Perhaps the biggest pending free agent is already off the market. After a sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, star forward Mitch Marner signed an eight-year deal worth $96 million, so he'll be in the desert for the foreseeable future. In return, the Maple Leafs got third-line center Nicolas Roy.

Forward Brock Boeser is staying put in Vancouver after the Canucks opened the NHL’s free agency period by re-signing one of their own.

With Brock Boeser, Vancouver took one of the more high-profile free agents off the board in what was already regarded as a depleted pool of talent.