Left wing
1.
Patrick Maroon
Last year: St. Louis
The hometown hero finds himself without a home in August. Priced out of a cap-crunched situation in St. Louis, Maroon was deemed expendable by Blues GM Doug Armstrong and is unlikely to be re-signed,
according to the Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. Finally having achieved his career goal, Maroon may have sought out a payday this offseason, but it seems unlikely to materialize at this point. After a shaky 28-point year, the 31-year-old Maroon has less leverage today than he did one summer ago, but he showed during the Blues' playoff run that he still has the capability to contribute in the right role. One wonders if a certain team in Calgary, going all-in on physicality and ex-Oilers of a certain vintage, might be looking to rekindle its previous rumoured interest in this particular power-forward.
2.
Patrick Marleau
Last year: Toronto (and Carolina, briefly)
Bought out by the Hurricanes after a cap-manoeuvring deal with Toronto, all signs point to Patrick Marleau ending his career as a San Jose Shark. While not
bad in Toronto, Marleau regressed in 2018-19 to the point where his inflated cap-hit of $6.25 million no longer figured with the Maple Leafs' plans. Still a speedy skater, Marleau has an iron-man streak dating back to 2009 and could hit both 1700 games and 1200 points this season. Whether he can push a Joe Pavelski-less Sharks team over the top is another story.
3.
Jamie McGinn
Last year: Florida
Entering his 30s, Jamie McGinn is exactly the kind of player to whom teams used to give huge money and term. Two factors are working against McGinn today: a shifting NHL which favours speed and skill over size, and his having spent 63 games on the shelf after undergoing back surgery in the summer of 2018. McGinn is a solid, big body, registering at 6'1" and 205 pounds, and he threw 120 hits in his last full season. In that year, 2017-18, he also posted 13 goals and 29 points in a third-line role for the Panthers. Upon his return late last year, he scored 3 goals and 7 points in 19 games—an identical pace. While his skating is beginning to suffer, McGinn could probably help a fourth line somewhere, provided that his back remains intact.
4.
Magnus Paajarvi
Last year: Ottawa
An Oiler washout from a decade ago, Paajarvi carved a solid niche for himself in Ottawa as a speedy penalty-killer who could always be counted upon to chip in a goal against the Maple Leafs. Forged in the mould of Matthew Lombardi, Paajarvi can burn anyone in a straight-line foot-race but struggles with maintaining control over the puck. Furthermore, his 11 goals last season—the most since he potted 15 in his debut campaign with Edmonton nine years ago—might be difficult to replicate elsewhere, given that he played a generous 13:28 on a microbe-thin Senators team. If he only gets two-way offers, it's not unreasonable to expect the 28-year-old Paajarvi to explore his options in Sweden.
5.
Tobias Rieder
Last year: Edmonton
Infamously "the problem" with the 2018-19 Oilers—at least, according to Edmonton C.E.O. Bob Nicholson—Rieder just can't be
that bad. After four serviceable-to-good seasons spent with the Coyotes and Kings, Rieder toiled through a terrible year in Edmonton last year and will be awaiting his first goal with the team in perpetuity. Still, Rieder pulled his weight in the defensive zone—as usual, given that he received Selke votes just two seasons before last—and is only 26. Players of Rieder's ilk have displayed a tendency in recent years to flourish upon leaving the Oilers—see Strome, Ryan and Caggiula, Drake for examples—so who knows what could be in store for the German winger, should he find another NHL job.