Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland is predicting a busy day once NHL free agency opens on Tuesday, simply because teams began talking to agents and players days ago.
"It's going to make things go quicker because there has been time to mull things over," Holland said Monday. "On the afternoon of July 1, things are going to happen quickly."
Thomas Vanek, Paul Stastny, Matt Niskanen, Matt Moulson and Jussi Jokinen are among the younger unrestricted free agents. At least some of them are expected to get long-term deals because they're potentially entering the prime of their careers.
Jarome Iginla, Dan Boyle, Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller are relatively productive older players who might be a short-term fit for a championship-contending team.
"The last crop of free agents looked OK, too, this time a year ago and a lot of those players didn't play up to expectations," Holland said. "When you give players long-term money, it's hard for them to live up to the expectations."
Columbus, Toronto and Detroit were teams that invested a lot in a few 2013 free agents — Nathan Horton, David Clarkson and Stephen Weiss, respectively -- without getting much of a return in part because of injuries.
St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said it is a big gamble to count too much on new players to produce as well as they are compensated.
"Expecting a free agent to come in out of the wilderness and lead your team is not realistic," Hitchcock said. "The easiest thing to talk about and the hardest thing to find is good chemistry in a team. That has to be developed mostly with players you've had for the most part. That being said, there is depth in this class and there are younger players who could swing the balance of power significantly if the right team gets one or two of these guys."
