GRIFFINS ALUMNI ABOUND IN FREE AGENT MARKET
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The NHL on Monday released the names of players who became free agents as of today, a list that contains a plethora of former Griffins.
FREE AGENTS SUBJECT TO COMPENSATION AND RIGHT TO MATCH -- GROUP 2
The players listed below have been tendered a qualifying offer by their respective Clubs and are subject to draft-choice compensation and right to match.
ATLANTA
Shane Hnidy
CAROLINA
Kevyn Adams
DETROIT
Darryl Bootland, Matt Ellis, Tomas Kopecky, Niklas Kronvall, Joey MacDonald, Jason Williams
FLORIDA
Joel Kwiatkowski
MINNESOTA
Todd White
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Rob Collins
NEW YORK RANGERS
Alexandre Giroux, Karel Rachunek
OTTAWA
Chris Kelly, Chris Neil, Jason Spezza
TAMPA BAY
Dimitri Afanasenkov
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS - GROUP 3
The following players have qualified for Group 3 Free Agency (age 31 or older with at least four Accrued Seasons) and are Unrestricted Free Agents.
DALLAS
Patrick Traverse
DETROIT
Curtis Joseph, Stacy Roest
POTENTIAL GROUP 5 FREE AGENTS
The following players: (i) have completed ten pro seasons or more (NHL or Minors, excluding Junior hockey), and (ii) in the 2004-05 season earned less than the NHL average salary of $1,390,896 and (iii) received a timely qualifying offer.
These players have the right to elect once in their careers to become Unrestricted Free Agents. If such players do not elect to become Unrestricted Free Agents, since their prior Clubs have tendered them qualifying offers, such players shall remain subject to draft choice compensation and right to match as applies to Group 2 Free Agents. The players listed below have until August 5, 2005 to elect Group 5 status.
NO GRIFFINS ALUMNI
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS -- GROUP 6
The following players qualify for unrestricted free agency, having met the requirements for Group 6 free agency. These players, whose contracts have expired, are age 25 or older, have completed three or more professional seasons, and (i) in the case of a player other than a goaltender, have played less than 80 NHL games (regular-season and playoff), or (ii) in the case of a goaltender, have played less than 28 NHL games (regular-season and playoff).
COLORADO
Chris Bala, Jeff Ulmer.
COLUMBUS
Jeff Panzer
DETROIT
Pete Vandermeer.
EDMONTON
Tyler Moss
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Dieter Kochan
PHILADELPHIA
Neil Little
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
The following players were not tendered a qualifying offer and are therefore Unrestricted Free Agents not subject to a right to match or draft choice compensation.
ANAHEIM
Sheldon Brookbank
CAROLINA
Jim Henkel
DETROIT
Paul Ballantyne, Danny Groulx, Nathan Robinson
NASHVILLE
Mark Eaton
OTTAWA
Josh Langfeld, Martin Prusek
WASHINGTON
Jason Doig
For the complete list of NHL free agents, click here.
FREE AGENTS SUBJECT TO COMPENSATION AND RIGHT TO MATCH -- GROUP 2
The players listed below have been tendered a qualifying offer by their respective Clubs and are subject to draft-choice compensation and right to match.
ATLANTA
Shane Hnidy
CAROLINA
Kevyn Adams
DETROIT
Darryl Bootland, Matt Ellis, Tomas Kopecky, Niklas Kronvall, Joey MacDonald, Jason Williams
FLORIDA
Joel Kwiatkowski
MINNESOTA
Todd White
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Rob Collins
NEW YORK RANGERS
Alexandre Giroux, Karel Rachunek
OTTAWA
Chris Kelly, Chris Neil, Jason Spezza
TAMPA BAY
Dimitri Afanasenkov
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS - GROUP 3
The following players have qualified for Group 3 Free Agency (age 31 or older with at least four Accrued Seasons) and are Unrestricted Free Agents.
DALLAS
Patrick Traverse
DETROIT
Curtis Joseph, Stacy Roest
POTENTIAL GROUP 5 FREE AGENTS
The following players: (i) have completed ten pro seasons or more (NHL or Minors, excluding Junior hockey), and (ii) in the 2004-05 season earned less than the NHL average salary of $1,390,896 and (iii) received a timely qualifying offer.
These players have the right to elect once in their careers to become Unrestricted Free Agents. If such players do not elect to become Unrestricted Free Agents, since their prior Clubs have tendered them qualifying offers, such players shall remain subject to draft choice compensation and right to match as applies to Group 2 Free Agents. The players listed below have until August 5, 2005 to elect Group 5 status.
NO GRIFFINS ALUMNI
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS -- GROUP 6
The following players qualify for unrestricted free agency, having met the requirements for Group 6 free agency. These players, whose contracts have expired, are age 25 or older, have completed three or more professional seasons, and (i) in the case of a player other than a goaltender, have played less than 80 NHL games (regular-season and playoff), or (ii) in the case of a goaltender, have played less than 28 NHL games (regular-season and playoff).
COLORADO
Chris Bala, Jeff Ulmer.
COLUMBUS
Jeff Panzer
DETROIT
Pete Vandermeer.
EDMONTON
Tyler Moss
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Dieter Kochan
PHILADELPHIA
Neil Little
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS
The following players were not tendered a qualifying offer and are therefore Unrestricted Free Agents not subject to a right to match or draft choice compensation.
ANAHEIM
Sheldon Brookbank
CAROLINA
Jim Henkel
DETROIT
Paul Ballantyne, Danny Groulx, Nathan Robinson
NASHVILLE
Mark Eaton
OTTAWA
Josh Langfeld, Martin Prusek
WASHINGTON
Jason Doig
For the complete list of NHL free agents, click here.