Patience can be an effective strategy in free agent signing. Nothing illustrates that more than the Colorado Avalanche signing of Ryan Murray on a one-year $2 million deal Monday.

Murray didn’t quite mesh with New Jersey coach Lindy Ruff, but he has been a dependable, two-way defenseman throughout his career. He’s only 27 and earned $4.6 million on his last contract. He rounds out Colorado’s defense rather nicely.

After Murray’s signing, there are some intriguing names still in the marketplace. We won’t include Kyle Palmieri and Casey Cizikas because we are presuming Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has signed them, but hasn’t announced those signings:

Here are 10 players still looking for jobs:

1. Defenseman Zdeno Chara: He is 44 and could simply choose to retire. But he played well enough last season to show he could still help a contending team.

2. Left wing Zach Parise: It’s likely that he has signed, or will sign, with the Islanders. But if we are wrong, he could still score 20 goals for a team.

3. Left wing Tomas Tatar: Some team is going to buy 16-20 goals by giving him a one-year contract. He scored 19 or more goals for seven consecutive seasons before last season.

4. Left wing Ryan Donato: Thought he would be more productive than he has been in the NHL, but he can be an effective middle line scorer.

5. Center Derick Brassard: Can still produce 30 points as a No. 3 center. Couldn’t Buffalo use him?

6. Center Eric Staal: Coming off a terrible season, but it’s not like he forgot how to play center. Would guess he has another season in him.

7. Left wing Joe Thornton: He’s 42, but can still contribute offensively. Like Chara, he could just decide to hang his skates on a nail.

8. Left wing James Neal: Two years ago, he had 19 goals in 55 games. Last season, he netted five goals in 29 games. Seems like he could score 15 to 20 with the right opportunity.

9. Goalie Devan Dubnyk: Seems like the goalie shopping is completed, but an injury or two could change everything. He’s coming off a poor season, but he has 542 games of NHL experience.

10. Right wing Bobby Ryan: Red Wings liked him last season, but they needed his roster spot for a younger player. Still has good hands.

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