{coyotes} Plenty of solid free agents still available

The first day of NHL free agency saw several teams open their wallets, including huge signings of Nathan Horton (Columbus Blue Jackets) and David Clarkson (Toronto Maple Leafs).

But several key players remain on the open market and are looking for a home, either with the club they played for in 2012-13 or one that has a hole it's looking to fill.

Here's a look at 25 of the top unrestricted free agents still on the market:

FORWARDS
NAME	2012-13 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Jaromir Jagr	Dallas/Boston	45 GP 16-19-35	Future Hall of Famer showed he still has plenty in the tank, helping the Boston Bruins reach the Stanley Cup Final after being acquired from the Dallas Stars. A tireless worker who is respected by his teammates, Jagr is a solid top-six forward who can help a team's power play.
Alexei Ponikarovsky	Winnipeg/ New Jersey	42 GP 4-5-9	The big wing was re-acquired late in the season by the New Jersey Devils, who hoped his presence on the power play would help them qualify for the postseason. That didn't work out, but Ponikarovsky may help a club in search of a power-play specialist.
Mikhail Grabovski	Toronto	48 GP 9-7-16	Highly skilled offensive player didn't see eye-to-eye with Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle and was bought out with four years remaining on his five-year contract. Wherever he lands, it's imperative Grabovski is in a top-six role, where he'd be most effective. A three-time 20-goal scorer in Toronto.
Damien Brunner	Detroit	44 GP 12-14-26	Has 44 games of NHL experience after signing as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, but the 27-year-old Swiss wing is coveted by several teams and would fill a role as a top-six forward. Had nine points (five goals, four assists) in 14 playoff games, helping the Red Wings reach the second round.
Dustin Penner	Los Angeles	33 GP 2-12-14	His production has declined in recent years -- Penner had two goals in 33 games for the Los Angeles Kings in 2012-13 -- but a change of scenery might be beneficial. Big wing (6-foot-4, 242 pounds) has two Stanley Cup championships (Anaheim, Los Angeles).
Brenden Morrow	Dallas/Pittsburgh	44 GP 12-13-25	The former Dallas Stars captain showed he can still produce after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 15 regular-season games. Morrow's biggest quality is his leadership, which would be beneficial to any club.
Daniel Cleary	Detroit	48 GP 9-6-15	Didn't put up the offense we've seen in years past, but this 34-year-old wing is scrappy and would provide leadership. Cleary is hopeful he will re-sign with the Detroit Red Wings, but if negotiations fall apart, he would be a valuable penalty killer and leader.
Milan Hejduk	Colorado	29 GP 4-7-11	Hard to envision Hejduk anywhere else -- he's spent his entire NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche -- but the 37-year-old hit the open market. Hejduk has played more than 1,000 NHL games and is 25 goals shy of 400 in his career.
Peter Mueller	Florida	43 GP 8-9-17	The skilled center overcame previous health issues and appeared in all but two games for the Florida Panthers in 2012-13, when he had eight goals and nine assists. Mueller, 25, can thrive in the right environment.
Brad Boyes	N.Y. Islanders	48 GP 10-25-35	The New York Islanders signed Boyes to a one-year deal last summer to see if he could find his offensive game, and he did alongside John Tavares. Now looking for a new home, Boyes will be searching for a team in need of a top-six forward.
Kyle Wellwood	Winnipeg	39 GP 6-9-15	Wellwood spent the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Jets and was a solid offensive player, collecting 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 116 games. Much like Boyes, Wellwood needs to be in a top-six role in order to maximize production.
Scott Gomez	San Jose	39 GP 2-13-15	Gomez had his contract bought out by the Montreal Canadiens at the start of the 2012-13 season and quickly caught on with the San Jose Sharks, where he had 15 points in 39 games. Likely won't find a long-term deal, but could be a low-risk/high-reward signing this summer.
Nik Antropov	Winnipeg	40 GP 6-12-18	Antropov suffered a lower-body injury late in the season, which may have been one of the reasons why the Winnipeg Jets again missed the playoffs. Antropov could be a decent third-line center, considering he had 15 goals for Winnipeg in 2011-12.
Mason Raymond	Vancouver	46 GP 10-12-22	Solid two-way player who probably won't be on the market much longer. Raymond's best season with the Vancouver Canucks came in 2009-10, when he had 25 goals and 28 assists.
Simon Gagne	Los Angeles/ Philadelphia	38 GP 5-11-16	Gagne overcame a recent history of injury problems after being reunited with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 27 games. He may not receive anything longer than a one-year deal, but can still produce offensively.
Teemu Selanne	Anaheim	46 GP 12-12-24	Selanne turned 43 in early July and is comig off a season in which he started to look his age, But the Anaheim Ducks are still waiting to see if Selanne wants to return for another season. He's working out, and if he decides to play another season, Anaheim is the only place he'd go.
DEFENSEMEN
NAME	2011-12 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Douglas Murray	San Jose/Pittsburgh	33 GP 1-5-6	Hard-hitting veteran defenseman helped the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Eastern Conference Final after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks. Solid in his own end and will provide a veteran presence in any team's dressing room.
Joe Corvo	Carolina	40 GP 6-11-17	Another veteran (he turned 36 on June 20) who can help a team in need on the power play. Corvo isn't a top-pair blueliner these days, but can provide leadership and chip in offensively.
Ryan Whitney	Edmonton	34 GP 4-9-13	Whitney has had a tough time since suffering an ankle injury just after Christmas in 2010, and he was either a third-pairing defenseman or a scratch often in 2012-13. There's little doubt he will aim to prove Oilers brass wrong next season with whichever club is willing to give him a chance.
Wade Redden	St. Louis/Boston	29 GP 3-4-7	After being bought out by the New York Rangers, Redden showed he's still capable of being a bottom-pair defenseman when he caught on with the St. Louis Blues before being shipped to the Boston Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Ian White	Detroit	25 GP 2-2-4	White didn't dress for the Detroit Red Wings during the postseason, so he's out to prove he can be a quality top-six defender in the NHL. The 29-year-old has appeared in more than 500 NHL games.

GOALIES
NAME	2011-12 TEAM	STATS	SKINNY
Tim Thomas	Boston/ N.Y. Islanders	Did Not Play	The world-class goaltender opted not to play in 2012-13 and became an unrestricted free agent once the New York Islanders decided not to toll his contract. If/when Thomas signs, he'll have to show he can step right in and be a No. 1 goalie again.
Ilya Bryzgalov	Philadelphia	19-17-3, 2.79 GAA	It didn't work out for the Russian netminder in the City of Brotherly Love; his nine-year, $51 million contract was bought out with seven years remaining. Perhaps a change of scenery will help Bryzgalov get back to the form we saw in Phoenix.
Jose Theodore	Florida	4-6-3, 3.29 GAA	Ultimately, Theodore would like to stay with the Florida Panthers, but the team has Jacob Markstrom waiting in the wings. That means Theodore has to find work elsewhere, and he may have to settle for being someone's backup.
Johan Hedberg	New Jersey	6-10-3, 2.76 GAA	Hedberg found himself without a job last week after the New Jersey Devils acquired Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks. After being bought out, it's up to the 40-year-old to see if he can find work elsewhere in a backup role.

 

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