Top 3 left wingers still available on the free agent market.

We have made it through the entire month of July and through the first week of August as well but there is still plenty of time before fans in the National Hockey League get to experience meaningful games once again. That also means that there is still plenty of time for NHL organizations to tweak their rosters before next season, even though most of the work has already been done. 

In spite of the fact that most of the teams around the league already have a pretty good idea of what their rosters will look like come the start of the 2019 - 2020 NHL regular season, there are still some potential additions out there that could prove to be difference makers for a number of teams. Today we will be taking a look at the top available players remaining in free agency at their respective positions, and in every case these are players who could make a significant impact come next season. 

We're going to kick things off with some forwards and for the moment we will be focusing on the left side of the playing surface. Here are, in my opinion, the top 3 free agent left wingers still available at the time of this writing. 

#1 Patrick Marleau.

This is a bit of a tough one because it seems very likely that Marleau really only intends to remain in the NHL if he can get a contract with the Sharks. Marleau is coming off of a contract buyout, the Carolina Hurricanes bought out the third and final year of his deal after a trade orchestrated by the Toronto Maple Leafs, and there have been multiple reports suggesting that he will only play for the Sharks. In spite of the fact that he will be 40 years of age come next season, Marleau is coming off a 37 point season and can clearly still contribute at the NHL level.

#2 Thomas Vanek.

It seems like almost every year at this time of the year we end up talking about the availability of veteran forward Thomas Vanek. Vanek has been a dynamic goal scorer his entire career but his shortcomings on the defensive side of the ice have always prevented him from securing a long term deal for his services. Most recently coming off a stint with the Detroit Red Wings the 35 year old forward showed he can still put pucks in the back of the net, and that will always be a skill that is highly valued by NHL general managers. 

#3 Patrick Maroon.

Perhaps the most surprising name on this list, that of Stanley Cup Champion Patrick Maroon. Maroon took a risk when he signed with his hometown St. Louis Blues, reportedly leaving money on the table to do so, but the gamble unquestionably paid off. Maroon not only captured a championship but he also showcased why a player with his physical gifts remains a valuable asset in the modern NHL. Rumors of him wishing to remain in St. Louis are likely the primary reason he has not yet signed, and it is hard to imagine that there isn't an NHL team out there that would not benefit from his strong physical presence on the ice.