NHL Free Agents 2012: Unsigned Players Who Are in Terrible Shape

The NHL free-agent market has been open for business for almost two weeks now, and for many players who remain unsigned, their chances of either getting an offer or receiving one they want aren't very good.

There are several reasons why these players do not have a team, but for many aging veterans, finding a team can be difficult.

Let's look at several remaining free agents who aren't in good shape right now.

Alexander Semin

To be honest, I didn't imagine Alexander Semin would remain unsigned for this long.

He is lazy at times on the ice and looks disinterested for stretches of games, which is a huge turn-off for contending teams. The KHL could be Semin's best option at this point in the process.

Dwayne Roloson

Dwyane Roloson was one of the worst starting goaltenders in the league last season as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning. At age 42, he probably isn't even an option as a backup for most NHL teams.

The only way I see Roloson getting a contract is if an injury creates a need for a backup goalie on some team.

Dan Ellis

Dan Ellis, 32, played in just 10 games during the 2011-12 season, finishing with a record of 1-5-0. He's probably not capable of being a starter anymore.

Brent Johnson

The Pittsburgh Penguins deciding not to bring Brent Johnson back for next season came as no surprise after his poor performances as Marc-Andre Fleury's backup in both the regular season and playoffs.

It would be shocking if he found a team in the next few weeks.

Kristian Huselius

If not for some injury concerns, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kristian Huselius probably would have found a team already. It will be interesting to see where Huselius signs this summer.

Byron Bitz

Byron Bitz can provide toughness to a team's fourth line but he won't be much of a factor at all offensively. I'm a little surprised he hasn't signed yet since he can kill penalties, drop the gloves, and add some physical play to the bottom-six.

Andrei Kostitsyn

Just like Alexander Semin, Andrei Kostitsyn is a player who can be fantastic offensively when he's locked in, but tends to be lazy at times.

Since he's only 27 years old and does have impressive offensive talent, it's hard to imagine Kostitsyn not signing with a contender that's a good fit for him.

Marco Sturm

Marco Sturm isn't a very durable player and only played in 48 games last season between the Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers. He scored five points last year as well.

It's probably going to be hard for him to find a team.

Radek Dvorak

Radek Dvorak is 35 years old but could fill a spot on a team's third or fourth line. The Dallas Stars could use him next season but he has yet to re-sign with them.

Jochen Hecht

Jochen Hecht had never scored less than 26 points in a season until a concussion prevented him from making an impact offensively last year, when he played in just 22 games.

Since he has suffered three concussions in the last year and a half, teams could look elsewhere for a bottom-six forward.

Pavel Kubina

Pavel Kubina, 35, could be a solid veteran addition to a contending team that needs a third-pairing defenseman.

His durability might be a concern to some teams, but he is still a quality player.

Chris Campoli

Chris Campoli is 28 years old and is not a reliable defenseman in his own zone. He's also not very durable. Campoli has never played a full season and injuries forced him to play in only 43 games last season.

Kent Huskins

Kent Huskins is capable of being a third-pairing defenseman when healthy, but he's not very durable. He has missed 89 games over the past two seasons and would be lucky to score 15 points next year if he played in 70-plus games.

Mike Mottau

I'm not surprised that the Boston Bruins haven't re-signed Mike Mottau for more depth on the blue line. At this point in his career, Mottau is only a seventh or eighth defenseman on an NHL roster.

Sean O'Donnell

At age 40, Sean O'Donnell is no longer a guy who can play a lot of minutes on the ice. He played with the Chicago Blackhawks last season and appeared in 51 games.

The team hasn't re-signed him, which isn't surprising since he doesn't have much to offer at this point in his career.

Radek Martinek

Radek Martinek, 35, played in just seven games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season because of a concussion.

Durability has been a concern throughout his career since Martinek has never played in at least 70 games in one season.

Scott Parse

Injuries have forced right wing Scott Parse to play in only 14 games over the past two seasons for the Los Angeles Kings.

It's hard to imagine the Kings, or any team signing him to a new contract in the near future.

John Madden

John Madden has had a very productive career that includes three Stanley Cup titles (2 with New Jersey, 1 with Chicago). However, at age 39, it doesn't seem likely that he will play a role on an NHL team next season.

He played in just 31 games for the Panthers last year and scored only three points.

Alex Auld

Even though he's just 31 years old, it's hard to imagine goaltender Alex Auld getting signed any time soon. He didn't give the Ottawa Senators much as a backup last year, and has played in just 30 games over the past two seasons.