NHL Free Agency: One Player from Each Team Who Will Be Packing His Bags
Free agency. Just saying those two words brings up all kinds of emotions.
Whether you're worried about your favorite team losing a key cog or hopeful that your team will be pursuing that one player that can take them to the next level.
Free agency is a concept that is absolutely huge.
It's huge not only in the NHL, but in every major sport in the world.
In this slideshow we will examine one player from each NHL team that will pack his bags and next season pull a different jersey over his head and call another city home, at least for a while.
We'll start with:
Colorado Avalanche: Tomas Fleischmann: LW
1 of 31
With the market being the way it is and the lack of success from the Avalanche this season, Fleischmann could be on his way out of Colorado, making it only a 22-game stop for the 26-year-old.
The Avalanche have plenty of cap room, so that is not the problem. The problem is he will get some good contract offers if the team lets him get to free agency.
Avalanche fans are hoping it does not get that far.
What will it take to get him? Four years, $14 million.
Chicago Blackhawks: Tomas Kopecky: RW
2 of 31
Unfortunately, 2010-2011 was not the coming-out party Chicago fans were hoping for when the 29-year-old winger was given more responsibility in the wake of all of Chicago's departures following their Stanley Cup championship.
Kopecky did have his best NHL season, with 15 goals and 27 assists, and that is sure to attract some attention from the rest of the league.
What may hasten his departure also are the same, as the Blackhawks still have major cap issues.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $4.5 million.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Chris Clark: RW
3 of 31
Chris Clark did not have a great two-year stay in Columbus, as he only played in 89 games and his productivity was way down.
Goals and assists are not the only measure to Clark's game though, and that is why he will find employment elsewhere.
He is a good leader and is not afraid to mix it up.
One major issue is his health, as he has not played a full season since 2007, and his age, at 35.
What will it take to get him? One year, $3 million.
.png?w=256 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=256 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=256)
St. Louis Blues: Ty Conklin: G
4 of 31
It's not because Ty Conklin does not usually do his job well, but this season was his worst by far, numbers-wise, with a .881 save percentage and a 3.22 goals-against average.
Conklin is an excellent backup and, at 35, can still help someone and will rebound from his offseason this year.
He will just do it with someone other than St. Louis.
What will it take to get him? One year, $1.5 million.
Boston Bruins: Tomas Kaberle: D
5 of 31
The Boston Bruins are not the type of NHL team that typically loses big free-agent players, but I think everyone knows that they brought in Tomas Kaberle from their perennial trade partner punching bag, the Toronto Maple Leafs, for a rental.
Kaberle will go to free agency and find another NHL team to pay him big money, as he still is 33 years old and some teams are under the illusion that he could be their power-play quarterback.
What will it take to get him? Four years, $16 million.
Montreal Canadiens: Roman Hamrlik: D
6 of 31
It seems like Roman Hamrlik has been in the NHL for 30 years, but he is 37 years old and a very capable defenseman.
Montreal again is not a franchise that lets players just walk away, but Hamrlik is going to have to take a pay cut to stay in Montreal because their roster is so top-heavy with mammoth contracts.
Will he? I doubt it.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $8 Million.
Vancouver Canucks: Chris Higgins: LW
7 of 31
Chris Higgins is another relatively young player, at 27, that should be in his prime.
Problem is, his career has gotten way off track since he left Montreal. Injuries and inconsistency have become a major problem and Vancouver has not been the fix he needs.
He needs to go somewhere where he can play on the second line. Where that may be is anyone's guess, but it's sure not Vancouver.
Maybe the Smithtown, Long Island native comes home to be the Islanders' next reclamation project?
What will it take to get him? Two years, $5 million.
Washington Capitals: Marco Sturm: LW
8 of 31
Another trade deadline rental, Sturm will look for one more big payday at 33.
A very consistent performer, Sturm when healthy has scored 20-plus goals seven times in his career, and in the right environment can absolutely do it again.
He will, just not for the Caps.
What will it take to get him? Three years, $12 million.
Phoenix Coyotes: Ed Jovanovski: D
9 of 31
"JovoCop's" days of making $6.5 million dollars a season are over, but that does not mean he will not command a large contract.
His five-year stay in the desert will come to an end.
Players like him who bring more to the table than goals and assists are always a commodity in the NHL and one of the big-market teams will try and make a run at him.
Jovanovski is one of those players that seems like he has been around forever, but he is 34 and will look for one more multi-year deal before it all ends for him.
What will it take to get him? Three years, $14 million.
New Jersey Devils: Andy Greene: D
10 of 31
The Devils do not have a great reputation for signing their own free agents, unless they are an absolute core cog player like Martin Brodeur, Patrik Elias or Zach Parise.
Andy Greene is not on that level.
What he is, is a solid two-way defenseman who will command more than the Devils will be willing or able to pay him.
At only 28, Greene will be looking for a significant raise above his $737,500 salary this season and he will get one.
Will the Devils give it to him? Can they afford it?
Nope.
What will it take to get him? Five years, $16 million.
Anahiem Ducks: Jarkko Ruutu: LW
11 of 31
Jarkko Ruutu has entered the one-year contract phase of his career, where as long as he wants to play in the NHL, it will have to be on year-to-year contracts.
After his awful 2010-11 campaign, the Ducks will not be bringing him back.
Three goals and nine assists in 73 games is not a great way to enter free agency.
He will land somewhere, maybe even back to Europe.
What will it take to get him? One year, $1 million.
Calgary Flames: Steve Staios: D
12 of 31
The Flames are bumping their heads on the salary cap and have over $18 million committed to four other defensemen next year with Mark Giordano's contract extension kicking in next season.
What does all this mean?
Steve Staios will be taking his talents elsewhere for employment.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $6 million.
Philadelphia Flyers: Ville Leino: LW
13 of 31
Ville Leino had a coming-out party this season with 19 goals and 34 assists. Can the Flyers get him a contract? Are they able to get him a contract?
Highly doubtful.
The Flyers are right against the cap and Leino will command a nice raise over his $800,000 salary from this season.
The Flyers do not like to let their players get to free agency, as they have thrown around some absolutely mammoth contracts and also have Claude Giroux to re-sign, who had a major breakthrough season, getting 76 points.
What will it take to get him? Four years, $18 million.
Carolina Hurricanes: Cory Stillman: LW
14 of 31
Cory Stillman will be on the move again. He is finishing up his second tour of duty with the Hurricanes and he is too good of a role player not to catch on somewhere.
There is still a shot he remains in Carolina, but they have plenty of other free agents to concentrate on.
He is 37 now, so he will be on one-year contracts, which is never good for your job security.
What will it take to get him? One year, $4 million.
New York Islanders: Radek Martinek: D
15 of 31
Martinek has spent his entire NHL career with the Islanders and it appears to have come to an end.
In 10 years on the Island, he has only played more than 70 games once and can be a total liability in his own end.
The Islanders are making space for younger players and the veterans that are under contract will be back in uniform, and that leaves Martinek as the odd man out.
What will it take to get him? One year, $2.5 million.
Los Angeles Kings: Michal Handzus: C
16 of 31
Handzus is a good two-way player that every team could use. He kills penalties, he wins faceoffs and he can chip in goals and assists from time to time.
He will look for one more big payday at 34, although signing veterans is something the Kings have shied away from in the past.
They have plenty of cap room, but may look to save it to sign some of their younger stars when they near free agency.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $8 million.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Simon Gagne: LW
17 of 31
Simon Gagne was one of the premier snipers in the NHL from 2004 through 2009. Then something happened. Whether injuries caught up with him or his confidence waned, his production has dropped dramatically since, hurting his value.
That does not mean he is not going to command a very nice multi-year contract, still being only 31 years old.
Can a change of scenery bring back his scoring touch?
Someone will be very happy, or very disappointed, starting next season.
Maybe the Lightning would bring back Gagne, but they have another issue, and that's signing Steven Stamkos.
What will it take to get him? Four years, $22 million.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Jean Sebastian Giguere: G
18 of 31
Fans rejoice in Toronto! This is the year they get out from under this albatross of a contract, as J.S. Giguere will take his $6 million he just made from the Leafs and get right out of dodge.
The problem is, who will sign the guy and what will he accept as a pay cut from his immense salary?
Toronto would seem to be set in net with youngster James Reimer taking over the starting duties and Jonas Gustavsson backing him up, so J.S. is finished in Toronto.
What will it take to get him? One year, $4 million.
Edmonton Oilers: Jim Vandermeer: D
19 of 31
Edmonton is no place for 31-year-old defensive defenseman.
They have too much money tied up in Ryan Whitney, Tom Gilbert, Kurtis Foster and yes, Sheldon Souray, for 2011-12, to justify signing Vandermeer.
He will sign a deal somewhere, just not in Edmonton.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $4 million.
Florida Panthers: Tomas Vokoun: G
20 of 31
When you think of the top five goaltenders in the NHL, I wonder how many people would have Tomas Vokoun in that list.
Thing is, he absolutely is in that class. It's time he were rewarded such by going to a team that has a shot to win the big one.
Whoever lands this guy is going to get every penny's worth because Vokoun is and always has been that damn good.
What will it take to get him? Three years, $18 million.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Alexei Kovalev: LW
21 of 31
Sure his skills have diminished, but Kovalev can still help someone.
With Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Paul Martin and Evgeni Malkin taking up over $27 million of your cap space, there is not much more room for guys like Kovalev, unless he wants to take a pay cut.
If you know Kovalev, you know that is not likely. On top of that, he was largely ineffective back in Pittsburgh, scoring only two goals in 20 games.
What will it take to get him? One year, $4 million.
Nashville Predators: Joel Ward: RW
22 of 31
This is a tough one because I do not believe that Steve Sullivan will leave Nashville.
Ward can skate, is dependable in his own end and can chip in some goals here and there. He took a step back this year, only netting 10 goals, but he is a nice fill-in third or fourth-line player.
At 30, he will look for security, something that Nashville is unlikely to provide.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $4 million.
New York Rangers: Bryan McCabe: D
23 of 31
The Rangers are another team that does not usually let players walk away, but despite that, they seem to have committed to a youth movement of sorts and this offseason should see a few veterans walk away.
McCabe is a rental, pure and simple, and will look for one more big contract before his days are done. He can still produce at 35 and can be the power-play quarterback and provide a nice little edge on the back line.
His days of big money are over, but someone will give him a three-year deal and it is not likely to be the Rangers.
What will it take to get him? Three years, $12 million.
Detroit Red Wings: Mike Modano: C
24 of 31
Tricky one here. Modano may just up and retire, so that qualifies as packing his bags, but I doubt he wants to go out on a sour note.
Depending on how the Red Wings do in the playoffs and if Modano is able to help at all, will go a long way in deciding on whether he hangs them up for good.
If he does retire, the next stop is the Hall of Fame.
What will it take to get him? One year, $1.5 million.
Buffalo Sabres: Steve Montador: D
25 of 31
Tough call on the Sabres as well because new ownership has vowed to spend big money, so maybe Tim Connoly stays put.
That big money will not be on Steve Montador, because the Sabres have three other restricted free agents to sign this offseason and Tyler Myers will be up for a contract after next season.
What will it take to get him? One year, $3 million.
Ottawa Senators: Pascal Leclaire: G
26 of 31
Leclaire had a very strange season in Ottawa.
As a matter of fact, not a lot went well in Ottawa this season.
He will not be back in Ottawa, and may find himself out of the NHL altogether because of surgeries and ineffectiveness dating all the way back to 2008.
His last good season was 2007-08, when he posted a .919 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against average for the Blue Jackets.
His tenure in Ottawa has been a disaster, and it has come to an end.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $6 million.
San Jose Sharks: Ian White: D
27 of 31
The San Jose Sharks are another team with their heads always bumping against the salary cap and that is one of the reasons they will part ways with Ian White.
White is 26 years old and will look for the most he can get at this point entering his prime, and the Sharks are not going to be able to commit the kind of dollars he will get on the open market, no matter how modest he wants to make his demands to stay in San Jose.
What will it take to get him? Three years, $9 million.
Dallas Stars: Brad Richards: C
28 of 31
The Stars barely missed the playoffs this season and are now in danger of losing their marquee player. I'm sure they will make every attempt to sign him and keep him in Dallas.
Teams like the Rangers will make a big push for the star center, and when it comes right down to it, the lure of free agency's top players always net huge dollars.
He is still only 30 years old and has many years of top productivity left.
Look right here for the top free agent in the offseason, along with Tomas Vokoun.
What will it take to get him? Seven years, $50 million.
Atlanta Thrashers: Mark Stuart: D
29 of 31
Tough one here, as most of Atlanta's free agents this offseason are restricted.
Mark Stuart will get a one-year contract to play somewhere, it just won't be with Atlanta.
What will it take to get him? One year, $1.5 million.
Minnesota Wild: John Madden: C
30 of 31
You may not think of the Wild as big spenders, but their payroll on the books for next season is at over $52 million.
They also have three other unrestricted free agents to try and sign, which will leave Madden on the outs.
Maybe he can rejoin the Devils, like most players from the great Devils teams seem to do.
What will it take to get him? Two years, $5 million.
Who Else?
31 of 31
Who else could be packing their bags and moving along? Post your comments below and start the discussion.
.png?w=480 "NHL Mock Draft")
.jpg?w=480 "Kucherov Landing Spots")
.png?w=480)
.png?w=600 "B/R NHL Staff Second-Round Predictions 🏒")
