Schlemko, 29, has turned into one of the NHL’s most underrated and under-appreciated defensemen, but the Sharks finally showed him some love, signing him to a four-year deal worth $2.1 million annually. He is coming off of a six goals and 13 assists (19 points) in 67 games with the Devils.
Dahlbeck, 24, spent the majority of 2015-16 with the Coyotes, where he collected eight points (2G / 6A) in 71 games. The former third round pick (79th overall in 2011) has just 12 career points (3G / 9A) in 94 games between Arizona and Chicago.
Weise, 27, spent his time with the Canadiens and Blackhawks in 2015-16, totalling 14 goals and 13 assists (27 points) in 71 games. He struggled in a smaller role after being acquired by the Blackhawks, picking up just a single assist in 15 games. He is a solid top-9 forward who can play physically as well as pack a bit of an offensive punch for the Flyers in 2016-17.
Liles, 35, racked up six assists in 17 games with the Bruins after he was brought in from Carolina at the Trade Deadline. Liles is a solid offensive-defenseman who brings some offensive-punch and experience to the Bruins’ third-pairing. Overall, he had six goals and 15 assists (21 points) in 81 games last year.
Allen, 25, was 26-15-3 with a 2.35 GAA and .920 SV% in 44 games while splitting time with Brian Elliott in the Blues crease last season. With Elliott now in Calgary, the crease is all Allen’s and he should be an excellent fantasy option behind a strong Blues squad. Allen will get a chance to start around 60 games and he enters 2016-17 with a career 2.34 GAA and .915 SV%.
Lorito, 25, was an undrafted forward who played his first full pro season with Albany (AHL) last season. The 5-foot-9, 170 lbs. winger produced at a high rate, collecting 18 goals and 36 assists (54 points) in 71 games. He will likely start the 2016-17 season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Bailey, 24, was a part of the Dion Phaneuf trade and collected 21 points (7G / 14A) in 30 games with Binghamton (AHL) after the deal. He finished the season with 11 goals and 28 assists (39 points) in 68 AHL games in his first full season as a professional.
Lovejoy, 32, is a big blueliner (6’2” / 205 lbs) who moves better than his frame would suggest. However, he has never been a big point producer, carrying a career-high of 18 points (2013-14) into free agency. After the Ducks traded Adam Larsson to the Oilers, they needed to add a defenseman and the Lovejoy signing addresses that need.
McGinn, 27, had a nice 2015-16 season with the Sabres and Ducks. He had 14 goals in 63 games before he was traded at the deadline, where he added an additional eight goals in 21 games in Anaheim. He finished the year with 39 points (22G / 17A) in 84 games. He’s a heavy dude at 6-foot-1, 205 lbs. and should file in on the Coyotes’ top-6 in 2016-17.
Stewart was with the Wild for the second half of 2014-15, before going to the Ducks last season where he collected 20 points (8G / 12A) in 56 games. The former first round pick has struggled to gain any real traction in his NHL career and is more of a bottom-6 depth forward than the top-6 power-forward he was projected to be.
Stalock, 28, struggled with the Sharks last season, going 3-5-0 wit ha 2.94 GAA and .884 SV% before being demoted to the AHL and eventually traded to the Maple Leafs as a part of the James Reimer deal. The Minnesota native signed with his hometown team where he will battle with Darcy Kuemper for Devan Dubnyk’s backup job.
Staal is a former 100-point player, but has seen his career numbers come crashing down in recent years. After he was traded to the Rangers at the deadline, he struggled mightily, posting just six assists (3G / 3A) in 20 regular season games and failed to record a point in five post-season games. His recent struggles were detrimental to his UFA value, allowing the Wild to sign him to a potential bargain $3.5M AAV contract.
After spending five and a half years with the Winnipeg Jets, he had a reunion with the Blackhawks after being acquired at the Trade Deadline, but he wasn’t enough to propel them to another Stanley Cup. He had 12 points (8G / 4A) in 19 games with Chicago and 25 goals, 21 assists (46 points) in 78 games overall. Ladd will fill the hole left by Kyle Okposo’s departure to Buffalo and should find himself playing alongside John Tavares in 2016-17.
Reimer, 28, split last season with the Maple Leafs and Sharks after being dealt at the Trade Deadline. He combined for a 17-14-7 record with a 2.31 GAA and .922 SV%. He has a career .914 SV% in 196 starts and signs with the Panthers as insurance for 37-year-old Roberto Luongo. Bobby Lu will likely start the majority of games, but Reimer should start more than your average backup with the upside for a straight platoon if he plays well.
Brouwer had 18 goals and 21 assists (39 points) in 82 games with the Blues last season after he was traded for T.J. Oshie in the offseason. He has only missed one game in the last five years while averaging 22 goals and 20 assists per 82 games over that span. He’ll bring some experience to an otherwise youthful top-6 that includes Sam Bennett, 20, Sean Monahan, 21, and Johnny Gaudreau, 22.
Campbell, 37, played with the Blackhawks from 2008-2011 before signing with the Panthers, where he spent the last five seasons. He never missed a game in his time with Florida, while averaging an impressive six goals and 32 assists per 82 games. He’ll fit in nicely on the Blackhawks’ second pairing behind Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook.
Ekblad, 20, will carry a $7.5 million cap-hit in the 2017-18 season, which would make him the sixth highest paid defenseman as of now. The 6-foot-4, 216 lbs. blueliner has had two great years to kick off his NHL career—posting 39-points (12G / 27A) in 2014-15 and 36 points (15G / 21A) last season. Ekblad will be the cornerstone of the Panthers franchise through the 2024-25 season.
Backes spent the first 10 years of his NHL career with the Blues after they drafted him 62nd overall in the 2003 NHL Draft. He had developed into one of the best all-around fantasy centres, but is coming off of a disappointing 45-point (21G / 24A) season, but that did not damage his UFA value. He may shift to the wing in Boston, seeing as their top-2 centre positions are locked in with Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.
Eriksson, 30, was a key part of the Tyler Seguin trade back in 2013 but the Bruins lost him for nothing. He is coming off of his best season with Boston, having collected 30 goals and 33 assists (63 points) in 82 games. Eriksson is a player who rarely misses games and is a threat to score 30 goals with 30 helpers every season. He should click well with fellow Swedes Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Okposo spent the first nine years of his NHL career with the Islanders, who drafted him seventh overall in 2006. The 28-year-old winger had 64 points (22G / 42A) in 79 games last season. His 42-assists tied a career-high, but 22 goals was five short of his career-best of 27 in 2013-14. He brings some experience to an otherwise young top-6 in Buffalo that features Jack Eichel, 19, Sam Reinhart, 20 and Ryan O’Reilly, 25.
