Each day up until free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.


Who's Left?

Michal Kempny became the latest defenceman to take himself off the free agent market when he re-signed with the Washington Capitals on Thursday and it appears an already thin class could get even smaller before Sunday.

Ansar Khan of MLive reported Thursday the Detroit Red Wings have had productive talks this week and he believes the team can re-sign the top remaining UFA blueliner to a two-year deal. If Green stays in Detroit, the top right-handed shot on the market will be Greg Pateryn, who's listed all the way down at No. 23 on the TSN Hockey Top UFA list.

Green is currently ranked first among defencemen (No. 5 on the Top UFA list,) while Jack Johnson is second at No. 8 overall. TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie noted on Wednesday's Insider Trading that Johnson has been linked to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who appear to be a "logical fit" for the defenceman.

Slotting at No. 10 on the Top UFA list and third among defenceman is John Moore of the New Jersey Devils. Far from a household name, TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli reported earlier this week Moore has rocketed to the top of the class when in comes to demand, having heard at least a dozen teams.

Seravalli described Moore, 27, as the prototypical “modern” mobile defenceman. He scored seven goals and posted 18 points in 81 games with the Devils last season while averaging 20:01 of ice time per game.

After Moore, Brooks Orpik, who was bought out by the Colorado Avalanche this week, slots in at No. 18 overall. He's followed by New York Islanders defenceman Calvin de Haan, who's No. 20 on the list after skating in just 33 games this past season due to injury. Seravalli reports de Haan has heard from as many as 10 teams who are interested in the 27-year-old. 

Ian Cole slots in right behind de Haan at No. 21, and Seravalli believes the class truly drops off from there with "plug-and-play depth defencemen of varying talents and specialities available."

 

Top UFA Defenceman Available

 
D Rank Overall Player Team Pos Age GP G PTS 17-18
1 5 Mike Green DET RD 32 66 8 33 $6M
2 8 Jack Johnson CBJ LD 31 77 3 11 $4.36M
3 10 John Moore NJD LD 27 81 7 18 $1.67M
4 17 Brooks Orpik COL LD 37 81 0 10 $5.5M
5 18 Calvin De Haan NYI LD 27 33 1 12 $3.3M
6 20 Ian Cole CBJ LD 29 67 5 20 $2.1M
7 23 Greg Pateryn DAL RD 27 73 1 13 $800K
8 30 Dan Hamhuis DAL LD 35 80 3 24 $3.75M
9 35 Thomas Hickey NYI LD 29 69 5 25 $2.2M
10 43 Toby Enstrom WPG LD 33 43 1 6 $5.75M
11 44 Luca Sbisa VGK RD 28 30 2 14 $3.6M
12 45 Dylan DeMelo SJS RD 25 63 0 20 $650K
13 46 Andrej Sustr TBL RD 27 43 2 7 $1.95M
14 47 Nick Holden BOS RD 31 73 4 17 $1.65M
15 48 Xavier Ouellet DET LD 24 45 0 7 $1.25M
 


 


Big Apple Bound?

Larry Brooks of The New York Post reports the Rangers are interested in signing Vegas Golden Knights bruiser Ryan Reaves on Sunday to add some toughness to their rebuilding roster.

Brooks believes Reaves is likely to double his $1.125 million cap hit from last season, and while cap space isn't issue for the Rangers, he notes management is not looking to give term over two years this summer. 

Reaves is expected to join his third team in less than a year on Sunday after being moved from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Golden Knights in February. He was moved from the St. Louis Blues to the Penguins last year at the draft for a packagae that included a first-round pick.

The 31-year-old had four goals and 10 points 79 games combined with the Pittsburgh and Vegas last season. He added two goals in 10 playoff games during the Golden Knights run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Brooks notes the Rangers appear to have a opening for Reaves in the lineup with Mats Zuccarello, Pavel Buchnevich and Jesper Fast currently penciled in as the team's right wingers.
 


On the Market?

Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said Thursday it's likely pending free agents Cam Ward, Derek Ryan and Lee Stempniak will all hit the open market on Sunday.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports Ward appears to be a target for the Chicago Blackhawks after spending his entire career to date in Carolina. The 34-year old posted 23-14-4 record with a .906 save percentage and 2.73 goals against average this past season.

As for Ryan, he was expected to visit the Calgary Flames and his former head coach on Thursday, according to TSN Senior Hockey Reporter Frank Seravalli. Ryan, ranked fifth among free agent centres in this year's class, scored 15 goals and posted 38 points this season. 

A veteran of 909 career NHL games, Stempniak, 35, appeared in just 37 games for the Hurricanes this season, scoring three goals and adding six assists. He's played for 10 different teams in his NHL career.