With how rare it is to acquire talent in the NHL, most teams find themselves coming out of the offseason with their pockets emptied by free agents and the ridiculous prices that the market sets on them.

Once free agency hits, mediocre players become hot commodities and teams usually overpay to get them.

Sometimes, however, good deals are signed and both parties come away winners.

Let’s take a closer look at the top 10 “value” contracts that were signed during this offseason.

Honourable Mentions:

James Reimer – Toronto Maple Leafs – Two-years, $4.6 million / $2.3 million cap hit

With career numbers of a .914 save percentage and a 2.84 goals against average, Reimer has established himself as a very capable goalie in the league. While he may not be a true number one goaltender, he is at worst a goalie who is good enough to play 30-40 games in a split role. With a two-year contract for only $2.3 million per season, the Leafs should have no problem finding a trade partner if need be.

Lars Eller – Montreal Canadiens – Four-years, $14 million / $3.5 million cap hit

Never eclipsing 30 points in any of his five seasons in the league, Eller has yet to establish himself as a reliable forward in the NHL. With that said, this past postseason Eller finished behind only Subban in scoring, with 13 points in 17 games. At only $3.5 million until the age of 29, the Canadiens might have gotten themselves a steal if that kind of production continues.

On to the top 10.

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