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Top free agents available this summer
Free agency 2009
Bargain bin: They might be a little old or have some flaws, but big-name free agents like Todd Bertuzzi are available. Spector runs down the list.
Cap crunched: Big free agents still left may have to accept less now. Others, like Chris Chelios, might be done altogether, Spector says.
Marian Hossa wasn't the only one getting a good deal during free agency. .
Spector's blog: Get the latest free agency news and analysis from Spector.
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1. Alex Tanguay: It remains to be seen if he'll get as much or more than the $5.35 million per season he made under his last contract. He's coming off an injury-shortened campaign that saw him net 41 points in 50 games and has the ability to score 75-80 points a season, which should make him an enticing commodity.
2. Brian Gionta: He'd prefer to re-sign with the New Jersey Devils, but the odds that he'll get an offer from the cap-conscious Devils aren't good. The 30-year-old Gionta may be a small winger (5-7, 175) but he's got a good reputation as a two-way forward and his 60 points in 81 games last season should ensure he won't be available for long. The Vancouver Canucks might have some interest.
3. Martin Biron: His rumored salary demands of $5 million per season plus the Flyers limited cap space equals no return of Biron to the City of Brotherly Love. He could however find a new home in Colorado, where the Avalanche are desperate for a quality starting goaltender.
4. Mats Sundin: He's yet to decide if he'll return for another NHL season and his short tenure with the Vancouver Canucks last season wasn't particularly memorable, but he still posted decent numbers. Sundin won't attract the same level of interest this summer as he did a year ago but there could still be a few clubs willing to sign him to an affordable contract.
5. Chris Neil: The Senators reportedly hope to retain him but not if Neil is seeking a long-term contract. The scrappy forward could find many suitors in this year's UFA market, among them the Senators arch-rival, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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