The search for talent doesn't conclude when the final selection is made at the NHL Entry Draft. Each season there are more players available than draft selections, so a fair number of talented players are available who were passed over in the draft.

So a scout's job is never done as he identifies players that his team should sign as free agents. In many cases, some of these undrafted players go on to very productive NHL careers.

Here is a look at the Top 10 undrafted players.

No. 10, Todd Simpson, signed in 1994 by Calgary

At 6-foot-3, 218 pounds, Simpson has the size that scouts love, but he wasn't drafted after two seasons in the Western Hockey League. Signed by the Flames, he appeared in 214 games with Calgary between 1995 and 1999. He was traded to Florida for winger Bill Lindsay prior to the1999-2000 season. Simpson joined the Phoenix Coyotes on March 13, 2001 in exchange for a 2001 second round draft pick. In 67 games, he had two goals and 13 assists and was a plus-20. Last season, Simpson had two goals and seven assists and was plus-7 in 66 games.

No. 9, Sylvain Lefebvre, signed in 1986 by Montreal

The Canadiens took stock of what Lefebvre had to offer and signed him prior to the 1986-87 season. He spent two seasons in the minors before jumping to the NHL with Montreal.

He was traded to the Maple Leafs prior to the 1992-93 season and spent two seasons in Toronto, posting a plus-33 mark in 1993-94 before being part of the Mats Sundin-Wendel Clark trade that sent him to the Quebec Nordiques for a season and then on to Colorado where he served as an assistant coach on the Avalanche's 1996 Stanley Cup team. Lefebvre spent an additional three productive seasons with the Avalanche before signing on with the New York Rangers prior to the 1999-2000 season.

Steve Duchesne came out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to spend 16 seasons in the NHL with six different teams.

No. 8, Steve Duchesne, signed in 1984 by Los Angeles

Duchesne came out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to spend 16 seasons in the NHL with six different teams. He capped his NHL career with his only Stanley Cup, win with the Red Wings in 2002.

Duchesne established himself with the Los Angeles Kings, spending five very solid seasons there, becoming known as a very good offensive defenseman. He score 20 or more goals in three of those five seasons and was traded to Philadelphia in 1991-92, where he scored 18 goals and 38 assists. He was part of the huge package that was sent to the Quebec Nordiques the following season for Eric Lindros and scored 20 goals and 62 assists in 1992-93 for Quebec.

Duchesne was on the move again in 1993-94, joining the St. Louis Blues for two seasons. Then it was on to Ottawa for two season and then back to St. Louis for the 1997-98 season. Duchesne rejoined the Kings as a free agent for the 1998-99 season, but following his past, was on his way to Philadelphia at the trade deadline. He was a free agent again in 1999 and signed on with the Red Wings where he capped his career with the Stanley Cup.

No. 7, Steve Thomas, signed in 1984 by Toronto

In 18 seasons, Thomas has yet to win a Stanley Cup, but he came painfully close last spring. Acquired by the Mighty Ducks from Chicago at the trade deadline, Thomas was energized by the trade, scoring 10 goals and three assists in 12 regular-season games and then scored three game-winning goals in the 2003 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Ducks fell to the Devils in seven games.

The Devils made out like bandits when they signed John Madden in 1997 and Brian Rafalski in 1999 as free agents.

By the end of the 2002-03 season, Thomas had played in 1,191 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Islanders, Devils and Mighty Ducks. He scored 30 or more goals four times and 20 or more 10 times in his career.

Thomas is a smart, opportunistic player who has been regarded as a solid citizen in each of his NHL stops.

No. 6, Brian Rafalski, signed in 1999 by New Jersey

Four seasons at the University of Wisconsin didn't whet the appetite of NHL scouts, so Rafalski took his act on the road to Europe and was "discovered" there by the Devils, who signed him prior to the 1999-2000 season.

Rafalski jumped right into the mix with the Devils and became Scott Stevens' partner as the Devils won the 2000 Stanley Cup. With five goals and 27 assists in 75 games that season and another two goals and six assists in 23 playoff games, Rafalski was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2000.

He has remained an important part of the New Jersey defense and has matured into one of the top all-around defensemen in the game. Last spring, Rafalski scored two goals and nine assists in the Devils' run to the Stanley Cup. In 2002, Rafalski also played for Team USA at the Winter Olympics, scoring a goal and two assists in six games.

Mike Keane, who was signed as a free agent in 1985 by Montreal, has three Stanley Cups to his credit in a 14-year career where he established himself as a tireless worker and productive forward.

No. 5, John Madden, signed in 1997 by New Jersey

Despite impressive college credentials at the University of Michigan, Madden was undrafted. He signed with the Devils prior to the 1997-98 season and has become one of the team's most important and productive players. Two AHL seasons in Albany cemented his reputation in the Devils' organization and he grabbed a regular spot with New Jersey in 1998 and hasn't looked back.

He had a career-high 22 assists and 41 points last season and was an integral part of the team's run to both the 2000 and 2003 Stanley Cups. Last spring, he scored six goals and 10 assists in 24 postseason games.

Madden won the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward in 2001 and was a finalist in 2003.

No. 4, Mike Keane, signed in 1985 by Montreal

Keane has three Stanley Cups to his credit in a 14-year career where he established himself as a tireless worker and productive forward.

Signed as a free agent by Montreal, Keane spent seven full seasons in Montreal, playing on the Canadiens' 1993 Stanley Cup team where he had two goals and 13 assists on the run to the Cup. He was sent to Colorado in the Patrick Roy trade 18 games into the 1995-96 season and lifted the Cup again in 1996.

After going undrafted, Curtis Joseph was signed to a free agent contract in 1989 by the St. Louis Blues and went on to become one of the game's top goaltenders.

Keane spent the majority of the 1997-98 season with the New York Rangers, but was traded to Dallas at the trade deadline. That deal paid off for Keane in 1998-99 as the Stars won the Stanley Cup. He signed with St. Louis in 2001, but the fit wasn't good and he returned to Colorado near the end of the 2001-02 season.

No. 3, Curtis Joseph, signed in 1989 by St. Louis

By now, everyone who follows hockey knows "Cujo", but that wasn't the case back in 1989, when Joseph was coming off a very good college season with Wisconsin. That lack of name recognition changes rapidly as Joseph got his feet wet with the Blues in 1989-90 and then became an NHL regular for good in 1990-91. He had four-straight seasons with 20 or more wins for the Blues before being traded to Edmonton on Aug. 4, 1995.

Adam Oates was part of a trio of free agents who joined the Red Wings in 1985. While Tim Friday and Ray Staszak didn't pan out, Oates went on to a career that may well land him in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

With the Oilers, Joseph enjoyed great success in 1996-97 and 1997-98, winning 32 and 29 games respectively. He signed on with the Maple Leafs as a free agent for the 1998-99 season and won 35, 36, 33 and 29 games over the next four seasons.

The free-agent route took him to Detroit last season where he signed after Dominik Hasek retired. Joseph posted a 34-19-6 record for the Red Wings in 2002-03.

With Hasek announcing his return to Detroit, Joseph spent an unsettled summer and was awaiting a trade to a new team as the 2003-04 season dawned.

No. 2, Adam Oates, signed in 1985 by Detroit

Regarded as one of the great playmakers in NHL history, Oates was part of a trio of free agents who joined the Wings in 1985, joining defenseman Tim Friday and forward Ray Staszak in what the Wings hoped would be the foundation of the franchise. Friday and Staszak didn't pan out, but Oates has gone on to a career that may well land him in the Hockey Hall of fame.

After three full seasons and a portion of another with the Red Wings, Oates and Paul MacLean were traded to St. Louis for Bernie Federko and Tony McKegney in 1989-90. In St. Louis, Oates teamed with Brett Hull for form a tremendous offensive tandem. He posted two 100-point seasons with the Blues and 69 points in 54 games in 1991-92 when he was traded to Boston for Craig Janney and Stephane Quintal. The 1992-93 season saw Oates score 45 goals and 97 assists. In 1993-04, he scored 32 goals and 80 assists.

On March 1, 1997, Oates was part of a blockbuster deal that sent Jason Allison, Anson Carter and Jim Carey to Boston for Oates, Rick Tocchet and Bill Ranford. Oates remained in Washington until March 19, 2002, when he joined the Philadelphia Flyers. Last season, he signed on with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and scored nine goals and 36 assists in 67 games. He added an additional four goals and nine assists in 21 playoff games.

Ed Belfour, who signed a free-agent deal in 1987 with Chicago, backstopped the Dallas Stars to the Stanley Cup championship in 1999.

No. 1, Ed Belfour, signed in 1987 by Chicago

Belfour showed a glimpse of what was to come in 1986-87 when he posted a 29-4 record with the University of North Dakota. He signed with the Blackhawks prior to the 1987-88 season. He appeared in 23 games with the Hawks in 1988-89, but didn't find his game until 1990-91 when he appeared in a League-leading 74 games and won a League leading 43 games with an NHL-low 2.47 goals-against average.

Belfour had six-straight winning seasons in Chicago until being traded to San Jose on Jan. 25, 1997. He spent the remainder of the season there, but then moved on to Dallas as a free agent prior to the 1997-98 season. In four of his five seasons with the Stars, Belfour recorded 30 or more wins and he led the Stars to the 1999 Stanley Cup with a 16-7 record in 23 appearances, three shutouts and a 1.67 GAA, all League-leading marks for the 1999 postseason.

Following a rare sup-par season in 2001-02, Belfour left Dallas to join the Maple Leafs. He went 37-20-5 with the Leafs last season.

For is career, Belfour, a disciple of Hall of Famer Vladislav Tretiak, has won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year, two Vezina Trophies and the League's best goalie and has won or shared four Jennings Trophies for fewest goals allowed. But the 1999 Stanley Cup is the crowning achievement of Belfour's career to date.

Not a bad return for a player who didn't get a call on Draft Day.