This week, I have been looking at the Unrestricted Free Agents leading into the start of NHL Free Agency tomorrow. On Tuesday I wrote about highly sought after rookie, Justin Schultz. On Wednesday I took a look at big name RFAs who didn’t get qualifying offers, and followed that up with looks at the Top 10 Forwards, and the Top 7 Defencemen available as UFAs. Today I am going to look at the players that fall under the radar. The best of the group of muckers and grinders, who play important roles for teams. As hockey fans we should all know that it is often the role players who make the difference. Where would the Devils have been in the playoffs without Ryan Carter and Stephen Gionta? Where would the Kings have been without Dwight King and Jordan Nolan? These players may not be big names, and may not get signed for huge money on July 1st, but they are guys who can really add to a lineup and might just make the difference in a highly contested playoff game down the road.

Brandon Prust, LW/RW, New York Rangers

2011-12 Salary:

2011-12 Stats: 82 GP, 5 G, 12 A, 17 Pts, 156 PIMs

Prust is a rare and valuable commodity in the NHL. He is a top notch fighter who can play a regular shift without being a liability on the ice. Prust has excellent size, and is a quality skater for someone of his size and reputation for dropping his gloves. Prust is quick on the forecheck and lays punishing hits on defenders. Defensively responsible, Prust is even used regularly on the Rangers’ penalty kill units. I wouldn’t count on too much offence out of Prust, as he is unlikely to repeat his 2010-11 season where he scored 13 goals and 29 points as he had an unusually high shooting percentage that season, he can however put up 5-8 goals per season with bottom 6 ice time.

Daniel Winnik, FWD, San Jose Sharks

2011-12 Salary: $1,000,000

2011-12 Stats: 84 GP, 8 G, 15 A, 23 Pts, 52 PIMs

Winnik was part of a trade deadline move that sent T.J. Galiardi and himself to San Jose for Jamie McGinn, Mike Connolly and Michael Sgarbossa. A versatile player, Winnik has experience at all three forward positions. He is however best used as a winger, but can fill in as a centre if injuries arise. An effective penalty killer, Winnik uses his size and positioning to cut down passing and shooting lanes. Nearly 1/4 of Winnicks ice time last season came on the penalty kill. Offensively he’s a determined grinder who will win board battles down low, and go to the front of the net. Best used in a bottom 6 role, Winnik can also provide some offence as he typically puts up 8-12 goals and over 20 pts per season.

Jay McClement, C, Colorado Avalanche

2011-12 Salary: $1,500,000

2011-12 Stats: 80 GP, 10 G, 7 A, 17 Pts, 31 PIMs

Jay McClement is an effective bottom 6 centre. He took over 850 faceoffs last year and was at over 51% in the circle, a good ratio for a player who is best used in a defensive role. Listed at 6’1″, 205lbs, McClement has size and is not pushed around in board battles, or in his defensive responsibilities. While he doesn’t back down in these situations, you also shouldn’t expect a bruiser who goes looking for the huge hit or to be involved in a fight. McClement was an important penalty killer for the Avalanche, leading the team with over 3:00 of shorthanded ice time per game. He is a decent skater, and coupled with his defensive awareness is effective on that side of the puck. Offensively McClement can chip in some offense, as he is typically around 7-10 goals and 15-25 points per season. He will help a team on their third or fourth line.

Aaron Rome, D, Vancouver Canucks, Shoots Left

2011-12 Salary: $800,000

2011-12 Stats: 43 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 Pts, 46 PIMs.

Rome is an effective third-pairing defenceman. He plays a physical game and is not afraid to throw a big hit from time to time. He can also provide some offense from the blue line as he possesses a decent shot from the point. Rome is not the fleetest of foot and that prevents him from being a top 4 defenceman but he can certainly help a team in their bottom pairing. Rome missed time this past season with a broken hand, a thumb injury, and a knee sprain. His ability to stay healthy is a bit of a question mark after also missing time in the 2010-11 season with a sprained knee, as well as during the 2010 playoffs with the ever mysterious “upper body injury”.

Tom Kostopolous, RW, Calgary Flames

2011-12 Salary: $1,100,000

2011-12 Stats: 81 GP, 4 G, 8 A, 12 Pts, 57 PIMs

Kostopolous is an effective bottom line winger. He is a decent skater who gets in on the forecheck and pressures defencemen into coughing up pucks. Kostopolous seems to create offensive opportunities with his strong forecheck, but he is not blessed with the offensive skill to convert those opportunities into goals on most occassions. Defensively responsible, Kostopolous has good anticipation and awareness, and can be an effective penalty killer. He is a leader and has a team first mentality. Kostopolous is a willing fighter who often comes to the defence of his teammates, however I can not recall ever seeing him actually win a fight as he often ends up looking like a human punching bag. Despite this Kostopolous is still a valuable roll player, and can play a big part on a team’s third or fourth lines.

Dominic Moore, C, San Jose Sharks

2011-12 Salary: $1,200,000

2011-12 Stats: 79 GP, 4 G, 21 A, 25 Pts, 54 PIMs

Moore has bounced around the NHL, playing for San Jose, Tampa Bay, Montreal, Buffalo, Florida, Toronto, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and the Rangers, in his 8 season NHL career. Moore is the ideal 3rd line centre and is the best player listed in this article. He wins faceoffs with regularity as he was 55% on the dot last year. He is a strong skater who uses his speed, agility, and ability to change directions quickly to aid both his defensive and offensive games. Moore can provide offence in a third line role as he has scored at least 25 points in each of the last four years, topping out with a career high 45 points in the 2008-09 season. This Harvard alumni is an incredibly intelligent hockey player with an ability to read the play effectively and great anticipation. This helps Moore in the offensive end of the ice as he is able to find and exploit openings in coverage, and in the defensive end as he is able to cut down passing lanes and create turnovers.

Greg Zanon, D, Boston Bruins, Shoots Left

2011-12 Salary: $2,100,000

2011-12 Stats: 56 GP, 3G, 5A, 8Pts, 18 PIMs

Zanon was traded by the Minnesota Wild to the Boston Bruins at last season’s deadline. Listed at just 5’11” Zanon is a little undersized for his role as a stay-at-home defenceman. He makes up for this with his fearless play and work ethic. One of the best shot blockers in the NHL, Zanon gets into great position and is not afraid to put his body on the line in an attempt to help his team win. Zanon is a decent skater with good first step quickness and mobility. This helps him to defend against the rush, and to get to loose pucks. Zanon makes a good first pass out of his own zone, however he should not be relied upon to put up any sort of offensive numbers at the other end of the rink.

Paul Gaustad, C, Nashville Predators

2011-12 Salary: $2,500,000

2011-12 Stats: 70, 7 G, 14 A, 21 Pts, 76 PIMs

Listed at 6’5″ 212 lbs, Gaustad is a huge presence on the ice. One of the best faceoff men in the NHL, Gaustad took 1150 draws last year and was 57.3% on the draw. Effective at both ends of the ice, he is a valued commodity around the league as evidenced by Nashville’s willingness to trade a first round draft pick to get him at the trade deadline. Offensively Gaustad is an irritating presence in front of opposing goaltenders, and is difficult to move from the front of the net. He creates effective screens and can put up some offence scoring in tight as he typically finishes with between 7-12 goals per season and 20-35 points. Gaustad is also effective in the defensive end of the ice and on the penalty kill as he takes up a lot of space on the ice, and causes turnovers with his long stick. While not a true heavyweight, Gaustad has shown the ability to drop the gloves on occassion and has been especially diligent in this regard after being called out by his coach for not going after Milan Lucic following the much publicized hit on Sabres goalie Ryan Miller.

There we have it, eight under the radar players for the opening of NHL free agency tomorrow. These players won’t get a lot of press, and won’t be considered the “sexy” choices in free agency, but they just might provide some of the best value for the dollars spent this July.

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