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As of 10 am on July 1st creeps closer, lets get you set for the big day with looking at who will be potentially available to the highest bidder.  It’s a class with a lot of value and the potential for some very good bargains.  But it also has a lot of high end talent available, hence we rank the top 25 July 1st free agents.  Not on this list are Joe Sakic and Scott Niedermayer, as both are expected to re-sign with their parent clubs.  This has been revised, as I had to take Johnny Oduya off the list.

1. Jay Bouwmeester - While the Calgary Flames have the leg up on any negs, you’ve gotta believe Jay is going to excercise his right to explore unrestricted free agency.  He signed a 1 year contract for that express purpose.  So while the Flames do have the upper hand, I believe Bouwmeester is going to have lots of options come Wednesday.

2.  Marian Hossa - Scott Burnside at ESPN.com said today the chances Detroit will re-sign Hossa are slim.  It certainly is a departure from 3 or 4 weeks ago when SI’s Michael Farber reported a long term deal was all but done with the Red Wings.  You have to believe his value is going to be very high, and it’s a good bet someone will offer him a raise on the 7.45 million he made last year.  Now it’s whether Hossa values the best chance to win, or the best chance to cash in.

3.  Mike Cammalleri - After a career best 39 goals and 82 points, Cammalleri couldn’t be entering unrestricted free agency at a better time.  The Flames move to acquire the rights to Jay Bouwmeester might indicate the priority level on re-signing Cammy…not very high.  He stands to see an increase on his 3.6 million dollar salary from last year, and it wouldn’t be beyond belief to think he could get a 6 year, $35 million deal…or more.

4.  Daniel and Henrik Sedin - A TSN report has Canucks GM Mike Gillis flying to Sweden to try and get something done with the prized twins.  That’s no guarantee that they will return to Van, even though both parties have a vested interest in keeping them there.  IF Gillis and the Canucks are unsuccessful in locking the dynamic duo up, there will be teams willing to sacrifice a lower cap hit for a chance at the Sedins.  Will any team other than Vancouver give them 12 years?  Probably not.  But teams just might throw some hefty money at them on, say, a 5 or 6 year contract.

5.  Daniel and Henrik Sedin - See above.

6.  Nikolai Khabibulin - He’s easily the best goaltender available via free agency this year, and as such, he’ll probably get quite a few looks.  After a great postseason where he helped the Blackhawks reach the Western Conference Finals, Khabibulin will get some offers.  The one thing that might temper some outlandish numbers will be his age.  Khabibulin is 36 and clearly has lots ahead of him, but he might be looking at a bunch of 2 year contracts.

7.  Mike Komisarek - After Bouwmeester, Komisarek might be the most sought after blueliner come Wednesday, for good reason.  After making 1.9 million last year, he’s due for a big raise, as he’s got a lot going for him.  He’s young (27), he’s respected (many counted him as the defacto leader in the Habs dressing room), and he’s menacing on the ice.  At 6′4, 237 pounds he’s got the size and toughness plus the longevity; his 66 games last year was the lowest he’s played in 4 NHL seasons.  If Wade Redden could get 6 a season and Mike Commodore could get 4.25 a season, Komisarek should be in line for a pretty impressive pay day.

8.  Francois Beauchemin - He’s right up there with Komisarek in terms of valued defencemen beyond Bouwmeester.  Again, he was affordable last year at 1.65 million, and he’s turned into one of the most reliable guys in the NHL.  He will chip in with respectable offensive numbers, but it’s the job he does in his own end that draws raves.  He’s very sound positionally and is extremely calm under pressure.  A team like Montreal, desperate for blueliners, might throw more than a good chunk of money at Beauchemin.

9.  Martin Havlat - Apparently, the Blackhawks and Havlat are close to signing something new prior to July 1st.  However, the hitch seems to be about contract length.  I think it’s a fair statement to say Havlat isn’t going to get a raise on his 6 million dollar salary from last year.  However, the deal Chicago has on the table was apparently a 1 year deal; Havlat was hoping for something more long term.  If someone else comes along and offers the 28 year old Havlat a 4 or 5 year deal, he might be breezing out of the Windy City.

10. Mattias Ohlund - I overlooked him to begin with, but he’s got to be on this list.  I don’t quite put him at the level of Komisarek and Beauchemin, but at 32 years of age, he’s still extremely valuable.  Taking away the 07-08 season, Ohlund plays 75+ games a year and can log a ton of minutes.  He made 3.5 last year and will probably get somewhere between that and 5 a season.

11.  Marian Gaborik - He has reportedly been offered numerous contracts over the past year by Minnesota.  One of those contracts was rumoured at around 78 million over 10 years.  Safe to say after playing just 17 games last season (not dispelling his “injury prone moniker), Gaborik won’t be getting anything close to that.  Yes, he’s injury prone; 2 of the last 4 seasons he’s played under 50 games.  But he also produces.  Gaborik is above a point per game in his last 4 NHL seasons.  There will be interest, and I think he’ll end up getting something pretty hefty…but maybe not for 10 years.

12.  Brian Gionta - He made 4 mil last season, and will probably be in that range once again.  He hasn’t come close to doubling his 89 point season from 2005-2006, but he’s proven to be reliable and feisty playing a 2 way game.  He had 20 goals and 60 points last year and is only 30 years old; I think a team might be primed for a bargain with Gionta.

13.  Alex Tanguay - Lets start the run of Canadiens, who have close to six thousand free agents.  Tanguay didn’t produce the way many had hoped, putting up 41 points in 50 games last year.  He’s only 2 seasons removed from a career best 81 points, so he’ll garner some interest.

14.  Robert Lang - The one worry on the 38 year old Lang is that injury he suffered that gross leg injury late last season.  But on a 1 year contract, he proved he can be very valuable last year.  His 39 points in 50 games wasn’t mind blowing, but he was reliable and can probably be had for less than his 4 million from last year.

15. Alex Kovalev - He’d probably be higher if you didn’t take into account all that bizarre stuff surrounding him last season.  Rumours have him potentially staying in Montreal (and being named captain).  If that doesn’t happen, he’ll get a few offers after a 65 point season.

16.  Mathieu Schneider - In the right situation, the 40 year old Schneider can still be effective.  In just 23 games with the Habs last season, he put up 17 points; a good indicator of a good situation.  As opposed to his 44 games with Atlanta last season where he put up 15 points.  Put him in a spot where he can get solid PP minutes and the freedom to lug the puck up ice, and he can still thrive.  Once again, he’s a 1 year deal kind of guy.

17. Saku Koivu - Many Habs fans were not happy when the report surfaced Montreal was going to focus on re-signing Kovalev and giving HIM the C, as opposed to trying and bring back Koivu, their long time captain.  Is a top producer?  No, but he’s consistent and adds a nice voice in the room.  Don’t rule out joining his brother in Minnesota.

18. Sergei Zubov - Zubov is much like Schneider, but more injury prone.  Plus, we have no idea what he’s thinking when it comes to the future.  The 38 year old blueliner has played just 56 games the past 2 seasons, which will scare some teams away.  But when healthy, he still has the ability to be one of the most effective powerplay guys in the NHL.

19.  Samuel Pahlsson - Pahlsson was a huge reason Chicago got past Vancouver in the 2nd round of the playoffs, and was a big help in their 1st round win over Calgary.  He made 1.4 last year and is one of the best 2 way forwards in the NHL.  The 1 question might be durability; Pahlsson played 65 games last year and 56 the year before.

20.  Mike Knuble - All the guy does is score 20 goals every season.  He made 2.8 last year and should be in line for the same price range.  The 36 year old Knuble hasn’t scored less than 24 goals his last 6 NHL seasons.  He’s a veteran who can produce: he could be a real steal.

21.  Mikael Samuelsson - Some value the 32 year old Red Wing more than others.  I think he has some value, putting up 40 points the past 2 seasons on a stacked Detroit team.  He’s a skilled stick handler and has nice vision around the net.  I think he could do some nice things given a bigger role.

22.  Ian Laperriere - Colorado would love to re-sign the feisty forward, but if they don’t, there will be a ton of teams knocking on his door.  He brings grit, tenacity, and agitation on the ice and a really good nature inside the room.  For between 1 or 2 mil, he’s worth it.

23.  Kurtis Foster - Some may really disagree with this high ranking, but I think Foster is primed for a real good season.  He’s 27 years old and was showing a real ability to take a bigger role on the powerplay with the Wild.  Then his gruesome broken leg derailed things and it’s been a long road back.  He’s got a shot, he can skate and is still young…I’d like to see someone take a chance.

24.  Dwayne Roloson - He’s turning 40 and is reportedly looking for a 2 year deal, but after his run last season, he deserves a contract.  Maybe not 2 years, but for a reasonable price, Roloson can still be very effective.  He went 28-24-9 last year with an impressive .915 save percentage.  He can still play.

25. Erik Cole - I know his stint in Edmonton wasn’t as successful as the Oilers had hoped (he put up 27 points in 63 games), but Cole played 80 games last year split between Edmonton and Carolina and contributes more than just points.  While he’s still good for 50 points or so, he also has a tenacious forecheck, a physical edge and a great demeanor inside the locker room.

Not on this list are notable names like Steve Sullivan, Mats Sundin, Todd Bertuzzi, Mike Peca and more.  This was a bit of a task, and lots will disagree, but it shows a fairly strong free agent class primed to cash in come Wednesday morning.

It was one hell of a main event on Saturday afternoon, as the Ultimate Fighting Championship present UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany.  Rich Franklin outlasted Wanderlei Silva and took a unanimous decision in what was 15 minutes of pure action.  The bout answered some questions and raised some others.

It certainly answered some questions regarding Rich Franklin.  Is he a new fighter since his 2 losses to Anderson Silva?  Yes.  Is he better suited at a higher weight?  Yes.  Is he going to make some potential waves in the Light Heavyweight division?  I would say yes as well.  The fight took place at a catch-weight of 195 pounds, which suited both fighters well.  For Franklin, I thought he looked calm and composed yet he also displayed an impressive amount of aggression and Octagon control to take the fight.  His power has always been one of his best assets, but it was really impressive on Saturday, as he knocked down Silva on numerous occasions.

Franklin has always been known as a cerebral type of fighter, and that helped him dominate at 185 pounds for a long period of time.  But his losses to Anderson Silva made him realize how much higher a level he has to take his game.  With impressive performances in his last 4 bouts (3-1), he’s shown a ton of versatility and resiliency and makes his pending move to 205 very interesting.  Franklin has all the tools to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Rashad Evans and Shogun Rua, and has the skill set to challenge current Champ Lyoto Machida.  I think Franklin is one of the most interesting guys to watch in the coming months.

As for Wanderlei, eek.  He’s lost 5 of his last 6 fights and has gone from being one of the most feared strikers in the history of the sport to a guy who is plodding and predictable.  Was he entertaining on Saturday?  Yeah, absoloutely, and that’s why he’s not going anywhere.  But his approach to fights have got to change if he’s going to have any prolonged success at 185 pounds (his pending destination).  His striking has become predictable, as he’s far too fond of the overhand right.  He’s leaving himself open for easy jabs and his cardio is certainly suspect as of late.  Silva still has all kinds of KO power in his hands, but he needs to mix up his attack if he’s going to have any success moving forward.

Was I impressed with Cain Velasquez on Saturday?  How can you not be.  But I was a little confused with his inablity to finish Cheick Kongo, clearly a fish out of water on his back.  The number of times Velasquez had Kongo in full mount, he should have been able to finish him off.  But in the long run, he looked dominant and showed his All American wrestling skill while also showing off an impressive ability to take a punch.  Kongo, not so much.  Was he great on his feet?  For sure, but he didn’t do enough to make sure the fight was kept standing, and showed some real holes in his game while on the ground.  He’s got a lot of work to do if he wants a shot at the Heavyweight belt.

Mirko Cro Cop looked awesome…too bad he screwed over the UFC and decided to sign with DREAM in Japan.  Watch out for Mike Swick, he’s now put himself in the upper echelon of the 170 pound division; I’ve been damn impressed with him and really want to see him against the cream of the crop.  Was very disappointed with the performance of Marcus Davis.  I’m a huge fan of his, but I thought he was far too slow in the striking game and could have done a lot more to guarantee a win, instead of a split decision loss.

UFC President Dana White said if the cult phenom Kimbo Slice were to ever grace The Octagon, he’d have to join the cast of the Spike TV reality show The Ultimate Fighter.  Now, thanks to an official announcement on Monday, Slice will suit up and join season 10 of the hit show; and if you’re on either side of the negotiation, all you can ask yourself is, “why the hell not?”

Kimbo Slice rose to prominence on the internet, fighting hacks in backyards to millions of YouTube hits.  His cult status grew, he got an article in Maxim (the first I had ever heard of the guy), and then up steps Showtime TV’s promotion Elite XC.  Due to his popularity, Slice was given headline bouts and won with ease in his first fights on cable, including an all too fun to watch KO of Tank Abbott.  CBS, being the parent of Showtime, saw the boom of MMA growing and decided to bring Elite XC, and more notably Kimbo, to prime time television.  The ratings were solid, he won his first CBS fight, and then it all crashed down.

The match was set…3-0 Kimbo Slice, the phenom, to take on veteran Ken Shamrock.  But a last minute injury forced Shamrock out, so in steps Seth Petruzelli (I still don’t know who he is).  The crumbling of the Slice aura took only 14 seconds, and bam, the Elite XC promotion crumbled with it.  Petruzelli’s 1st round KO spelt the end of Slice as a legit MMA fighter…or did it?  The criticism had been there throughout his “MMA” career, from fans to media to Dana White himself.  But the popularity is there and Dana is not a stupid man.  He said sure, he could fight in the UFC…if he goes through the rigors of the TV show and proves he’s actually a legit fighter.  The Kimbo camp had long defended him.  “He trains with MMA legend Bas Rutten and has spent time at XTreme Couture,” were the constant refrains.  Now Slice has a chance to prove it.

From Kimbo’s perspective, why not?  You were either looking at being a freak show in Japan or you were going to try your hand and boxing.  This was the best option for him, especially if proving his legitimacy as a fighter is a priority for him.  But some may not see the worth from a business standpoint and the UFC.  All I can say is…freak shows sell.  More people will watch season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, dubbed “The Heavyweights”, at least from the get-go.  His first fight on the show will create a buzz, and if he is able to bust his ass and make the finale…well, wait, now all of a sudden we’re looking at a Kimbo Slice fight, inside The Octagon, with people watching.  And Dana White makes money.

No-brainer for either side, and coming from the hardcore fan…I freaking love it.  If Slice comes in and gets his ass beat in his first fight on the show, then that’s damn hilarious, and it proves all the nay-sayers right.  And it makes for good TV, a ratings spike, maybe some more viewers on a consistent basis, and at the very worst…TUF continues at the status quo.  Say he wins some fights though.  Say Kimbo Slice wins his first fight, and then his second fight, and then all of a sudden he’s a fight away from the contract.  And just think…if Slice makes the finale, he’ll have won (at least) 3 straight fights, against REAL MMA fighters, under UFC jurisdiction and on national TV.  He’s already wildly popular (and has retained much of his fame), and now he’s got a buzz around him.  Yeah, sure Slice is happy…but Dana and the UFC are the real ones laughing all the way to the bank.

Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter will be coached by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and “Suga” Rashad Evans, and will feature all heavyweight fighters.  Both Jackson and Evans are both former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions, and can add to the MMA bushel of an eager Slice.  Kimbo has continued training, and from a pure technical standpoint, coaches like that help him, no question.  Add to the fact that the personalities of Rampage, Evans, and Slice on one reality show could double Spike’s ratings…yep, again, this one is a no brainer.

So tell me all you want how Kimbo Slice is a fraud, how he’s a joke, how he doesn’t deserve to be earning a pay check from the sport.  Give me all the arguments against the guy you want, and all I’ll say back to you is “scoreboard”.  Slice can’t do any harm to Dana White’s UFC.  Will a few hundred people stop watching his product?  Maybe…but those might be the same people who threatened to give up their season tickets when the Flames signed Todd Bertuzzi.  All Slice can do is help the UFC, even if it’s only for 2 episodes of their long running reality show.  But if you’re Dana White, once again, all you can says is…”why the hell not?”