NHL Free Agents: Ranking the Top 25 Players Who Remain on the Market

As we venture further into the free-agency period, certain big-name players have been swooped up, and others remain on the board.

New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise remains unsigned, as does Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter.

Marty Brodeur dipped his feet in the free-agent waters, only to return to Newark.

Shane Doan appears serious about fielding offers from teams outside of Glendale and has seen a veteran teammate from last year, Ray Whitney, sign with the Stars.

This list contains only unrestricted free agents, but RFAs like Erik Johnson and Carey Price will remain with their own team.

Other players, however, like Peter Mueller and Guillaume Latendresse were allowed out the door by their respective teams, Colorado and Minnesota.

There are also two notable players, Shea Weber (RFA) and Matt Carle (UFA), who will make their decisions based upon what happens with Suter.

For younger players, like Wojtek Wolski, there is question as to whether they will ever live up to their potential.

For older players, like Andrew Brunette or Teemu Selanne, it’s all about how much they have left in the tank.

It’s may be warm outside, and for hockey fans in traditional markets, it may seem odd to be discussing the greatest game on ice during 100-degree temperatures, but make no mistake, this is an exciting time of year for the die-hard NHL fan.

For fans whose teams have large cap space and few wins last season, free agency can be make-or-break for the upcoming season. The following is a list of the 25 best free agents available right now.

25. Sean Avery

Stats: 15 games played, three goals, three points

Age: 32

Last contract: Four years, $15.5mil

Sloppy Seconds should get a second chance next year. He’s still young and garners a lot of attention for any team looking to sell tickets.

24. Petr Sykora

Stats: 82 games played, 21 goals, 44 points

Age: 35

Last contract: One year, $650,000

Sykora’s career appeared to over after a 14-game, two-goal 2009-10 season with the Minnesota Wild. He split last year between the Czech league and the KHL, and the Devils picked him up on the cheap in the offseason.

He’s due for a raise next year.

23. Jay Pandolfo

Stats: 62 games played, one goal, three points

Age: 37

Last contract: One year, $600,000

A longtime New Jersey Devil, Pandolfo joined the Islanders last year and played well enough to get a long look next season.

22. Kurtis Foster

Stats: 42 games played, three goals, 12 points

Age: 30

Last contract: Two years, $3.6 million

At 30 years old with 382 games of NHL experience, Foster should get a contract despite his devastating injury suffered in 2008 when he broke his leg.

21. Milan Jurcina

Stats: 65 games played, three goals, 11 points

Age: 29

Last contract: One year, $1.6 million

He’s 29 and has 430 games of NHL experience, meaning Jurcina should earn a contract next season.

20. Mark Eaton

Stats: 62 games played, one goal, four points

Age: 35

Last contract: Two years, $5 million

The only hockey player from Delaware, Eaton is a second-pair defenseman at best, but could help younger players in the locker room.

19. Pavel Kubina

Stats: 69 games played, three goals, 15 points

Age: 35

Last contract: Two years, $7.7 million

Received in a trade with the Lightning last season, Kubina had four points in 17 games with the Flyers. Even at 35, he’s still an asset on the blue line.

18. Andrew Brunette

Stats: 78 games played, 12 goals, 27 points

Age: 38

Last contract: One year, $2 million

At 38, there probably is not too much gas left in the tank, but Brunette, formerly an NHL ironman, has remained healthy and appears capable of playing another strong season.

17. Wojtek Wolski

Stats: 22 games played, four goals, nine points

Age: 26

Last contract: Two years, $7.6 million

In 2006-07, his first full season in the league, he played well, playing 76 games and scoring 22 goals. Wolski has gotten progressively worse every season since, however.

16. Peter Mueller

Stats: 32 games played, seven goals, 20 points

Age: 24

Last contract: Two years, $4 million

Dealt to Colorado for Wolski, Mueller, the eighth overall selection in 2006, had a strong rookie year in 2007-08 (81 games played, 22 goals, 54 points), but he has slumped ever since.

He could be a value pickup for a team that needs a young player with upside.

15. Jamie Langenbrunner

Stats: 70 games played, six goals, 24 points

Age: 36

Last contract: One year, $2.5 million

A former captain, Langenbrunner is an asset off the ice even if he isn’t productive on it.

14. Matt Gilroy

Stats: 67 games played, three goals, 20 points

Age: 27

Last contract: One year, $1 million

After two years with the Rangers, Gilroy was dealt to the Senators at the deadline.

13. Bryce Salvador

Stats: 82 games played, no goals, nine points

Age: 36

Last contract: Three years, $9.5 million

An aging defenseman that stayed healthy last season, Salvador should make a decent earning in the offseason.

Update: Darren Dreger of TSN reports that Salvador has signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract to stay in New Jersey.

12. Steve Sullivan

Stats: 79 games played, 17 goals, 48 points

Age: 37

Last contract: One year, $1.5 million

After a slow start to the season, 37-year-old Sullivan hit his stride late in the season with the Penguins and proved he can still play at an advanced age.

11. Carlo Colaiacovo

Stats: 64 games played, two goals, 19 points

Age: 29

Last contract: Two years, $4.25 million

He’s young and productive, but health is a concern for Colaiacovo. He did not play 70 games in the last three years in St. Louis.

10. Andrei Kostitsyn

Stats: 72 games played, 16 goals, 36 points

Age: 27

Last contract: One year, $3.25 million

His asset? He’s 27.

His detriment? He’s a menace.

9. Jason Arnott

Stats: 72 games played, 17 goals, 34 points

Age: 37

Last contract: One year, $2.5 million

He’s aging, but Arnott proved he can still play last year and is a leader in the locker room.

8. Tomas Holmstrom

Stats: 74 games played, 11 goals, 24 points

Age: 39

Last contract: Two years, $3.75 million

It’s hard to see Holmstrom leaving the Motor City, but if he does, a team will get a hard-working player that is willing to get into the dirty areas. His 11-goal, 24-point season were his lowest totals since 1997-98.

7. Jaromir Jagr

Stats: 73 games played, 19 goals, 54 points

Age: 40

Last contract: One year, $3.3 million

He appeared to disappear in 2008-09 when he signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL following an 82-game, 25-goal season with the New York Rangers.

But Jagr, the longtime Pittsburgh Penguin, joined the crosstown Philadelphia Flyers and scored 19 goals in 73 games and appears to want to play another NHL season.

Update: According to Greg Wyshynski of Yahoo! Sports, Jagr has signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Dallas Stars.

6. Teemu Selanne

Stats: 82 games played, 26 goals, 66 points

Age: 42

Last contract: One year, $4 million

Selanne is so old that he played for the original Winnipeg Jets. Still, at 42, he scored 26 goals last season and probably will play until he’s 50.

5. Shane Doan

Stats: 79 games played, 22 goals, 50 points

Age: 35

Last contract: Five years, $22.75 million

Another member of the original Winnipeg Jets, it was almost taken for granted that the longtime Coyote would remain in the desert.

Doan reportedly is testing the free-agent market this year, however.

4. Matt Carle

Stats: 82 games played, four goals, 38 points

Age: 27

Last contract: Four years, $13.75 million

A consolation prize for the team that does not get Suter, Carle is a great player in his own right. He’s played 80-plus games and tallied 35-plus points in his three full seasons in Philly.

3. Alexander Semin

Stats: 77 games played, 21 goals, 54 points

Age: 28

Last contract: One year, $6.7 million

Signed to a one-year deal last year when he became an unrestricted free agent, Semin plays second banana to Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom in Washington.

He may want to step out from under their shadow and earn a financial windfall this year.

2. Ryan Suter

Stats: 79 games played, seven goals, 46 points

Age: 27

Last contract: Four years, $14 million

Son of the Miracle On Ice’s Bob Suter, Ryan spent seven years in Nashville with Shea Weber as one of the strongest defensive pairs in the league.

1. Zach Parise

Stats: 82 games played, 31 goals, 69 points

Age: 27

Last contract: One year, $6 million

Parise is the biggest catch this year. The Devils captain made a name for himself by hitting the tying goal for the United States in the Olympic finals.

He is most likely to join the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers or Minnesota Wild or remain in New Jersey.