Let the free-agent frenzy begin

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The word "off-season" implies a time of rest, but the NHL and NBA have been working overtime since awarding the Stanley Cup and the Larry O'Brien Trophy to their playoff champions. Over the last couple of weeks, both leagues welcomed a generational prospect as the No. 1 pick in their draft and made headlines with some big-name trades.

Now, it's time for free agency. Here's the background you need to know and what to expect in the days ahead:

NHL

Connor Bedard officially arrived last night when Chicago selected the 17-year-old Canadian phenom with the first pick of the draft in Nashville.

With the second choice, Anaheim went slightly off script by taking Swedish forward Leo Carlsson over Canadian Adam Fantilli, who went next to Columbus. San Jose grabbed American forward Will Smith before Montreal picked Austrian defenceman David Reinbacher to round out the top five. Russian forward Matvei Michkov, considered by some the second-most talented player in the draft, slid to Philadelphia at No. 7 amid worries that his contract with the Russian-based KHL could delay his NHL arrival.

No trades were completed during the first round — the first time that's happened since 2007. But, hours before the draft, Vegas sent forward Reilly Smith to Pittsburgh for a third-round pick, clearing the way for Vegas to re-sign rugged forward Ivan Barbashev to a five-year, $25-million US contract.

WATCH | Chicago picks Connor Bedard with top pick of 2023 NHL draft:

Earlier this week, Winnipeg sent would-be restricted free agent forward Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles in a sign-and-trade