The Top NHL Storylines to Watch for the Rest of the 2016 Offseason

Summer brings plenty of sunshine, but for hockey fans, these days are dark. Sean McIndoe of Vice Sports, also known as Down Goes Brown, is not too happy about the lack of information flow during the offseason.

"One minute after the end of the day's coverage [of free agency on July 1], every single hockey insider tweets some variation of 'Cottage time!' and we never hear another word from them until September," McIndoe complained.

"Um, guys? This is not OK. ... You're our only link to what's actually happening out there. You can't all just cartwheel out the door at 5:01 on free-agency day and expect the rest of us to function. WE NEED YOU."

While the insiders are off in cottage country, firing up the grill and sipping a cold one, here are the stories the rest of us can follow from now until the time everybody gets back to work in September.

What are you keeping an eye on during this offseason?

Contract Watch

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The Story

The main buying frenzy of unrestricted free agency is over for another year, but front offices around the league still have plenty of work to do on contracts.

Decisions need to be made on entry-level contracts for rookies, new deals need to be worked out for restricted free agents who did not accept their qualifying offers and, perhaps most importantly, players with one year remaining on their current contracts can now start signing extensions.

Why It Matters

Steven Stamkos decided to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 11th hour, but we saw what a massive distraction his contract situation became—in Tampa Bay and in other markets as well. Some of the top names that could hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2017, according to General Fanager, are Jamie Benn, Kevin Shattenkirk, Brad Marchand and Ben Bishop.

Possible Outcome

Teams will probably try to conclude most of their contract negotiations in July so that the management groups can take a few weeks off before the beginning of September's World Cup of Hockey.

Results of Salary Arbitration

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The Story

General Fanager has a list of 25 players whose next contracts could be decided via salary arbitration. The deadline for filing has now passed, and hearings will be scheduled between July 20 and August 4, according to the NHL Players' Association's official website.

Why It Matters

Most teams will come to terms with their players before their arbitration rulings are handed down, but if the arbitration system is used, teams run the risk of getting saddled with larger contracts than they can afford.

The risk is greatest for players with strong stat lines like defenseman Tyson Barrie of the Colorado Avalanche (13 goals and 36 assists in 2015-16) or forward Mike Hoffman of the Ottawa Senators (29 G, 30 A). And there isn't much recourse for teams in the face of unfavorable rulings—if they keep the player, he can't be traded for at least a year, and if they choose not to accept the ruling, the player walks away as an unrestricted free agent. 

Possible Outcome

Teams have the option to continue negotiations or try to trade players who have filed for arbitration until the dates of their hearings. Most will reach agreements, as the New Jersey Devils already have with forward Kyle Palmieri. Trades are also a way of achieving greater cost certainty, which may be what ends up happening with Barrie, as Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo's Puck Daddy outlined.

Expansion Draft Maneuvering

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The Story

In a new wrinkle this summer, teams can start making themselves compliant with the rules surrounding the expansion draft, which will stock the roster of the new (still-unnamed) Las Vegas NHL team in June 2017.

The rules for the draft are laid out at NHL.com. Each team will be required to surrender one player from a list that meets a number of criteria in regard to position, professional experience, salary and contract status.

Why It Matters

Every team will lose one player, but some teams are at risk of losing much better players than others. General Fanager has a handy reference tool that breaks down which players on each team are eligible to be exposed and that allows fans to experiment with different scenarios.

Possible Outcome

The draft rules have been structured to help Las Vegas ice a competitive team as soon as possible. Over the next 12 months, we'll see teams continue to make deals in order to protect their best players—or trade them for future assets rather than giving them away for free.

The Next Rookie Class

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The Story

As the NHL gets younger and faster, it's no longer uncommon to see players jump straight from the draft into full-time jobs in the NHL. Three members of the 2015 draft class stepped right in—Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers), Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres) and Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes).

Last season's rookie class also included an interesting mix of older faces, including 24-year-old Calder Trophy winner Artemi Panarin, college players Dylan Larkin and Colton Parayko, and junior and minor hockey graduates Max Domi and Sam Reinhart.

Why It Matters

New draftees Patrik Laine, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Matthew Tkachuk have already inked their entry-level contracts with their pro teams, which opens the door for them to stay in the NHL if they impress at training camp this fall.

The No. 1 pick, Auston Matthews, is expected to be NHL-ready after playing in Switzerland in 2015-16, but Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star reported there's some concern that, if he doesn't like the terms of the deal that's offered to him by traditionally bonus-shy general manager Lou Lamoriello, Matthews might balk at signing his entry-level deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Possible Outcome

Matthews' contract situation will get plenty of attention in Toronto until the young center signs on the dotted line. Entry-level deals for other rookies will also receive some scrutiny, as will signings for players from Europe and college that can still be added before the beginning of the new season.

Where Will Jimmy Vesey Sign?

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The Story

After completing four years of college at Harvard and winning the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as the best player in NCAA hockey, left wing Jimmy Vesey elected not to sign with the Nashville Predators, who drafted him in 2012, and he will become an unrestricted free agent on August 15.

Why It Matters

After Vesey announced he would not sign with Nashville, the Buffalo Sabres traded a third-round pick for his rights and have launched a full-court press in an attempt to get him signed. Vesey is close with the Sabres' Jack Eichel, and a July meeting between Sabres brass and his agents "went very well," according to NHL.com.

The Boston-born Vesey has also been linked to his hometown Bruins, according to Chris Peters of CBSSports.com. Vesey has also been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where his father, Jim, is a scout and his younger brother, Nolan, is a prospect. 

Possible Outcome

Vesey may be considering Buffalo, but it doesn't sound like he's prepared to make a final decision until after August 15, when he can thoroughly explore all his options. 

"I think we have a small number of teams that I think we'll really be focusing on," Vesey told NHL.com. "So, August 15 we'll start talking to them and see what they say.

"Free agency's done, and I think most of the bigger names are off the board. Now you've got to start sifting through teams and rosters and prospect pools and stuff like that. ... I'm really looking forward to finding out where I'm going to be."

Who Will Retire?

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The Story

One of the darker aspects of the NHL's list of unrestricted free agents each summer is the older players who might be hoping for one more kick at the can. As he promised when he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings, Vincent Lecavalier retired in June at age 36. More of his contemporaries are likely to join him this summer as their job prospects dry up.

Why It Matters

At age 39, Shane Doan and Matt Cullen will almost certainly be back for one more year, but longtime NHL players like Patrik Elias, Dan Boyle, Shawn Horcoff and Brad Richards might be at the end of the road.

Possible Outcome

The money isn't always there, but few aging stars would pass on a chance to mirror the season Matt Cullen had with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year. He was paid only $800,000, but he offered big contributions in a supporting role all year long, capping off the season by lifting the Stanley Cup.

A few of the greybeards will find homes or sign professional tryout contracts when training camp begins, but many of the veterans will be closing the doors on their top-level hockey careers.

Potential Rule Changes

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The Story

On July 7, the AHL released its list of upcoming rule changes for the 2016-17 season. According to its official website, the big changes are stricter penalties for fighting and teams no longer being able to use their timeouts immediately after icing calls.

Why It Matters

When it comes to rules, where the AHL goes, the NHL tends to follow. Over the last few years, we've seen the AHL test out hybrid icing and three-on-three overtime before the systems were implemented at the NHL level.

Possible Outcome

If these latest rules are successful in the AHL, expect to see them introduced in the NHL before much time has passed. There will always be room for testosterone-fueled aggression in the game, but staged fights off faceoffs are now another step closer to extinction.

World Cup of Hockey Preparations

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The Story

The NHL offseason has a different rhythm this summer, as the best players in the world will begin convening on Labor Day weekend to prepare for the latest edition of the World Cup of Hockey.

According to NHL.com, training camps for all eight teams will begin on September 4, with exhibition games beginning on September 8 and the tournament itself kicking off on September 17.

Why It Matters

Hockey junkies will be able to get their fix a few weeks before the NHL regular season begins in October. Additionally, team training camps will look a little different, with most of the league's top stars representing their countries or continents at the World Cup tournament in Toronto.

Possible Outcome

More open spaces could offer opportunities for under-the-radar players to get noticed during training camp. Meanwhile, top players will be risking injury by playing high-level games for national pride before their regular seasons even begin.

Also, keep an eye on Team North America at the World Cup. With Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray between the pipes, the team of under-23 stars could surprise some of the established national teams during the competition.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.