NHL Free Agents 2020: Rumors, Predictions for Taylor Hall, Jacob Markstrom, More

Now that all seven rounds of the 2020 NHL draft have finally played out, the hockey calendar is turning to free agency, which officially opens on Friday. 

Much of the discussion thus far has surrounded the future of St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo, who was in contract talks with the team that drafted him fourth overall in 2008 before it "advised Pietrangelo to pursue unrestricted free agency" on Sept. 18, per Darren Dreger of TSN.

The three-time All-Star and 2019 Stanley Cup champion headlines a deep free-agency class that boasts a wealth of goaltenders along with top scorers and crucial blueliners.

Here's a look at the latest rumors regarding some of the league's strongest free agents and predictions for where they'll end up next season.

Jacob Markstrom, G, Vancouver Canucks

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Jacob Markstrom has come a long way since beginning his run with the Canucks as a backup to Eddie Lack in 2013 and demoted to the AHL when he did not make the roster the following season.

The 30-year-old is now a mainstay of the Vancouver team and was called up to the NHL All-Star Game for the first time in January to fill in for Marc-Andre Fleury. 

However, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are interested in Markstrom since their goalies—Mike Smith and Cam Talbot, respectively—need new contracts, but the Swede is still in talks with the team he has played for since being traded from the Florida Panthers. 

"At least as of Wednesday afternoon, the dialogue was still ongoing and both sides were intent on seeing this through, either way," LeBrun wrote. 

Markstrom is coming off of one his best seasons, with a .918 save percentage and 2.75 goals against average after leading the Canucks through the first round of the playoffs. But he may still be relegated to the backup role behind Thatcher Demko, who posted a minuscule 0.64 goals against average in four games through the postseason.

If Markstrom stays put, it may not be the biggest loss for any other NHL teams that were interested in adding him during the free-agency period.

This year's free-agent pool is filled with goaltenders, with Washington's Braden Holtby, Stanley Cup runner-up Anton Khudobin and former New York Rangers star Henrik Lundqvist also seeking new homes. 

Prediction: Markstrom remains in Vancouver.

Taylor Hall, LW, Arizona Coyotes

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Taylor Hall has one condition that he wants met in his new contract: the chance to win. 

Through 10 seasons, the 28-year-old has played in just 14 playoff games, the bulk of which came with the Coyotes this year.

"Any player at this stage in their career that has had the career that I've had, 10 seasons, only make the [Stanley Cup] playoffs twice, that's really what I'm after," Hall said, per NHL.com. "So we'll see what happens there." 

LeBrun reported that the Nashville Predators would make a run at Hall once free agency opens on Friday. It seems an ideal fit that would set up the defender with head coach John Hynes, who led the New Jersey Devils when Hall was named league MVP in 2017-18.

In making a number of roster moves Wednesday morning, Nashville made the financial space necessary to prepare an offer, but LeBrun noted it won't be enough to convince the Calgary native.

While Mike Chambers of the Denver Post wrote that Hall is open to a one-year deal that would allow him to accomplish his goal of winning, LeBrun said that approach, which he thinks will be common among Hall's Zoom hosts this weekend, won't work. 

Instead, a long-term offer for Hall will likely weed out potential options. And one of the teams that can offer that is the Columbus Blue Jackets, according to The Athletic's Aaron Portzline (h/t LeBrun). 

The Blue Jackets would have to clear more cap space before they could put anything on paper, but if they're serious about their pursuit, they could worry about that after they convince Hall to fill the hole left by Artemi Panerin at left wing. 

Prediction: Hall signs a five-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tyler Toffoli, RW, Vancouver Canucks

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Tyler Toffoli's top scoring season came in 2015-16, when he potted 31 goals and added 27 assists for 58 points, and he wasn't too far off those numbers this year.

The 28-year-old posted 18 goals and 16 assists in 58 games with the Los Angeles Kings, before he was dealt to Vancouver in a move that sent Tim Schaller, Tyler Madden, and draft picks to the West Coast.

With the Canucks, he scored six goals and had four assists before adding four points in the playoffs, which were cut short for him when he missed three weeks with an ankle sprain. 

After the playoffs, Toffoli said staying in Vancouver was his "number one priority," per NHL.com's Kevin Woodley. However, The Athletic's Craig Custance reported that a long-term deal is nearly impossible in Vancouver, where Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will need new contracts after next season and Bo Horvat is signed through 2022-23. 

In terms of landing spots for Toffoli, he could move to the United States. The Predators may lose the Hall lottery, which makes them the perfect candidate to put a bid, and the Boston Bruins had a deal "in their hip pocket" ahead of the trade deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman told the 31 Thoughts podcast (h/t 98.5 The Sports Hub). 

The Calgary Flames were also linked to Toffoli at the trade deadline, and now could be the time to add him to their lineup.

While his production dipped last season, it was on a struggling Kings team that missed the playoffs and finished 31-42-9. Toffoli could slot into the Flames' setup alongside Elias Lindholm, Johnny Gaudreau, and former juniors teammate Sean Monahan and up his production even more on a team that was eliminated in the first round.

Prediction: Toffoli signs a three-year deal with the Calgary Flames.