We recently looked at the biggest free-agency question that all 32 NHL teams will be facing this offseason.

Now that we know the most difficult decisions, it is time to make some very early predictions on what might happen when the signing period begins.

Our predictions will include both restricted and unrestricted free agents and range from specific players to more subjective areas (like addressing positions of need, being inactive, etc.).

Predictions are separated on a division-by-division basis.

Let's get into it!

Atlantic Division

Boston Bruins: Re-Sign Bergeron and Krejci or Trade Jeremy Swayman

After re-signing David Pastrnak to a long-term contract extension, the Bruins only have around $10 million in salary-cap space to play with this offseason, and with only 13 players currently on the roster under contract. What will help them here is if they can get Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to come back for one more year on another set of team-friendly deals. If they can not, and if they have to go outside of the organization to improve center depth (at a higher price), perhaps the Bruins consider trading RFA goalie Jeremy Swayman as he will be due for a massive new deal.

Buffalo Sabres: Address Goaltending

The Sabres have a lot of young talent to build around, but goaltending has been their biggest weakness in the second half of the season. They have their hopeful long-term option in Devon Levi, but they could still use a veteran to complement him if he makes the jump to the NHL next season. The prediction: They bring in a veteran like Alex Stalock, Cam Talbot, Semyon Varlamov, Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta to be the 1B to Levi's (hopeful) 1A.

Detroit Red Wings: Sign Alex Killorn

The pressure is going to be on general manager Steve Yzerman to get this team into the playoffs, or at least closer than it has been, and that could mean another busy year in the free-agent market. One of Yzerman's former core players in Tampa—Alex Killorn—could be an ideal fit for a team that needs more good players with winning experience. At 33, Killorn is not exactly young by NHL standards, but he can still produce and would bring a lot of to a team like Detroit.

Florida Panthers: Upgrade Defense

Defense and goaltending have been the Panthers' biggest issues this season. Given the contracts they have in goal with Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight, it is difficult to see an easy path toward replacing them, so they should look to strengthen on defense. It is not a particularly deep field of defensive options, but this seems like a good landing spot for somebody like Damon Severson or Vladislav Gavrikov.

Montreal Canadiens: Re-Sign Cole Caufield

The Canadiens are probably not at a point where they are going to be all that active on the free-agent market, but they will lock up young restricted free agent Cole Caufield to a long-term deal that is similar to Nick Suzuki's eight-year, $63 million contract.

Ottawa Senators: Re-Sign Alex DeBrincat

The Senators have done a great job over the past couple of years locking in their young core, and they knew they had one year to convince Alex DeBrincat to stay in Ottawa for the forseeable future. They will follow through on that and lock him into a long-term deal as a restricted free agent that will make him the highest-paid player on the team.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Lose Ross Colton

The Lightning always tend to sign the players they want to keep a year before they have to, and they did not do that with pending restricted free agent Ross Colton. He is one of two major RFAs on the roster, joining trade-deadline addition Tanner Jeannot. Given the price they paid to acquire Jeannot (Cal Foote and five future draft picks, including a first-round pick in 2025), you can be almost certain they intend to keep him. They could elect not to qualify Colton or trade him to avoid a salary-cap crunch.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Bring Back Ilya Samsonov

The Maple Leafs are going to keep goalie Ilya Samsonov on a long-term deal. Goaltending was the big question mark for this team coming into the season, but Samsonov has played surprisingly well (and outperformed Matt Murray) and is probably a better value, in terms of both contract and production, than any potential replacement they could find this offseason. He has worked out well. Reward him.