The Best of the Rest All-Star Team

In these times of economic despair, people are losing their jobs and finding it difficult to find suitable employment. This goes for NHL hockey players as well. Sure most of them probably have enough money to live a comfortable life until they die, but who wants to sit around on their rump watching Maury, the Price is Right, and One Life to Live, for days, months, and years on end. Not many people. So for you General Mangers who read the NHLEF regularly and are looking to improve the life and well-being of a hockey player who is down on his luck, here is the NHLEF All-Star team of the more notable unrestricted free agents still waiting for a steady paycheck.

Goaltenders
Many Fernandez- At one point he was seen as the Bruins new viable number one goaltender. That was until he got injured and Tim Thomas finally learned how to play hockey at the tender age of 35. Since then, Fernandez found himself back-up to the Vezina Winner of 2008/2009. However, despite this sad sounding career, Manny put up some of the best numbers of all of the back-up goaltenders in the league, posting a 16-8-3 record, a 2.59 GAA, and a 910 SV%. Not too shabby at all. Looking at some teams that could use a solid veteran goalie who can take the number one job if he needs too, would be wise to approach this man. Some teams that jump to mind are Washington, Colorado, Montreal, Florida, Los Angeles, and the New York Islanders (because Garth Snow seems to love signing goaltenders without jobs).

Kevin Weeks- No, he’s not a number one goalie, and yes, there are a lot of better goalies in the NHL. However, he does deserve to have a shot at backing up goaltender who isn’t as established as Martin Brodeur like this past season. He is athletic goaltender who has played his fair share of games and is just 34 years old. Not over the hill just yet, but not a new born either. He would be a bargain, probably signing for just over the league minimum. Teams that need a back-up goaltender and want that back-up goaltender to know he is a back-up, none of that “I am going to steal the number one job” would be wise to sign this man to a contract.

Defensemen
Martin Skoula- He will just turn 30 when the NHL season kicks off, Skoula would make a decent 3-6 defensemen on any team. He is not a huge offensive threat, but knows how defend the better players on opposing teams. He is not injury prone, so he will give you at least 80 games a season. Teams looking for defensive depth such as Edmonton, New York Islanders, Florida, and Carolina might want to try and get this guy.

Rhett Warrener- This guy is not skilled, he is injury prone, and he is not pretty to look at. But if you are looking for a guy that you can plug into your backend (that came out wrong) to block shots, take a beating, and drop the gloves once in awhile, this guy is your man.

Mathieu Schneider- If a power-play quarterback is what you are looking for, this guy brings it to the table. Schneider is one of the top power-play defensemen in the game and is currently without a team. Age is an issue however, at 40, so he won’t be the same all-around defenseman most of us know him as. But he will provide leadership and power-play points to any team he goes to. Every team that finished in the lower half of PP% should be looking at this guy.

Dennis Seidenberg- It is a mystery to why this guy is still available or why Carolina gave up on him, but he is out there. He’s only 28, hit career highs in all major stat categories last season, with 70 games played, 5 goals, and 25 assists, for a total of 30 points. He also had 6 points in the playoffs this past season, and was instrumental in Carolina’s surprising run to the Eastern Conference Final. No, he’s not a franchise defenseman, but he is a guy you can plug in at the 4, 5, 6 spot and he will bring you both offensive and defensive upsides. Any team would be wise to sign this guy for a bargain.

Greg de Vries- He is on the downside of his career for sure, but he will also sign for next to no money, so he can become a very affordable 6 or 7 defenseman. He is at the age where his experiences in the NHL are of some value to the next generation of players as well.

Chris Chelios- Just joking, he should just retire already. We just needed a sixth guy to round out this squad on the backend.

Forwards
Robert Lang- Lang is a solid point producing centre man who would be an asset to any team, for the right price. He proved how valuable he was when he went down to injury last season with the Habs, and the team never really recovered afterwards. He is dependable for secondary scoring, but he can also play as a primary scorer, if he is put in the right situation.

Todd Bertuzzi- After a year in Calgary, Bertuzzi reestablished himself as a NHL player. He is not the same threat as he was in his Canucks days, but he is yet another decent player to fill the role of secondary scorer. His size and aggressive play would benefit smaller teams such as Montreal, Phoenix, and say it aint so, Vancouver.

Mike Comrie- Comrie earned $4 million last season with the Islanders and the Senators. Needless to say he understands he will be taking a pay cut if he returns this NHL season. Not yet the star many made him out to be in his Edmonton days, Comrie provides a second or third line centre that can pass, score, and dangle. For the right money, he would no doubt be a benefit to any team. Also he brings Hilary Duff to the team as well…so that’s always appreciated…you knew it was coming…you know the NHLEF too well.

Petr Sykora- He won the Stanley Cup last year, netted 20-plus goals for the tenth season in a row, is a decent age at 32, and he is available to any NHL team. Out of all of the forwards thus far, Sykora is the best secondary scorer that is available. He can help any teams power play and makes other players look even better i.e. Sidney Crosby and Evgani Malkin. Teams such as Ottawa, Toronto, San Jose, Washington, and Dallas who are looking for solid secondary scoring, should inquire for this guy.

Alex Tanguay- Some say he is overrated, some say he is underrated, but either way, he is the top overall forward left on the market. He is strong both offensively and defensively. He is a five time 20 goal scorer and is only 29. If gets a chance to play with some skilled players, he could be a very good signing. He is going to taking a pay cut from last year, so pretty much any NHL team can afford him.

Rob Niedermayer- This grinder has a cup ring and knows his role on a hockey club. He is a big guy who can win you face-offs. A team looking to make a run at the Cup this season may look to Rob for some experience and depth. And if you sign Rob, there is always a chance Scott may want to come play too, not likely, but you can always hope.

Maxim Afinogenov- The Sabres and Maxim finally parted ways after several disappointing seasons by the Russian. Once referred to as the next Pavel Bure, Maxim has struggled to find consistency. However, when he does get into a groove he is one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the game. Signing this guy is a roll of the dice, can either be a big payoff or a bust. However, like most European players without a NHL suitor, Maxim may skate his way on over to one of the Russian leagues.

Boyd Devereaux- This former 6th overall draft choice of the Edmonton Oilers has yet to find any real offensive success in the NHL. However, he is a hard working player who can fit on the 3rd or 4th lines of any NHL team. Look for this guy to sign somewhere out of the norm such as Nashville, Columbus, or Florida.

Tomas Plihal- This Czechoslovakian native is only 26 and is on the free agent market. He has played 89 NHL games, but has only totaled 16 points. However, that was on a San Jose team that had plenty of other guys to depend on for points. Given his lack of success in the NHL so far, he will not be signing a very large contract, which makes him an affordable inquiry. Given a more pivotal role on a NHL team, might trigger his sniping potential.

Manny Malhotra- Drafted 7th overall in 1998 by the New York Rangers, Malhotra is trying to find a team that will take his third line centre capabilities. He is not a huge offensive threat, but can be a dangerous from time to time. His defensive skills are right near the top of the league for forwards, which is always great to have for any teams’ penalty killing units. Look for this guy to either sign with a Canadian team or go to one of the European leagues.

Dominic Moore- This Harvard graduate and brother of Steve Moore is best known for his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season he put up an impressive 41 points in 63 games with the Leafs, not bad for a waiver pick-up from the previous season. However, he was dealt to the Buffalo Sabers and struggled offensively only scoring 4 points in 18 games. Moore is a hard working grinder, who can score on occasion and is a team player in the locker room, and all for an affordable price. He will no doubt be picked up sometime before the season starts.

Marcel Goc- At only 25, Goc is another youngster that the Sharks decided to part ways with this offseason. With the oddest sounding last name in the NHL, Goc suffered from playing on such a skilled team, probably not getting as much ice time as he would get elsewhere. He has the potential to become a top six forward in the NHL for a long time. Teams looking for secondary scoring at a very cheap price should look into this guy before he packs his bags and signs with a European league.

So there you have it, the top players who are still looking for a place of employment. We provided some poor analysis which may help some General Managers make their decision on whom to sign at the last minute to round out their roster. We know it’s not nearly as good as an “All-Star Team” or even a regular NHL team, but we have to try and provide some ray of sunshine to these players’ sad summers thus far. NHLEF OUT!