This piece was written before Mason Raymond reportedly signed with the Anaheim Ducks.
With the free-agent frenzy over, and the NHL slowly but surely shifting to offseason mode, we'd thought we'd have a little fun and put together a team of those players still looking for work next season.
Let's get right into it.
Forwards
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Jiri Hudler | Brandon Pirri | Radim Vrbata |
| Kris Versteeg | Sam Gagner | Shane Doan |
| Alex Tanguay | Cody Hodgson | Josh Jooris |
| Mason Raymond | Dominic Moore | Linden Vey |
| Chris Higgins | Paul Gaustad | David Jones |
Notes:
- With all due respect to Brandon Pirri, there isn't much up the middle, so he's the default No. 1 center. Sam Gagner and Cody Hodgson follow him on the depth chart because they're both only 26 years old, and therefore too young to give up on.
- There's some definite firepower up front on the wings in Jiri Hudler, Radim Vrbata, and Kris Versteeg. While it's all but a formality Shane Doan returns to the Arizona Coyotes, the only franchise he's ever known, he's on this squad until he isn't.
- The bottom six is, well, a bottom six. Due to their age, the Joorises and Veys of the world draw into this fictional lineup before the Higginses and Joneses.
Defense
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Kris Russell | Justin Schultz |
| Dennis Seidenberg | Luke Schenn |
| Kyle Quincey | James Wisniewski |
| Matt Carle | Dan Boyle |
Notes:
- Kris Russell, Justin Schultz, and Luke Schenn should all have jobs by the time July is over. Russell's the most in-demand defenseman still on the market, Schultz will be 26 later this week, and Schenn 27 in November. The latter two are projects, and on this fictional squad, they're top-four defensemen.
- James Wisniewski had 51 points in 2013-14. He's worth a flyer after a knee injury cost him last season.
- Kyle Quincey and Matt Carle are in their early 30s, and can fill out a blue line, while Dennis Seidenberg is the veteran presence on the back end. And on this make-believe team, Dan Boyle gets the fictional title of player and assistant coach. He's here to teach, mostly.
Goalies
| Goalie |
|---|
| Jhonas Enroth |
| Karri Ramo |
| Ben Scrivens |
Notes:
- Jhonas Enroth is easily the best goaltender still available on the market. He had a strong 2015-16 season in limited action, and owns a career .911 save percentage. His age - 28 - also works in his favor.
- Karri Ramo finished three seasons in Calgary with a .911 save percentage in 110 games. He's 30 years old, so it's clear he'll never be a starter, but he can back up this team.
- Ben Scrivens is a depth signing, pure and simple, because goalies get hurt.
In conclusion, buyer beware.
