Now that we're into the dog days of summer, things can get pretty quiet and there isn't a whole lot of fantasy news to focus on, especially with most of the top free agents already signed. So, I figured it was a good time to go down the rabbit hole and take a look at some NHL players who remain unsigned but could still provide some value if they land in the right situation. Keep in mind, most of these players are more likely to be waiver-wire additions than must-draft players. But depending on where they end up, there are still a few names here who could provide some value, even if it comes in waves.

On the surface, you're looking at a 28-year-old who scored 20 goals as recently as 2024-25, but 15 of those came on the power play. That tells you pretty much everything you need to know about where his value currently sits. If you're a rebuilding team, you probably want your developing players getting those power-play opportunities. If you're an established team, you're likely looking for someone who can give you more at even strength in a depth role rather than relying heavily on the man advantage. Laine has always been more of a power-play player, however, the last time he was a decent powerplay player was two years ago when he scored 15 on the man-advantage over 52 games due to injury. Which leads me to the bigger concern over everything else, his injury history and staying healthy. Laine has not played over 60 games in a season since his time with the Winnipeg Jets in his 2019 season. Not to mention his defensive game which has never been a strength, and when the goals aren't coming, there isn't a whole lot else he brings to the table. Putting all that aside, Laine is still a seven-time 20-goal scorer with 224 career goals, so there's clearly something there. He will likely sign a cheap short-term deal in a power-play specialist role somewhere.

Tarasenko finds himself in a unique spot at this stage of his career. Last season he posted 47 points (23 goals, 24 assists) in 75 games with the Wild last season, adding five points in 11 playoff games. He has two Stanley Cups under this belt and seven 20-goal seasons as a 34-yeard-old. If he's feeling it, he can still give you 20 goals, but everything around those goals needs to be set up just right. He needs skilled linemates who can create the opportunities and cover for some of his defensive shortcomings. His primary even-strength linemates were Danila Yurov and Yakov Trenin while seeing prime deployment on the powerplay with Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. Let someone else do the work and Vlad can capitalize with that shooting ability, what he is known for. Much like Liane, it is hard to value players because the right situation can make all the difference. The problem for Tarasenko is that most NHL lineups have already taking shape, leaving him sitting on an island waiting for an opportunity. Oddly enough, for a player who can still score 20-plus goals and at his age, he may have to settle for a PTO and because of his pedigree and veteran experience he could still make some teams regret overlooking him.

Eeli Tolvanen

This is an interesting case on Tolvanen not yet being signed with any NHL team. At 27, he's coming off a 36-point season (12 goals, 24 assists) in 78 games and has 190 points in 423 career games. He's not going to drive a top-six line, but that doesn't mean he cannot be useful. The NHL continues to trend toward physical bottom-six players, and Tolvanen fits that role pretty well. He plays a tough game, defensively responsible and can contribute offensively rather than simply being there to throw hits. Over an full season pace, he's around 75 blocks and 200+ hits, while still giving you enough scoring to keep him relevant. The obvious concern is that he's a 5-foot-10 winger who isn't an above-average skater and doesn't necessarily drive play offensively. That makes him more of a complementary player, and teams may question how much impact he can have in a bottom-six role. The Kraken moved on from Tolvanen while adding Mackie Samoskevich and Bobby McMann, leaving him looking for a new home. He may have to wait for an injury to create an opening, but if the right opportunity comes, Tolvanen could quietly provide more value than your typical bottom-six winger.

Evander Kane

There are a lot of reasons why most teams won't sign Kane, and some of those are that he is 35-years-old coming off a brutal season with a Vancouver Canucks team that finished dead last, scoring just 13 goals, his lowest total in more than a decade. The next question is whether there's still something left in the tank. Prior to the Canucks, Kane spent four seasons in Edmonton and, at one point, was a very good fit alongside the Oilers' top players. A top-nine winger who can play up and down the lineup regardless of the linemates, isn't that bad of an idea and the Oilers don't have to wonder how Kane would fit. They've already seen it work. Kane missed the entire 2024-25 regular season dealing with a variety of issues before returning for Edmonton's Stanley Cup Final run, so there may be reason to believe last season was simply tougher to get back into stride after missing a year of hockey. At this stage, a league-minimum deal is probably the best he can hope for, and even that may require a PTO first. However, if Kane can prove he's healthy and still capable of bringing his physical game while chipping in some secondary scoring, there should be a team willing to take the gamble.

Thanks for reading! See you next week! For more fantasy hockey content and analysis, follow me on X @Punters_hockey. If you have any questions about your team or a trade? My DMs are always open, happy to help!