Free agents prepare to cash in

Sometime this afternoon, someone who doesn't deserve a boatload of money will get enough cash to buy a fleet of yachts. Within an hour, it will happen again. It's Christmas in July in the NHL. The frenzy that is free agency begins at noon, and owners and general managers have their checkbooks and balance sheets ready. Ridiculous dollar amounts will fly across computer screens and phone lines as teams try to find that missing star who can lead them to the Stanley Cup. Once again, there are plenty of organizations with cash to spend and needs to fill. Teams such as Montreal, Anaheim, Los Angeles and Vancouver have up to $20 million in salary cap space and open stalls in their dressing rooms. This is one Wild day to take care of those issues. "This is going to be a very interesting free agency period," Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said. "It's not like other years. I think the financial pressure is on a lot of clubs. There are a lot of clubs with cap room who have a lot of players to sign, so they'll probably lead out of the blocks, and we'll have to see where it goes from there." The list of available players isn't as impressive as the past few summers, but there are plenty of marquee names to be had. The top forwards include Marian Hossa, twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and Marian Gaborik. Defensemen sure to attract attention include Mike Komisarek and Scott Niedermayer. The top goaltenders are Nikolai Khabibulin and old friend Martin Biron. The Sabres have six unrestricted free agents: Jaroslav Spacek, Maxim Afinogenov, Andrew Peters, Matt Ellis, Teppo Numminen and Dominic Moore. Buffalo's restricted free agents include Drew Stafford, Clarke MacArthur, Andrej Sekera and Patrick Kaleta. Spacek, the Sabres' top-scoring defenseman last season, could be the only Buffalo player to attract attention on the first day of free agency. The 35-year-old made $3.3 million last season and is looking for a multiyear deal. The Sabres' rivals in the Northeast Division could lose more vital pieces. Montreal stalwarts Saku Koivu, Alex Kovalev, Robert Lang, Alex Tanguay and Komisarek are unrestricted, though the Canadiens eased the sting of potential departures by acquiring Scott Gomez from the New York Rangers on Tuesday in exchange for center Chris Higgins. Boston is feeling a cap crunch and may lose blossoming forward Phil Kessel, a restricted free agent. Ottawa's list features Chris Neil and Mike Comrie, but they were trying to rid themselves of a big headache -- and save about $1.3 million in cap space -- by working out a deal to send Dany Heatley to Edmonton late Tuesday night for forwards Dustin Penner and Andrew Cogliano, and defenseman Ladislav Smid. A report in the Ottawa Sun early today said Heatley balked at the deal by refusing to waive his no-trade clause. Regier would like to follow Ottawa's lead and tweak his team through trades this summer. If the Sabres handed out big-dollar contracts today, it would be a fall-on-the-floor shock. "The free agent market isn't a huge market right now," Regier said. "Most teams have locked up what they feel are their best players, and if things aren't working out quite the way they intended, then I think you're going to see a swap of those types of players, players who are under contract. I think the harder part is going to be trying to find a fit." Regier showed with his selections in last weekend's draft that he believes the NHL is moving toward bigger and grittier players. Mid-level free agents who fit that profile include forwards Chad LaRose, Nik Antropov and Ian Laperriere, and defensemen Paul Mara and Rob Scuderi. In addition to Biron, several former Sabres are expected to need new homes. St. Louis bought out the contract of Jay McKee. Vancouver did not re-sign Taylor Pyatt. Pittsburgh is waving goodbye to Miroslav Satan. Columbus lists Michael Peca and Chris Gratton among its UFAs. Edmonton has no interest in trade-deadline acquisition Ales Kotalik. "He's never received an offer, so it's pretty straightforward," Kotalik's agent, Larry Kelly, told the Edmonton Sun. "He was happy to stay there. . . . What can he do?" Well, here's one option. He can sit by the phone and hope to be offered more money than he deserves. It will happen a few times today. e-mail: jvogl@buffnews.com ----- >Hot items at market Here are some top and local players available on the NHL free agent market, which opens at noon: Forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Vancouver Marian Hossa, Detroit Marian Gaborik, Minnesota Saku Koivu, Montreal Martin Havlat, Chicago Mike Cammalleri, Calgary Maxim Afinogenov, Buffalo Defense Rob Blake, San Jose Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim Mike Komisarek, Montreal Jaroslav Spacek, Buffalo Jay McKee, St. Louis Goaltenders Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago Martin Biron, Philadelphia