NHL Free Agents 2011: Top 5 Remaining Players on the Open Market

NHL free agency began on July 1. Teams immediately went on a spending spree, snatching up more than 60 players and spending over a quarter of a billion dollars. A month later, there are still a number of top free agents remaining.

Many of these players are considered old in the “new NHL,” but some still have much to offer. NHL teams have a limited number of roster spots and cap space left for the 2011-2012 season. Which of the following top five NHL free agents will be left standing when the music stops?

Teemu Selanne

Teemu Selanne turned 41 years old two days into free agency this summer. Last season he played 73 games for the Anaheim Ducks and finished second on the team in scoring with 31 goals and 80 points.  Teemu has yet to publicly make a decision if he will play this year after knee surgery, but if he does, it will be with the Ducks.

Cory Stillman

Cory Stillman was almost a point-a-game player last season after being traded at the deadline to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Sergei Samsonov

Drafted eighth overall by the Boston Bruins in 1997, Sergei Samsonov has 618 career NHL points.

Nikolay Zherdev

Nikolay Zherdev could be an interesting pick-up for any number of teams looking to add some scoring punch to their line-up. Last season, the enigmatic 26-year-old Russian scored 16 regular season goals for the Philadelphia Flyers with very limited ice-time.

Chris Campoli

The Chicago Blackhawks walked away from the arbitration table, leaving Chris Campoli an unrestricted free agent at only 27 years old.