Johnny Oduya, defenseman

2014-15 cap hit: $3.38 million | Age: 33 | Season stats: 2 goals, 8 assists, plus-5

Season recap: Oduya’s season was full of ups and downs. After being in a boot last summer, he didn’t have a great start to the season and struggled until suffering another lower-body injury in February. He returned from that injury and his play improved. He was defensively reliable during the final months of the regular season and stepped up his game along with the team's other top-4 defensemen in the playoffs. He even played through a left elbow tear late in the playoffs. He averaged 24:45 of ice time in 23 playoff games.

Season highlight: Oduya had an assist, wasn’t on the ice for any 5-on-5 goals against and played 46:06 in the Blackhawks’ triple-overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.

Season lowlight: Oduya dropped to a minus-14 goal differential in February.

Final grade: B.

Inside the numbers: Oduya had a plus-15 goal differential over the final 16 regular-season games. He was on the ice for 18 goals for and three goals against.

Quote: Oduya on playing through an injury in the Stanley Cup finals: “You want to keep going. I think anybody in a series like this, you don't really think too much. You battle through it. They probably had a couple guys who were probably hurt, too. That's just the way of the game. I think it's impossible to go through this point and not have a couple bumps and bruises. Obviously, when you win, it's not an issue."

What’s next: Oduya is an unrestricted free agent. He didn’t sign with another team through the first two days of free agency. There’s a chance he could return to the Blackhawks.