NHL Free Agents 2015: Ranking Top Available Players at Every Position

In this NHL meat market, there is little filet mignon and lots of flank steak. 

This, of course, is not unexpected anymore, not since the league lowered the requirements of being an unrestricted free agent to either 27 years of age or seven years of NHL service. Teams lock up their young, star players now with long-term contracts in order to eliminate the possibility of losing them for nothing.

That does not mean there are no tempting players who figure to be available July 1 when the market opens. The following slideshow lists our estimates of the top three players at each position who are likely to be available. It's possible some of them will re-sign with their teams by next week, but at press time they're all still unsigned beyond July 1.

These selections were made based purely on talent level and expected future production. 

Goaltenders

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1. Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild, 2014-15 cap hit: $800,000

Ken Campbell of the Hockey News reports that Dubnyk is seeking at least $5 million per year on his next contract. That may be a lot for a guy who was previously on the scrap heap and had one good regular season with the Wild. 

But Dubnyk may just get it. He's big and seems to be getting better as he gains more experience. Goalies often are late-bloomers, and he might be one. Or a team might just way overpay and regret it. We'll see. Minnesota is still trying to work something out with Dubnyk before July 1, but the lure of the open market is strong.

2. Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.8 million 

The Finnish 31-year-old appears ready to seek employment elsewhere after six years in San Jose. While he is coming off the highest goals-against average (2.59) of his Sharks career, he is still viewed as a capable, durable goalie and should draw plenty of interest.

He's never been a spectacular goalie with otherworldly numbers. He's just steady and competent. A lot of teams will take that.

3. Karri Ramo, Calgary Flames, 2014-15 cap hit: $2.75 million 

He's still just 28 and seemed to gain a lot of confidence as the year progressed for the Flames, who made it into the second round of the playoffs. Ramo played a solid role in helping them get there, splitting time with Jonas Hiller.

With more playing time, he could develop into a nice No. 1 somewhere. Like Dubnyk, Ramo could become one of those nice late-bloomers.

Left Wing

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1. Matt Beleskey, Anaheim Ducks, 2014-15 cap hit: $1.35 million 

Beleskey rejected the Ducks' final offer to keep him, which prompted general manager Bob Murray to say "God bless him" on the way out of the door, per Jen Neale of Yahoo Sports.

Beleskey could be fool's gold. He scored 22 goals in 65 games for Anaheim last season but had been mostly just a single-digit scorer previously. On the other hand, he played with a lot of passion in the playoffs for the Ducks, scoring eight goals. Plus, h has good size at 6'0", 204 pounds. He'll get some nice offers come next week.

2. Curtis Glencross, Washington Capitals, 2014-15 cap hit: $2.5 million

He's 32 and coming off a poor playoff showing with the Caps, to the point where he was a healthy scratch at times by Barry Trotz. But he's a two-time 20-goal scorer in this league, with seven straight years of double-figure scoring. 

He plays a physical game in front of the net and generally puts forth a hard effort every night. Expect a three-year, $9 million deal with some team.

3. Daniel Winnik, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2014-15 cap hit: $1.3 million 

Winnik has bounced around the league the last few years, but his style of play will keep him employed a while longer. He's big at 6'2", 209 pounds and can be an effective penalty-killer. He will usually chip in 10 or so goals per year and keeps possession of the puck effectively along the boards.

We're not talking a superstar here, though. He's just a hardworking, respectable up-and-down winger who is well-respected in the dressing room.

Center

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1. Carl Soderberg, Boston Bruins, 2014-15 cap hit: $1 million 

At 6'3", 219 pounds, Soderberg has the kind of size in the middle that appeals to many general managers. He's coming off two solid seasons for the Bruins and is only 29.

Plenty of teams with cap space figure to make a bid on the Swede, who posted 44 points in 82 games, with a plus-10 rating. Expect a four- or five-year deal.

2. Shawn Matthias, Vancouver Canucks, 2014-15 cap hit: $1.75 million

He's only 27 and coming off n 18-goal season with the Canucks. He has speed, and many believe he can become a scorer in the mid-20s on the right team. 

Then again, he's coming off his highest goal-scoring season of his career, coincidentally in the year before he became unrestricted. He may be a big gamble at anything over $2.5 million or $3 million per year. But he probably will get it somewhere.

3. Antoine Vermette, Chicago Blackhawks, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.75 million

After a successful playoff run in which he played meaningful minutes for the Cup champion Blackhawks, Vermette is likely to be sacrificed to the Cap Gods. But he enters the market with good timing.

While he'll be 33 next month and his scoring production dipped from 24 goals to 13 this past season, Vermette is a solid pro who plays at both ends. He'd be perfect on a team such as, well, the Blackhawks: a team that is in Cup contention and needs consistent, fundamentally sound centers like him.

Right Wing

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1. Justin Williams, Los Angeles Kings, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.65 million 

He's as close a player to Claude Lemieux as anyone in the league over the past 10 years. While he's had many respectable regular seasons, Williams kicks it up a notch in the playoffs. His nickname, after all, is "Mr. Game 7." 

He's 33, though, and probably expects as much or more than he made last year for the Kings in what was an 18-goal, 41-point season. Is he really worth that much anymore? It'll be an interesting question, but he has plenty of good hockey left.

2. Joel Ward, Washington Capitals, 2014-15 cap hit: $3 million

At age 34 and with the style of game he plays (think "tank-like"), it would seem Ward might be on the downside of his career. However, he's coming off the two highest goal-scoring years of his career and was good for the Caps in the playoffs.

Teams should think hard before making some long-term offer, but Ward is worth at least what he made last year and probably more on a two- or three-year deal. He's been well-schooled in the fundamentals of the game, having played for Barry Trotz most of his career.

3. Michael Frolik, Winnipeg Jets, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.3 million 

The Ashton Kutcher look-alike is coming off a 19-goal, 43-point season for a Jets team that made the playoffs. He would make for an excellent addition to most teams because he is fast and versatile. He's an excellent penalty-killer, for instance.

Is he worth $4 million per year, though? Maybe not, but he'll probably get that or close to it.

Defense

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1. Cody Franson, Nashville Predators, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.3 million 

OK, so it didn't work out in Nashville for the big defender. He seemed to fall out of favor with Preds coach Peter Laviolette quickly. 

Still, he was having a good year with Toronto before being traded (32 points in 55 games), and with his size (6'5", 213 lbs) he will be in high demand on July 1. He's only 27 too, so he's probably not even in his prime yet.

2. Mike Green, Washington Capitals, 2014-15 cap hit: $6.25 million 

Once again, he underperformed in the playoffs (no goals, two assists, minus-one rating in 14 games), and there's no doubt he's been way overpaid the last couple of years.

But, even though it seems like he's been around forever, Green is still only 29 and has undeniable talent as an offensive defenseman. A three-year, $15 million deal is the kind of deal he'll get.

3. Johnny Oduya, Chicago Blackhawks, 2014-15 cap hit: $3.3 million

Another excellent playoff showing will lift Oduya's free-agent value. Despite being 33, he's in excellent shape and seems capable of another few years of 20-plus minutes per night. 

He's not much at the offensive end but sound in his own end. Obviously, he also knows what it takes to win.