NHL free agency: The 9 best players still available on the market on Day 2

July 1 didnt have as many fireworks as were accustomed to.

There were plenty of motivated buyers, but an already-weak crop of unrestricted free agents was further thinned out by the flurry of extensions that happened the previous day.

Most of the true difference-makers are off the board, but there are still some intriguing names available.

Expectations just have to be tempered these arent top-six players (except Nikolaj Ehlers) or top-four defenders who will be core pieces; theyre solid supporting cast and depth options.

Here are nine of the most attractive targets left.

Nikolaj Ehlers Nikolaj Ehlers tantalizing, game-breaking offensive skill set is highly coveted in an offseason where its been very tricky for teams to find high-end top-six forwards.

The 29-year-old left winger is incredibly fast, skilled and creative.

Hes a dynamic puck transporter capable of driving dangerous zone entries and creating rush scoring chances at will.

Ehlers can flat-out break games wide open with his pace and finesse.

Advertisement Ehlers has consistently produced in the 25-goal, 60-65 point range, but his underutilization in Winnipeg has suppressed his production.

He ranks 15th best among all NHL players for five-on-five points produced per hour over the last three seasons, yet hes inexplicably averaged less than 16 minutes per game in each of those years.

Ehlers only averaged 18 minutes per game for one season in his career, which was 2021-22, when he exploded for 28 goals and 55 points in 62 games (a 72-point pace).

In other words, deploy Ehlers like the bona fide first-line-caliber player he is, and theres a good chance youre looking at a 30-goal, 70-point player who can drive play on his own.

The two concerns surrounding Ehlers are his durability and his mediocre playoff track record.

However, he checks every other box and would be a slam-dunk fit for any team searching to bolster its offensive attack.

Pius Suter Im not sure media and fans appreciate quite how valuable a player Pius Suter is.

Its easy to gloss over him because hes a tad undersized at 5-foot-11, has below-average foot speed and doesnt boast flashy, dynamic offensive tools.

Suters two-way IQ, however, is special, and hell be a coachs dream as one of the most versatile players in the league.

The 29-year-old Swiss forward delivers terrific defensive results, can easily score 15-20 goals (he scored 25 this year but benefited from a bit of an inflated shooting percentage) and is an excellent penalty killer.

He thrived as a middle-six center in Vancouver, but also has high enough offensive intelligence to complement star players on the wing.

In 2023-24, for example, he played as a top-line winger with J.T.

Miller and Brock Boeser.

Suter was by far the best third-wheel option on that line, with Miller and Boesers underlying numbers improving significantly when sharing the ice with him.

Suter is a low-maintenance, do-it-all top-nine forward who can reliably play anywhere in a teams lineup.

Dmitry Orlov For years, Dmitry Orlov has been able to singlehandedly drive a second pairs success with his puck-moving and well-rounded two-way skill set.

He was still a steady second-pair defenseman for most of the season in Carolina, but he profiles as more of a No.

4/5 moving forward.

Orlovs play significantly deteriorated in the playoffs, with the Canes controlling only 46.4 percent of expected goals and 41 percent of actual goals during his five-on-five shifts in the postseason.

Its also worth noting that Carolina has a favorable environment where defensemen often perform better than their actual talent level.

Consider how challenging it was for Brady Skjei to transition from Carolina to Nashville, for example.

Advertisement Orlov is still a very useful defenseman, but at 33, he needs to be insulated with a quality partner and cant be thrown to the wolves with overwhelmingly difficult matchups and defensive assignments.

Jack Roslovic Jack Roslovic is a dynamic but occasionally frustrating offense-first player.

The 28-year-old, whos primarily a winger but can also play center, has the flashy skating, playmaking IQ and high-level skill to drive dangerous zone entries and scoring chances.

Hes coming off a 22-goal season in Carolina, is an efficient producer of even-strength offense, and even has stretches where he flashes top-six potential.

The problem is those heaters are contrasted with frustrating stretches of invisibility, turnovers and occasional defensive lapses.

And thats especially problematic because he doesnt bring much to the table beyond his offensive toolkit.

On the right team, in a sheltered scoring role, Roslovic could provide dynamic secondary offense.

Brent Burns At 40, Brent Burns obviously isnt the elite player he once was.

His offensive impact in particular has slowed down, as he scored only 29 points in 82 games, representing a precipitous drop-off compared to the last two years.

That said, Burns still held his own, averaging 21 minutes on the Hurricanes top pair this past season.

Burns usage will probably need to be lightened elsewhere as he benefited from playing with Jaccob Slavin and in the Hurricanes insulated environment, but he can still offer quality minutes at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Victor Olofsson Victor Olofssons rocket of a shot makes him a dangerous scorer, especially for a team that needs power-play help.

The 29-year-old winger has scored 20 goals three times in his career and is coming off a respectable year in Vegas, where he scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games.

Hes a one-dimensional player and can be inconsistent defensively, so fit is important he needs to go somewhere where he can be sheltered at even strength and/or insulated by quality defensive linemates.

Anthony Beauvillier Anthony Beauvillier is a solid bottom-six winger who can play up the lineup in a pinch.

The 28-year-old left winger is a speedy skater and is reliable defensively.

He can go invisible for long stretches, especially offensively, but hes scored at least 15 goals six times in his career.

Beauvillier also has a solid playoff track record, which continued during this years postseason, where he chipped in with six points in 10 games.

Advertisement Matt Grzelcyk Any team looking for a third-pair, left-side puck mover who can also boost a power-play should kick the tires on Matt Grzelcyk.

The undersized 31-year-old made some loud mistakes and struggled defensively in Pittsburgh, but it was in a role where he was averaging more than 20 minutes per night.

If you shelter his matchups and minutes, hell likely perform far better at five-on-five.

If you can combine that with the 40 points he registered this season, youll have a mighty useful player.

Mason Appleton So far on this list, weve covered a few third-line caliber wingers who can drive offense but are a bit one-dimensional and cant always be trusted defensively.

Mason Appleton, on the other hand, represents more of your prototypical third-line grinder.

He can shine defensively in a checking role, has an above-average 6-foot-2 frame and can win puck battles, especially on the forecheck.

The 29-year-old is coming off a down year offensively (10 goals and 22 points in 71 games), but he scored 14 goals and 36 points in 2023-24.

Appleton is a safe, high-floor third-line winger.

(Photo: Harry How / Getty Images).

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