from Sean McIndoe of Grantland.

If you’re an NHL free agent who’s still unemployed in mid-August, chances are that you fall into one of 13 categories. Let’s walk through them and see if we can figure out what fans should expect.

The guy whom you could talk yourself into

Even though all the top free agents should have already been signed by August, there are always a few who still seem useful. They’re not stars, and may come with significant flaws. But when you factor in the hope that your favorite team could potentially land them at a discount, they start to seem downright attractive.

2013 examples: Brenden Morrow, Ryan Whitney, Douglas Murray, Guillaume Latendresse, Damien Brunner, Brad Boyes

What to expect: These guys will eventually sign deals that are never quite as discounted as you expected. A few will work out well, most won’t, and half of them will be available at next year’s trade deadline.

You’re not fooling anyone

This guy hasn’t officially retired yet, and he may have had a decent career, but come on. He's done. Nobody could possibly be desperate enough to sign him, right?

2013 examples: Tomas Kaberle, Rick DiPietro, Hal Gill, Tom Poti, Jose Theodore

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