1 of 3 2 of 3

The NHL free-agency class was routinely regarded as "kinda meh", what with just a few big names available (Kevin Shattenkirk, Alex Radulov, Joe Thornton), most of whom were foregone conclusions to land in certain spots.

But the Vancouver Canucks tried to make the most of the day, hauling in five free agents, as well as re-signing one of their own in Anton Rodin.

Was it making moves for the sake of making moves and eating up salary cap space unjustly when really they should just be saving for the rebuild? Possibly.

Of course, with the Canucks there’s always the urge to try and compete while still trying to stock the cupboard, something that’s very difficult to accomplish. The moves they pulled off here take some time away from the younger players trying to break into the roster, but they also provide the team with solid veterans on short-ish contracts that don’t break the bank.

Yes, these moves likely mean there’s no space for Olli Juolevi on this year’s roster, and probably only room for one of Brock Boeser or Nikolay Goldobin. But there’s no reason to rush those players into action, and if those they’ve acquired can carve out roles for themselves in Vancouver, that may end up being a positive for the Canucks.

Sam Gagner

Position: C/RW

Age at start of season: 28

Cap Hit: $3.1 million/ 3 years

Before Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse, Nail Yakupov, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Magnus Paajarvi, there was Sam Gagner.

The Canucks’ biggest signing of the day was the OG Edmonton Oilers Can’t Miss Prospect, who flamed out in Edmonton after a promising rookie season.

Last year, he took a one-year, "prove it" deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets and prove it he did, setting a career high in points with 50 on a surprisingly good Columbus team.

Often, this situation results in a team breaking the bank for a player, but the Canucks were able to get Gagner in for a very reasonable deal. And while he would be more of a fit on the third line of a contender, Gagner should be able to slide into the Canucks’ top six, either with the Sedins or on Bo Horvat’s wing.

Gagner was seen as playing sheltered minutes in Columbus against other teams’ weaker defence pairings. If he can put up numbers similar to last year on the Canucks, the deal would be a win.

The team needed another top six forward, and Gagner fits that bill at a reasonable price.

Fit: B+

Price: B+

Michael Del Zotto

Position: D

Age at start of season: 27

Cap Hit: $3 million/ 2 years

Another former first-round pick in his late 20s who had a stellar rookie season and then hit a bit of a decline, Del Zotto is an offensive defenceman who has struggled to put up numbers in the last couple years.

Frankly, when you post 31 points in 103 games over two seasons, can you even call yourself offensive? Those were Del Zotto’s numbers for the Flyers in the last two campaigns, after registering 32 points in 64 contests with the team during 2014-2015.

So yeah, $3 million is more an indication of what the Canucks think he can do and what his pedigree and past performance suggest is possible.

He’s a solid 5/6 defenceman who can chip in some points and move the puck effectively, and that’s the role he’ll play in Vancouver. It’s also possible he gets some looks on the first power play unit.

Again, the Canucks know they need more offensive production, and that includes the blueline, where Troy Stecher lead Canucks defencemen with a paltry 24 points last year. He was 67th in the league in points by a defenceman. Every other team in the league had at least one d-man with more points than that. Not good.

Fit: A-

Price: B

Anders Nilsson becomes the Canucks' second 6'6", 27-year-old goalie from Sweden. Frankie Fouganthin

Anders Nilsson

Position: G

Age at start of season: 27

Cap Hit: $2.5 million/ 2 years

When it was apparent that Ryan Miller would jettison for the California sunset and serve as Anaheim’s backup, GM Jim Benning was thrust into a buyers market for goaltenders, with more options available than there were teams looking to acquire masked men.

You know how NFL teams often look for backup QB’s that are similar to the starter’s skillset so that they’ll be a good fit for the playbook? It seems that Benning followed that logic, as he acquired a 6’6", 27-year-old tender from Sweden to back up Jacob Markstrom, his 6’6, 27-year-old tender from Sweden.

Nilsson is a steady netminder who had a .923 save percentage on a bad Sabres team last year. Look for him to get pelted with rubber and still put up respectable numbers. He and Markstrom are a good tandem in the pipes until Thatcher Demko is ready to take control of the crease in a year or two.

Fit: A

Price: B+

The Canucks picked up Alexander Burmitsov at a bargain price. Canada Hky

Alexander Burmistrov

Position: C/RW

Age at start of season: 25

Cap Hit: $900,000/ 1 year

Many, including this blog, predicted that the Canucks would sign a skilled, enigmatic Russian forward who was drafted high but has seen his stock fall. That prediction was centred on Nail Yakupov, the former first round pick. However, in Burmistrov the Canucks were able to spend pennies gambling on the eighth overall pick from the 2010 draft.

While he hasn’t exactly lit the NHL on fire–his best season saw him register 28 points for the Winnipeg Jets in 76 games–there is still some semblance of untapped potential here.

After doing absolutely nothing for the Jets last season with two assists in 23 games, he was waived by Winnipeg and picked up by the Arizona Coyotes. In 26 games with Arizona, he scored 14 points and saw his ice time jump from just over 11 minutes to well over 15. If he can continue at that pace, this contract would be a massive win for the Canucks.

That will depend partly on whether or not he can play himself in the team’s top six that will be a bit crowded with the addition of Gagner.

Fit: B

Price: A+

Patrick Weircioch

Position: D

Age at start of season: 27

Cap Hit: $650,000/ 1 year

Weircioch fits right into the 6/7 slot for the Canucks, and its definitely possible that he will be a healthy scratch for parts of the season. His presence also means it’s highly unlikely we see Olli Juolevi wearing the Orca.

Those are the negatives. The positives: he’s big (6’5), fairly fast, and reliable. He’s also from Burnaby, and it’s possible he took the league minimum to come home for a year and prove himself. After all, he did put up 23 points in 53 games for the Ottawa Senators in 2013-14. A cheap, solid grab for Benning.

Fit: A-

Price: A+

The Canucks did well to not over burden themselves with troubling contracts that carried hefty cap hits or long terms. The veterans they’ve put in place will ideally help the younger players develop while providing a decent on-ice product that should still finish in the bottom half of the league and net a solid draft pick.