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“We can’t chase it. You sign bad deals and a year from now you’re like, ‘Why did we do that?’”

Chances are someone will pay (or overpay) for Green or Beleskey. Someone will get caught up in the frenzy and sign a contract they will soon regret. Which is why smart general managers might be better off doing what Brian Burke did several years ago: Accept a chance to visit Canadian troops in Afghanistan on July 1 and wait for the free-agent dust to settle.

“I had a bunch of general managers tell me that they’re not going for the flavour of the month. They have no appetite for that,” said agent Rick Curran of the Orr Hockey Group, who represents free agent defenceman Christian Ehrhoff. “What they do want is the guy they’ve been looking at and following for the last six months and are hoping that for one reason or another he doesn’t re-sign.”

More and more, that is becoming the trend in free agency. The salary cap, which will be US$71.4-million next season, has placed more emphasis on drafting and developing players and then signing them to somewhat affordable deals while they are restricted free agents following their entry-level contracts.

“What’s happening is we’re tying up all our younger players,” Stars GM Jim Nill said. “When they become available [after] their entry-level contracts, we’re signing them to seven-, eight-year contracts. So there’s going to be less players available on the open market.”

“When you have an opportunity to get a good young player, you want to keep him with your organization,” Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “We’ve gone through the draft side of it and we’re going through the development side of it. In a little while, we’re going to have to look at the long-term side of some of our younger players.”