yave1964 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 As of this morning, the top free agents remaining by position. WINGERS Lots of question marks. Lots of low risk, potential medium reward players. Top remaining wingers left:David Booth. Solid player if healthy. If.Devon Setoguchi. You know what you are getting, 20 goals not much else. Very safe player to sign.Danny Heatley. Little left in the tank.Dustin Penner. Eroding skill level.Steve Ott. Feisty third liner. These are the best of the bunch. Ugh. Besides these, guys like Galiardi, Winnick, Brendan Morrow and Ray Whitney are still out there. CENTERStill a few intriguing names out there.Mike Ribiero. The whispers about a cocaine problem reached a crescendo with his release by the Yotes. Can play, but will he?Saku Koivu Ancient and eroding but smart player.Derek Roy. Little guy who is injury prone but can still play a bit. Not much else. Ryan White and Handzus. That is about it. DEFENSEVery slim pickings. Lots of pylons and very little skill.Ed Jovanovski. Can quarterback a second power play and play big minutes.Jamie McBain. Skilled youngster. Surprising he is still out there.Joni Pitkanen. Coming off of missed season for broken leg. Not signed, may be done.Henrik Tallinder. Top four shut down d-man.Michael Del Zotto. Only 24, lots of skill but let go by two top defensive teams in one year. Then you have guys like Doug Murray, Chris Butler, Corvo, Hannan, Salo, and Derek Morris. GOALIE. Lots of old guys.Marty Brodeur. Still thinks he is a starter. Most think he cannot play anymore. Bryz. Actually did a good job for the Wild. May be KHL bound.Tomas Vokoun. Missed year with blood clots, still wants to play. Then you have guys like Tim Thomas and Khabibulin who still think they deserve a job. So overall, the best of what is left are: Ribiero. Buyer beware.Jovanovski.Setoguchi. That is about it. And with the KHL wising up and not offering stupid money to the old guys many will find themselves on the outside looking in come October.Other long time NHLers still without a contract:Carcillo. Halpern. Ryan Malone. Volchenkov. Bertuzzi. Leino. Scott Gomez. Cleary. Shane O'Brien. Boullion. The odds are most fo these guys are done. Slim pickins fellas'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 I'd add Nate Prosser to your list. I would have thought the Wild would have retained one of Stoner or Prosser. So I'm not sure what is the deal there as I haven't read anything about him. Maybe Lee Stempniak or Ryan Carter also as forwards. I thought the Devils were trying to bring Carter back. The one guy that seems to have really dropped off the charts is Del Zotto, What happened to this guy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 @hf101I debated on mentioning Prosser but a 28 year old d-man still looking for the right role, he is lumped in IMHO with a bunch of guys struggling for a job. Stempniak was an oversight. I like him, about a step below Setoguchi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 As of this morning, the top free agents remaining by position. WINGERS Lots of question marks. Lots of low risk, potential medium reward players. Top remaining wingers left:David Booth. Solid player if healthy. If.Devon Setoguchi. You know what you are getting, 20 goals not much else. Very safe player to sign. Out of shape party animal with no drive who has not scored 20 goals or 40 points since leaving the sharks.Danny Heatley. Little left in the tank.Dustin Penner. Eroding skill level.Steve Ott. Feisty third liner. These are the best of the bunch. Ugh. Besides these, guys like Galiardi, Winnick, Brendan Morrow and Ray Whitney are still out there. CENTERStill a few intriguing names out there.Mike Ribiero. The whispers about a cocaine problem reached a crescendo with his release by the Yotes. Can play, but will he?Saku Koivu Ancient and eroding but smart player.Derek Roy. Little guy who is injury prone but can still play a bit. Not much else. Ryan White and Handzus. That is about it. DEFENSEVery slim pickings. Lots of pylons and very little skill.Ed Jovanovski. Can quarterback a second power play and play big minutes.Jamie McBain. Skilled youngster. Surprising he is still out there.Joni Pitkanen. Coming off of missed season for broken leg. Not signed, may be done.Henrik Tallinder. Top four shut down d-man.Michael Del Zotto. Only 24, lots of skill but let go by two top defensive teams in one year. Then you have guys like Doug Murray, Chris Butler, Corvo, Hannan, Salo, and Derek Morris. GOALIE. Lots of old guys.Marty Brodeur. Still thinks he is a starter. Most think he cannot play anymore. Bryz. Actually did a good job for the Wild. May be KHL bound.Tomas Vokoun. Missed year with blood clots, still wants to play. Then you have guys like Tim Thomas and Khabibulin who still think they deserve a job. So overall, the best of what is left are: Ribiero. Buyer beware.Jovanovski.Setoguchi. That is about it. And with the KHL wising up and not offering stupid money to the old guys many will find themselves on the outside looking in come October.Other long time NHLers still without a contract:Carcillo. Halpern. Ryan Malone. Volchenkov. Bertuzzi. Leino. Scott Gomez. Cleary. Shane O'Brien. Boullion. The odds are most fo these guys are done. Slim pickins fellas'.Setoguchi apparently asked Doug Wilson if he could come back. Wilson's "I want players who want to play here, not just live here" was apparently directed at Seto. Wilson claimed it was a former Shark and current UFA he was directing that comment to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OccamsRazor Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 (edited) Joni Pitkanen. Coming off of missed season for broken leg. Not signed, may be done. Yeah he is done i think it's been 14 months after his surgery and his agent reported the other day he still can even get his foot in a skate, so it's sad to hear but it may be the last we hear of Booger! Edited July 6, 2014 by OccamsRazor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 Ryan White should find a job on somebody's 4th line. Brings an element of toughness that a lot of teams are looking for. Maybe not an everyday player, but the kind of guy you insert into a tough divisional game. Whitney is getting up there, but should find a home. He can still bury the biscuit if paired with the right linemates. Might be a top 6 on a weaker team or as an injury replacement. Roy and Ott will be employed eventually, although they should take some nice pay cuts. If old man Orpik is worth 5 mill+, Volchenkov is worth the vet minimum....barely. Penner seems to think he is better than he is, always has. He was on a wicked roll with Getzlaf and Perry on the Ducks last year, then quit skating and working and found himself going from top line to the press box. Just one of those guys you cheer to fail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Clueless Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 The Leafs are apparently loving these "low risk, high reward" (well, high reward...let's be honest, it's the Leafs) types of signings, so lets sign all the free agents!! Actually, signing Koivu would be worth it just for the giggles. I was hoping they'd sign Alfredsson, just for the sheer hilarity of it. See if he gets booed in Toronto when he's, in fact, playing for Toronto. Also, deal with it, Ottawa. I'm honestly not sure Jovanovski can still play big minutes. 2nd PP sure, but I don't think you want to rely on him for those big minutes if you are a good team. I'm really surprised Tallinder isn't signed yet. Seemed like one of the better veteran options out there, to me. Slowed down a bit maybe, but still top 4 quality I think. Maybe he wants a long term.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Clueless Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 (edited) Setoguchi apparently asked Doug Wilson if he could come back. Wilson's "I want players who want to play here, not just live here" was apparently directed at Seto. Wilson claimed it was a former Shark and current UFA he was directing that comment to. Sheeeet son! Sick burn! Really, though, I don't blame Wilson. Setoguchi hasn't really demonstrated a desire to play anywhere, at least in my mind. And anyway, he's not really a top six guy anymore, and do you want him playing in your bottom six? I'd answer no, myself. Edited July 7, 2014 by Commander Clueless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 HEY LOOK...new emoticons.Carry on..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commander Clueless Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 (edited) HEY LOOK...new emoticons.Carry on..... Most insightful post in the thread thus far. Whole lotta meh left. Best July 1st in recent memory! Still, if signing Tallinder meant the Leafs could move Franson....count me in on the "interested" list. Franson's not without his skillset, but I'd trade his offense for a Leafs team that actually knows how to play outside of the rush in a second. Edited July 7, 2014 by Commander Clueless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J0e Th0rnton Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 HEY LOOK...new emoticons.Carry on..... I bring my own emoticons! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGreatGazoo Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I bring my own emoticons! lol Those are priceless!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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