With so many teams up against the salary cap, is this year NHL general managers stop overpaying for free agents?

I don’t know about you, but my expectations for Wednesday’s kickoff to the free agent season have greatly diminished following this past weekend’s boring draft and last season’s yawn fest that was trade deadline day.

It used to be you could count on numerous significant moves being made on those days, but no longer.

Anticipation is met with disappointment.

Without question there are some big names available. The Sedin twins, Jay Bouwmeester, Martin Havlat, Marian Gaborik and Marian Hossa are in play, as are Dany Heately and, if you believe the rumours, Vinny Lecavalier.

So it’s not as though there is a shortage of high-end talent that could change teams.

It’s just that so many teams are up against the salary cap you have to wonder what kind of a market there is for the best players who will command big bucks? And you also have to wonder if this is finally the year general managers stop overpaying for second tier players?

In the old days when there was no limit to the amount of money a team could spend, teams could afford to make mistakes. But now those mistakes come back to bite you on the rump.

The New York Rangers for example, tripped over themselves to get at Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, but overpaid to get each in the process. Both are excellent second-line players, but the Rangers threw first-line money at them and now they are stuck with expensive underachievers.

Did the Rangers learn their lesson? Nope.

The contract they gave defenceman Wade Redden last summer, $29 million over five seasons with a cap hit of $6.5 million per season might well be the dumbest contract in league history.

Redden was once counted among the best young defenders in the NHL, but his play has deteriorated in recent years and it’s hard to imagine there was another team that would have come close to offering what the Rangers signed him for. There are already whispers the Rangers might bury Redden in the minors to free up some much-needed cap space.

The Rangers aren’t alone. The Philadelphia Flyers gave Daniel Briere a seven-year $52 million deal and now, after two years, would love to get rid of him.

Although Briere only managed one goal in six playoff games this past season, he does have a reputation for playing some terrific hockey in the springtime. However, his contract makes him nearly unmovable. The Maple Leafs also overpaid to get Jason Blake on the strength of one 40-goal season with the Islanders.

So will teams continue to overspend? Probably. But this year’s crop of free agents should come with a buyer beware tag on them.

Start with the Sedins. If it is true they will only play together and they are looking for a deal in excess of 10 years, then their price should come down. I have grown quite fond of Daniel and Henrik and really like what they bring to the table, but a team has to ask itself if they sign the brothers, will there be enough left over in the kitty to surround them with a quality supporting cast?

Marian Hossa remains one of the best players in the league, but you have to wonder what a lousy playoff this past season did to harm his ability to cash in with a deal that comes close to what he was offered last summer by Pittsburgh and Edmonton. Certainly the fact he only scored goals in three of Detroit’s 23 playoff games will not help his cause.

Under normal circumstances Marian Gaborik would be the marquee player available July 1, but the fact he was limited to just 17 games last season will certainly cause many teams to sit up and take notice. Then again, he did score 13 goals and 23 points in those 17 games, so surely some team will be willing to gamble on him. Keep in mind, though, that is what it is – a gamble. Especially if you throw big money and term his way.

Likewise, Havlat is a gifted point producer – when he’s healthy. He led the Chicago Blackhawks in scoring during the regular season and in the playoffs, but you need to keep your fingers crossed that he won’t get injured. Havlat played 81 games last season, but he’s played in just 35, 56 and 18 the previous three years.

Bouwmeester, just 25, will certainly be one of the most sought-after players and there is little not to like about his game. He is an exceptional skater for a big man (6-foot-4, 212 pounds), he has scored 15 goals in each of his past two seasons and can play upwards of 30 minutes a night. Problem is, he has never been to the playoffs – not as a junior or as an NHLer. That certainly isn’t entirely his fault, but let’s be honest, it’s hardly a big selling point.

And that’s pretty much the way it is with the best players who will be available come Wednesday.

Now we’ll just have to sit back and see who overpays for their services.