NHL Free Agents 2015: Rumors and Predictions for Top Available Players

It hasn't been a star-studded free-agency class in the NHL like we're used to seeing at this point in the offseason, but teams looking to fill distinct holes still have plenty of serviceable players to choose from.

As tends to be the case, the opening day or two of the free-agency cycle saw dozens of signings and players waiting no time to ink deals with their new teams. But things have slowed down considerably after that, as teams pinpoint the valuable free agents still available and figure out how they can make a deal work with their salary caps and current rosters.

Some notable names have still yet to agree to terms, so take a look at who is still out there and where they might end up.

Johnny Oduya

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

When the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup this postseason, they did it with virtually a four-man defensive rotation. The importance of all four goes without saying, but one of them is proving tough to hold onto.

Johnny Oduya once again proved his value to the Blackhawks, playing a whopping 24:45 per game in the playoffs to help Chicago win another Cup. With Chicago dragging its feet to re-sign Oduya due to other cap issues still being worked out, we began to wonder just how long Oduya would wait before talking with other teams.

Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune wondered as well after two days of free agency how long he'd wait. But as the holiday weekend came and went with no news, Kuc reported a promising sign for Blackhawks fans:

The Blackhawks still may need to trade Patrick Sharp and Bryan Bickell to free up the space necessary to re-sign Oduya, and it's awfully likely he could get a larger contract elsewhere. The weak free-agent class will inevitably open up big offers for Oduya, with the Boston Bruins as a possible target, per Kevin Paul Dupont of The Boston Globe.

That being said, there's no better location for Oduya than the Windy City. A proven second-line defenseman, he is playing behind two of the best blueliners in the game in Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. Chicago's young core of forwards will also have them competing for Stanley Cups for the rest of Oduya's playing days. 

The more you look at it, the less likely it appears that Oduya would take the money and run instead of staying at a perfect spot. 

Prediction: Oduya re-signs with Chicago Blackhawks; three years, $9 million

Chris Stewart

Bruce Kluckhohn/Getty Images

Despite all of the talk about a weak free-agent class, there are still a couple of forwards capable of playing at a dominant level. Chris Stewart is undoubtedly one of them.

The 27-year-old finished the 2014-15 season playing with the Minnesota Wild after a trade-deadline move from the Buffalo Sabres, but he couldn't keep the Wild from flaming out in a second-round sweep to the Blackhawks. Minnesota still remains intent on re-signing Stewart, but it's proving easier said than done, as Michael Russo of the Star Tribune reported:

As the opening week of free agency begins to draw to a close, interest in Stewart hasn't really picked up across the NHL. That spurred Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News to wonder if he could be making a return to the Sabres:

Many teams on the market don't have the cap room to pursue a deal for a player like Stewart, who made more than $4 million last year, per Spotrac. But the Buffalo Sabres do. As reported by Harrington just after the new NHL salary cap figures were announced, the Sabres entered free agency some $11 million away from the cap floor.

Needing some established offensive presence to help nurture No. 2 overall pick Jack Eichel into the rigors of the NHL, a short-term deal for Stewart would be an ideal move for a team looking to reach the cap floor.

Prediction: Stewart signs with the Buffalo Sabres; two years, $8 million

Alexander Semin

James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Even for a player who has burned some bridges throughout his NHL career such as Alexander Semin, there remains a strong market for one of the best available scoring wingers.

The Carolina Hurricanes surprised on the eve of free agency by buying out the remaining three years of Semin's deal, immediately making him one of the most sought-after players available. Although the pull of the KHL seemed possible after he played there for part of 2012-13, he's getting plenty of interest in the NHL, as ESPN's Craig Custance noted:

Despite the unwavering interest from teams, Semin isn't looking for a long-term deal to stay in the NHL. Instead, he's apparently searching for just a one-year deal, as his agent told Igor Eronko of Sport-Express.ru:

One ideal landing spot would seem to be the Washington Capitals, who saw the best moments of Semin's career to the tune of 70-point seasons. But there's "zero chance" that happens, said Mike Vogel of WashingtonCaps.com.

When it comes to teams needing immediate help on the wing, there's no better fit than the Boston Bruins. They've yet to seriously replace Milan Lucic after his draft-day trade to the Los Angeles Kings, and the 31-year-old Semin could replace his production better than anyone on the market.

Prediction: Semin signs with the Boston Bruins; one year, $3 million