NHL Free Agency 2020: Latest Rumors and Predictions for Established Stars

Let the NHL free-agent bonanza begin.

The league announced last month it had finalized Friday at 12 p.m. ET as the official start of free agency.

Taylor Hall and Kevin Shattenkirk are two of the most prominent names available, while Henrik Lundqvist is part of a strong group of goaltenders free to the highest bidder. Here's where things stand with the trio of stars.

Taylor Hall

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Hall is the best free-agent forward on the open market. The 28-year-old had 16 goals and 36 assists between his time with the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though, Hall's earning power may not be what it would've otherwise been in a normal free-agency period. The salary cap is remaining at $81.5 million for 2020-21 as a way to mitigate the pandemic's financial ramifications.

Sportsnet's Chris Johnston reported Hall could sign a shorter contract since it would allow him to cash in once more in another year or two, when the NHL's revenues might have recovered.

According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, the Nashville Predators have an interest in Hall. The Columbus Blue Jackets might target him as well.

Beyond positioning himself for a bigger payday down the road, signing a one- or two-year deal might carry another benefit to Hall since it could widen the pool of potential suitors. A contending team might be more willing to chase Hall if it doesn't have to make a significant long-term commitment.

The Colorado Avalanche are one such team.

They collected the second-most points in the Western Conference before losing to the Dallas Stars in the second round. Hall could help get the Avs over the top in the Stanley Cup race without disrupting whatever bigger plans they had from a roster-building perspective.

If the Lightning can work out a trade involving Johnson within the next few days, don't rule out Shattenkirk remaining in central Florida.

Kevin Shattenkirk

The 2019-20 season couldn't have gone much better for Shattenkirk. He had eight goals and 26 assists during the regular season and added another three goals and 10 assists in 25 playoff games as the Tampa Bay Lightning lifted the Stanley Cup.

Some might worry about signing Shattenkirk to another lucrative contract after his four-year deal with the New York Rangers proved to be a bust.

ESPN's Greg Wyshynski argued the 31-year-old is still a relatively safe investment:

"It can't be stressed enough how important Shattenkirk was to the Lightning's Stanley Cup win. He had 13 points in 25 games, seeing an increase in average ice time (19:30) from the regular season. He built on his best defensive season in years by skating the puck out of trouble in his own end. Those couple of bum years in New York sullied his reputation, but he should be high on any contender's list for veteran defensive help and a good guy to add to your dressing room."

That will make a reunion with the Lightning difficult. 

LeBrun reported the sides have mutual interest in hammering out an agreement but Tampa Bay's finances will be limited. 

Anthony Cirelli and Mikhail Sergachev are restricted free agents and presumably take priority over Shattenkirk. The front office has to take a longer view, too. Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat are out of contract in 2022.

This is where Tyler Johnson comes in. 

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Johnson has provided the Lightning with a list of teams to which he'd welcome a trade. Offloading his $5 million annual salary would provide the franchise with some valuable breathing room.

Henrik Lundqvist

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

By the time you're reading this, making a prediction about Lundqvist's future could be a futile exercise.

The writing has been on the wall for some time when it comes to the 38-year-old's departure from the New York Rangers. The team bought out the final year of his deal, and he said his farewell on social media:

Lundqvist followed up Sunday to say he was eager to suit up for another team:

Lundqvist's value has clearly declined in recent years and bottomed out in 2019-20. He saved a career-low 90.5 percent of his shots in 30 games, and his goals-against average (3.16) climbed for the fifth straight season.

Still, his reputation speaks for itself. His 12 trips to the postseason make him a natural fit for a playoff contender on a short-term deal.

According to Swedish journalist Johan Rylander (h/t Rick Carpinello of The Athletic), Lundqvist is planning to sign with the Washington Capitals. That mirrors what TSN's Bob McKenzie reported:

This seems pretty simple and straightforward. Lundqvist will be the Capitals' stopgap goaltender with Braden Holtby likely to command a big deal this offseason.