[TheScorpion]

Continuing my UFA tracking this summer, I figured I'd cobble up a list of the top remaining UFAs at each position -- now that it's August and all that.

I'll start with the top remaining centres.

Centre

1. Joe Thornton
Last year: San Jose

At 40 years old, Thornton still has gas in the tank. He put up 51 points last year and seems to be settling in nicely as a middle-six centre for the Sharks. It would be shocking to see him leave San Jose, his home turf for the last fourteen years.

2. Brian Boyle
Last year: New Jersey and Nashville

The hulking 6'6" Boyle led all remaining UFAs with 18 goals last season. The 34-year-old has slowed down a bit, but he was never that fleet-of-foot to begin with. Boyle is an excellent penalty-killer who had a positive effect on the Devils' shorthanded operations over the last two seasons and who was notably given a feel-good All-Star nod in 2017 following an injury to Taylor Hall. Boyle recorded 145 hits last season.

3. Derick Brassard
Last year: Pittsburgh, Florida, and Colorado

After spending the first 12 years of his career with three teams (Columbus, the New York Rangers, and Ottawa), Brassard hit a rare in-season trifecta last season. He fell off a cliff, though, posting only 23 points and becoming one of the least impactful and efficient offensive players in the NHL. One could argue that this was a result of his frequent trades, but it seems that his perilous stint in Pittsburgh kickstarted a precipitous decline. At 31, he might have to settle for a cheap one-year deal to try and reset his value.

4. Oscar Lindberg
Last year: Vegas and Ottawa

With 20 points in 55 games last season, Lindberg actually outpaced everyone else on this list except for Thornton. Furthermore, Lindberg shone across multiple metrics last season, impacting his team's play very positively in the offensive zone and especially in his own end. It's somewhat surprising that Lindberg finds himself without a contract today, considering that he is only 27 and seems to be a competent fourth-line centre option. He can score, he drives play, and he can provide a physical element: his 104 hits last season equal Matthew Tkachuk's contribution from 2018-19.

5. Riley Sheahan
Last year: Pittsburgh and Florida

Sheahan, 27, is a younger player with less of a track record than the above three names. Coming off a notoriously awful two-goal season with Detroit in 2016-17, Sheahan rebounded somewhat with Pittsburgh the following year before dropping back down to 19 points split between the Penguins and Panthers in 2018-19. The two-time 30-point scorer is pretty mediocre across-the-board, capable in his own end but largely ineffective offensively. His underlying and counting stats are eerily similar to those of Mark Jankowski, with Jankowski slightly outpacing Sheahan with respect to his offensive contributions.