NHL Free Agents: The Lost Generation

Thanks to the 2005 collective agreement, this year's NHL unrestricted free agents are younger than ever.

But as Eric Duhatschek notes at Globeandmail.com, it's a thin crop:

The idea that granting unrestricted free agency to players at the age of 25, a key concession in the last CBA, would result in a wholesale shuffle of players, all willing to sell themselves to the highest bidder, didn't materialize...

Of the more than 100 players who will test the market beginning Tuesday, the vast majority has some issue or other that might limit their appeal, if the free-agent crop were deeper.

That means stiff competition for the few marquee names, like Brian Campbell and Marian Hossa. But the big winners will be fair-to-middling guys like Brooks Orpik (pictured), who will surely command far more money than they're worth.

Many of this summer's potential prizes - Jarome Iginla, Dany Heatley, Joe Thornton, among others - took a pass on free agency by making long-term commitments to their current teams.

A few younger players, like Mike Richards and Alex Ovechkin, have virtual lifetime contracts, and could end their careers without ever hitting the open market.

But it's hard to see the trend continuing. The long-term contract and the salary cap make for an uneasy alliance.

The Philadelphia Flyers know it. That's why Jeff Carter's new contract is generous, but just three years long.

With Daniel Briere signed for another seven years, and Richards locked up until 2020, a long-term deal for Carter would leave the team with little flexibility at center ice or on the payroll.

A long-term plunge on a few core players will force a team to be more conservative with its next generation of stars. They can't all get six, eight or 12-year contracts.

2008 might be a bit thin on free agent gems. But 2011 or 2013 could be a free-for-all.

(Photo: Brian Winkler/Getty Images)