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FREE AGENCY: Best of the Rest



Thom Cich
Twitter: @TC_WGR


We're getting into the second week of NHL Free Agency and so far the Sabres have used the open market to add some toughness (John Scott) and depth (Kevin Porter and Mark Mancari).  Some fans are salivating over the prospect of adding a big name like Rick Nash or Bobby Ryan via trade, but there are still some decent scoring options on the UFA market.  We'll leave the blueliners alone for now as Buffalo appears to have an abundance of them.  Have a look at a few of the remaining notable names and sound off with your thoughts in the comments.

Shane Doan, RW
Last Season: 22g, 28a, 50p in 79 games with Phoenix
The Coyotes' captain has spent his whole career with the franchise and appears to want to stay.  He reportedly won't sign anywhere until after July 9th because Phoenix's tenuous ownership situation might become a little more solid at that time.  Should he decide to depart, the 35-year-old could probably be counted on for some decent scoring and an infusion of veteran leadership.  Over the last three seasons he has 16 points in 23 playoff games.

Alexander Semin, LW/RW
Last Season: 21g, 33a, 54p in 77 games with Washington
One of the most offensively gifted players in Free Agency this year but there are plenty of question marks.  He's eclipsed the 30 goal mark three times in his career, hitting 40 once, but he also has a reputation for taking nights and even weeks off.  Like Alex Ovechkin he saw his production dip in more defensively responsible systems over the last two years in Washington.  Also not helping his case is the fact that he disappeared completely in last year's playoffs with just four points and a minus four rating in 14 games.

Tomas Homlstrom, LW
Last Season: 11g, 13a, 24p in 74 games with Detroit

His career high in points is 59 and his production has dipped quite a bit the last couple of years, but the 39-year-old winger could still be of use if he has some gas left in the tank.  One of the league's foremost authorities on fighting tooth and nail to establish position in front of the net, he could potentially be the Thomas Vanek of the second power play unit (10 of his 24 points came on the man advantage last season).  Again, that's if he still has any juice.  If nothing else he has Cup rings, which has to count for something.

Jason Arnott, C
Last Season: 17g, 17a, 34p in 72 games with St. Louis

At this phase of his career the 37-year-old probably can't be counted on for much offense, but he could provide some veteran leadership and size (6'5", 220lbs) on the bottom two lines.  He's also a former Cup winner, and that's never a bad thing.

Kyle Wellwood, C
Last Season: 18g, 29a, 47p in 77 games with Winnipeg

Not enough offensive production to put him in your top six forwards, but not the kind of player you want in your bottom six, either.  He's defensively responsible enough, but he's lacking in size (5'10", 181lbs) and there's no sandpaper to his game.  Despite setting a career high in points last year, he had just four penalty minutes and 10 hits.

Petr Sykora, RW
Last Season: 21g, 23a, 44p in 82 games with New Jersey

After playing 2010-11 in Europe, he had a solid regular season with the Devils last year.  Unfortunately he all but disappeared in the playoffs, scoring just five points in 18 games and getting scratched for six.

Teemu Selanne, RW
Last Season: 26g, 40a, 66p in 82 games with Anaheim

At 42 years old he's the most productive player left of all the UFAs.  Should the Finnish Flash return for another year it's expected that he'd come back to the Ducks, but there's no harm in wishful thinking.  Pegulacopter, anyone?


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