There aren’t many options left on the free-agent market

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
There aren’t many options left on the free-agent market
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

There aren't many options left on the free-agent market.

I'm not necessarily saying this about the Montreal Canadiens, who have never been contenders for the free-agent dance floor. And that's just fine. #HighPrices

I'm saying this in general.

Obviously, there are still some options out there, but they aren't ideal candidates. Teams looking to improve will likely have to do so via a trade, which is nothing new.

According to The Athletic, which ranked unrestricted free agents based on several factors (including player talent and media attention surrounding their situations), only two players remain in the top 10 and four in the top 20.

  • Anthony Mantha (5)
  • Michael Bunting (8)
  • John Klingberg (11)
  • Patrick Kane (13)

It's worth noting that Sportsnet also published an article on the available options. The first name on their list is also Anthony Mantha, who is, of course, from Quebec.

I think he has the potential to sign a contract that could end up being a bad fit down the road. But we'll see—and let's hope that doesn't happen.

Logan Stanley, Claude Giroux, Eeli Tolvanen, Vladimir Tarasenko, and good old Patrik Laine are still out there. Alexander Ovechkin too, but he's a special case.

We can all agree that this isn't where you should be spending too much money.

But to take the car metaphor and apply it to a transaction: if car prices were high last summer, in the spring of 2026, and this summer, it's just that they're expensive.

That said, if you want to buy one, you have to accept that it's expensive. And even though Kent Hughes could use the bikes he has in his garage, buying a car would be easier, considering his final destination isn't right outside his door.


In a nutshell

– The Devils were considering a buyout for Jacob Markstrom.

– Yes.

– They skated for a good 45 minutes.

– Well, well…

– Must-read.

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