NHL Free Agents 2020: Latest Predictions for Taylor Hall, Evgenii Dadonov, More

Throughout his NHL career, Taylor Hall has proved to be a good-luck charm for his team in the draft lottery. Over nine years with the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils, his team has landed the No. 1 overall pick five times.

It's possible that could happen again this year. If his Arizona Coyotes lose to the Nashville Predators in the play-in round of the expanded 24-team playoffs, they will have a 12.5 percent chance of landing the No. 1 overall pick in the second phase of the draft lottery.

There's a chance the 28-year-old won't reap the benefits, though. He's set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and if he tests the market, he will be one of the best players available.

Here are predictions for where Hall and several other top potential free agents will land.

Taylor Hall, LW

Could a reunion be in the works for Hall this offseason? Both the Oilers and Devils may be in the market to add a top wing, and he would provide an offensive boost for either team.

The Coyotes could also make a push to bring the Canadian back to the desert. After getting traded by New Jersey earlier this season, he had 10 goals and 17 assists in 35 games for Arizona. And although it's not the same type of production he had in 2017-18, when he won the Hart Trophy, there's reason to believe he could put up even better numbers with some more time to adjust.

But a return to Edmonton could be an enticing option. The Oilers missed the playoffs in each of the six seasons that Hall played for them, but the team is now in a better spot. This season, they ranked second in the Pacific Division with 83 points, and they could have ended up on top if the regular season had been played out.

With a solid offense featuring Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton could take another step forward by adding Hall to the mix. The Oilers, who are projected to have $14.6 million in cap space, per Spotrac, should find a way to make it work to bring back the player they selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010.

Prediction: Hall signs with Edmonton.

Evgenii Dadonov, RW

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Over the past three seasons, Evgenii Dadonov has been a consistent scoring threat for the Florida Panthers, tallying 182 points (81 goals and 101 assists) in 225 games.

However, for the first time in his NHL career, it's possible that the 31-year-old won't be with the Panthers next season. If the Devils miss out on Hall, they could set their sights on a winger like Dadonov, who broadcaster Steve Cangialosi recently named as a potential target.

"Taylor Hall gets a lot of buzz, but think more of the lines like an Evgenii Dadonov, who scored 25 goals this season," he said (h/t Randy Miller of NJ.com).

The Devils are among the seven teams that won't be part of the NHL's playoffs when the league resumes. Still, with recent No. 1 overall picks Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes projecting as one of the NHL's more dynamic one-two punches at center, they appear to be on the right track. Dadonov could help them take a step forward while landing what could be his last big payday.

Prediction: Dadonov signs with New Jersey.

Alex Pietrangelo, D

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Alex Pietrangelo is the best defenseman set to become a free agent this offseason. If he doesn't work out an extension with the St. Louis Blues before hitting the market, that is.

The 30-year-old has been a constant fixture in the St. Louis lineup for the past decade. A two-time All-Star, he's served as the Blues captain since the 2016-17 season and helped lead them to their first Stanley Cup in 2018-19.

In addition to providing strong defensive play, Pietrangelo also factors into St. Louis' offense. This season, he had 16 goals and 36 assists over 70 games, which had him on pace to set a career high in points before the campaign was suspended in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Blues already have five defensemen under contract for 2020-21, which includes $12 million committed to Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk. So if Pietrangelo returns to St. Louis, he may do so on a short-term deal that won't affect the team's long-term salary-cap situation.

That may end up working in the blueliner's favor too, as he could then land a bigger contract after one or two more seasons in St. Louis, assuming the league's salary cap goes up by then. For the meantime, expect Pietrangelo to remain one of the faces of the Blues franchise.

Prediction: Pietrangelo re-signs with St. Louis.