Top 10 NHL free agents to watch this offseason

NEWARK, NJ - MARCH 31: New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) skates off the ice during the second period of the National Hockey League Game between the New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders on March 31, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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5. Paul Stastny

Paul Statsny was surprisingly traded at the deadline from the St. Louis Blues to the Winnipeg Jets, and it doesn’t look like he’s going to be signed back by Winnipeg. Usually, the Jets don’t do much in free agency anyway, so this should come as a surprise to no one.

Stastny had 16 goals and 53 points this season and hasn’t scored 20 or more goals since the 2014-2014 season. He’s now into his thirties, but that won’t matter for some teams who need a center going into next season. Teams will always pay up for centers in free agency, and Stastny will be no different here despite his age.

This will likely be his last time to cash out in free agency as a team will look to lock him up for potentially the rest of his career. He’s a good No. 2 or 3 center on a contending team and can also be a number one center if there are injuries in the lineup. There will be no shortage of suitors for one of the best centers on the market this year.

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