The first two days of NHL free agency have come and gone, but there still are many players unsigned who could make a positive impact next season.
Most of the forwards available would likely play bottom-six roles, but those are very important because you need to be able to roll four lines, or pretty close to it, to win a Stanley Cup.
The group of defensemen still unsigned is a little different. Cody Franson, Christian Ehrhoff and Johnny Oduya are all capable of playing in the top four, and depending on which team they sign with, possibly a top pairing role as well.
The goaltender market is pretty weak at this point, especially after many of the best backups signed on July 1 when free agency began. There’s still some decent veterans out there, though.
Here are the best free agents available at each position.
Center
1. Shawn Matthias
2. Jiri Tlusty
3. Eric Fehr
4. Mike Santorelli
5. Tyler Kennedy
Left Wing
1. Alex Semin
2. Sean Bergenheim
3. Curtis Glencross
4. David Booth
5. Scottie Upshall
Right Wing
1. Chris Stewart
2. Joel Ward (UPDATE: Reportedly signed three-year deal with San Jose Sharks)
3. Lee Stempniak
4. Brad Boyes
5. David Moss
Defensemen
1. Christian Ehrhoff
2. Cody Franson
3. Johnny Oduya
4. David Schlemko
5. Marek Zidlicky
Goaltender
1. Viktor Fasth
2. Ray Emery
3. Jonas Gustavsson
4. Josh Harding
5. Dan Ellis
Thumbnail photo via Jake Roth/USA TODAY Sports Images
