NHL free agency 2019: Predicting where the top free agents will sign

COLUMBUS, OH - APRIL 14: Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Artemi Panarin (9) and Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) celebrate after winning game three of a Stanley Cup first round playoff game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 14, 2019 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images /

5. Jake Gardiner: New York Islanders

With Karlsson off the market, Toronto Maple Leafs blueliner Jake Gardiner is the top rearguard in this year’s free agent class. The cap-strapped Leafs have almost no chance of retaining Gardiner unless they were to part ways with Mitch Marner (and that seems extremely unlikely).

It’s reasonable to believe that Gardiner could cost around $7 million annually. There are lots of teams that need a quality top-four defenseman and Gardiner brings tremendous puck-moving skills and plenty of offensive upside (one year removed from a 52-point season).

Most of the top Stanley Cup contenders won’t be able to afford Gardiner, which bodes well for the New York Islanders. They need some offense from the back end, as Ryan Pulock led all Isles defensemen team with 37 points.

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Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello was in Toronto to oversee Gardiner take his game to another level, so the long-time executive knows what the Toronto blueliner can bring to the table here.

Per CapFriendly, the Islanders have around $20.746 million in projected cap space — so they can easily add Gardiner. If Lamoriello could land the 28-year-old, he would address the team’s primary need for a potential top-pairing blueliner and power play quarterback. A five to seven-year deal worth around $7 to $7.5 million annually makes sense here.

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