Top 10 UFA’s (2015)

Tom Collins

2015-04-27

Martin St. Louis NYR

 

Top 10 potential UFAs (from a fantasy hockey standpoint)

Right now, there are 20 NHL teams wondering what went wrong this season, and wondering how they can go about fixing it for next year (except for  Sabres, who may be in year two of a seven-year tank job).

While there's much attention being paid to the draft right now, there's also plenty of interesting decisions to make on unrestricted free agents. Who signs where, for how much and how long?

 

5. Antione Vermette

His fantasy value may be kaput now, and after his performance in Chicago after being traded from Arizona, his real-life value may also be out the window. Which, strangely enough, could actually bring a more manageable cap hit in cap leagues and maybe increase his value there. But for Vermette to succeed in the NHL and in fantasy hockey, he needs to be a number one centre on a team where there are no other options. And I don't think there are any teams like that for him, unless he re-signs in Arizona.

 

4. Mike Ribeiro

Last summer, it appeared as if Ribeiro's career may be in jeopardy. He had a disastrous fallout with Arizona, and was let go just one year into a four-year deal. So he signed in a one-year deal for a low cap hit, and proceeded to have a solid bounce-back year, where his points went from 47 to 62 and his plus-minus went from minus-13 to plus-11. Now, he's a free agent again, and someone will sign him to a four-year deal thinking he can be a top-line centre and a good power play option. It will be interesting to see what Ribeiro shows up with a new contract.

 

3. Devan Dubnyk

My money is on him re-signing with the Wild. There's no reason why the Wild or Dubnyk would walk away from a deal, and as mentioned above, there's a glut of goalies out there and not very many jobs. Dubnyk has given the Wild stability in goal, and was the main reason Minnesota made the playoffs. But until he does sign, he's still one of the most attractive unrestricted free agents out there.

 

2. Mike Green

Injuries have affected his career and scoring ability, and he lost the top power play spot to John Carlson, but there's no reason to believe he can't still be a top power play option on another team. There are lots of good teams with horrible power plays (this past season, Colorado, Anaheim and Minnesota were in the bottom four power play teams). Imagine one of those teams bringing Green in on a two- or three-year deal as a power play specialist? With the latter two teams, Green would also have a good shot at that cup that's been eluding him, and could help revive his scoring prowess.

 

1. Marty St. Louis

Like many players, his offence took a major hit once he got to New York. He pretty much went from an Art Ross trophy winner to Bryan Little. He's probably the most sought after free agent this summer though, and most teams would be lining up to sign him. He's got a Cup ring, so a Stanley Cup contender may not be a requirement. But we said the same thing about brad Richards last year, who then signed a one-year deal with a low cap hit to play in Chicago. He could still be a top point-getter, just not in New York.

 

 

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