Sure, it's the beginning of August now and there is plenty of time before training camp starts, let alone the regular season. Sadly, that doesn't mean that there isn't a great deal of anxiety floating around NHL teams and their fans when it comes to some of our aging stars and their decisions on whether or not they will play or which team they'll actually play for. Many of them have earned their right to take their time in their playing decisions, but it all does seem somewhat wasted, now that the free agent frenzy has passed us by and there isn't an immediate Plan B for a lot of these teams. Now, these teams are left with their fingers crossed hoping that their number one target finally lands in their boat and they can dance their way to training camp with renewed hope and potential.
One of the main culprits of this awful new trend is Teemu Selanne, who now finds himself in the same boat again this summer. Now, arguably, this time it isn't his fault, since the Ducks, who were waiting on him last season, don't have enough room for the 38-year old Finn under the cap and don't look too eager to mess too much with their team, although you may see the blueline get trimmed and somehow see Selanne fit in. Selanne does figure to be a Plan B to a few teams waiting on the word from the biggest sweepstakes of the summer and his 23 points in 26 games last season should be reason enough to have him as your second choice. If he can sign with a team this summer, he does have some good potential to be a good pool player for your fantasy team this season. A seasoned veteran with a Cup ring does have a lot of appeal to a lot of teams and he may come at a reasonable price tag as well.
Of course, the biggest sweepstakes surrounds Mats Sundin, who is quickly becoming the biggest villain to more teams (and their fans) than not. Of course, if he lands in your favourite team's city, you will likely learn to love him, if he continues his productive ways. As we learned from Selanne (and to some degree, Scott Niedermayer) last season, a team can be held hostage, waiting for services to be rendered. Toronto says that they are going to move on with the theory that Sundin won't return, which makes perfect sense for them, as they have plenty of cap space left and can afford to pay Sundin $6 to $7 million, if he wants to return out of loyalty. Vancouver, on the other hand, are holding their remaining $10+ million against the cap for Sundin and can't do anything until he accepts or rejects the offer. Montreal also has space for Sundin, but he can be considered a cherry on top of a very good team already, which is mostly for show. Thankfully for those three teams, Sundin's services will be welcomed, because they should still have some shelf-life left.
Currently, the oldest-timer on the list of free agents this summer is Chris Chelios, who has expressed interest in returning to the Red Wings organization, even if it is in a smaller capacity. At 46, Chelios is becoming a marvel of modern athleticism with his rugged play and his determination to stay fit. Unfortunately for him, the Wings are sewing up defensive spots without his name on the list and since they are already near the cap, he may be squeezed into retirement. The re-signing of Brad Stuart almost seems to be a nail in the coffin of Chelios' career, but it still may not be the final one yet. Chelios has expressed interest in being ready to play in the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, which would be more of a marvel, since that's still 18 months away. He'll need an NHL job to make sure it happens or else he'll be wearing a suit at the games, instead of suiting up.
When it comes to players possibly holding teams hostage, will Joe Sakic fall into that category this summer? At 39, it's fair to say he has some contemplation to do on whether or not he'll want to play or not, but it should be a common thought that he still has lots left in the tank for at least another season, but if he is, wouldn't you think it would be wise to make sure the Avalanche have his new deal (he made $6.75 last season) on the books so they know what's left for their remaining spots? The Avalanche still have lots of holes to fill, if they wanted to go the way of free agency. Frankly, it should be all but certain that Sakic will return, as the Avalanche are a very proactive team when it comes to roster moves and they must have felt that they needed some cash around for Sakic when he puts pen to paper. The frenzy is indeed over for the Avs and they'll need Sakic's leadership and ability to keep themselves out of the Northwest Division basement this year.
Are the Rangers keeping a roster spot open for Brendan Shanahan this summer? At this point, it could be likely, especially if Shanny wants to take a pay cut. Last season, Shanahan made $5.3 against the cap in New York, but the Rangers, theoretically, have only $2 million remaining in space. That's a hefty pay cut, if it was to be accepted, especially since Shanahan still contributed 23 goals to the Ranger-cause last season. Sure, he was the highest paid player (and the oldest) to score 23 goals, so it will be a question of what his production to age measurement will be worth. For argument's sake, eight players scored 23 goals and the average cap hit from those eight was $3.2 million... maybe a little food for thought. Would you pay $3.2 million next season for Shanahan's services on your favourite team?The August free agent period does have a lot of interest still left to be tapped, especially when you think about Glen Murray, Mark Parrish, Ladislav Nagy, David Vyborny, Bryan Smolinski, Martin Gelinas, Yanic Perreault, Martin Lapointe and Stephane Yelle still on the market. Sure, they aren't all great pool threats for your fantasy team, but they do have some merits that could help a team out getting to the playoffs this season. Not many teams are holding their breath for them, luckily for the teams, but most, if not all, are ready to get their skates back on for another season.
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