Defensemen Top the List of Free Agents in NHL

Call it the blue-line special.

The NHL free-agent market officially opens today with unrestricted defensemen as the choice selection among offerings that teams can bid on and sign without compensation.

Even as Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, the crop of available defensemen still boasts Ottawa’s Zdeno Chara, Colorado’s Rob Blake and Vancouver’s Ed Jovanovski.

A strong second-tier group includes the Kings’ Joe Corvo and the Ducks’ Ruslan Salei along with Buffalo’s Jay McKee, Tampa Bay’s Pavel Kubina, Nashville’s Brendan Witt and Dallas’ Willie Mitchell.

Though the market has thinned in recent days after Ottawa’s Wade Redden and Toronto’s Bryan McCabe were re-signed, Ducks General Manager Brian Burke said he couldn’t recall a year with such depth. “There’s neither been this quantity nor this quality,” he said.

The Ducks are making the blue line a priority. Burke says he wants to acquire a defenseman via free agency or through a trade.

Chara seems to be out of their price range since he is expected to command in excess of $7 million now that Lidstrom has signed a two-year, $15.2-million deal. Blake, a former King, has been negotiating with the Avalanche and is likely to re-sign.

Jovanovski, whom Burke had when he was general manager of the Canucks, would be attractive at around $6 million but there is strong speculation that he will head to Florida, where he began his career and has a home.

The Ducks have about $25.2 million committed to 14 players and will maintain a payroll of $38 million. With five restricted free agents still to be signed and a new salary cap of $44 million, the team will probably have about $6 million left to spend.

“I haven’t quantified a number,” Burke said. “That said, I wouldn’t rule out anything.”

Then there is All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger, who has asked to be traded after helping lead Edmonton to the Stanley Cup finals. Various reports have the Ducks among the teams pursuing the former NHL most valuable player.

Burke acknowledged the reports but would not comment.

Also attracting interest are forwards Patrik Elias and Jason Arnott, goalies Dwayne Roloson, Martin Gerber and Manny Legace, and veterans such as Brendan Shanahan, Doug Weight and Michael Peca. The Kings, however, are not expected to be at the high rollers’ table for free agency, even though they have room under the salary cap.

Trading Pavol Demitra and letting Jeremy Roenick walk as an unrestricted free agent took $9.44 million off the team’s payroll last season of about $36 million. There are also cap shavings with Luc Robitaille retiring and Valeri Bure not returning.

And league sources said that Mark Parrish, an unrestricted free agent, has no interest in returning. Parrish had five goals in 19 games after being acquired from the New York Islanders.

New General Manager Dean Lombardi said he would be prudent this summer. “Let’s just say if we find the right guy, we have room available under the cap,” he said. “But we’re not going to spend it just to spend it.”

The Kings on Friday did pick up the option on left wing Jeff Cowan, who had eight goals in 46 games last season.