from Jonathan Willis of Sportsnet,

July 1 is rapidly approaching and with it, the NHL’s free agent season. As with most years, the 2015 crop lacks elite talent, with the top names available being largely of the good-but-not-great caliber. Still, there are players available at every position who can help a new team.

Here we look at the ones likely to attract the most attention and the most dollars from prospective bidders.

Justin Williams
He’s at the top of the list and has been great value for a long time. He’s currently wrapping up a four-year, $3.65 million contract after previously playing on a five-year, $3.5 million deal.

Williams, a 33-year-old winger coming off a 41-point campaign, checks off a few boxes. He’s long been an analytics darling, with his teams consistently out-shooting the opposition by a ridiculous margin when he’s on the ice, regardless of how difficult his assignments are. He’s also a proven playoff performer who won the Conn Smythe in 2014.

A multi-year deal somewhere in the $5 million range seems probable, with the value dependent on term. Williams is easily worth $5 million now and should rebound offensively outside Los Angeles, but he may only have two or three years left at that level.

continue for a look at Ribeiro, Martin and Green...