NHL Players Who'll Make the Most Impact on Their New Teams in 2016-17

The trades and signings have slowed as hockey types enjoy some rest and relaxation during the month of August, but it has already been an eventful offseason around the NHL.

The draft and free agency delivered impactful moments. In between the two, June 29 will be remembered for a long time as the day when players' lives and franchises' futures were forever altered due to two blockbuster trades.

Since all seven of Canada's NHL teams missed the playoffs in 2015-16, it's no surprise the clubs located north of the border were front and center in this summer's wheeling and dealing.

Here's a look at the players that are set to have the biggest impacts on their new clubs once the 2016-17 NHL season gets rolling in October.

Taylor Hall, New Jersey Devils

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Age: 24

How He Was Acquired: Taylor Hall was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers on June 29 in exchange for Adam Larsson.

2015-16 Stats: 82 GP, 26-39-65

Where He Fits: Expect to see Taylor Hall as the top-line left wing with the New Jersey Devils, likely with his old Windsor Spitfires teammate Adam Henrique at center and Kyle Palmieri on right wing.

Henrique is two years older than Hall, but the pair played together for three seasons in junior and won back-to-back Memorial Cups with the Spitfires in 2009 and 2010. They should be able to rekindle some of their old chemistry.

Palmieri looks like an ideal fit on the right side—a speedster with great offensive instincts who will be able to keep pace with Hall. Palmieri's 30 goals in 2015-16 were a career high and tied him with Henrique for the Devils' goal-scoring lead.

Projection for 2016-17: Expect to see a motivated Hall light it up in his first season with an improving Devils team. As long as he stays healthy, he could hit 35 goals and 85 points.

Milan Lucic, Edmonton Oilers

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Age: 28

How He Was Acquired: Milan Lucic was signed by the Edmonton Oilers as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

2015-16 Stats: 81 GP, 20-35-55

Where He Fits: Milan Lucic will step into the void created by the trade of Taylor Hall, as the Edmonton Oilers' top-line left wing. That means he'll be skating with phenom Connor McDavid as his center.

Jordan Eberle currently slots as the Oilers' top right wing, but if Zack Kassian can continue his career rehabilitation, he could potentially mirror Lucic's combination of soft hands and a dose of snarl on McDavid's right side.

The Oilers broke the bank in the hope that Lucic will make the team much tougher to play against, signing him to a seven-year, $42 million contract. Lucic and Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli won a Stanley Cup together with the Boston Bruins in 2011.

Chiarelli's confident that Lucic's heavy playing style won't hamper his long-term durability. "He’s very limited in terms of injuries, 10 games he’s missed the last six years," Chiarelli told Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Sun. "Yes, the style of game he plays is sometimes tough to play into your 30s but I know what care he takes of his body. He was always one of the best conditioned athletes on the Bruins."

Projection for 2016-17: Lucic may fade in the later years of his contract, but he and McDavid should make magic in their first season together. He'll get a ton of quality ice time, which should lead to 30 goals and a career-high 70 points.

Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets

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Age: 18

How He Was Acquired: Patrik Laine was drafted second overall by the Winnipeg Jets on June 24.

2015-16 Stats: 46 GP, 17-16-33 (Tappara, Finland)

Where He Fits: Ken Wiebe of the Winnipeg Sun has pencilled in Patrik Laine to start at left wing on the second line, playing with Bryan Little and Drew Stafford. Little's sharp passes "should help him find a match with the man with the booming shot," suggests Wiebe.

It's a big ask for any 18-year-old to step straight into a top-six role. Laine stepped up his game against more mature competition in both the Finnish men's league last season and at the World Championship, but the NHL will be another degree tougher.

Laine also won't be used to an 82-game schedule. This year, the grind will be made even longer by September's World Cup of Hockey, where Laine will once again suit up for Finland.

Projection for 2016-17: Expect a strong start from the Finnish sniper, but Laine's production could taper off down the stretch. His numbers could end up similar to what we saw from Dylan Larkin in his rookie season with the Detroit Red Wings—around 25 goals and 45 points.

P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators

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Age: 27

How He Was Acquired: P.K. Subban was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Shea Weber on June 29.

2015-16 Stats: 68 GP, 6-45-51

Where He Fits: They have different playing styles, but P.K. Subban and Shea Weber should basically swap places with each other on their new teams.

Expect Subban to line up on the right side in Nashville's top defensive pairing with Roman Josi, and on the Preds' top power-play unit. It'll be an adjustment for the talented Josi, for sure—Subban likes to skate with the puck and rush it up ice, where Weber's main strengths are his physical game and his lethal point shot.

Once Josi and Subban figure out how to work together, expect them to become one of the NHL's most dynamic defensive tandems.

Projection for 2016-17: Subban will get quality minutes from new coach Peter Laviolette, and might even get more of a green light to be creative and push the play. Expect him to shine in his new setting, equalling his previous career best of 15 goals and 60 points.

Shea Weber, Montreal Canadiens

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Age: turns 31 on Aug. 14

How He Was Acquired: Shea Weber was acquired from the Nashville Predators in exchange for P.K. Subban on June 29.

2015-16 Stats: 78 GP, 20-31-51

Where He Fits: Shea Weber is a bit of a throwback as a defenseman—a big, mean character who can shut down skilled opponents in one-on-one battles and put up huge power-play numbers thanks to his blistering slap shot.

Just as Weber was most recently paired up in Nashville with an emerging talent in Roman Josi, Eric Engels of Sportsnet suggests Weber may be partnered with 23-year-old Nathan Beaulieu on Montreal's top pairing next season.

You can be sure he'll be anchored on the right point and tasked with improving a Canadiens power play that ranked 25th in the NHL last season.

Projection for 2016-17: General manager Marc Bergevin took a big chance when he gave up the dynamic P.K. Subban to acquire Weber, but Weber's presence will make the Canadiens much tougher to play against.

If Carey Price comes back healthy in net, expect to see Montreal's goals-against average drop to one of the lowest in the league as the consistent Weber once again delivers about 20 goals and 50 points.

Brian Elliott, Calgary Flames

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Age: 31

How He Was Acquired:  Brian Elliott was acquired from the St. Louis Blues for a second-round draft pick and a conditional third-round pick on June 24.

2015-16 Stats: 42 GP, 33-8-6, 2.07 goals-against average, .930 save percentage, four shutouts

Where He Fits: Squarely between the pipes in the Scotiabank Saddledome.

After the Calgary Flames finished dead last in goals against in 2015-16, an upgrade in net was sorely needed. Starter Jonas Hiller faltered badly early in the season, leaving Karri Ramo, Joni Ortio and even Niklas Backstrom to try to stop the bleeding.

Enter Elliott, who has recorded a 2.01 goals-against average and .925 save percentage and won a William M. Jennings trophy during his last five years with the St. Louis Blues.

Since the Blues are committed to the younger Jake Allen as their long-term No. 1 and were at risk of losing Elliott in next summer's expansion draft, the team opted instead to trade him. He'll be a definite upgrade for the Flames.

Projection for 2016-17: Elliott's .930 save percentage was tops in 2015-16 among goaltenders who played more than 25 games. It's tough to know what kind of a team the Flames will ice next season under new coach Glen Gulutzan, but better goaltending should be a good step towards a stingier game plan.

Expect to see Elliott play a career-high 60 games for the Flames, with personal numbers around his career average of a 2.40 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.