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Who is left on the market?
Who's left on the market
by: Joy Russo
The first few days of free agency were a mad rush. Although there was an anticipation to see where players would land, there was also a little depression.
These aren't our fathers' and mothers' hockey players anymore. Players are constantly on the move now, forcing most fans to reacquaint themselves with their teams' rosters come training camp. (May the hockey gods bless Steve Yzerman.)
This offseason is no different.
While we wait to hear on the futures of Peter Forsberg and Teemu Selanne (both veterans are weighing retirement) and Jeremy Roenick (a vet who should retire), there are a handful of other free agents left on the market. It's an interesting list, considering some of these players were touted as saviors on ice at one point. Now, it's a waiting game for them, Brady Quinn style.
• Eric Lindros (age 34): Once touted as "The Next One," Lindros has had a controversial and concussion-plagued career that is now at a standstill. Who will take a chance on Big E? The Stars tried last offseason. The experiment started off well as the veteran posted 12 points in his first 14 games in Dallas, but lower-body injuries limited him to 49 games. In the two seasons before 2006-07, Lindros didn't reach 40 games in either campaign. Whichever team takes the plunge, it's going to be a gamble.
• Alexei Yashin (33): After the Islanders decided to buy out the remaining four years of the center's 10-year deal, Yashin hit the market. His best season in New York was his first with the club in 2001-02, when he scored 32 goals and had 43 assists in 78 games. Yashin has been nicknamed "Alexei Cashin" by some media types, and the veteran's reps have stated that he won't go for a bargain deal. That might be why he's still on the market.
• Michael Peca (33): And to think just over a year ago Peca was one win from the Stanley Cup. But the center left Edmonton for Toronto for 2006-07 and spent most of the season on the bench after suffering a broken leg in late December. But is Peca on the permanent decline? After seven straight 40-plus point seasons, he had just nine goals and 14 assists in 71 games for the Oilers in 2005-06 (he added 11 points in 24 playoff games).
• Anson Carter (33): Remember when Mr. Carter had that great season in 2005-06 playing on that great line with twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin? Well, the winger left Vancouver last offseason, signing on with … Columbus. That must have been fun. He posted 10 goals and 17 assists in 54 games with the Blue Jackets before being traded to Carolina (for a fifth-round pick in the 2008 draft, no less) just before the trade deadline.
• Chris Simon (35): Despite his good history with Islanders coach Ted Nolan, Simon is still on the market as GM Garth Snow hasn't yet brought the forward back. There's a lot of controversy surrounding Simon, from his alleged racial comments toward Mike Grier to his two-handed whack on the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg this past season.
• Curtis Joseph (40): The goalie wanted another go in Phoenix, but Wayne Gretzky & Co. are going another route. Joseph went 18-31-2 and had a 3.19 goals-against average in 55 games in 2006-07. He still could be a nice backup for needy teams.
• Ed Belfour (42): Belfour posted a strong 27-17-10 record in his one season with the Panthers, but Florida signed Tomas Vokoun in the offseason, all but ending the Eagle's tenure in South Florida. He showed he can still play, but he also showed his propensity for being in the wrong place at the wrong time (he was arrested after an altercation at a bar after the Panthers' season ended).
• Other free agents of note: Dmitry Afanasenkov, Tony Amonte, Denis Arkhipov, Arron Asham, Bryan Berard, Peter Bondra, Patrice Brisebois, Jan Bulis, Nils Ekman, Jeff Friesen, Martin Gelinas, Travis Green, Adam Hall, Mike Johnson, Petr Nedved, Ville Nieminen, Janne Niinimaa, Jeff O'Neill, Ronald Petrovicky, Nolan Pratt, Brent Sopel, Patrik Stefan, Andy Sutton, David Tanabe and Josef Vasicek.
source: espn.com
I think out of this list Yashin and Belfour are the most valuable. Ed can still be a very good quality backup goalie. Yashin has talents and can help a team with offensive punch. But teams won't risk a big contract with him. He has to accept a 2-3M/year contract, but asks for bonuses. Otherwise I think he's heading back to Russia.
GSA
"And remember, hit the boards hard!"
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