With Mike Hoffman and others still available and lots of teams needing help I'm surprised so much talent is still available. I understand the cap but that still leaves several teams which could sign these good ones. A guy like Duclaire wouldn't be too expensive and is a good young talent. Is it attitude? Are they not team players? No back- checking? Covid? Economic uncertainty? I'm puzzled.

because teams don't have cap space, it's that simple. You realistically have 7 teams that could afford Hoffman or Duclair and none of them are a lock for the playoffs so why would they sign somebody like that?

Really one big reason: The players want money teams can't give them because of the flat cap. Repeating @HabsForEver 's argument, the only teams that can afford the remaining big guys are teams like the sens and the wings, who don't fit the bill. Some people respect what guys like Hoffman are doing, waiting for money that reflects their skill. But I think if they really just want to play hockey, I'd take a cheaper one year deal and hope the market goes back up next season.

Unfortunately, the replies didn't read the original question. In the question I recognize the cap problem but if was "as simple as that" it just doesn't make sense. There have been lots of cases through the years were cap space was made available in order to sign wanted players but no team seems to want them that much. I know Granlund has an attitude problem. Does Hoffman? Or any of the others? There's something else going on!

Well, there was that issue with Hoffman's girlfriend and Karlsson's wife.... some teams might want none of that

Granlund's point totals have also gone way down the last couple seasons, so teams won't be willing to bet big bucks on that