Chris Stewart is a forgotten man.
After being peddled as one of the best available trade targets at the March deadline, when teams scrambled to acquire his services, the free-agent buzz surrounding the power forward has gone silent.
The 27-year-old is a mix of toughness and grit (88 penalty minutes) with a scoring touch (36 points), so the fact that his services haven't been acquired seems odd, although he may be holding out for a contract that just isn't available.
Whatever the case, here are three potential landing spots for the former first-round pick.
Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim is already one of the toughest teams to play against, and the addition of Stewart would make them that much more menacing.
The Ducks play a physical style that wears opponents down, and Stewart's game would fit in well with last season's Western Conference champions.
Adding his 110 hits to a lineup that produced over 2,300 last season would only increase the team's ferociousness; Anaheim could also use a forward to replace unrestricted free agent Tomas Fleischmann.
He's a right-handed shot, which the Ducks don't necessarily need, but surely they could work around that in exchange for the rest of the ability Stewart would bring to the team.
With over $18 million of cap space available and little needs, the Ducks are in a prime position to spend extra dollars to help get them over the postseason hump.
Arizona Coyotes
With the Coyotes and the city of Glendale squabbling, it's been hard for general manager Don Maloney to attract free agents.
His most notable signings of the offseason include overpays for Antoine Vermette, Brad Richardson, Steve Downie, and Zbynek Michalek, leaving the team with a lack of scoring punch and cap room to add some.
Stewart managed to score 11 goals in 61 games with little help on a scoring-deficient Buffalo Sabres team before he was traded to the Minnesota Wild, so he could be a fit in the desert.
Would Stewart think about going through another season playing for a team destined for the NHL basement?
If he wants a contract with high value and a term longer than a year, the Coyotes could be the right spot.
If he's interested in playing for a winner, he'll likely have to look elsewhere with Arizona years away from contending.
Florida Panthers
Florida is on the rise and could be dangerous next season with the likes of Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad, and a slew of others leading the way, but the team is still in need of forwards after GM Dale Tallon waved goodbye to Tomas Kopecky, Scottie Upshall, and Brad Boyes in an effort to go younger.
Stewart is in the prime of his career at age 27, and would add extra grit and protection to a team that may need it as opponents hone in on the young stars.
The Panthers have the cap space available to afford Stewart and he would fortify an already impressive scoring lineup, as well as add another locker room presence to one already featuring legend Jaromir Jagr.
Florida seems the best fit for Stewart anywhere outside of a return to Minnesota - which doesn't have a lot of cap space available and may not revisit with the forward due to his asking price - so the Sunshine State could be where he lands.
Honorable mentions: Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Winnipeg Jets
