Here are the top 25 remaining UFAs, according to NHL.com, and where this writer thinks they'll land:
Forwards:
Jaromir Jagr - Vancouver
He's going to want to play for a contender, but not many can say that they have the chops to contend and the cap space to sign a guy like Jagr, who made $4.5 million last season. The only team I can think of that fits both categories is the Canucks.
*UPDATE 7/16* Jagr posted a cryptic video on his Facebook page. It seems to imply that he won't be playing in the NHL next season, but it's been confirmed that he will be explaining this turn of events tomorrow.
Alexei Ponikarovsky - Columbus
Ponikarovsky shouldn't be an expensive pickup for a prospective buyer, and given the Blue Jackets' relative lack of size up front and need for another checking winger, this could be a good fit. He could also help on the power play, cleaning up rebounds.
Mikhail Grabovski - Buffalo
I would have said Arizona, had they not signed Mike Ribeiro earlier. Grabovski would be able to step right in and be the #1 pivot for the Sabres, which is the type of role that he needs to be in to succeed. Buffalo has ample cap space to get him even though he won't come cheap, and the thought of centering a line with Thomas Vanek has to be appealing to him. Granted, the Sabres have pretty much nothing else around Vanek and Ryan Miller, but I have to believe that Grabovski would take the chance to torch his former team five or six times a season if he could.
Damien Brunner - New Jersey
Since Ilya Kovalchuk quit on them, the Devils have some money to play with now. This means that they're certainly in play for a least a couple of names on this list, but Brunner is one they should target. He was on a roughly 50-point pace last season, and he also tallied 9 points in 14 playoff games for Detroit. He won't score like Kovalchuk did, but he can provide some scoring punch, something that the Devils are sorely lacking.
Dustin Penner - St. Louis
I don't really have any logical backing for picking the Blues as the destination for Penner, but after trading David Perron to Edmonton for Magnus Paajarvi and a second round pick in next year's draft (I'm still scratching my head over that move, Perron's yet to hit his peak), maybe they look to add even more size, with the added benefit of veteran leadership, by signing Penner.
Brenden Morrow - Anaheim
Can't fault the guy for chasing a cup, but he certainly isn't going back to Pittsburgh, that's for sure. The Ducks, who have a bunch of free agents but only two (Selanne and Lydman) worth trying to re-sign, could be a landing spot for Morrow. They could use another veteran up front, and Morrow proved to be a solid checking forward after coming over to Pittsburgh.
Daniel Cleary - Detroit
The Wings have made it clear that they want to bring Cleary back, so I don't have much else to say here.
Milan Hejduk - Minnesota
As crazy as it sounds, I think this is where Hejduk ends up. He wants to play for a team that will slot him in the top six, and I'm assuming he also wants that team to be pretty good. Minnesota's the best balance of that out there, with just enough cap room to sign him, if desired. He could conceivably play alongside Jason Pominville and Kyle Brodziak, which wouldn't be a bad #2 line for the Wild.
Peter Mueller - Florida
He's still eligible for arbitration, so I think that one way or another, Mueller remains in Sunrise. Whether he can return to the form he displayed in his rookie season, scoring 22 goals for the Coyotes, remains to be seen.
Brad Boyes - Washington
I have to be honest, I'm surprised that Boyes is still on the market. Even more surprised that the Islanders aren't bringing him back, after he put up 35 points in 48 games for them. He was a bit of an adventure at times on both ends, but he proved he could still produce at the NHL level. I think he winds up in Washington. The Caps need scoring, no matter the source or position, and Boyes can provide that if he's paired up with the right linemates.
Kyle Wellwood - Calgary
Wellwood is a guy who needs to be in the top six in order to reach his potential. Looking at the Flames depth chart, he could probably step right into a top six spot for the Flames. I think he's underrated, but then again he's 30 years old and his career high is 47 points. Maybe he goes to Calgary and helps bring some of their young talent along.
Scott Gomez - New Jersey
Why not? Gomez won't be back in San Jose and I'm not sure there's much of a market for him around the league. He might have to go back to the place where he made a name for himself.
Nik Antropov - Winnipeg
The Jets have a little under $20 million in cap space to work with (highest in the league), though they do have a total of 12 free agents to decide on. One would think they'll hang on to Wheeler, Little, and Bogosian at the very least, and I believe they'll keep Burmistrov and Postma as well. Whether that means they'll have enough left to keep Antropov remains to be seen, but I think that when all is said and done, he'll stay in Manitoba.
Mason Raymond - Edmonton
I could see the Oilers making a big play for Raymond, as they seem to be trying to get even faster than they already were. Playing on the league's fastest ice will benefit someone like Raymond, who once scored 53 points (25 goals) for Vancouver. It might also help him to not be buried on a depth chart.
Simon Gagne - Toronto
Wherever he lands, it'll likely be a one-year deal due to his injury history. However, he can still produce offensively and the Leafs could use the help... especially after buying out Grabovski.
Teemu Selanne - Anaheim
He either goes back to the Ducks or retires. Simple as that.
Defensemen:
Douglas Murray - Colorado
The Avalanche need a guy like Murray. He's big, strong, throws huge hits, and is a smart player in his own end. Given that they allowed 150 goals last season (3.12 per game), which was 4th-worst in the NHL, they could use the help in front of Semyon Varlamov. He's a good fit for them, the real question is whether they're a good fit for him.
Ron Hainsey - Nashville
Hainsey's been steady for the Jets, but I don't think he'll be back in Winnipeg next season. Enter Nashville, who has already spent a boatload of money on second-tier and lower forwards this offseason, but hasn't addressed their defensive depth yet. They could use a guy like Hainsey to replace Jonathon Blum.
Ryan Whitney - Calgary
Whitney's probably going to wind up with a two-way contract for a bad team, and the Flames could use the depth. He hasn't been the same since suffering an ankle injury three years ago, but he could still find himself playing on a bottom pairing.
Wade Redden - Chicago
To be perfectly honest, your guess is as good as mine. Somehow I see Redden taking a minimum contract to play for the Blackhawks. There isn't and shouldn't be a market for him at this time.
Ian White - NY Islanders
A scratch in the playoffs for Detroit, he's out to prove that he can still play in the NHL. Since they're used to doing things of this nature, it wouldn't shock me to see the Isles take a flier on White. At worst, he's a second-pair defenseman on that roster, and we all know that they can use all the help they can get on defense.
Goaltenders:
Tim Thomas - Ottawa
It actually makes perfect sense for the Senators to bring Tim Thomas in. Their current backup, Robin Lehner, is on a two-way deal for one more season. After getting Bobby Ryan in a trade with the Ducks, the Senators have made it apparent that they're trying to win now. I think they should bring Thomas in, see if he can still play, and if not they can just keep Lehner as their backup.
Ilya Bryzgalov - KHL
At this point, I would bet money on Bryzgalov being done in the NHL. It became obvious during his time in Philadelphia that the only reason he was productive in Glendale was Dave Tippett's system. Could he succeed on some teams in the NHL? I suppose. However, those teams are already set in goal. I'm talking about teams like Columbus, Los Angeles, Montreal, and any other team that plays solid defense. He's going back to Russia.
Jose Theodore - Vancouver
He certainly won't make Canuck fans forget about Corey Schneider, but Theodore won't be back in Florida and will be the backup somewhere. The Canucks haven't really replaced Schneider yet, so they're as good a place as any for Theodore to end up.
Johan Hedberg - Retirement/Elitserien
I'm sorry, but The Moose is done in the NHL. He didn't play well in the backup/spot starter role a season ago, and at 40 years old, he probably won't have a market for his services. He could go back to Sweden and play there, but I'm thinking he retires.
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