It’s been over a month since the last time an NHL game was played, but the action continues in the league, this time with phones substituting for pucks, suits for uniforms, and general managers and agents for players. It’s the NHL free agency, baby. Although most of the top names have been scooped up, like Dougie Hamiton, Phillip Grubauer, and Phillip Danault among others,  there are still gobs of players in the free-agency market, waiting for the call and the right deal.

Most intriguing players left in 2021 NHL free agency

Celtics-TD-Garden

Zach Parise, LW

Parise was not supposed to be hitting the NHL free agency this year, as he had four more years left on the massive 13-year deal worth 98 million he signed with the Minnesota Wild back in 2012. But that was until Minnesota decided to buy him out following the 2020-21 NHL season. Parise is 37 and is clearly no longer the goal-scoring machine that he used to be, so there’s really not much leverage for him to use if he’s looking for a home run deal. However, he’s not a bad asset for a team looking to inject experience to the offense and some spark in the secondary lines, similar to the role Corey Perry had for the Montreal Canadiens last season.

There were previous rumors/reports  (via Michael Anderson of FanSided) that Parise would be reuniting with Lou Lamoriello, this time with the New York Islanders, but that no paper has been signed in the NHL free agency, as of this writing.

The worst kept secret around the New York Islanders is that Zach Parise will join his former GM Lou Lamoriello on the Island. The links were being made the second Parise was bought out by the Minnesota Wild a few weeks ago.

Multiple reports from last night and early this morning state that Parise will sign with the Islanders when the signing window opens a little later today.

In his last season with Minnesota, Parise posted just seven goals to go with 11 assists in 45 games. He has not been a good possession player over the past years, as he was unable to reach at least 50 CF% (even strength) in each of his last two seasons. 

James Neal, LW

Like Parise, Neal also got bought by the Edmonton Oilers after just two seasons with the team. Neal arrived in Edmonton when the Calgary Flames traded him there in exchange for Milan Lucic back in 2019. At 33 years old, Neal’s best days are behind him, and he’s likely to end up agreeing to take a deal that’s just enough to keep the lights on at home — relatively speaking, of course — hopefully form a contender, at least.

Neal scored 19 goals across 55 games in his first year in Edmonton then struck just five times in 29 games last season. Neal has scored at least 20 goals in 11 of his 13 seasons in the NHL, so far in his career. In all those seasons, he’s yet to go under 53 CF% in one. 

Tuukka Rask, LW

Rask is still a big name in the NHL and would have likely been signed if not for an offseason injury he went through to repair a hip injury.  That surgery came during the same summer the eight-year deal worth $56 million he signed in 2013 expired, so the situation is a bit trickier right now for Rask. While he can still be considered among the elite netminders in the league, Rask’s health is a big question. He’s not going to be available at least during the early goings and may take longer than that before he gets back to his top shape.

In that case, the team who’ll sign him off the NHL free agency will have to stomach seeing a pricey investment burn holes in its pocket without making any contribution for a particular stretch of time. The expectation is that Rask will still return to Beantown, even though Boston has two goalies under contract in Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman, who had a fantastic 2020-21 season in front of the net. That being said, a contender for Rask’s services could definitely still emerge. Rask, 34, went 15-5-2 with a 2.28 GAA and .921 SV% in 24 appearances (24 starts) in the 2020-21 NHL season. 

Rask also does seem to still have the trust of Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy (h/t Ty Anderson of 98.5 The Sports Hub).

“I do,” Cassidy told TSN 1200 (Ottawa) earlier this week when asked if he believes that Rask will play another NHL game. “I think that’ll be his call at the end of the day.”

Other players still on the NHL free agency who could be garnering serious attention soon are Tyler Bozak, Zdeno Chara, Devan Dubnyk, and Travis Zajac.