On the heels of a Stanley Cup Final that saw a team once considered a group of misfits hoist the trophy, teams across the NHL will look to follow the Vegas Golden Knights' lead and acquire free agents who can bolster their rosters and lead them to the coveted prize.

Who are some of the most prominent available free agents, why might teams be willing to let them walk this offseason and what will it mean for all involved?

Find out with this dissection of recent free-agent rumors.

 

Maple Leafs Not Close on Deal for Luke Schenn

Luke Schenn and the Toronto Maple Leafs front office are not close on a new deal, Rick Dhaliwal told Donnie and Dhali.

"He's not close to signing a contract with the Maple Leafs. There's work to do," he said. "They're talking, but they're not close. You never know. Luke might hit July 1."

The Maple Leafs acquired Schenn in February from Vancouver, and the move paid immediate dividends.

Despite relatively low expectations that had the defenseman serving as more of a role player, he was a key contributor throughout the postseason and was on the ice for just two goals in two series at even strength, per The Hockey News.

Despite playing for two different teams, Schenn tallied his most assists (18) and points (22) since the 2011-12 season and his highest shooting percentage (7.7) since the 2015-16 season. It was a bounce-back season for the Canadian but it is also cause for hesitation on the part of the Leafs.

Is that stat line something they can consistently expect from the 33-year-old or was it a one-off, an anomaly of sorts from a guy who had not played 70 games since 2016-17 and had a six-year streak of single-digit point production?

With other key players in need of new deals, including Auston Matthews, is the team willing to sink money into Schenn with the uncertainty around his consistency?

There may ultimately be a deal if the Leafs can get Schenn at a price they feel is appropriate. Otherwise, they will be looking to fill another hole on a roster set to feature plenty of them.