NHL Free Agent Rumors: Top 50 Free Agents on the Market This Summer

It has been well documented that this is one of the weaker free-agent classes. Other than Brad Richards, there aren't really any eye catching superstars available.

Despite that, there are still plenty of great free agents who had great seasons last season and are looking to break the bank.

The free-agent class is littered with mediocrity, and with numerous small market teams miles away from the salary floor, many of these guys are going to be overpaid.

With that said, here are the top 50 free agents of the summer. 

Ville Leino

With such a weak class, Leino stands out as one of the top free agents especially after his great performance this past season.

The Flyer racked up 19 goals and 53 points much to the surprise of everybody in the league. After earning peanuts last season, Leino is blasting Chris Brown's Look At Me Now in his house because he'll be making paper soon. 

2011 cap hit: $800K

Brad Richards

Richards is headlining this year's class and deservedly so. He scored 28 goals and 77 points last season, and he's anxious to be making top dollar by the end of this weekend.

Expect a big market team with cap room, like Detroit, Los Angeles or the Rangers, to unload their cash on him. 

2011 cap hit: $7.8M

Chris Drury

The New York Rangers bought out his hefty contract recently, and they had good reasons to do so. Drury has been flat out horrible the last two seasons.

After only scoring 32 points in 77 games in 2010, he followed that up by playing only a quarter of the 2010-11 season and only getting five points.

A small-market team that needs to get to the floor will overpay for him though. Who knows? Maybe a change of scenery will bring back the old Drury. 

2011 cap hit: $7.1M

Ed Jovanovski

Jovo Cop won't make the money he made in his last contract. But he will provide veteran leadership to any locker room along with an unmatched experience.

He will hope to cling onto a contender, so he can win his first Stanley Cup. 

2011 cap hit: $6.5M

Teemu Selanne

He technically is a free agent because his contract expired. But he's either going to retire or sign another year with the Ducks. Most likely the latter. 

2011 cap hit: $4.5M

Jean-Sebastein Giguere

With James Reimer signing an extension with the Leafs, there is no doubt Giguere will now be limited to a backup role if he returns to Toronto. In fact, he may be limited to a backup role with any team.

The veteran netminder who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2003 with Anaheim will probably sign with a contending team in need of a backup goalie so that he can experience another Cup run.

It'll be nice to see him back in Southern California backing up Jonas Hiller.

2011 cap hit: $6M

Tomas Vokoun

Vokoun is easily the best goalie on the market especially with Ilya Bryzgalov locked in with the Flyers.

The Bruins and Canucks showed this spring how important goaltending can be. The performances of Tim Thomas and Roberto Luongo drove up the price of Vokoun.

Vokoun has spent his whole career on an inept Florida team, but with Florida significantly below the salary floor, can they convince him to stay in South Beach by shelling out top dollar for his services?

The Panthers have already made some moves to improve the team. Or maybe he'll go a couple hundred miles north and play in Tampa, who also can use goaltending help.

2011 cap hit: $5.7M

Bryan McCabe

Despite being 36, McCabe has still shown he can be a factor on the blue line. He still puts up solid numbers offensively, and his veteran presence defensively will be a great addition to any team.

It'll be interesting to see how much his agent will ask for in terms of years and dollars seeing that his age is not what it once was.

But as mentioned before, there are many teams that are below the salary floor that are willing to overpay. 

2011 cap hit: $5.8M

Roman Hamrlik

Like McCabe, Roman Hamrlik has consistently put up solid numbers for a blueliner even as he has aged. He is a former No. 1 overall pick from 1992.

His longevity has been absolutely incredible. Hamrlik brings plenty of experience to the table as well. Not only can he be a factor offensively, but he can be a great shut down defender, too. 

2011 cap hit: $5.5M

Simon Gagne

After a dreadful start, Gagne turned it up in the second half of the season and showed he still has what it takes to be a top-six forward.

He scored 17 goals and 40 points and most of this came late in the season. He was also a factor in the Stanley Cup Playoffs scoring five goals and 12 points. 

2011 cap hit: $5.3M

Alex Kovalev

He's been called lazy, and he was absolutely atrocious in a Penguins uniform, but he can give a team 15 goals and provide veteran leadership.

He's a guy that will probably be overpaid by a small-market team that needs to reach the salary floor. 

2011 cap hit: $5M

Tim Connolly

This is Tim Connolly's year to break the bank. There aren't too many star free agents in this year's class, and Connolly will be looking to take advantage of this.

At only 30, he'll be looking for a long term contract with a lot of money involved. He scored 13 goals and 42 points last season which isn't too shabby at all. With Buffalo only about $10 million below the salary cap, it's highly unlikely that Connolly will stay.

2011 cap hit: $4.5M

Scott Hannan

Hannan was featured heavily during 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic after he got traded from Colorado to Washington.

Other than that, there really isn't much to say about him from this year. But he is a solid defenseman who will bring to grit. 

2011 cap hit: $4.5M

Jason Arnott

Arnott has a lot to bring to the table. He's played in big games, and he has a few rings.

He has a lot of experience, and he can still be a solid top six forward for a contender looking for some veterans. 

2011 cap hit: $4.5M

Tomas Kaberle

Kaberle was traded to the Bruins midseason, and he helped the Bruins win a Stanley Cup. Forget the fact that the Bruins power-play was anemic throughout the playoffs. Kaberle was a factor in helping the Bruins win a Stanley Cup.

Generally players from the final four teams in the playoffs who become free agents get major pay raises and with teams willing to overpay this summer, Kaberle will have a new home with a lot of cash and a ring. 

2011 cap hit: $4.3M

Michael Ryder

Boston would love to keep him. But his great performance in the playoffs and the fact that the Bruins are not too far away from the salary cap means that Ryder will probably not return to the Hub.

Ryder will be seeking a long-term deal. He's only 31, and he can definitely break the bank next weekend. 

2011 cap hit: $4M

Michal Handzus

The veteran King hits the market tomorrow. His leadership and faceoff-winning abilities will be a fantastic addition to plenty of teams.

His scoring totals are down from a year ago, but he provides intangibles that will possibly make a team below the floor overpay for him. 

2011 cap hit: $4M

Pascal Leclaire

Other than Tomas Vokoun, there really aren't many solid goalies available in this year's free agency. Leclaire at least brings some youth to the table.

Goaltender is a tough position to learn, and even at 28, there is room to grow. Leclaire won't have a hard time finding a team and is probably a 1B goalie at this point. 

2011 cap hit: $3.8M

Steve Sullivan

Even with injuries and age, Steve Sullivan racks up points offensively. He scored 22 points in 44 games last season, and the year before that he was able to put up 51 points in a full season of action.

Now at 37, Sullivan wants to show that he can get back from his injury and still perform well. 

2011 cap hit: $3.8M

Max Talbot

The Stanley Cup hero hasn't been too stellar offensively in the last two seasons, but he is a fantastic penalty killer. His grittiness should also not be overlooked.

Talbot is also a fan favorite. Pittsburgh will miss the A&L Motors commercials dearly if they let him go.

His days in Pittsburgh are most likely done as Talbot wants a huge contract with plenty of years and dollars. 

2011 cap hit: $1.1M 

Jamie Langenbrunner

Langenbrunner is only a year removed from a 61-point season with the Devils. This year was different though. Jamie played for two non-playoff teams and his stats declined.

Expect Langenbrunner to sign with a contender. His veteran presence and his experience playing in playoff games will help earn him a nice contract.

By surrounding himself with a good team, Langenbrunner's numbers will also increase so the best scenario for him is to sign a two-year deal with a strong team.

This will help him earn a contract after this one ends.

2011 cap hit: $2.8M

Sami Salo

The Canucks run to the Stanley Cup Final helped Salo's cause for free agency.

The veteran defenseman brings a great deal of experience to locker rooms, and he will definitely earn a nice paycheck come to this weekend despite his age of 36. 

2011 cap hit: $3.5M

Erik Cole

With a weak free-agent class, Erik Cole will benefit greatly. He scored 26 goals and 52 points this past season during his contract year. Because of this, he will hit the jackpot.

With Carolina barely at the cap floor, they have room to pay Cole the dollars he deserves. Edmonton really didn't work out for him, and he's a Hurricane at heart, and it will be hard to see him leave. 

2011 cap hit: $2.9M

Tomas Fleischmann

After being part of the Scott Hannan trade, Fleischmann picked up his scoring pace. He scored 21 points in 22 games after only scoring 10 points in 23 games in Washington.

One drawback about Fleischmann are his blood clot issues, which are very serious and can hinder his playing career. 

2011 cap hit: $2.6M

James Wisniewski

Wisniewski's physicality and youth will be assets that aren't readily available in this year's free agent class.

He recently had his rights traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He'll come at a high price, but he'll definitely be worth it. Oh yeah, let's not forget his rocket slap shots. 

2011 cap hit: $3.3M

Ian White

Since the start of the 2009-10 season, White has played for four different teams. He may be going to his fifth this weekend.

This past year, the small unknown defenseman who played for Calgary, Carolina and San Jose, scored four goals and 22 points. And this was after he was traded twice.

He had to adjust to these teams' playing styles and he did just fine. He's a solid player who adjusts quickly, and that shows a lot about the type of player he can be if he can settle down in one city for a season.

2011 cap hit: $3M

Sean Bergenheim

If there's one guy who earned himself a huge contract solely because of his playoff performance, it's Sean Bergenheim.

The Lightning forward scored nine goals and 11 points through the conference finals. He also had some timely goals, including a game-winning goal in Game 7 against the Penguins.

2011 cap hit: $700K

Mike Smith

Smith lost the starting job to Dwayne Roloson eventually, but the dude can play. He had a 13-6-1 record this year with a GAA under 3.00. Smith will be a valuable goalie.

Although streaky at times, he has the experience to be a great starter. 

Ray Emery

Why not? He showed he can be a good locker room guy this season with the Ducks, and more importantly, he was stellar in net.

He went 9-2-0 and eventually took over the starting job in the playoffs. Anaheim needs to decide if they're going to platoon with two solid goalies in Hiller and Emery or if they will part ways with Emery.

He only made $500K in his return to the NHL. He'll definitely be earning a lot more than that soon. 

2011 cap hit: $500K

Evgeni Nabokov

After vehemently hanging up on Garth Snow and deciding never to play for the Islanders' organization, Evgeni Nabokov will be making his return to the NHL.

He hasn't played in a while so it's difficult to know how effective he'll be. 

Jaromir Jagr

It's been well documented the last few days that Jagr wants to come back to the NHL.

His agent Petr Svoboda lost track of where he was after his flight to the United States. Everybody seems lost in this saga as conflicting reports emerge incessantly.

Jagr said he would make his decision on Wednesday, but we're at Friday now and still no word. Is he getting other offers from different teams?

Jonathan Ericsson

The Red Wings defenseman has grown to be a very effective player in Detroit. In just four years, he has shown huge strides of improvement.

He set career highs in games played, points and plus-minus this year. Perfect year to do it, too. 

2011 cap hit: $900K

Raffi Torres

Torres is another guy that improved his stock value during the playoffs. He'll give a team around 30 points per year.

His physical, grinding play this past spring opened up plenty of general managers' eyes. He'll make a splash.

2011 cap hit: $1M

Scottie Upshall

Upshall's an interesting case. He's never played like the sixth overall pick that he was in the 2002 NHL draft, but he did have a great stretch in 2009-10 with the Coyotes.

In an injury shortened season, he scored 32 points in 49 games. However, this season he came back down to his averages and was later traded to Columbus. 

2011 cap hit: $2.3M

Alexei Ponikarovsky

He'll be a good low-risk, high-reward bargain after a terrible season in Los Angeles. Someone will take a chance. He definitely won't be making the $3M-plus he made last year. 

2011 cap hit: $3.2M

Johan Hedberg

The Moose is getting up there in age, but he did a stellar job replacing Martin Brodeur this season when he was injured.

It'll definitely help him get a backup job either back in New Jersey or elsewhere.

2011 cap hit: $1.5M

Chris Higgins

Yet another guy who raised his value playing in the playoffs for the Canucks.

He scored 28 points in the regular season and added another eight during the playoffs. He's a solid center who now has playoff experience.

2011 cap hit: $1.6M

Nikolai Zherdev

Seems like he's been around forever, but he's only 26. After being called one of the biggest busts in NHL history (he was drafted fourth overall), Zherdev put up a couple of solid seasons in 2009 and 2010.

However, he absolutely collapsed in Philadelphia this past season. There are rumors that he's going to the KHL. If he doesn't go, he's another low-risk, high-reward guy that could help out a team.

2011 cap hit: $2M

Josh Harding

He didn't play this past season, and even before that, he never really had a chance to shine because he was behind Nicklas Backstrom.

But over his career, Harding has a 2.66 GAA along with a .915 save percentage. That's pretty good for a limited backup goalie. 

2011 cap hit: $1.2M

Jan Hejda

He's very underrated because of where he plays. He scored 20 points and was solid on the blue line.

For a non-playoff team, he had a minus-six rating which is actually not too shabby.

2011 cap hit: $2M

Cory Stillman

His age may be getting to him, but a trade to Carolina seemed to rejuvenate his numbers. In 21 games for the Hurricanes, he had five goals and 16 points.

This is a guy who once scored 80 points in the league. With him being in his late 30s, he can still probably get around 35 to 40 points a year, especially if he plays for a contender.

2011 cap hit: $3.5M

Radim Vrbata

Vrbata was instrumental in turning the Coyotes franchise around the last two seasons. He scored 91 points in the last two seasons in the Desert.

Best of all, he's only 30.

After two productive seasons, Vrbata will be looking for more years and more dollars. Expect him to be signed by a small-market team with a lot of cap space to overpay for him (maybe Phoenix?).

2011 cap hit: $3M

Matt Bradley

Bradley is a tough, physical pest.

He's spent the last few years defending Alex Ovechkin. He was hurt during this season, but in 61 games he logged 161 hits. 

2011 cap hit: $1M

Andy Greene

Greene wishes he hit free agency last year when he scored 37 points. This year when the Devils tumbled, so did Greene. He still had a pretty solid point total, but he had a glaring minus-23 rating.

He'll definitely want to sign with a good team with productive players to keep his numbers up.

2011 cap hit: $738K

Mike Rupp

Crash! Bang! Boom! 

These are words associated with Mike Rupp. Oh yeah, he also scored the Stanley Cup deciding goal for the Devils in 2003 in Game 7.

2011 cap hit: $825K

Brian Boucher

With Bryzgalov locked up in Philly, will the journeyman goaltender serve as backup or fight for a starting job elsewhere?

2011 cap hit: $925K

Shane O'Brien

O'Brien's a fighter and a warrior. However, he's not racking up PIMs like he used to.

This is because he's actually valuable on the ice and the Predators needed him to stay out of the box. His fighting also makes him a fan favorite.

2011 cap hit: $1.6M

Antti Miettinen

The Finnish winger scored 16 goals last season and 20 the year before. He can definitely finish.

He's also only 30. Pair him up with a solid center, and we could see Antti's numbers jump.

2011 cap hit: $2.33M

JP Dumont

The former third overall pick had a down season. However, he scored 17 goals and 45 points just the year before.

A team should sign him as a low-risk, high-reward guy. His veteran presence will also be a welcome sight to any locker room.

2011 cap hit: $4M

Severin Blindenbacher

You may remember him from the Olympic games on Team Switzerland.

It's unbelievable how massively overpaid Blindenbacher was last season. He played a grand total of zero games for Dallas. He's never played a game in the NHL.

But he does have the coolest name from all free agents, so he makes the cut.

2011 cap hit: $1.1M