Woodhouse
Registered User
This thread's for discussing free agency; i.e., rumors, speculation, visits, signings and such. Also, per Kevin Allen, this summer's top 25 NHL unrestricted free agents are:
1. Defenseman Matt Niskanen (Pittsburgh Penguins): The defenseman pool is shallow, and Niskanen, 27, is coming off a breakthrough season. He's a puck mover and has improved his defensive play. With the Philadelphia Flyers' Andrew MacDonald signing for $5 million a season, Niskanen's expectations might start at $5.5 million and move upward. The Penguins want to re-sign him, and he likes it in Pittsburgh. He'll have to decide whether he wants to swing with all of his might or take slightly less to stay with the Penguins.
2. Jarome Iginla (Boston Bruins): He is aging (37 on July 1), but he's tough, physical and still skilled enough to score 30 goals if surrounded with high-quality players.
3. Center Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche): With several teams looking for centers and/or skilled offensive players, he will be sought after. In addition to being a high-quality playmaker, he's exceptional on faceoffs and strong defensively. The Avalanche should make every effort to re-sign him.
4. Left wing Jussi Jokinen (Pittsburgh): The Penguins will miss him if they don't re-sign him. He was an effective player after they landed him from the Carolina Hurricanes last spring. He's better than you think.
5. Left wing Matt Moulson (Minnesota Wild): You know what you will get from Moulson: He's a 24- to 30-goal scorer, and he should be good for 50 points.