A look at the last valuable NHL free agents
With only a couple weeks to go until National Hockey League players begin to report for camps there are still several players who do not have teams to report to come September.
Over the past week players have slowly begun to disappear from the free agent market as clubs realize they still need players to fill out their line-ups. The 2010 off-season has been unique in that serviceable veterans have remained on the market long after the beginning of the month of August. Here are several talented players who are still without employers for 2010-11.
Lee Stempniak
Stempniak’s struggles in Toronto with the Maple Leafs were well documented, but after the right-winger joined the Phoenix Coyotes at the trade deadline he turned it up, cranking out point-per-game numbers with 18 points in his last 18 games- including a staggering 14 goals in that stretch.
Stempniak is reported to have garnered some interest from his most recent employers in Arizona as well as the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres.
After scoring a career-high 28 goals last season it is surprising to see a player of Stempniak’s calibre on the market so close to the start of camp.
Paul Kariya
Two weeks ago when the Anaheim Ducks signed Teemu Selanne it seemed all but guaranteed that Kariya would join his old teammate in California. Nevertheless, is has been reported that Kariya is still being courted by the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are in desperate need of a winger to play with Sidney Crosby. In addition, to the Pens the Maple Leafs are said to be interested in adding the veteran to a group that could use his experience on the left wing.
Kariya regressed slightly last season but still might be able to generate 60+ points, as he did in his last three full-length seasons before that.
Ryan Johnson
Johnson is a heart-and-soul forward, who is extremely reliable on the defensive side of the puck and can provide a team with a first-class penalty-killer.
The Vancouver Canucks lost Johnson at the end of 2009-10 due to injury and their penalty-kill felt the brunt of it, particularly in the play-offs.
It has been reported that the Maple Leafs are interested in Johnson. Certainly the hard-nosed winger would help to fix what was a horrible Toronto penalty-kill in 2009-10.
Johnson will not give you much on the offensive end, nevertheless his defensive game is more than enough to maintain a fourth line spot.
Tim Kennedy
Kennedy spent his first full season in the NHL last year and produced well for a rookie skater, scoring 10 goals and 26 points in 78 games. Playing for the Buffalo Sabres, Kennedy was also in the line-up for all six of the team’s play-off games.
The Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers are thought to be interested in Kennedy’s services. The youngster offers some scoring punch as well as an aggressive forecheck. Kennedy is not expected to make much over $1 million next season and therefore his price tag would work well for the cash-strapped Preds and Panthers. Moreover, at only 24 years old Kennedy is a solid investment for any club, as he is thought have not yet reached his potential.
Antti Niemi
It is a wonder that last year’s Stanley Cup winning goaltender is still on the market. However, many believe that the Chicago Blackhawks were successful in spite of Niemi instead of because of him.
Nevertheless, Niemi must still at least be considered a competent goaltender. The native of Finland won 26 games last season and had a goals-against-average of 2.25.
Unfortunately for the 26-year-old there has yet to be a great deal of talk about where he could end up next year. The only real possibility remains to be the San Jose Sharks.
Niemi has only had one year of NHL experience but a Stanley Cup ring should help him earn a job before the beginning of September.
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