June is an incredibly busy month for the NHL, but that doesn't mean we can't look ahead to what's coming. Free agency begins at 12 p.m. ET on July 1, and we're ranking the top 80 unrestricted free agents in a seven-post series ahead of the madness.
We're going to start at the bottom and work our way towards the top. Up first, UFAs ranked 80-66
80. Ondrej Pavelec (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 30
2016-17 Cap Hit: $3.9M
It's hard to believe Pavelec is only 29. It feels like he's been bad for so long. But, he's a goalie, and half-decent backups were hard to find this season. He had an .888 save percentage last season, and his career mark is .907. Buyer beware, but he won't cost much.
79. Vernon Fiddler (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 37
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.25M
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Hey, everyone needs fourth-line guys. And he's Stanley Cup finalist Vernon Fiddler to you, pal.
78. Matt Hendricks (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 36
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.85M
No one said the names this low on the list were going to be pretty. Now that the Oilers can actually play, Hendricks saw his ice time reduced to 10:45 a night, and he only played in 42 games. He is who he is, and he's getting up there in age, but he'll tell you he can still kill a penalty or two.
77. Jean-Francois Berube (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 26
2016-17 Cap Hit: $675K
Again: Backup goalies were brutal this season. And Berube's only 26. Someone will take a chance, because the Islanders simply didn't play him enough to know what he brings to the table.
76. Chris VandeVelde (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 30
2016-17 Cap Hit: $712,500
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
VandeVelde's been a mainstay in the Flyers' bottom-six forwards for the past three seasons, in which he's recorded 15, 14, and 15 points. His possession numbers are brutal, but that's why he's in the bottom six, right? And one more team in the league means a few more bottom-six jobs.
75. Fedor Tyutin (D)
Age on Oct. 1: 34
2016-17 Cap Hit: $2M
Much like the fact teams need fourth-line guys, they also need depth defensemen. Tyutin averaged 18:56 in ice time in 69 games on Colorado's blue line this season, an experience he's probably trying his best to forget. He was a minus-25 with a ghastly 46.75 Corsi For rating. Think of him like a baseball reliever - someone's got to throw those innings.
74. Curtis McElhinney (G)
Age on Oct. 1: 34
2016/17 Cap Hit: $800K
Without McElhinney, the Maple Leafs miss the playoffs. Seriously. He finished at a respectable .917 in 15 starts and 21 games, and should be able to find another backup job.
73. Jiri Hudler (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 33
2016-17 Cap Hit: $2M
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
The Dallas experiment was a massive failure. Illness and injury limited Hudler to only 32 games, and he managed three goals and eight assists while playing only 11:51 a night. Prior to 2016-17, he had 81 points in his 125 games over two seasons, good for a .648 per-game average. We don't think he's done.
72. Drew Miller (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 33
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.025M
It appears Miller's time in Detroit is over after eight seasons, and perhaps that's not a bad thing. His possession numbers were god-awful - it's better not to look. He can still skate, and he needs a fresh start somewhere else.
71. John Mitchell (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 32
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.8M
After four straight seasons in which he scored 10 or more goals and had at least 20 points, Mitchell's production fell off a cliff this season. Blame the Avalanche; Mitchell probably does. Despite playing in Denver, Mitchell had a 49.29 Corsi For rating, which ranked fifth among Avs forwards who played at least 40 games.
70. Eric Gryba (D)
Age on Oct. 1: 29
2016-17 Cap Hit: $950K
(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)
Gryba didn't play all that much in 2016-17, but he finished with the Oilers' fourth-highest possession rating (52.13 percent) among players who suited up in at least 40 games. He's youngish - with 2017-18 his age-29 season - so there's some value here for a depth defenseman. At least we think so.
69. Scottie Upshall (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 33 (34 on Oct. 7)
2016-17 Cap Hit: $900K
Upshall recorded a respectable 10 goals and eight assists in 11 minutes per game on a 99-point Blues squad - and all for only $900,000. The possession numbers were nasty, though, but, again, there's a reason why bottom-six guys are bottom-six guys.
68. Brian Flynn (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 29
2016-17 Cap Hit: $950K
Flynn's age is why he's where he is on this list. He'll give you 10-to-15 points in around 50-to-60 games playing 12-to-14 minutes a night, and can be used on the penalty kill. Ain't nothing wrong with any of that.
67. Ryan White (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 29
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1M
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Back-to-back 16-point seasons for White, who is nothing if not consistent. Traded to Minnesota in the Martin Hanzal deal, White had a 52.17 Corsi For rating with the Wild, despite being on the ice for 12 goals against and only four goals for.
66. Viktor Stalberg (F)
Age on Oct. 1: 31
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.5M
Stalberg goes where there is work, and there is often work. Those two 20-goal seasons were nice, but won't happen again. However, he will chip in, and has been a positive possession player for most of his career.
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