Best potential landing spots for free agents discussed by NHL.com

Free agency in the NHL begins Saturday. It is the latest chance for teams to find ways to become more competitive, either in the short term or long term, by signing established players without surrendering any organizational assets. Traditionally, there are some misses among the hits during the free agency period each offseason. Sometimes, players don't deliver on expectations, while others exceed what is projected. The key, it seems, is finding a good fit between player and team. With that in mind, we asked several NHL.com writers to identify what they believe to be can't-miss unions between free agents and teams that could be consummated starting Saturday. Here, in alphabetical order, are their choices:

Patrice Bergeron, Boston Bruins

I know this seems overly simplistic, and maybe it is. But in the role of yenta, I can't see any more perfect marriage than the one that exists between pending unrestricted free agent Patrice Bergeron and the only NHL team he's played for, the Bruins. The two have spent 19 largely successful seasons together, including winning the 2011 Stanley Cup and playing for the Cup in 2013 and 2019. Bergeron is the Bruins, and there's certainly no question they need Bergeron, who will be an unrestricted free agent for the second straight offseason and who will either remain in Boston or retire. Having won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL for the sixth time, the 37-year-old (turning 38 on July 24) is still at the top of his game, still the leader the team needs, the most important piece on and off the ice. Maybe I should be a little more creative, but I just can't come up with a more perfect union than the one that exists between the Bruins and their captain.-- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Connor Brown to Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are set when it comes to top-six forwards but are looking for affordable depth players to fill the bottom half of their forward lineup. That's where Brown fits. He sustained a knee injury with the Washington Capitals four games into this season, which required surgery to repair a torn ACL and was out for the rest of the season. The 29-year-old had 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 64 games in 2021-22 with the Ottawa Senators. A healthy Brown would provide the Oilers with a quality depth forward and it would reunite him with his junior teammate from Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, Connor McDavid. Because Brown is coming off a major knee injury, he could be an affordable option for Edmonton after completing a three-year contract he signed with Ottawa. With a top-heavy lineup featuring McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Evander Kane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Brown could be the perfect fit with the Oilers. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Radko Gudas to New Jersey Devils

The Devils have done a lot already, but they have a need for a veteran right-handed shooting defenseman. If that player can have some spice or bite to his game, even better. Enter Gudas, the pending UFA from the Florida Panthers. Few defensemen in the NHL play a more physical game than the 33-year-old. He's experienced, having played 682 regular season games and another 57 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including five in the Stanley Cup Final this season. Gudas was a huge part of the Panthers' blue line because of his combination of physicality and his mobility. The Devils' defensemen have to be mobile and able to move the puck to their forwards. Gudas can do that. He can play on a third pair with Luke Hughes, helping the young defenseman figure out the NHL while also insulating him. Getting Gudas also buys New Jersey more time to develop Simon Nemec, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. If they can get him on a two-year contract, it'll be a perfect fit. But that might not be enough. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Patrick Kane to Chicago Blackhawks

Kane underwent hip resurfacing surgery and will likely miss the start of next season. Some teams might not want to take a risk on the 34-year-old forward coming off a surgery that only two players have returned from to play in the NHL: Nicklas Backstrom with the Washington Capitals this season, and Ed Jovanovski with the Florida Panthers in 2013-14. So, why not bring him back to Chicago on a one-year contract? That would give Kane an opportunity to show he can be an elite player again in familiar surroundings and Kane, who won the Stanley Cup three times with the Blackhawks (2010, 2013, 2015), could help mentor Connor Bedard, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Kane's hip hampered his play throughout the past two seasons, but he was still productive after being traded the New York Rangers on Feb. 28, getting 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 19 regular-season games and six points (one goal, five assists) in seven playoff games. If a pain-free Kane can play close to his pre-injury form, he could be moved prior to the NHL Trade Deadline again to help a Stanley Cup contender and possibly earn longer-term contract elsewhere beginning in 2024-25. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Ryan O'Reilly to Colorado Avalanche

How about an O'Reilly reunion in Colorado? The Avalanche selected O'Reilly in the second round (No. 33) of the 2009 NHL Draft, and he played his first six seasons with them. He went on to the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs, winning the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward, the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Cup with the Blues in 2018-19. Colorado has needed a second-line center since Nazem Kadri departed in free agency after winning the Cup in 2021-22; O'Reilly would be perfect. The Avalanche have acquired Ryan Johansen and Ross Colton, with J.T. Compher, Lars Eller and Darren Helm among their pending unrestricted free agents, so they could have Nathan MacKinnon, O'Reilly, Johansen and Colton down the middle. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Dmitry Orlov to Seattle Kraken

Seattle had six players score at least 20 goals last season, so offense should not be an issue, but it could use help on the back end. Orlov could be the best defenseman available on the market. He averaged 22:43 per game with the Washington Capitals last season before being traded to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 23. After the trade, he averaged 22:13; only Vince Dunn (23:40) and Adam Larsson (23:38) had more for the Kraken last season. Adding Orlov to the would give them another veteran presence on defense, especially if they lose Carson Soucy, who is a pending unrestricted free agent, or don't keep pending restricted free agent defensemen Dunn, Cale Fleury or Will Borgen. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Dmitry Orlov to Buffalo Sabres

The up-and-coming Sabres had no issues scoring this season, finishing third in the NHL in goals with 296. Keeping pucks out of their net, well, that was a different story. Buffalo allowed 300 goals, 26th in the NHL, and missed the playoffs by one point. You could point to leaky goaltending, but Buffalo might already have its answer on the roster. Devon Levi went 5-2-0 in his first seven NHL games, those coming late in the season, and provided optimism that the Sabres have their potential No. 1 goalie. And what better way to help him than to bring in Orlov, who logged more ice time per game (22:23) than any member of the potential 2023 free agent class? The 31-year-old would be the perfect complement to a Buffalo blue line led by two of the League's best young players at the position, Rasmus Dahlin (23) and Owen Power (20). The Sabres are a team on the cusp, and Orlov could be one of the pieces that finally nudges them across the finish line and end their 12-year playoff drought. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Vladimir Tarasenko to Carolina Hurricanes

Yes, the Hurricanes may be taking a gamble on the forward, who's had surgery on the same shoulder three times. But Tarasenko still has it, as he showed in the 2021-22 season when, coming off the third surgery, he had 82 points (34 goals, 48 assists) in 75 games with the St. Louis Blues. Tarasenko had 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 38 games for the Blues last season before they traded him to the New York Rangers, where he had 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) in 21 regular-season games and four points (three goals, one assist) in seven playoff games. What did Carolina miss the most down the stretch -- and in the playoffs -- last season? Scoring, because Andrei Svechnikov had surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee in March, and Max Pacioretty only played in three games due to a twice-torn Achilles tendon. Tarasenko would be a valuable commodity for any team, including the Hurricanes. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer