What Rangers, Sharks, Habs have in store

GM Bob Gainey's priorities will be re-signing defenseman Mark Streit, forward Andrei Kostityn and goaltender Jaroslav Halak.

Streit is eligible for UFA status this summer, had a breakthrough season in 2007-08 with 62 points in 81 games split between defense and forward and will be in line for a significant raise from the $600K he earned this season, possibly over $3 million per season.

Kostitsyn and Halak are both restricted free agents but Gainey might try to re-sign them prior to July 1 to avoid the possibility of them either receiving offer sheets from rival NHL teams or sizeable offers from Russian clubs believed interested in the two.

During the series against Philly, Gainey probably took note of his team's inability to play aggressively around the Flyers net, which proved a significant factor in his club's elimination. He could perhaps try to land one or two skilled gritty forwards and perhaps an experienced physical defenseman via free agency or trade.

In recent years, the team had trouble attracting top free agents to Montreal but their significant improvement this season might make them a more enticing destination for UFA talent this summer.

Jaromir Jagr, Brendan Shanahan, Martin Straka, Sean Avery, Paul Mara, Michal Rozsival and Marek Malik are all eligible for UFA status this summer and it remains to be seen how many will return to Broadway next season.

Of this group, Jagr's status remains the big question mark. He's been playing it coy since midseason, as GM Glen Sather maintained his intent to re-sign him while rumors of Jagr being courted by Russia's Avangard Omsk continued to swirl.

Shanahan and Straka remain questionable options, as their offensive production declined this season. Avery hopes to remain but it's believed he'll have to swallow his pride and accept less than his rumored $4 million per season asking price. Malik is certainly not returning and there's no guarantee Mara will be back.

Of this group, the only one that appears certain to return is Rozsival, who's been perhaps the Rangers' best defenseman this season.

It's been speculated Sather could seek a first-line winger for Scott Gomez's line and a big, physical blueliner. Currently the Rangers have just over $33 million committed to next season's payroll, and with the salary cap expected to rise perhaps as high as $56 million that'll give him plenty of room to re-sign some key players and possibly shop for others via free agency.

That's going to set off the inevitable speculation that head coach Ron Wilson might lose his job and questions over the status of several players on the roster.

GM Doug Wilson has most of his key players under contract for next season, with restricted free agents Ryane Clowe, Joe Pavelski and Christian Ehrhoff and impending UFAs Brian Campbell and Jeremy Roenick to be dealt with.

The RFAs shouldn't be difficult to re-sign and Roenick should return if he wants to, but the big question is whether or not Campbell remains.

Wilson acquired Campbell from Buffalo at the trade deadline to fill the puck-moving defenseman role the Sharks had been missing for some time.

Down the stretch Campbell's performance was impressive, with 19 points in twenty games, but his production fell off in the post-season, with 7 points in 12 games, leading to rumors that the Sharks might not re-sign him if they failed to advance past the second round.

That however seems unlikely, as it's believed Wilson hopes to re-sign Campbell before he becomes eligible for UFA status in July, although it could cost the Sharks around $6 million per season. Cap space isn't a problem for Wilson so it's possible he could retain Campbell and his other key free agents.

That being said, the Sharks consistently coming up short in the playoffs in recent years will only increase the calls for change from the San Jose fans and media.

Team captain Patrick Marleau and scoring leader Joe Thornton will once again face another summer of criticism over their playoff performances and questioning over their abilities to carry the Sharks deep into the postseason.