Plenty of solid free agents still available

There are plenty of key players remaining on the open market and looking for a home, either with the club they played for in 2012-13 or one that has a hole it's looking to fill.

Here's a look at 25 of the top unrestricted free agents still available:

FORWARDS

NAME 2012-13 TEAM STATS

Chad LaRose Carolina 35 GP 2-2-4

SKINNY: The gritty wing struggled with the Hurricanes last season, but reached double digits in goals in each of the previous five campaigns. The 31-year-old could certainly help a club looking to add depth to its group of bottom-six forwards.

Guillaume Latendresse Ottawa 27 GP 6-4-10

SKINNY: Injuries have derailed the once promising career of this 26-year-old left wing, who's played in only 54 games since a breakout 25-goal campaign for Minnesota four seasons ago. If healthy and motivated, he can still be a nice fit as a top-nine forward for a contending team.

Damien Brunner Detroit 44 GP 12-14-26

SKINNY: Has 44 games of NHL experience after signing as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings, but the 27-year-old Swiss wing is coveted by several teams and would fill a role as a top-six forward. Had nine points (five goals, four assists) in 14 playoff games, helping the Red Wings reach the second round.

Mikhail Grabovski Toronto 48 GP 9-7-16

SKINNY: Highly skilled offensive player didn’t see eye-to-eye with Toronto Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle and was bought out with four years remaining on his five-year contract. Wherever he lands, it’s imperative Grabovski is in a top-six role, where he’d be most effective. A three-time 20-goal scorer in Toronto.

Kaspars Daugavins Ottawa/Boston 25 GP 1-3-4

SKINNY: Speedy 25-year-old was acquired by the Boston Bruins from the Ottawa Senators in early March, but saw little action with one of the NHL's deepest teams and wasn't re-signed. He's been a solid point-producer at the AHL level but has six goals and 15 points in 91 games during pieces of four NHL seasons.

Brenden Morrow Dallas/Pittsburgh 44 GP 12-13-25

SKINNY: The former Dallas Stars captain showed he can still produce after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 15 regular-season games. A bonus would be Morrow's leadership, which would be beneficial to any club.

Daniel Cleary Detroit 48 GP 9-6-15

SKINNY: Didn't put up the offense we've seen in years past, but this 34-year-old wing is scrappy and would provide leadership. Cleary is hopeful he will re-sign with the Detroit Red Wings, but if negotiations fall apart, he would be a valuable penalty killer and leader.

Milan Hejduk Colorado 29 GP 4-7-11

SKINNY: It's hard to envision Hejduk anywhere else -- he's spent his entire NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche -- but the 37-year-old hit the open market. Hejduk has played more than 1,000 NHL games and is 25 goals shy of 400 in his career.

Peter Mueller Florida 43 GP 8-9-17

SKINNY: The skilled center overcame previous health issues and appeared in all but two games for the Florida Panthers in 2012-13, when he had eight goals and nine assists. Mueller, 25, can thrive in the right environment.

Brad Boyes N.Y. Islanders 48 GP 10-25-35

SKINNY: The New York Islanders signed Boyes to a one-year deal last summer to see if he could rediscover his offensive game, and he did alongside John Tavares. Now looking for a new home, Boyes will be searching for a team in need of a top-six forward.

Kyle Wellwood Winnipeg 39 GP 6-9-15

SKINNY: Wellwood spent the past two seasons with the Winnipeg Jets and was a solid offensive player, collecting 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 116 games. Much like Boyes, Wellwood needs to be in a top-six role in order to maximize production.

Mason Raymond Vancouver 46 GP 10-12-22

SKINNY: Speedy two-way player has lasted a lot longer than expected. Raymond's best season with the Vancouver Canucks came in 2009-10, when he had 25 goals and 28 assists.

David Steckel Toronto/Anaheim 34 GP 1-6-7

SKINNY: Not a lot of offense, but he has won between 56 and 60 percent of his faceoffs every year since 2007-08 and can be a fourth-line center/penalty killer.

Vinny Prospal Columbus 48 GP 12-18-30

SKINNY: The veteran left wing was the leading scorer on a young Blue Jackets team that nearly made the playoffs last season, but now it looks as though he'll have to continue his 16-year NHL career elsewhere. Prospal has played for seven teams, including three stints with the Lightning and two with the Flyers.

Simon Gagne Los Angeles/Philadelphia 38 GP 5-11-16

SKINNY: Gagne overcame a recent history of injury problems after being reunited with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 27 games. May not receive anything longer than a one-year deal, but can still produce offensively.

Teemu Selanne Anaheim 46 GP 12-12-24

Selanne turned 43 in early July and is coming off a season in which he started to look his age, But the Anaheim Ducks are still waiting to see if Selanne wants to return for another season. He's working out, and if he decides to play another season, Anaheim is the likely landing spot.

DEFENSEMEN

Douglas Murray San Jose/Pittsburgh 33 GP 1-5-6

SKINNY: Hard-hitting veteran defenseman helped the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Eastern Conference Final after being acquired from the San Jose Sharks. Solid in his own end and will provide a veteran presence in any team's dressing room.

Ron Hainsey Winnipeg 47 GP 0-13-13

SKINNY: Hasn't scored a goal since the 2010-11 season, but has averaged more than 21 minutes per game for the Jets the past two seasons, including nearly 23 in 2012-13.

Ryan Whitney Edmonton 34 GP 4-9-13

SKINNY: Whitney has had a tough time since suffering an ankle injury just after Christmas in 2010, and he was either a third-pairing defenseman or a scratch often in 2012-13. There's little doubt he will aim to prove Oilers brass wrong next season with whichever club is willing to give him a chance.

Wade Redden St. Louis/Boston 29 GP 3-4-7

SKINNY: After being bought out by the New York Rangers, Redden showed he's still capable of being a bottom-pair defenseman when he caught on with the St. Louis Blues before being shipped to the Boston Bruins at the NHL Trade Deadline.

Ian White Detroit 25 GP 2-2-4

SKINNY: White didn't dress for the Detroit Red Wings during the postseason, so he's out to prove he can be a quality top-six defender in the NHL. The 29-year-old has appeared in more than 500 NHL games.

GOALIES

Tim Thomas Boston/N.Y. Islanders Did not play

SKINNY: The world-class goaltender opted not to play in 2012-13 and became an unrestricted free agent once the New York Islanders decided not to toll his contract. If and when Thomas signs, he'll have to show he can step right in and be a No. 1 goalie again.

Ilya Bryzgalov Philadelphia 19-17-3, 2.79 GAA

SKINNY: It didn't work out for the Russian netminder in the City of Brotherly Love; his nine-year, $51 million contract was bought out with seven years remaining. Perhaps a change of scenery will help Bryzgalov get back to the form we saw in Phoenix.

Jose Theodore Florida 4-6-3, 3.29 GAA

SKINNY: Theodore would likely prefer to stay with the Florida Panthers, but the team has Jacob Markstrom waiting in the wings. That means Theodore has to find work elsewhere and may have to settle to be someone's backup.

Johan Hedberg New Jersey 6-10-3, 2.76 GAA

SKINNY: Hedberg found himself without a job after the New Jersey Devils acquired Cory Schneider from the Vancouver Canucks. After being bought out, it's up to the 40-year-old to see if he can find work elsewhere in a backup role.

Follow Brian Compton on Twitter: @BComptonNHL