UFA spotlight — P. A. Parenteau

All week leading up to July 1, we’ll be profiling unrestricted free agents and speculating where they might end up.

P. A. Parenteau (RW)

Age: 29

2011-12 cap hit: $1,250,000

The skinny:

The Islanders found a diamond in the rough when they signed Parenteau in 2010. He recorded 53 points in 81 games before re-signing with the Islanders at a bargain price last summer. But despite a second successful campaign in New York, it looks like he’ll be searching for a new home on July 1.

A late bloomer that hasn’t had success at the NHL level outside of Long Island,  the fear with Parenteau is that he won’t be able to produce without John Tavares — although it’s worth noting Tavares only got a goal or assist on 33 of Parenteau’s 67 points last year.

As a result, Parenteau might not command the kind of contract you’d expect from a man who tied for 26th in league scoring.

That said, the relatively thin free agent market will work in his favor and there should be plenty of teams interested. Even if you buy into the argument that Parenteau’s numbers reflect the talent put around him, there’s still the possibility that he’ll produce similar results if inserted onto a line with a different star forward.

More UFA spotlights

Ryan Suter

Zach Parise

Jason Garrison

Jiri Hudler

Justin Schultz

Shane Doan

Dennis Wideman