With training camp quickly approaching, Rick Curran is still attempting to help Jiri Tlusty land a job with a National Hockey League club.
The player agent saw his client dealt from the Carolina Hurricanes to the Winnipeg Jets prior to this past season's trade deadline. Curran later assumed a playoff appearance would boost the 27-year-old forward's value on the open market.
Not so, as it turns out.
"(Tlusty) thought it was going to be a good opportunity," Curran told Michael Traikos of the National Post in regards to the free-agent market. "But he just didn't get the opportunity."
Several free agents remain unsigned, and are now likely to sign to terms and dollar figures much lower than expected.
"The clubs aren't crazy. They're sitting back and they know they don't (have) to pay what they had to pay initially," said Curran. "Cody Franson found himself in the same situation. There's still half a dozen to a dozen players available who are going to be bargains."
Franson was expected to finally sign a big-ticket contract after a series of one-year deals, and is one of the bigger names remaining on the FA list.
Others include forwards Curtis Glencross, Sean Bergenheim, and Brad Boyes, and defenseman Marek Zidlicky.
