The Hockey Network's Blog

The free agent market’s been open for a month now and there isn’t much left on the shelves. At this point, you’ll have an easier time finding an iPhone or the new Harry Potter book than you will locating a cornerstone you can build your team around on the open market.

The majority of the stars were snapped up on the first or second day of the free-agent season, guys like Blake and Smyth and Bertuzzi and Rafalski disappearing faster than Britney Spears’ career. They went quickly, that’s for sure, and a lot of teams got a whole lot better this summer. Others did not. The Rangers made one of the biggest splashes when they went for the Drury-Gomez double-dip, the Flyers loaded up with Timonen and Hartnell, and the Avs reinforced with Smyth and Hannan.

The gems may have all been claimed in the first few days of the summer, but that doesn’t mean the shelves are completely bare. It might be bargain-basement outlet shopping at this point and not Rodeo Drive, but there are still plenty of guys out there that can help your favorite team.

In this edition of Gross Misconduct, we break down the best of what remains, and exactly what these leftovers bring to the table. In some cases, there’s still a lot these guys can bring, provided there are teams still interested in their services.