Headlines

  • Chicago Blackhawks Hire Luke Richardson
  • Vegas Golden Knights Expected To Re-Sign Reilly Smith
  • Florida Panthers Hire Paul Maurice
  • Winnipeg Jets Exploring Market For Blake Wheeler
  • Dallas Stars Hire Peter DeBoer
  • Philadelphia Flyers Officially Name John Tortorella Head Coach
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Poll: How Many Top Unsigned Free Agents Will Play In NHL This Season?

August 20, 2021 at 9:00 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 4 Comments

Following a massive first day of free agency late last month, not to mention several more signings since, it may seem that there aren’t many big-name free agents left on the market. Yet, quietly there is still and abundance of quality players left unsigned. This includes ten of PHR’s Top 50 UFA’s i.e. 20% of the players that we believed were the best available. It also includes another 13 players who played in 40+ games out of 56 this past season. There’s also Bobby Ryan, who was on pace for 22 points in 53 games before season-ending injury, which would have made him the highest scoring player still unsigned, and Artem Anisimov, whose nine points in 19 games is the second-best per-game mark among remaining UFA’s. With a nice round number of 25 top players still unsigned, which still ignores plenty of other capable NHLers, how many of these can be expected to play in the NHL next season? Time is running out and so are roster spots. Late-offseason signings are not impossible and a fair number of PTO’s are expected in camp this year, but realistically how many of these players will be able to land an NHL deal?

The top available name may also be the hardest to predict because his market is just one team and he isn’t ready to play. Future Hall of Fame goaltender Tuukka Rask (No. 14) remains a free agent and at 34 and recovering from major surgery it is fair to be skeptical that he will ever play again. The career Bruin reportedly will only play in Boston and recent comments by some of his teammates suggest that they expect him to do so at some point this year. But with Linus Ullmark signing a substantial contract to play alongside rookie sensation Jeremy Swayman, do the Bruins need Rask, especially coming in cold mid-season?

While Rask stands out as the only high-end goalie left available, the same cannot be said for forwards. Kyle Palmieri (No. 16), Tyler Bozak (No. 35), Casey Cizikas (No. 36), Zach Parise (No. 37), Nikita Gusev (No. 41), Alex Chiasson (No. 47), and Eric Staal (No. 48), as well as the aforementioned Ryan and Anisimov are all unsigned. Several of these names – Palmieri, Cizikas, Parise – have been linked to the New York Islanders, but no deals have been announced. All three have seemingly done enough to earn new contracts, but are still waiting. Bozak, meanwhile, was arguably the best of the players still available last season, with the top points per game mark even in a season plagued by injury. Gusev is a unique talent that has the chance to excel in the right system, Chiasson is a hard-working, consistent contributor, and Staal is one of the most respected veterans in the game. Ryan and Anisimov each showed that they still have gas left in the tank. It is hard to envision any of these players not playing this season, unless it is their own decision. Yet, none have signed on yet.

On the blue line, top talent is more scarce. Only Sami Vatanen (No. 43) and Erik Gustafsson (No. 44) remain from the Top 50 list and while each brings considerable strengths, they also have major weaknesses. With that said, each has been a regular in the NHL and are perhaps even more valuable as a depth option. Will Vatanen and Gustafsson find the right spot once more this season?

Among the players who were regulars in 2020-21 even though they may not come to mind as top options is a mix of aging veterans, versatile depth players, and discarded youngsters. Legends Patrick Marleau and Zdeno Chara lead the way as players who should be able to find a home if they want to keep playing just purely based on their Hall of Fame pedigrees, but lack the impact they once had. Other veterans still searching for work include Derick Brassard, Travis Zajac, and Jason Demers. Capable bottom-six forwards like Riley Sheahan, Colton Sceviour, Mark Jankowski, and Tobias Rieder are still available, as it stay-at-home defender Erik Gudbranson. Finally, formerly promising prospects Ryan Donato, Jimmy Vesey, and Dominik Kahun are all still looking for another chance.

Each player brings their own case for why or why not they should be employed in the NHL this season. All have been impact players in the league, but in a game progressively more dominated by younger players, history is no longer enough on its own to win a job. The supply of talent in the NHL currently seems to be greater than the demand, even with the expansion to 32 teams. Is there enough room for these 25 top players to find a new team this summer?

[mobile users click here to vote]

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Alex Chiasson| Artem Anisimov| Bobby Ryan| Casey Cizikas| Colton Sceviour| Eric Staal| Erik Gudbranson| Erik Gustafsson| Expansion| Free Agency| Free Agent Focus| Hall of Fame| Jason Demers| Jimmy Vesey| Kyle Palmieri| Linus Ullmark| Mark Jankowski| Nikita Gusev| Patrick Marleau| Polls

Minor Transactions: 08/20/21
Main
Pacific Notes: Zadorov, Yamamoto, Beniers
View Comments (4)
newest oldest

Comments

  1. Freddy H

    10 months ago

    Penguins should go after Palmieri or Parise

    They could use some 3rd line scoring

    Reply
  2. sweetg

    10 months ago

    everyone knows parise , zajac, palmieri, cizikas are all signed by islanders. rusk plays if he is healthy. Will not be surprised if bozak and brassard sign somewhere especially injury happens.chara his choice. rest best can hope for a tryout.

    1
    Reply
  3. mhsaltz1963

    10 months ago

    Flyers should at least offer Bobby Ryan a tryout contract. That would be a great story.

    1
    Reply
  4. Gbear

    10 months ago

    Condidering that the Preds tried to keep Haula, I imagine Poile has a low ball offer in for Bozak. One of those “if all else fails, come play for my mediocre team”.

    1
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Chicago Blackhawks Hire Luke Richardson

    Vegas Golden Knights Expected To Re-Sign Reilly Smith

    Florida Panthers Hire Paul Maurice

    Winnipeg Jets Exploring Market For Blake Wheeler

    Dallas Stars Hire Peter DeBoer

    Philadelphia Flyers Officially Name John Tortorella Head Coach

    Vegas Golden Knights Acquire Shea Weber

    Vegas Golden Knights Hire Bruce Cassidy

    Boston Bruins Fire Bruce Cassidy

    Jason Spezza Announces Retirement

    Recent

    Vancouver Canucks Sign Three Players

    Chicago Blackhawks Hire Luke Richardson

    Toronto Maple Leafs Extend Timothy Liljegren

    Florida Panthers Extend Matt Kiersted

    Anthony Greco Signs In SHL

    Maxim Mamin Linked To KHL

    Five Key Stories: 6/20/22 – 6/26/22

    Offseason Checklist: Dallas Stars

    PHR Mailbag: Wild, Bruins, Devils’ Draft Pick, DeBrincat, Predators, Hockey Trades, Rangers, Coyotes, Forsberg

    Looking At Nino Niederreiter’s Impending Free Agency

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Coyotes Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version