NHL's best remaining free agents: These big names are still available

NHL’s best remaining free agents: These big names are still available

It has been almost two weeks since the NHL free agent signing period began, and several top players have already found new teams for the upcoming season. Dmitry Orlov and Michael Bunting joined the Hurricanes, Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Schenn signed with the Predators, Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and Ryan Reaves joined the Maple Leafs, and Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas are now Ducks. Goalies Tristan Jarry (Penguins), Frederik Andersen, and Antti Raanta (Hurricanes) have been re-signed by their respective teams.

However, there are still some notable players from USA TODAY Sports’ Top 25 list who remain unsigned. Here are a few prominent unrestricted free agents still available:

Forward Vladimir Tarasenko: Reports indicate that Tarasenko has switched agents and is now represented by Creative Artists Agency. His new representatives are reaching out to teams. Tarasenko is a six-time 30-goal scorer, and although he had a bounce-back season in 2021-22 with 34 goals after two injury-plagued years, he scored 18 goals last season.

Forward Patrick Kane: The three-time Stanley Cup winner will miss the start of the season due to hip resurfacing surgery. He was limited to 57 points last season because of the hip injury. If Kane can return to his vintage form, he will undoubtedly be a valuable addition. There is no rush to finalize a deal for him.

Forward Patrice Bergeron: The decision for Bergeron is either to return to the Bruins or retire. General manager Don Sweeney stated that there is no indication yet from Bergeron, who recently welcomed his fourth child, Felix. Sweeney also mentioned that Bergeron did not have any issues with the back injury that bothered him at the end of the season and during the playoffs.

Forward Tomas Tatar: Tatar reached the 20-goal mark for the seventh time in his career last season. However, he only scored one goal and had a -7 plus/minus rating in 12 playoff games.

Forward Jonathan Toews: The longtime Blackhawks captain has been dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and long COVID, which caused him to miss significant time last season. He finished with 31 points in 53 games. Toews’ return for another season will largely depend on his health.

Forward David Krejci: After spending a season in his native Czech Republic, Krejci returned to Boston and recorded 56 points in 70 games. Like Bergeron, his options appear to be either returning to the Bruins or leaving the NHL.

Forward Phil Kessel: While Kessel’s point production has decreased, he remains a reliable player who rarely misses games. He recently won his third Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights.

NHL’s best remaining free agents: These big names are still available

Other available forwards include Josh Bailey, Pius Suter, Nick Ritchie, Eric Staal, Paul Stastny, and Zach Parise.

Defenseman Matt Dumba: Though his offensive numbers have declined, Dumba, 28, is still highly sought after due to his powerful right-hand shot and overall skill set.

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Mai Linh Pham

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