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Lancaster, NY • United States • 36 Years Old • Male
Who knows who will be signed before July 1 2008 or how much money will be available… but below is my ranking of the “prime” players who are set to be free agents next year. By “prime” I mean players who will attract some big money… I left out most of the players over 30 as well. I also put together a list of next year’s restricted free agent crop…. Or as I like to call them, Tomas Vanek’s new best friends.

Let me know what you think about my rankings. Will the big money still be available for these guys next year? If the cap goes down, these guys could be OUT OF LUCK big time!

Centers
Patrick Marleau 27 (32g / 46a)
David Legwand 26 (27g/36a)
Mike Fisher 27 (22g/26a)
Daymond Langkow 30 (33g/34a)
Mike Comrie 26 (20g/25a)
Martin Straka 33 (29g / 41a)
Brian Rolston 34 (31g/34a)
Brendan Morrison 31 (20g/31a)

Wingers
Dany Heatley, R 26 (50g / 55a)
Marian Hossa, 28 (43g / 57a)
Kristian Huselius, L 28 (34g/43a)
Chris Kunitz, L 27 (25g / 35a)
Markus Naslund, L 33 (24g/36a)
Chris Clark, R 31 (30g / 24a)
Pavol Demitra, R 32 (25g/31a)
Dumont, J.P. R 29 (21g/45a)

Defensemen
Lubomir Visnovsky, D 30 (18g / 40a)
Michal Rozsival, D 28 (10g / 30a)
Dan Boyle, D 30 (20g / 43a)
John-Michael Liles, D 26 (14g/30a)
Kevin Bieksa, D 26 (12g/20a) (re-signed 7/9 - 3 years $11.25mil)
Brian Campbell, D 28 (6g / 42a)
Wade Redden, D 30 (7g / 29a)

Goalies
Kiprusoff, Miikka G 30
Bryzgalov, Ilya G 27
Huet, Cristobal G 31

Tomas Vanek’s new best friends. (AKA - Restricted Free Agents)
Centers
Sidney Crosby, C 19 (36g / 84a)
Jason Spezza, C 24 (34g/53a)
Ryan Getzlaf, C 22 (25g / 35a)
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, C 23 (20g /37a)

Wingers
Alexander Ovechkin, L 21 (46g / 46a)
Alexander Semin, L 23 (38g / 35a)
Milan Michalek, R 22 (26g/40a)
Wojtek Wolski, L 21 (22g / 28a)
Martin Erat, L 25 (16g/41a)

Defensemen
Dion Phaneuf D 22 (17g/33a)
Shea Weber, D 21 (17g/23a)
Jay Bouwmeester, D 23 (12g /30a)
Matt Carle, D 22 (11g / 31a)

Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury, G 22
Filed Under:   Cleon   free agents   crosby   marleau   cap  
July 9, 2007 12:08 PM ET | Delete
looks like i need to change my backgroud image... what a freakin travesty!
July 9, 2007 12:19 PM ET | Delete
mm....forgot Corey Perry
July 9, 2007 12:26 PM ET | Delete
Bieksa just signed an extension with Van
July 9, 2007 12:43 PM ET | Delete
Background updated... perry didn't make my cut... bieksa noted!
July 9, 2007 12:44 PM ET | Delete
Maybe teams shelled out too much money this year for a reason. I would bet that 95% of these guys never see the light of free agency. Especially after what Edmonton did. I know in Ottawa there would be a lynching if either Spezza or Heatley didn't get re-signed. Now Wade Redden...
July 9, 2007 12:46 PM ET | Delete
I'd most want Mike Fisher from Ottawa... he's freakin impressive.
July 9, 2007 1:41 PM ET | Delete
Yeah, Fisher is a top priority for sure. We're hoping the dumb Hartnell signing doesn't affect his negotiations, but I have a feeling that guy is a Sen for life.
July 9, 2007 1:55 PM ET | Delete
The four RFA D-Men are all great young blueliners...I would take any of them as the anchor of my d corps for several years!
July 9, 2007 1:58 PM ET | Delete
You forgot Henrick Zetterberg. He is one the the top 10 UFA's next year. Please Ken Holland sign him to an extention soon.
July 9, 2007 2:34 PM ET | Delete
Looks like Zetterberg has a contranct through 08/09 according to http://www.nhlnumbers.com/det.html
July 9, 2007 3:35 PM ET | Delete
why would anyone is there right mind sign a deal now or during the season, too much money is being haded out to weaker players than on that list, i'd sit and wait for the phone calls if i was an rfa or ufa next season
July 9, 2007 4:07 PM ET | Delete
I blogged on a similar topic this weekend:http://my.hockeybuzz.com/user.php?user_id=27150You forgot Lidstrom - he's going to get $8M/per yr. with him needing a new contract, Zetterberg wanting at least Datsuk money (mid-6'ish) and Chelios/Hasek set to retire, I think it will be interesting for Holland over the next few months.
July 9, 2007 4:37 PM ET | Delete
Lidstrom will be 38 next year... he aint gonna get $8mil at that age
July 9, 2007 5:30 PM ET | Delete
dont consider richards, carter, umberger good free agents next season? all these opposing fans keep claiming its gonna be hard to sign them cause they will get more money elsewhere... and now they arent even on this list? not making sense..
July 10, 2007 12:33 AM ET | Delete
Not much concern about the cap going down...30 new sweaters going on sale....revenues will be up, and the cap along with it. It's a pretty good list, though. I'd probably have Perry over Erat, myself, but otherwise I agree with you.
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