The awards, draft, free agency: It is the great blur that denotes the transition from the end of the playoffs to the true offseason and the storylines and characters that will at least carry us into, if not dominate, the 2015-16 season.

The nature of free agency has changed dramatically in recent years. Fewer marquee players hit the open market while more top-end players end up being traded before the end of their respective contracts, as witnessed when Milan Lucic, Dougie Hamilton, Carl Hagelin and Ryan O'Reilly were all under contract and dealt at the draft last weekend.

Does that mean July 1, when free agency officially opens, will be boring?

Well, "boring" is a relative term, but we'll answer "no."

Does that mean teams won't stretch the borders of reason in pursuit of free agents, only to regret doing so?

Ha. Are you new to the NHL?

Of course, teams are going to fall all over themselves to scoop up the few gems that are set to come to market July 1.

Here's a look at the top potential free agents by position:

FORWARDS

1. Mike Ribeiro

It will be interesting to see how things unfold for the much-traveled, oft-troubled Ribeiro after a renaissance season with the Nashville Predators. Ribeiro turned down a two-year deal worth in the neighborhood of $6 million total less than a year after being bought out by the Arizona Coyotes because of off-ice issues and signing a one-year deal worth $1 million with the Predators. It was a match that paid dividends for both sides as Ribeiro regained his form, finishing second in team scoring with 62 points and the Preds made the playoffs after a two-year absence. Could Ribeiro, 35, get more on the open market? Maybe. But one has to wonder at a player actually taking less to stay where he should be and given Ribeiro's well-documented issues with drinking, drugs and extracurricular activities -- he is currently facing a civil suit filed by a former nanny alleging sexual assault -- one might imagine that returning to Nashville, where Ribeiro seemed to find a comfort zone in all elements of his life, might not be the best way for his career resurrection to continue.

Brad Richards' stock rose considerably this season. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

2. Brad Richards

What a year it has been for the Prince Edward Island native and former Conn Smythe winner as playoff MVP, as Richards went from losing in the Stanley Cup finals a year ago with the New York Rangers and being bought out of his contract to signing a one-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks and winning a Stanley Cup a few weeks ago. Not only that but Richards, who also became a father for the first time during the season, regained his form, playing on the team's second line and contributing on the power play. Richards had 14 postseason points and even though he's 35, his play this spring must be catching the eye of other contending teams that might like to add someone with character, experience and more than a little game left in the tank.

3. Antoine Vermette

Speaking of reviving himself with a strong performance in the playoffs, former Arizona Coyote Antoine Vermette survived a rocky start to his tenure in Chicago after the trade deadline -- including being a healthy scratch at various points in the playoffs -- to chip in crucial goals throughout the latter stages of the playoffs. Incredibly, three of his four playoff goals turned out to be game winners. The 32-year-old also remains one of the game's most efficient faceoff men and should find both dollar and term when the market opens on July 1.

4. Matt Beleskey

Beleskey had a breakout season for the Anaheim Ducks with 22 regular-season goals -- more than double his previous NHL high -- and, more importantly, he added eight more in the postseason for a Ducks team that fell one game short of the Stanley Cup finals. GM Bob Murray couldn't come close to Beleskey's asking price and so the 27-year-old will hit the market on July 1 as an interesting option. Beleskey played most of the playoffs with Ryan Kesler and Jacob Silfverberg, so he has proven capable of two-way hockey, and his scoring touch -- admittedly streaky -- will be intriguing to teams looking to add a top-nine forward with a decent skill set. Would Beleskey look good in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey, pending how active the Leafs are in reshaping their forward corps? Absolutely. Other teams looking to add scoring include the Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, where Beleskey's former teammate Kyle Palmieri ended up on draft weekend.

5. Joel Ward

Assuming the Washington Capitals don't circle back to Ward, the Caps are going to miss the big top-six forward who has a knack for turning up the dial come playoff time. Ward, who played some with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom this past spring, had nine points in 14 games and overall in his career has an outstanding 35 points in 53 playoff games. Think he'd fit in Boston, where the Bruins are in mild disarray and missing size up front to fill the void created by Milan Lucic's departure? Or maybe for the Calgary Flames or Montreal Canadiens, where the playoffs aren't a pipe dream and where Ward's size and experience would be welcome?

6. Martin St. Louis

It has been a disappointing end to the New York Rangers part of St. Louis' career and, at 40, teams are going to be a little squeamish about committing to the former Hart Trophy winner as league MVP. But, like his old pal and former Cup and Tampa Bay Lightning teammate Richards, St. Louis will be intriguing to a team looking a little veteran presence from a player who can still bring it. Although he slumped to 21 goals last season, St. Louis is just two years removed from a 30-goal campaign. Wouldn't it be interesting if he ended his career around the corner with the New York Islanders or across the river with the New Jersey Devils?

7. Justin Williams

The 2014 Conn Smythe Trophy winner will be on the move after winning two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings to go with the one he earned with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. We know the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for a scoring winger and would ideally like someone a little more dynamic than Williams, 33, who hasn't scored more than 22 in a season since 2006-07. But he is a proven playoff performer and getting over the hump in the playoffs is a problem for the Penguins and he knows GM Jim Rutherford well from their time in Carolina.

Others who will command interest: Michael Frolik, Drew Stafford, Chris Stewart, Eric Fehr, Jay Beagle

DEFENSEMEN

1. Paul Martin

For my money, Martin is the best all-around defender on the market and there is still a possibility he returns to the Penguins, with whom he spent the past five seasons. But if he doesn't think he can win a Cup -- the next one will be the first one for the Minnesota native -- in Pittsburgh, he'll look to catch on with a contender. Though he is familiar with new New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero, who signed him in Pittsburgh away from a Devils team that drafted him in 2000, and he'd be a nice fit with the Devils' emerging blue line, I doubt if they're close enough to a contender for Martin. At 34, Martin still has time, but he'll be choosing his next home carefully this summer. Doubt if the Minnesota Wild can afford him but he'd be a nice fit heading back to his home state.

Two-time Norris nominee Mike Green will likely have new digs after July 1. Patrick McDermott/NHLI/Getty Images

2. Mike Green

The two-time Norris Trophy nominee found his role changed -- or should we say, reduced -- considerably this season under head coach Barry Trotz and defensive coordinator Todd Reirden. While he still commanded significant power-play time, Green played on the Capitals' third pairing and wasn't exposed all that often to other team's top lines. Still, he did not finish the playoffs strongly, as the Capitals blew a 3-1 series lead against the Rangers, and that has to be problematic for a team that will likely have to pay Green like a top-four defenseman as well as give him significant term. At 29, Green still skates like the wind and no doubt teams will be willing to take a gamble on him, but that's what it will be -- a gamble.

3. Christian Ehrhoff

Ehrhoff, 32, was injured and unable to play in the playoffs for the Penguins as they bowed out in five games in the first round to the Rangers, so teams won't have much of a recent resume on which to determine his value. When healthy, he is a deceptively solid point producer from the back end and should be a nice fit looking for a veteran top-four defender.

4. Cody Franson

The big right-handed shot wasn't a fit with the Predators after he was dealt by the Leafs back to the team that drafted him at the trade deadline, but we're guessing he'll be a fit somewhere this summer. The question is, how much dollar and term will it take to bring Franson into the fold? He averaged more than 30 points a season over three years with the Leafs, but the knock on him is that he doesn't play as big as his 6-foot-5, 215-pound size suggests he should. Still, at just 27, he's going to get a long look from a lot of teams.

5. Johnny Oduya

The two-time Stanley Cup winner for the Chicago Blackhawks looks to be a casualty of the salary-cap crunch. He was part of a top-four group that logged a ton of ice time this spring en route to a championship. He's not particularly flashy but as solid as the day is long. A good fit as a 4/5 guy on a good team, Oduya, 33, will be highly sought-after, given his playoff experience. Could he provide good ballast to emerging teams in the Edmonton Oilers or Colorado Avalanche? Sure.

6. Andrej Sekera

The Kings paid a high price -- what turned out to be a 2016 first-round draft pick and a prospect -- to land the former Hurricanes defenseman at the trade deadline. But the Kings missed the playoffs and with their draft weekend acquisition of Milan Lucic from the Bruins, will not have room to keep the talented Slovak. He's 29 and has lots of up-side and will garner plenty of attention. The Avs, desperate to upgrade on the blue line, might take a look. The Dallas Stars are another team that will be looking to get better along the blue line.

Others who will command interest: Francois Beauchemin, Marek Zidlicky, Jeff Petry, Zbynek Michalek, Barret Jackman

GOALTENDERS

Karri Ramo is considered the top goalie available heading into free agency. Todd Korol/Getty Images

1. Karri Ramo

It's an interesting time as a host of moves at the draft leave the market bereft of any truly elite goaltenders. Antti Niemi's rights were acquired by the Stars, who are looking to lock him up, and Vezina Trophy finalist Devan Dubnyk signed a long-term deal to stay with the Wild. Meanwhile, the trades of Martin Jones, Cam Talbot, Robin Lehner, Eddie Lack and Anton Khudobin closed off many potential markets. That brings us to Ramo, who was the Flames' starter by the time their nice playoff run ended in the second round, having supplanted Jonas Hiller. Hiller has one more season left on his contract and prospect Joni Ortio impressed in a brief stint with the big club, but is he ready to be a full-time backup? And more to the point, would the Flames go with a Hiller-Ramo tandem again if they could get Ramo under contract? Big picture, can Ramo handle a starter's role in Calgary -- or anywhere else? That's a big question for Ramo, who will turn 29 on July 1 and has never played more than 40 games in an NHL season.

2. Michal Neuvirth

Once seen as the Capitals' goaltending future, Neuvirth, 27, looks like he'll have to be content with finding a backup role somewhere -- perhaps on Long Island, where he finished the season -- and then hope he can play himself into a better look or more options down the road.

3. Anders Lindback

For all my criticism of Lindback, 27, and the teams that paid him good money the last couple of years, he turned in some strong performances for the Buffalo Sabres down the stretch in the spring, with a .924 save percentage in 16 games. Someone has to back up new Sabre Robin Lehner, but if it's not Lindback, he might have caught a GM's eye enough to earn a shot somewhere else.