NHL Free Agency 2016: Latest Rumors, Predictions Surrounding Top Players

The Stanley Cup has been raised, the prospects have been drafted and the NHL's offseason is in full swing. 

While teams are looking for ways to make their rosters into contenders for the 2016-17 season, the summer will heat up a lot more on July 1 when free agency begins. 

There are some big-time names that are expected to hit the market. Let's take a look at the latest rumors surrounding a few of them and predict where they'll end up. 

Steven Stamkos

Steven Stamkos is the most desirable player set to hit the market this summer, and he's getting plenty of attention. 

In his eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he averaged almost 40 goals per year, including a 51-goal 2009-10 and 60-goal 2011-12. 

But with the expiration of his contract after the 2015-16 season, the Lightning and Stamkos haven't seen eye-to-eye on a deal. 

In January, Tampa Bay reportedly offered Stamkos an eight-year, $68 million deal, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, via Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune. But it didn't receive much consideration.

The two parties' inability to reach an agreement has prompted what will be a free-agent frenzy beginning in July.

According to TSN's James Duthie on Tuesday, though, it's already begun:

Stamkos hasn't been wasting any time in potentially finding a new home, either. Per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet, there are "murmurs growing" that Stamkos "has already started to pare down his list of suitors."

The dwindling of his list most likely has to do with financial figures, as Stamkos is looking for a deal worth $11 to $12 million per year, via Sportsnet's Dean Blundell. 

He and his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked since those Blundell reports, as they have the money to make a serious charge at the center. 

According to Spotrac, the Maple Leafs have $55.3 million of active contracts next season, which leaves almost $18 million to play with. 

Recently, the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens have joined the conversation, via Luke Fox of Sportsnet, along with the Detroit Red Wings, who dealt the contract of Russian-bound Pavel Datsyuk to the Arizona Coyotes in order to clear space for Stamkos. 

But with the Maple Leafs looking poised to be on the rise with the drafting of Auston Matthews and with Mike Babcock behind the bench, the urge to represent his hometown team with a big contract could be a dream come true. 

Prediction: Stamkos signs seven-year, $84 million deal with the Maple Leafs

Frans Nielsen

For a franchise that hasn't been consistent since its dynastic run of four straight Stanley Cups from 1980-83, the New York Islanders have had a consistent presence at center with Frans Nielsen. 

In 10 seasons with the Islanders, Nielsen was one of the team's finest two-way forwards even though he never put up big numbers. He never scored more than 25 goals or recorded 60 points in a season. 

But he's won almost 50 percent of his face-offs, was one of the team's best penalty killers and is the NHL's all-time leader with a 51.2 percent shootout success rate. 

Still, the Islanders don't seem hopeful in re-signing the unrestricted free agent, via Larry Brooks of the New York Post:

"

Slap Shots has been told that the Islanders have offered the valuable and versatile 32-year-old center/winger a deal worth at least $5.5 million per, but Nielsen will be able to command at least $6 million per on a contract that will run through at least his age-36 season.

Discussions are expected to continue, but we’re told that the Brooklyn hierarchy is not especially sanguine about its chances of retaining the slick Dane, who played the last four years on a club-friendly cap hit of $2.75 million per.

"

Arthur Staple of Newsday, on the other hand, noted that "there still seems to be a better chance than not that he will remain with the Isles," and that Nielsen and the team are making progress toward a deal.

There's no question that the Islanders are looking for top-tier talent on the wing to support John Tavares. Especially when New York general manager Garth Snow wished first-line forward and unrestricted free agent Kyle Okposo "nothing but the best" while on SiriusXM's Stellick and Simmer on June 17.

Nielsen's contract demands might be a little steep for the Islanders as they look for free-agent targets to build the offense up with, but he's been a good soldier on a team that's seen its fair share of ups and downs. 

While there haven't been any reports of other teams showing concrete interest in Nielsen, Ansar Khan of MLive.com listed Nielsen as the Red Wings' "Plan B" if they don't get Stamkos. But the Islanders won't let things get that far. 

Prediction: Nielsen signs four-year, $24 million deal with the Islanders

Milan Lucic

After eight years with the Boston Bruins, Milan Lucic was dealt somewhat surprisingly to the Los Angeles Kings during the 2015 draft because it was unlikely that he'd be able to re-sign with them. 

Now Lucic is on the market after a 55-point debut season with the Kings. It looks like it will be his only season in the black and silver.

On Tuesday, sources told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun that Lucic was "scheduled" to be in Edmonton to hear a pitch from the Oilers. He added it's not a well-kept secret that Edmonton has been interested in Lucic.

General manager Peter Chiarelli worked with the winger during his 10-year stint in Boston, which is a reason why Lucic is "intrigued" at the possibility of joining the Oilers, per LeBrun. The other is working on the same line as young superstar Connor McDavid. 

Edmonton isn't alone in looking at Lucic, though. LeBrun heard that 10 teams have "expressed interest" in him, including his hometown Vancouver Canucks.

This all might have been avoided had Lucic gotten his wish. He made it clear in a discussion with LeBrun in January that he wanted to stay in Los Angeles with the Kings. 

In April, he echoed those sentiments with Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times: "To be honest, I really don’t have much interest in hitting the open market, or even hearing what’s out there—because in my mind, this is where I want to be. Why flirt with something when you know what you want?"

But the Kings, who are projected to have less than $7 million in cap space next season, per Spotrac, broke off negotiations with Lucic and re-signed Trevor Lewis on June 25, via Josh Cooper of Yahoo Sports.

That leaves the door open for Lucic to head north of the border to Canada, where he could sign on with a roster that has a lot of promising, young pieces. 

Prediction: Lucic signs a five-year, $35 million deal with the Oilers

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com.