from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

F Pius Suter

He was brought in on a two-year, $6 million contract with a mindset towards centering the second line and helping stoke offense. Suter scored 15 goals his first season, 14 this past season. He's not a second-line center but he is a solid third- or fourth-line pivot, who can fill in on the wing in the top six if needed. Suter's strength is his defensive play — he keeps it simple and smart, and he's a good skater with a knack for breaking away with the puck especially on penalty kills. He turns 27 in May, so age-wise he fits right in with "older" rebuilding group. If Suter can be had for less money, he'd be worth bringing back on a short-term deal.

F Joe Veleno

The No. 30 pick from 2018 is a pending restricted free agent. Veleno, 23, hasn't brought much offense (nine goals this season, eight last year) but he's a good skater who is still figuring out his game. Makes sense to keep him in the fold and give him more time to develop.

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