn't have trouble finding teams interested in signing him this summer.

14/25

Position: Center

Age: 28

Danault didn't have a particularly strong offensive season, tallying just 24 points (five goals, 19 assists) in 53 games. He also struggled to score in the playoffs and didn't find the back of the net until Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Still, as a good two-way player (sixth in Selke Trophy voting last season) who can provide some scoring depth, Danault should draw interest on the open market.

15/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 29

Hyman scored 20-plus goals in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, and he was on pace to do so again in a normal 82-game campaign. He's an important piece of the Leafs' scoring depth after the star quartet of Auston Matthews, John Tavares, William Nylander and Mitch Marner. Toronto should try to bring Hyman back, but can he get more money and a large role from another team on the open market? 

16/25

Position: Right wing

Age: 30

Palmieri disappointed in the regular season after the Islanders acquired him from the Devils before the trade deadline, but he turned up his production in the playoffs, including five goals in a six-game second-round series triumph over the Bruins. Palmieri had scored 20 or more goals in five consecutive seasons entering the 2020-21 campaign, so he's one of the most consistent and reliable forwards hitting the free agent market.

 

 

17/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 28

The Avs traded for Saad before the 2020-21 season to load up for what they hoped would be a Stanley Cup-winning season. Saad scored 15 goals in 44 games (a 27-goal pace over 82 games) during the regular season and played even better in the playoffs with seven goals in 10 games. The veteran forward probably will be a salary cap casualty for Colorado -- a team with a few other important free agents to re-sign. Saad is still an excellent second-line player for a contending team and shouldn't have too much trouble finding interest around the league.

18/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 29

Barrie is still one of the highest-scoring defensemen in the league after tallying 48 points (eight goals, 40 assists) for the Oilers this past season. In fact, only Gabriel Landeskog tallied more points (52) than Barrie among all 2021 unrestricted free agents. Barrie should be a very highly coveted player as a top-four defenseman who posts a ton of points, logs 20-plus minutes per game and has been durable throughout his career.

19/25

Position: Goaltender

Age: 34

Rask is expected to have offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip that hampered him throughout the 2021 playoffs. He said his expected return likely would be sometime in January. Rask also has made it clear he only wants to play for the Bruins. Bringing him back and slowly developing rookie standout Jeremy Swayman would be the best plan of attack for the Bruins in net.

20/25

Position: Goaltender

Age: 29

Grubauer had a breakout 2020-21 season during which he posted a 30-9-1 record, a 1.95 GAA and a .922 save percentage. He finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting, too. Grubauer is a legit No. 1 goalie and if the Avalanche don't re-sign him, a bunch of teams would be wise to contact his camp in free agency.

21/25

Position: Center

Age: 35

Krejci is still an effective playmaker and was productive in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The problem for the Bruins is they don't have any prospects or NHLers capable of taking over for Krejci as the No. 2 center if he leaves. Top prospect Jack Studnicka isn't top-six caliber yet and Charlie Coyle is best suited as the third-line center. Therefore, the Bruins very much need to bring back Krejci and keep his line with Taylor Hall and Craig Smith intact entering next season.

22/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 28

The Avalanche have several important free agents to address, including Brandon Saad, No. 1 defenseman Cale Makar, both of their goalies (Philipp Grubauer and Devan Dubnyk) and team captain Gabriel Landeskog. Makar needs to be the priority given his age and Norris Trophy-caliber talent, but Landeskog should be No. 2 on that list. He's immensely important to the Avs' success.

23/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 29

Hall was awesome after being traded to Boston in April. He posted 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 regular season games for the Bruins. He was solid in Round 1 of the playoffs but struggled to score in Round 2 versus the Islanders. The Bruins' scoring depth on the wings is not good, so they pretty much have to re-sign Hall. He's also expressed a desire to remain in Boston several times since the trade.

24/25

Position: Defenseman

Age: 28

Hamilton is one of the few legit top-pairing defenseman in free agency. He's a very skilled offensive player who's scored 10-plus goals in seven consecutive seasons, while also driving puck possession at a high rate. His defensive game has improved quite a bit, too.

25/25

Position: Left wing

Age: 35

It would be pretty surprising if Ovechkin actually left the Capitals. He's the best and most recognizable player in franchise history and the optimal outcome for all sides is him retiring in Washington. But, he's technically a UFA, so he has to go on this list.

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