Flat keep keeps lots of solid players still on the outside looking in

[yave1964]

Lots of players remain with only a few weeks until players start reporting, a combination of age,  a flat cap and teams trying to cut corners after missing a year and a half of revenue from fans has quite the list wondering if they will ever play in the NHL again. A lot of these players will be offered PTOs but some will either go to Europe or the golf course when the season starts. A list of some of the remaining unsigned included

 

Parise

Bozak

Rask (I know, coming off an injury likely to resign in Boston midseason)

Virtanen

Chara

Vatanen

Eric Staal

James Neal

Demers

Donato

Galchenyuk

Sorenson

Brassard

Chiasson

Dubnyk

Ennis

Kahun

Frolik

Vesey

 

  Look, I am not saying these guys are top liners but all can still play, a lot of serviceable middle six players who have no home. Defense has been picked over, surprised that Vatanen has not been signed as the blueline has been picked very clean.

 

   IMHO all of the above are still NHL players but dont want to take the short paycheck that so many former stars such as Jumbo Joe and Corey Perry and so many more are forced to take if they choose to continue their career. That is why I beleieve at least four or five of the above will end up in Europe for bigger money at the end of their career. Four or five will end up back in the NHL to start the year and the rest will be a memory even though they can still bring something to the table with the right team in the right situation.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

On that list, from the vets, I believe Chara and Erik Staal find a team to take them.
Like you said though, @yave1964 , they likely WILL have to take near league minimum (MAYBE a 925K-1M max AAV deal) to continue on, however, if it is for a contender, I don't see why either guy wouldn't do it.
By all accounts, both of them want to continue on with their careers.

As for others, Ryan Donato should catch on with a team....in his case, with a decent AAV for both team and player.
Still just 25, is a solid, reasonably fast mid sized player who is pretty responsible with the puck and has nice possession metrics.
His goal and point production may not be fantastic, but they aren't horrible either for the games he has played.
I think with a better surrounding cast than he has had with the Wild and Sharks, he would do better, as he seems the classic "Needs others to elevate him" type player.

Zach Parise and Tyler Bozak may still have value, though Parise has slowed down considerably (not that he ever was a super fast player to begin with) and Bozak is aging.
Still, for a low cost contract, both could find roles (Parise as a lightly used PP specialist and Bozak anchoring a skill 3rd line or defensive 2nd line) with teams needing to fill gaps still.