2008 Upcoming Free Agents

These are the player’s who have still not re-signed with there club and will become free agents come July 1st 2008. These are the players on the starting roster for NHL teams.

Anaheim: Ilya Bryzgalov, My opinion is that Ilya will test out the free agency market for a starting job.

Atlanta: Marian Hossa, Steve Rucchin, Bobby Holik, Steve McCarthy, Johan Hedberg. Atlanta will re-sign Hossa and let go of Bobby Holik.

Boston: Shean Donovon, Shawn Thornton, Aaron Ward. Dont have anything to say.

Buffalo: Jochen Hecht, Brian Campbell, Jocelyn Thibault. Losing Drury and Briere to free agency this summer, Buffalo will do all they can in re-signing these 3 guys.

Calgary: Daymond Langkow, Kristian Hueselius, Craig Conroy, Owen Nolan, Stephan Yelle, Miika Kiprusoff. My picks are that Langkown, Hueselius, Yelle, and Kippy will sign.

Carolina: Cory Stillman, Andrew Hutchinson, John Grahame. Canes will re-sign Stillman and I find Grahame is a solid backup so he will also be signed.

Chicago: Radim Vrbata, Jason Williams, Yanic Perrault, Sergei Samsonov, Patrick Lalime. Hawks will release William, Perrault and Lalime, They will sign Samsonov and Vrbata.

Colorado: Joe Sakic, Andrew Brunette, Ian Lapierre, John Michael Liles, Brett Clark, Jose Theodore. Sakic is a Ave for life he will re-sign if not retire, Brunette will also re-sign, Liles is a must re-sign for the Avs. As for Clark Theo and Lapierre they would have to take major pay cuts to stay with the club.

Columbus: David Vyborny, Sergei Federov, Jason Chimera, Ron Haisey. Basically almost the whole skill level of the Jackets is a UFA. If the Jackets dont sign Vyborny, Federov or Chimera they can kiss there season goodbye.

Dallas: Niklas Hagman. I find his a good D-man, he should be re-signed.

Detroit: Dan Cleary, Kris Draper, Dallas Drake, Nicklas Lidstrom, Dominik Hasek, Chris Osgood. Detroit has to focus mostly on Lidstrom after they sign him they can move onto Hasek Cleary Draper Osgood Drake.

Edmonton: Geoff Sanderson. Nothing to say.

Florida: Radek Dvorak. Not much to say.

Los Angeles: Ladislav Nagy, Scott Thornton, Lubomir Visnovsky, Brad Stuart, Rob Blake. Kings must sign Lubby Visnovsky, Nagy and Stuart to keep this franchise alive. Blake should be one of there least worries.

Minnesota: Pavol Demitra, Brian Rolston, Wes Wals, Branko Radiovojekiv. The Wild averaged 2.87 GA last season that was #1 in the league on the other hand there GF last year was 2.33 that was 18th. If you look at the UFA’s there all offensive players signing all of them is key here.

Montreal: Bryan Smolinski, Mark Streit, Christobal Huet. Smolinski most likely wont be wearing a Habs jersey next season. Streit is a key player to sign for the PP. Even if Carey Price has a breakout year this season Montreal should sign Huet to a 1 year contract just incase anything happens.

Nasville: David Legwand, J.P Dumont, Chris Mason. Losing Forsberg and Kariya last year didnt help the 2nd best team last year. Signing these 3 men is a must situation.

New Jersey: Jay Pandolfo, Karel Rachunek. Rachunek is important!

New York Islanders: Miroslav Satan, Mike Comrie, Ruslan Fedetenko, Richard Park, Radek Martinek, Wade Dubielewicz. Satan and Comrie are key signings for this struggling club.

New York Rangers: Brendan Shanahan, Martin Straka, Paul Mara, Michael Rozsival, Stephan Valiquette. Questions have been rising about if Brendan Shanahan would return. I think that it is in best interest that Rangers focus more on Mara and Rozsival to return.

Ottawa: Wade Redden. Wade Redden will not return, he is the biggest name to hit free agency.

Philly: Jason Smith. Philly just got him, and naming him captain should re-sign.

Phoenix: Mike York, M.Tjarnquist. Not much to say,

Pens: Gary Roberts, Mark Recchi, Ryan Malone. Roberts and Recchi will return for there experience and leadership to the team. I think that Malone will hit free agency.

Blues: Doug Weight, Petr Cajanek, Martin Rucinsky, Barret Jackman. Weight and Jackman will return. Cajanek and Rucinsky might or might not.

Sharks: Pat Rissmiler, Curtis Brown. Both will sign with the club.

Tampa Bay: Vaclav Prospal, Jan Havlac, Chris Gratton, Andreas Karlsson, Dan Boyle, Johan Homlquist. Tampa has to sign Dan Boyle Prospal and there #1 goalie Johan Homlquist. Most important here is Boyle.

Toronto: Mats Sundin. Must sign franchise player.

Vancouver: Markus Naslund, Brendan Morrison, Curtis Sanford, Matt Cooke. Naslund and Morrison are a must for this club. Dont be surprised if they get pay cuts.

Washington: Chris Clark, Olaf Kolzig. Is it time for Kolzig to hang the skates and call it a career, if not he will most likely join the club again for another season.

These are my personal opinions, if you have something bad to say keep it to yourself.