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NHL free agency, part 5
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This is part five of a ten part, team by team analysis of the NHL's current crop of unrestricted free agents. I will give my opinion on each player and wether their team should keep them or not. These lists are up to date at the time of writing. Only players who saw significant playing time last season are included.
Florida
Radek Dvorak - Keep. A solid veteran who knows what it takes to make a deep run in the playoffs paired with his best goal scoring season since the lockout should earn him a return to south Florida.
Ville Peltonen - Let go. The Panthers are in an unusual position. Missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker, they are also facing some changes this off season. Some roster/cap moves will need to be made and Peltonen may be one of the ones heading out of town.
Richard Zednik - Keep. Average player age in the NHL is a delicate balance. Too many veterans and you risk losing a lot of man games to injury. Too young and you run the risk of losing too many games due to young mistakes. Zednik could end up sticking with the Panthers for his experience and his offensive production.
Jay Bouwmeester - Let go. There was a reason the Panthers were shopping him at the deadline. He would already be gone if it wasn't for the fact that Florida was in the playoff hunt. The writing is on the wall and Bouwmeester sees it and will bolt for greener pastures. In a way it's good for Florida. It will free up needed cap space the Panthers can use to pursue other talented free agents.
Nick Boynton - Keep. The departure of Bouwmeester will leave a bit of a void on defense. Boynton will add the experience and stability the Panthers will need to make a serious playoff run next season.
Jassen Cullimore - Let go. The 36 year old Cullimore will more than likely be let go to free up a roster spot for one of the Panthers prospects.
Karlis Skrastins - Keep. Skrastins is a smart and savvy defenseman who will become more valuable as the season goes on. He will add the experience to a defensive group that will get younger.
Craig Anderson - Keep. The Panthers are short of choices here. Not only did Anderson play well enough to stick in the NHL last year, they are also short of prospects who are NHL ready. They will need those prospects when it comes time to replace Tomas Vokoun.
Los Angeles
Derek Armstrong - Let go. If the Kings want to advance to the next level, they need to cut down the goals they give up. Armstrong is an aging veteran who is taking up a roster spot better used on a defensive forward.
Kyle Calder - Keep. One of the few bright spots defensively among the Kings forwards last year. Look for the Kings to bring back Calder for another go-around.
Denis Gauthier - Let go. It's a fine line in the NHL between a good, clean hitter and a headhunter. Gauthier may have crossed that line this last season. The lat thing the Kings need is to have a defenseman being on the wrong ends of calls this year or in the future based on a player who has a reputation.
Minnesota
Marian Gaborik - Let go. One of the top free agents this off season. Minnesota will be better off letting him go however. Despite injuries which limited him to only 17 games last season, Gaborik will more than likely be in the $6 million range. That just may be too steep a price for the Wild.
Stephane Veilleux - Keep. It's always nice to have a solid checking forward who doesn't rack up a ton of penalties and can add a bit on the offensive side. Veilleux fits that role perfectly.
Marc-Andre Bergeron - Keep. Minnesota's second leading scorer on defense and tied with Owen Nolan with a team leading +5 is more than enough to see Bergeron back with the Wild.
Kurtis Foster - Keep. Foster lost most of the 2008-09 season recovering from a broken leg suffered March 19th of 2008. He made the time back last season count though. 6 points in 10 games will be good enough for Minnesota to take a chance on him for at least one more season.
Martin Skoula - Keep. While Minnesota should re-sign Skoula, don't expect a long term deal. Minnesota needs to start looking towards the future on defense. That should start sooner rather than later.
Tomorrow I will look at Montreal, Nashville, and New Jersey.
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