Available NHL UFA's, As Of July 31, 09. Some Of The Names May Shock You

Every off-seasons players leave the NHL landscape without the fan fare of Sakic, Naslund or Yzerman.  They are able to retire from their terms and are allowed to say goodbye to their fans with dignity and respect. Most players don't get their due when their career is over.  As we get closer to the start of training camp, there are still a number of free agents out there and some of the names may shock you. 

Some of the noteable Right Wingers that are still available are as follows:

Afinogenov (Buf), Bertuzzi (Cgy), Prospal (T.B.), Satan (Pit), Sykora (Pit)

Some of the noteable Left Wingers that are still available are as follows:

Tanguay (Mtl), Pyatt (Van), May (Tor)

Some of the noteable Centermen that are still available are as follows:

Comrie (Ott), Goc (S.J.), Lang (Mtl), Niedermeyer (Ana), Peca (CBJ), Roenick (S.J.), Sillinger (NYI), Sundin (Van), Yelle (Bos)

Some of the noteable Defensemen that are still available are as follows: 

Bergeron (Min), Chelios (Det), Gauthier (LA), Kaberle (Car), Schneider (Mtl), Sydor (Dal)

Some of the noteable Goaltenders that are still available are as follows:

Fernandez (Bos), Joseph (Tor), Kolzig (Tor), MacDonald (NYI), Weekes (N.J.)

Some of these players are not signed as of yet, for a number of reasons.  Age and a history of injuries have stopped a few players.  Asking salaries or terms are stopping some of the players, as well. I foresee some of the above mentioned players being re-signed or invited to NHL training camps on a try-out basis.  Some players will be brought in during the season as injury replacements and others will just fade away into the NHL night.  Never to be heard from again as an active NHLer.

With every passing days, the NHL General Managers will complete their rosters and sign some of these players.  However, some of these noteable players will simply not play again. As a historian of the NHL, it is unforunate that this is the fate of some of the game's elite players but as we are constantly reminded.  The NHL and hockey in general, is now big business, run by big corporations and businessmen who are simply in the game for the public status and tax breaks that the game provides.