Canada Day and the free agent frenzy are already three weeks behind us but that doesn't mean there aren't more moves to be made before NHL training camps open in mid September. Here's a list of 10 intriguing unrestricted free agents that have yet to find a home for the 2011-2012 season.
Goaltenders
 |
| Ray Emery wants the opportunity to be a starting goalie in the NHL |
Ray Emery
Age: 28
10-11 team: ANA
10-11 cap hit: $500,000
The 28 year old Emery returned to the NHL at the end of last season following an extensive rehabilitation process as he battled through a serious hip injury. Emery posted a 2.28 GAA and a 9.25 SV % in 10 regular season games with Anaheim and started 5 games in the playoffs. Emery carries a significant injury risk and has been considered a locker room distraction in the past but he has the talent to be a reliable NHL goaltender.
Pascal Leclaire
Age: 28
10-11 team: OTT
10-11 cap hit: $3.8M
Throughout his NHL career, Leclaire has struggled through injury and inconsistency. During his two years in Ottawa, he played in just 48 games. Leclaire's window as an NHL starter is all but shut but a team may take a chance on him and hope he can regain the form he displayed in 07-08 when he posted a 2.25 GAA and a .919 SV % in 54 games with Columbus.
Defenceman
 |
| McCabe is the best offensive defenceman left on the market |
Age: 35
10-11 team: FLA/NYR
10-11 cap hit: $5.75M
10-11 cap hit: $5.75M
Acquired by the Rangers at the trade deadline, McCabe contributed 2 goals and 4 assists in 19 regular season games and 2 assists in 5 playoff games for the Broadway Blueshirts. The 15 year veteran won't be a 50 plus point defenceman like he has been in the past, but he could still provide an offensive boost to a team in need of blue line scoring.
Chris Campoli
Age: 27
Age: 27
10-11 team: OTT/CHI
10-11 cap hit: $1.4M
10-11 cap hit: $1.4M
Another trade deadline acquisition, Campoli became an unrestricted free agent when the Blackhawks decided to walk away from the 2.5 million he was awarded in an arbitration hearing. At 27, Campoli is the youngest established UFA and warrants consideration from the many teams looking for a well rounded defenceman who can compete for a spot on one of the top two pairings.
Scott Hannan
Age: 32
Age: 32
10-11 team: COL/WAS
10-11 cap hit: $4.5M
10-11 cap hit: $4.5M
A reliable if unspectacular defensive minded defenceman, Hannan still has something to offer an NHL team. He'll have to take a significant pay cut but Hannan has averaged 81 games played over the past 8 seasons and is worth the risk for a team looking for blue line depth, even as he ages.
Forwards
 |
| If Selanne returns it's unlikely he will leave Orange County |
Teemu Selanne
Age: 41
10-11 team: ANA
10-11 cap hit: $4.25M
By far the most accomplished player available, Selanne is currently recovering from knee surgery and has yet to decide if he wants to return for a nineteenth season. If he decides to come back it's unlikely he will leave Anaheim. Selanne proved he can still compete at a high level last season, scoring 31 goals and recording 49 assists in 73 games.
Nikolay Zherdev
Age: 26
10-11 team: PHI
10-11 cap hit: $2M
The ever enigmatic Zherdev is available once again because unsurprisingly, he clashed with Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and averaged a career low 12:51 minutes per game. Zherdev is immensely talented but production has yet to match the headache but a team in need of offense will undoubtedly assess the risk and decide it's worth taking a chance on the mercurial Russian.
Alex Kovalev
Age: 38
10-11 team: OTT/PIT
10-11 cap hit: $5M
There's no team foolish enough to offer an aging and unmotivated Kovalev a big money contract like the Senators did in 2009. It's always the same story with Kovalev and the willingness to compromise disappears. It's difficult to predict where Kovalev will end up but a team in desperate need of an offensive spark could talk themselves into given him a chance.
John Madden
Age: 38
10-11 team: MIN
10-11 cap hit: $1.25M
Madden spent last season in Minnesota following a year with the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Madden, a three time Stanley Cup champion, would like nothing more than to make a final playoff run before hanging them up. If he's healthy and motivated, a contender looking for a solid bottom six forward with postseason experience should look no further than signing Madden to a one year deal.
Cory Stillman
Age: 37
10-11 team: FLA/CAR
10-11 cap hit: $3.5M
Following a midseason trade to Carolina, Stillman recorded 5 goals and 11 assists in 21 games, giving potential suitors a reason to believe he can still be a productive NHL forward. At the right price, Stillman could be a valuable offensive asset for a team in a position to take a risk and not be crushed by the result if Stillman gets injured or isn't performing to expectations.
No comments:
Post a Comment