Virtually all of the biggest NHL free agents have signed new contracts by now. The 2018 class was a notoriously thin one—especially once John Carlson re-signed with the Washington Capitals with just days to spare—and mostly all of the clearcut top-six forward/top-four defenseman help vanished by the end of July 2.
Yet savvy general managers never rest, turning over every stone to try and secure competitive advantages wherever they may lie. It's tough to find a player in the middle of the summer that 30 other teams simply missed out on, though.
Usually, by this time of the offseason, it's about finding skaters who can be placed into favorable positions by only a small handful of organizations.