NHL Free Agents 2016: Top 10 Players 25 Years and Under

The NHL's free-agent period begins on July 1. Most of the attention will be on the destinations of unrestricted free agents. But it's also a time when notable young stars, including the Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, become restricted free agents. 

In the coming weeks, teams will attempt to re-sign these young players to new contracts. The marginal rise in the salary cap from $71.4 million to $73 million could affect those negotiations. One of those restricted free agents could receive an offer sheet from a rival club. 

Of this summer's RFAs, many of them are 25 years old or younger. Here's a look at the best of the bunch, citing their strengths, weaknesses and what they could receive in terms of new contracts. 

As always, you can voice your opinion in the comments section below. 

Honorable Mentions

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Cody Ceci, Ottawa Senators

The 6'3", 205-pound Ceci has good size and solid offensive skills. He needs to use that size more effectively in the defensive zone.

Tomas Hertl, San Jose Sharks

A knee injury in his 2013-14 rookie season slowed Hertl's development. The 22-year-old made strides in 2015-16, though, with a 21-goal, 46-point effort.

Marcus Johansson, Washington Capitals

Johansson, 25, is a versatile and reliable 40-plus-point forward. He's established himself as a second-line player with the Capitals.

Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

The 6'3" 226-pound left wing has explosive speed for a big forward. After two straight 40-plus-point seasons, Kreider has yet to take his game to the next level.

Torey Krug, Boston Bruins

Krug possesses excellent offensive skills and is lethal on the power play. His defensive play, however, isn't as effective. At 5'9" and 186 pounds, he's not a physical presence.

J.T. Miller, New York Rangers

Miller, 23, can play all three forward positions and has an effective two-way game. Offensive consistency, however, remains a problem.

Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils

The 25-year-old Palmieri had a breakout campaign (30 goals, 57 points) in 2015-16. His defensive game is improving but still needs work.

Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks

A good two-way forward, Rakell reached career highs in goals (20) and points (43) last season. While his physical play got better, bigger opponents can still outwork him.

Victor Rask, Carolina Hurricanes

The 23-year-old Rask is improving offensively, tallying 48 points in his sophomore campaign last season. His skating and physical play still need work.

Brayden Schenn, Philadelphia Flyers

Schenn, 24, reached a career-high 59 points last season and played with a little more snarl in his game. Consistency and injuries remain a concern, though he seemed to put those behind him in 2015-16. 

Vincent Trocheck, Florida Panthers

Trocheck had a breakout effort in his sophomore season, netting 53 points. His size (5'10", 182 pounds) could be a concern against bigger opposition.

Jacob Trouba, Winnipeg Jets

Since his promising debut in 2013-14, Trouba has been hampered by injury and inconsistency. The 22-year-old has the skills to become a solid top-two defenseman. 

10. Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres

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Strengths

Only 21, Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen made significant strides at both ends of the rink last year. His 41 points in 2015-16 left him fourth among Sabres scorers. His physical play improved, finishing among the team leaders in hits (139) and blocked shots (137). Ristolainen also led the club in average ice time at 25:16 per game.

Weaknesses

Ristolainen has good size (6'4", 207 pounds), but he's still learning how to use it effectively in his own zone. His defensive game is getting better, but there's still room for improvement. At times, he can get rattled under pressure.

Outlook

Given Ristolainen's impressive development last season, he could seek a substantial raise. He's completing an entry-level deal worth an annual salary-cap hit of $925,000. The Sabres have the cap room to give him a significant pay bump. Ristolainen could receive around $5 million annually on a six-year deal. 

9. Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets

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Strengths

Winnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele made steady improvement in his first three NHL seasons. He possesses solid offensive skills and can also play a good two-way game. The 23-year-old tallied a career-best 29 goals and 61 points in 2015-16, finishing second in team scoring.  He led all Jets forwards with 61 takeaways.

Weaknesses

Despite Scheifele's 6'3", 207-pound frame, he isn't known for his physical play. His faceoff win percentage (44.2) needs improvement. He's also been hampered by injuries in two of his three NHL seasons.

Outlook

Scheifele is developing into a top-line center for the Jets. Completing an entry-level deal worth an annual salary-cap hit of $863,333, it's unlikely he'll receive a short-term bridge contract. A new deal worth in the neighborhood of $5 million per season over five years is possible. 

8. Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets

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Strengths

Acquired from the Nashville Predators midway through 2015-16, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones has the skills to be an elite top-pairing blueliner. Of his 31 points last season, 20 came in his 41 games with the Jackets. He led the team in average ice time (24:27) and possesses solid defensive abilities.

Weaknesses

Jones must learn to use his size (6'4", 208 pounds) more effectively in his physical play. Only 21, he's still developing his all-around game. He has a big shot, but it's not nearly as effective as it should be, as he tallied only three goals in 2015-16.

Outlook

Despite Jones' short tenure with the Jackets, he's arguably their best defenseman. He'll be getting a big pay raise over the $925,000 cap hit of his entry-level deal. They could attempt to ink him for up to seven years on a $5.25 million annual cap hit. 

7. Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis Blues

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Strengths

Injuries sidelined St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz from all but 33 games in 2015-16. However, he still managed 22 points. He's a fast, skilled winger with strong offensive abilities. His 14 points in 20 postseason games put him among the team's top scorers. Despite his size (5'10", 190 pounds), Schwartz doesn't shy away from physical play.

Weaknesses

Given Schwartz's aggressive style, his injury history could be cause for concern. The 24-year-old winger must be healthier if he's to be more effective for the Blues. He can also be outmuscled by bigger opponents.

Outlook

Despite missing most of the regular season, Schwartz's strong postseason play will ensure he gets a healthy raise. He's completing a two-year, $4.7 million contract and has arbitration rights. He'll likely earn up to $5.5 million per season on a seven-year deal. 

6. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

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Strengths

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon is a strong-skating and skilled offensive forward. His 21 goals and 52 points in 2015-16 placed him third among Avalanche scorers. His six game-winning goals tied for the team lead. Only 20, MacKinnon still has considerable time to develop into a superstar.

Weaknesses

After winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2014, MacKinnon's play regressed a little. He hasn't developed as quickly as hoped. Over the past two seasons, he was hampered by injuries, and his faceoff percentage (48.4) must improve.

Outlook

MacKinnon remains a key player for the Avalanche, and he should play a significant part in their future. Though he's yet to hit his full potential, he's shown enough to earn a considerable raise over the $925,000 base salary of his entry-level contract.  MacKinnon could receive a four- or five-year deal worth around $5.75 million per season. 

5. Hampus Lindholm, Anaheim Ducks

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Strengths

Among the Anaheim Ducks' young defensive corps, Hampus Lindholm quickly emerged as a two-way standout. He has good offensive skills, leading all Ducks defensemen in 2015-16 in goals (10) and tying for second in points (28). He also led the team in blocked shots (115). He can skate big minutes, finishing second in average ice time (22:00).

Weaknesses

Lindholm has a big frame (6'3", 205 pounds) but doesn't use it to his advantage. The 22-year-old is not an aggressive or physical player. He could stand to add a little grit to his game.

Outlook

With Lindholm now established as a top-pairing defenseman, he'll want to be paid accordingly. Completing an entry-level contract worth an annual salary-cap hit of $894,167, he could receive up to $6 million per year on a seven-year deal. 

4. Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche

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Strengths

A skilled and mobile puck-moving defenseman, Tyson Barrie is an invaluable member of the Colorado Avalanche's offensive attack. His 49 points led all Avs blueliners and ranked fifth among the club's top scorers. The 24-year-old also led them in power-play points (21).

Weaknesses

Barrie is not big (5'10", 190 pounds), which hurts his effectiveness against larger opponents. He also doesn't play a physical style, and his defensive game needs work. While he averaged 23:11 of ice time per game, not much of it (30 seconds) was spent in short-handed situations.

Outlook

Barrie was the subject of trade speculation this spring. On June 16, however, Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic stated his intent to re-sign the blueliner. Barrie's completing a two-year, $5.2 million contract and has arbitration rights. A long-term deal could cost up to six years at $6 million per season. 

3. Sean Monahan, Calgary Flames

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Strengths

Sean Monahan quickly became a top-line center with the Calgary Flames. The 6'3", 195-pounder has good size and all-around skills. His offense is steadily improving, as he reached a career-best 63 points in 2015-16. He led the Flames in faceoff wins (887) and finished second in scoring.

Weaknesses

Despite Monahan's size and two-way ability, he's not a physical player. To be a dominant NHL center, the 21-year-old must add more grit to his game.

Outlook

Monahan is among the Flames' cornerstone players. He's completing a three-year, entry-level contract with an annual salary-cap hit of $925,000. Because of his upward development, he'll be pursuing a big increase in pay. A seven-year deal worth over $6.5 million annually could be in the cards for Monahan.

2. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

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Strengths

Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov is earning a reputation as a skilled scoring forward. The 23-year-old possesses tremendous speed and a hard, accurate shot. He was the Lightning's leading scorer in both the regular season (66 points) and playoffs (19).

Weaknesses

The 5'11", 178-pound Kucherov is a small forward and, at times, struggles against larger opponents. He's strictly an offensive winger, seeing little playing time in defensive situations.

Outlook

Completing an entry-level contract with an average salary-cap hit of $711,667, Kucherov is in line to earn much more. His steady offensive improvement, particularly in the postseason, should earn him a deal worth around $7 million per season for seven seasons. 

1. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

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Strengths

Only two full seasons into his NHL career, Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau has established himself as an offensive star. He's a swift-skating and creative puck-handler who rises to the occasion in the clutch. With 78 points in 79 games, he led the Flames in scoring and was among the league's top 10 scorers in 2015-16.

Weaknesses

At 5'9" and 157 pounds, the 22-year-old Gaudreau is small by NHL standards. He can be outmuscled by larger opponents, and he isn't a physical player. His game is based solely on offense.

Outlook

Gaudreau is the Flames' hottest scorer and a key piece of their rebuilding roster. He's completing a three-year contract with a $925,000 base salary. Gaudreau is in line for a substantial raise, perhaps a seven-year deal worth over $7 million per season. 

Player stats via NHL.com. Salary info via Cap Friendly.