Justin Kirkland

Three solid depth pieces found their new NHL homes as teams continued filling out their rosters with role players who can contribute immediately. Olofsson, Beecher, and Kirkland represent the kind of mid-tier talent that often determines whether a team makes the playoffs or watches from home. These signings complete the picture for several organizations that were hunting for that last piece of the puzzle.

Minnesota is banking on Justin Kirkland having something left in the tank with a low-commitment one-year contract on free agency's opening day. The Wild clearly see potential in the forward, but they're not betting the farm on a long-term relationship. This is the kind of move that either looks brilliant or forgettable by October, depending on what Kirkland brings to the ice.