Daily Links for Wednesday, June 30

Only 30 hours until the free agent bonanza kicks off at noon tomorrow. Now's the penultimate chance to get you research or opinions in - go!

The NHL’s top 100 unrestricted free agents - The Globe and Mail
A list of the best players likely to be available when bidding opens on July 1 courtesy of James Mirtle.

Clock ticking for Hank and Toni - Sabres Edge
We're two days away from the start of the free agency period and it's likely that Sabres defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Toni Lydman will be testing the market.

On Special Talents, Patrick Kaleta and Ilya Kovalchuk - Behind The Net
Do you know who else has an elite talent? Patrick Kaleta of the Buffalo Sabres. Kaleta has drawn 72 more penalties than he's taken in his last three seasons. But Kaleta barely plays 10 minutes a night and he misses a lot of games, so his rate stats are ridiculous. Let's run through Kaleta's value:

SHIPLEY LOOKS TO GET STRONGER - Buffalo Sabres
Steven Shipley spent part of last summer skating with Hart and Art Ross trophy winner Joe Thornton. It helps that the pair hail from nearby towns -- Thornton is from London, Ont., while Shipley is from neighboring Ilderton.

Draft day steals - THN
Sabres third round draft choice Jerome Gauthier-Leduc made the list!

Who is the 'right' fit among these wingers? - NHL.com
The names won't jump off the page at you, but there are still some significant right wings that could be up for grabs come noon ET on July 1 when the NHL's free-agent signing period officially begins.

Ilya Kovalchuk headlines left-wing free agents - NHL.com
NHL.com looks at the top 9 left wings who are headed toward the free-agent market on July 1.

9 goalies who could be on the move July 1 - NHL.com
NHL.com's Dan Rosen looks at 9 goalies that could be on the move when free agency begins on July 1.

Which NHL Teams Have Cap Space? - Bird Watchers Anonymous
The Falconer crunches the numbers for all 30 teams (22 man roster with RFA Qualifying Offers).

Slim pickings on offence in free-agent crop - The Globe and Mail
The downturn in high-end free agents this year coincides with a trend the past few seasons toward more and more long-term deals.

Free Agent Wish List - Part Two - From The Rink
This is part two of a four part series in which we take a look at possible team needs and solutions for the coming free agent season. In Part One, we reviewed the bottom tier of the East. This week we look at the rest of the conference.

Modano Not to be Offered Contract - Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars have decided not to offer center Mike Modano a contract for the coming season.

Trading Savard stirs up more questions than answers - Boston.com
It would seem strange for Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli to be pushing Savard out the door, since one of Chiarelli's initial major moves after taking over in 2006 was to sign Savard as a free agent the same day he inked team captain Zdeno Chara. Plus, Chiarelli handed Savard a seven-year, $28.05 million contract extension about eight months ago.