NHL Free Agency - Semi-live blog - Day 1 - 07-01-12
We will be blogging the developments of the first day of free agency through the afternoon here. The newest items will be posted at the top.
7:51 p.m.: The Canucks have signed former Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison to a six-year contract worth a total of $27.6 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $4.6 million. Garrison, 27, appeared in 77 games last season and scored 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists).
-EN Says: What an overpayment. Garrison was someone who had a very non-descript career until he was teamed with Brian Campbell last season. Then all of a sudden he surged to 16 goals. In all fairness, Garrison plays a responsible brand of defense in his own zone and has a pretty impressive shot. But this is a lot of money for a player who has little history of success.
7:44 p.m. The Ducks have signed former Stars defenseman Sheldon Souray to a three-year contract worth $11 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $3.67 million. Souray, 35, appeared in 64 games last season and scored 21 points (six goals, 15 assists).
-EN Says: Souray can still bring it with his cannon of a shot but he's well past his prime. This is a lot of money for a defenseman with more questions than answers.
6:23 p.m.: The Red Wings have signed former Predators forward Jordin Tootoo to a three-year contract worth a total of $5.7 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.9 million. In 77 games last season, Tootoo, 29, scored 30 points (six goals, 24 assists).
-EN Says: This is an odd signing for the Red Wings. He certainly doesn't their style of play. He's a third-liner who likes to hit and mix it up. In fairness to the Red Wings, they probably need more of what Tootoo offers.
6:09 p.m.: The Red Wings are going back to the future. They have re-signed former forward Mikael Samuelsson to a two-year contract worth a total of $6 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $3 million. In 54 games last season with the Canucks and Panthers, Samuelsson, 35, scored 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists).
EN Says: Samuelsson fits exactly what the Red Wings like to do in terms of puck possession. And being Swedish certainly doesn't help there. He can play on any of the lines as a wing and has some scoring touch.
6:03 p.m.: Zach Parise will hold off on making a decision until tomorrow according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
5:45 p.m. The Ducks add some toughness to their blue line They signed former Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen to a three-year contract worth a total of $10.5 million. In 82 games last season, Allen scored 14 points (one goal, 13 assists).
-EN Says: Allen is big (6-foot-5, 226 pounds) and is a puck magnet (188 blocked shots). The Ducks needed to get tougher on defense and this immediately addresses that.
5:43 p.m.: The Lightning signed former Canucks defenseman Sami Salo to a two-year contract worth a total of $7.5 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $3.75 million. Salo, 37, appeared in 69 games last season and scored 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists).
-EN Says: The Lightning had all sorts of issues on defense with injures. Adding someone as injury-prone as Salo might not be the answere. Salo is a No. 2 or 3 defenseman who has a big shot and can skate.
5:23 p.m. The Penguins have gone local. They agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with former Islanders defenseman Dylan Reese. A native of Upper St. Clair, appeared in 28 NHL games last season and scored seven points (one goal, six assists). Reese, 28, is a former member of the NAHL's Pittsburgh Forge franchise.
-EN Says: This is a depth signing for the organization. This will make competition for the final three defensive spots on the NHL roster pretty fierce. The Penguisn believe in internal competition for roster spots. This move will provide it.
4:43: p.m. The Blue Jackets make another depth move by signing former Coyotes defenseman Adrian Aucoin to a one-year contract worth a total of $2 million. In 64 games last season, Aucoin, 38, scored 14 points (two goals, seven assists).
-EN Says: In addition to being a safe stay at home type of defender, Aucoin brings a veteran voice to a young team. Injuries are a big question mark with him.
4:30 p.m.: The Predators have re-signed former goaltender Chris Mason to a one-year contract worth a total of $1.25 million. In 20 games last season with the Jets, Mason, 36, went 8-7-1 with a 2.59 goals against average, an .898 save percentage and two shutouts.
-EN Says: The Predators needed a backup goaltender after trading Anders Lindback last month. This secures that position and gives the Predators a nice combination in goal with Mason and starter Pekka Rinne.
4:26 p.m.: The Jets have signed former Devils forward Alexei Ponikarovsky to one-year contract worth $1.8 million. In 82 games last season, Ponikarovsky, 32, scored 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists).
-EN Says: As with just about anything involving Ponikarovsky, this is an odd signing. Why would the Jets want an inconsistent power forward? Ponikarovsky has the skill but you have to question his heart. He's played in large, hockey mad markets such as Pittsburgh and Toronto and smaller markets like Carolina and has gotten similar results. Perhaps a fish bowl of a hockey market like Winnipeg could kick start him.
4:10 p.m.: One of the bigger names in this free agent class is off the board. Former Islanders forward P.A. Parenteau has agreed with the Avalanche to a four-year contract worth a total of $16 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $4 million. In 80 games last season, Parenteau scored 67 points (18 goals, 49 assists).
-EN Says: The Avalanche add a nice complimentary player who can supplement their young stars such as Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene. Parenteau will fit well with this crew. And for $4 million a season, you could do far worse than a 60-point guy.
4:07 p.m. The Panthers have signed former Ducks forward/enforcer George Parros to a two-year contract worth a total of $1.85 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $925,000. A native of Washington, Pa., Parros, 32, appared in 46 games last season and scored four points (one goal, three assists) while recording 85 penalty minutes.
-EN Says: Parros is one of the better enforcers in the NHL. He'll maintain the law for the Panthers.
-The Avalanche has signed former Bruins defenseman Greg Zanon to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $2.25 million. In 56 games last season, Zanon, 32, scored eight points (three goals, five assists). A steady defender, he recorded 136 blocked shots last season.
-EN Says: This is a depth signing, albeit a pricy one.
3:55 p.m.: Catching up with some other signings and one trade.
-The Panthers have signed former Senators defenseman Filip Kuba to a two-year contract worth a total of $8 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $4 million. Kuba, 35, appeared in 73 games last season and scored 32 points (six goals, 26 assists).
EN Says: This appears to close the door on Jason Garrison potentially re-signing with the Panthers. Kuba is a veteran defender who just knows what to do on the ice. He's not all that physcial, but he can move the puck and put it on net. He'll help the Panthers out offensively.
-The Kings have re-signed power forward Dustin Penner (right) to a one-year contract worth a total of $3.25 million. In 67 regular season games last season, Penner, 29, scored 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists). In 20 postseason contests, he came alive by scoring 11 points (three goals, eight assists).
-EN Says: Penner knows what's good for him. He found chemistry playing on the King's second line with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards. With it being a one-year deal, he can remain motivated to cash in on a bigger deal.
-The Senators signed former Wild forward Guillaume Latendresse to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million. In 16 games last season, he scored nine points (five goals, four assists).
EN Says: Latendresse,25, is two years removed from back to back 20-goal seasons. He has the skill. Concussions have sidelined him badly the past two seasons. The Senators are making a low-risk, high-reward move here.
-The Senators traded forward Nick Foligno to the Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Marc Methot. Foligno, 24, played in 82 games last season and scored 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists). He has one season left on a contract with a salary cap hit of $1.2 million. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Methot, 27, appeared in 27 games 46 games last season and scored seven points (one goal, six assists). He has three years left on a contract with a salary cap hit of $3 million. He will become an unrestricted free agent in 2015.
-EN Says: The Blue Jackets get a top-six forward who will mix it up physically. THe Blue Jackets get a defensive defnseman who can eat 20 minutes a night. Both palyers fill needs for their new teams.
-The Canadiens signed forward Brandon Prust (right) to a four-year contract worth a total of $10 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $2.5 million. In 82 games last season, Prust scored 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) and recorded 156 penalty minutes.
-EN Says: What a gross overpayment for a fourth-line plugger. Prust does his job very well. He's a banger and a crasher who will mix it up with anyone. But $2.5 million?
-The Canadiens signed former Predators defenseman Francis Boullion to a one-year contract worth a total of $1.5 million. In 66 games last season, Bouillion, 36, scored 11 points (four goals, seven assists).
-EN Says: This is a safe signing for the Canadiens. They bring back a player who had some strong seasons in Montreal under head coach Michel Therrien and with little risk. Boullion is a stay at home defender who will make things easier for his goaltenders.
-The Sharks signed former Stars forward/agitator Adam Burish to a four-year contract worth a $7.2 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.8 million. In 65 games last season, Burish, 29, scored 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) and recorded 76 points.
-EN Says: The Sharks add a player who can man their third or fourth lines and provide a physical forecheck. Additionally, he has a Stanley Cup ring which are scarce in San Jose.
2:35 p.m. The Penguins have signed former Jets forward/agitator Tanner Glass to a two-year contract worth a total of $2.2 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.1. million.
In 78 games last season, Glass scored 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and recorded 73 penalty minutes. He was a member of the Jets' penalty kill last season and averaged 1:47 of shorthanded ice time a game last season. He was 10th in the NHL last season in hits with 246.
Ironically enough, Glass fought Asham last season:
{youtube width="465" height="262"}K4gmHplkqeE{/youtube}
According to HockeyFights.com, he unofficially went 1-6 in fights last season.
EN Says: This is an upgrade over Asham. He's younger and he offers something on the penalty kill. He has some size at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. This is a move which makes the Penguins a slightly tougher team to play.
2:32 p.m. Former Penguins forward Arron Asham has joined the rival Rangers. He has signed a two-year contract worth $2 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1 million. In 64 games last season, Asham, 34, had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) and 76 penalty minutes.
EN Says: This is a slight raise for Asham who made $775,000 last season. This signing will allow him to play for every Atlantic Division team. Asham was a good soldier for the Penguins' cause the past two seasons, but with the Penguins looking to fry bigger fish in Zach Parise and other, he had to make a decision.
2:24 p.m.: The Islanders have gotten faster and tougher. New York has signed former Sabres forward Brad Boyes and former Senators defenseman Matt Carkner.
Boyes, 30, agreed to a one-year deal worth $1 million. He appeared in 65 games last season and scored 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists).
Carkner, 31, signed a three-year contract worth a total of $4.5 million. In 29 games last season, he scored three points (one goal, two assists) and recorded 33 points. The Avalanche had incorrectly reported it signed Carkner earlier in the day.
EN Says: Boyes is a low-risk high-reward signing. A former 40-goal scorer, he has declined steadily since potting 43 goals in 2008-09. This is a contract to prove he can still be a top-six winger. If the Islanders can't re-sign P.A. Parenteau, this is a capable replacement.
Carkner adds toughness to the Islanders. He will fight anyone and can be a competent third-pairing defenseman.
2:10 p.m. The Penguins keep boosting their minor league depth. They signed forward Riley Holzapfel formerly of the Syracuse Crunch, the Ducks' former AHL affiliate, to a one-year two-way contract. In 57 AHL games last season, Holzapfel scored 37 points. He was a second-round pick of the Thrashers in 2006. He has never played in the NHL outside of preseason games.
EN Says: This is depth for the AHL club. The Penguins manage to find a good balance of developing NHL talent while remaining competitive at the AHL level.
2:03 p.m. The Penguins have re-signed forward Steve MacIntyre to a two-year two-way contract. In 12 NHL games last season, MacIntyre had no points and six penalty minutes. In 24 AHL games last season, MacIntyre, 31, had one goal and 59 assists.
EN Says: MacIntyre is hardly an NHL player but he might be the toughest man in organized hockey on the planet. At 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, MacIntyre is here for one reason.
1:50 p.m.: One of the bigger names in the free agent market is signed. Former Coyotes forward Ray Whitney has agreed with the Stars to a two-year contract worth a total of $9 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $4.5 million. Whitney, 40, appeared in 82 games last season and scored 77 points (24 goals, 53 assists).
EN Says: This is a nice move for the Stars. They get a proven point producer to team up with some of their young forwards. His biggest value might be on the power play where he'll surely help the Stars who were last in the NHL at 13.5 percent. The only question mark with this deal is his age. At 40, how much does he have left?
1:45 p.m. Former Penguins forward Colby Armstrong is reunited with Michel Therrien. Armstrong, 29, has joined the Canadiens on a one-year contract worth $1 million. He was bought out by the Maple Leafs yesterday. He appeared in 29 games last season and scored three points (one goal, two assists).
EN Says: This is shrewd signing by the Canadiens. It's a low-risk, medium reward for them. Armstrong has been injured quite a bit the past two seasons. This is a contract for him to prove he can still be a viable NHLer. And he rejoins Therrien. Arguably, Armstrong's greatest success in the NHL was under Therrien.
1:32 p.m.: The Wild have signed former Sharks forward Torrey Mitchell and former Senators forward Zenon Konopka. Mitchell agreed to a three-year contract worth a total of $5.7 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.9 million. In 79 games last season Mitchell scored 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists).
Konopka signed a two-year contract. Financial terms were not available. Konopka, 31, appeared in 55 games last season and scored five points (three goals, two assists). One of the better faceoff specialists in the NHL, Konopka won 58.9 of his draws last season.
EN Says: This improves the grit with the Wild. Both players are third-line grinder. Konopka adds toughness too. He will fight just about anyone.
1:19 p.m.: The Penguins signed minor league goaltender Jeff Zatkoff to a two-year two-way contract. In 44 games last season with the Machester Monarchs, the Kings' AHL affiliate, Zatkoff, 25, had a 21-17-1 record along with a 2.49 goals against average, .920 save percentage and three shutouts. He was selected to the AHL all-star game. Zatkoff was an unrestricted Group VI free agent.
Zatkoff was a third-round pick of the Kings in 2006. Outside of preseason games, he has never played in the NHL.
Highlights:
{youtube width="465" height="349"}7ApYrSulWLo{/youtube}
-EN Says: This is a signing for the sake of organziational depth. Zatkoff will push Brad Thiessen for the starting position with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Zatkoff is a career minor-leaguer who could end up being the third-organizational goaltender behind Marc-Andre Fleury and Tomas Vokoun.
1:13 p.m. The Hurricanes have brought back defenseman Joe Corvo for his third stint in Carolina. Corvo signed a one-year contract worth $2 million. Corvo, 35, appeared in 75 games last season for the Bruins and scored 25 points (four goals, 21 assists).
-EN Says: This is a depth signing. Corvo has some nice offensive skills. He can shoot and skate. But he's a liability defensively. If the Hurricanes expect him to be anything more than a No. 4 or 5 defenseman, that's bad news.
1:03 p.m. The Avalanche have signed former Rangers forward John Mitchell and former Senators defenseman Matt Carkner. Mitchell signed a two-year contract worth a total of $2.2 million. He will have a $1.1 million salary cap hit. Mictchell, 27, appeared in 63 games last season and recorded 16 points (five goals, 11 assists).
Terms of Carkner's deal were not reported.
EN Says: Carkner serves as an enforcers as well as a No. 5 or 6 defenseman but both players are spare parts.
UPDATE: According to TSN, Carkner's agent says he has not reached an agreement yet with the Avalanche.
12:52 p.m.: The Coyotes have signed former Flames forward David Moss to a two-year contract. Financial terms have not been reported. Moss, 30, appeared in 37 games last season and scored nine points (two goals, seven assists).
EN Says: Moss has some scoring touch as evidenced by his 20-goal season in 2008-09. But he's mainly a third-liner. His body has failed him in recent seasons as he has been injured in much of the past two seasons.
12:38 p.m.: The Red Wings have returned to Sweden. Detroit has signed former Maple Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a two-year contract worth a total of $3 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $1.5 million. The Maple Leafs traded Gustavsson's signing rights to the Jets last week for a conditional seventh-round draft pick. With Gustavsson signing with the Red Wings, the Jets keep the pick.
Gustavsson, 27, appeared in 42 games last season and had a record of 17-17-4 with a 2.92 goals against average, a .902 save percentage and four shutouts.
EN Says: This is a shrewd move for Detroit. It will put push starter Jimmy Howard a little. Gustavsson is still a young player so he can definitely turn things around. And where better for a Swedish player to do that than Detroit? Considering he'll be surrounded by better talent and better structure with the Red Wings, this could save his career.
12:32 p.m.: The Panthers have re-signed goaltender Scott Clemmensen to a two-year contract. Financial terms have not be revealed. Clemmensen, 34, appeared in 30 game last season and had a 14-6-6 record with a 2.57 goals against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout.
EN Says: Without knowing the money, it's tought to fully weigh-in on this signing. But with Clemmensen locked up along with Jose Theodore and prospect Jacob Markstrom, that would appear to rule out an potential of Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo returning to Florida.
12:25 p.m.: The Flyers re-signed goaltender Michael Leighton to a one-year contract worth $900,000. A surprising hero of the Flyers' run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, Leighton, 31, has spent most of the past two seasons in the AHL due to salary cap purposes. In 56 AHL games last season with the Adirondack Phantoms, Leighton went 28-26-1 and had a 2.58 goals against average, a .918 save percentage and two shutouts.
EN Says: If Leighton had not signed such a bloated contract after his playoff run in 2010, he would have been in the NHL the past two seasons. But since the Flyers are a cap team, they had to maroon him in the AHL to create salary cap space. If he's healthy, he's a very capable back up to starter Ilya Bryzgalov.
12:01 p.m.: The Lightning have signed restricted free agent forward Benoit Pouliot to a one-year contract worth $1.8 million. Tampa Bay acquired his signing rights from the Bruins at last weekend's draft. Pouliot, 25, appeared in 74 games last season and scored 32 points (16 goals, 16 assists).
EN Says: This a low-risk, high-reward signing. Pouliot has skill. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2005 draft. For a variety of reasons, he hasn't been able to get everything to work for him. But if he's able to work with some of the Lightning's elite talents such as Steven Stamkos or Martin St. Louis, he could end up being a legit 20-goal threat.
11:30 a.m. - The Oilers re-signed restricted free agent forward Ryan Smyth to a two-year contract worth a total of $5 million. He will have a salary cap hit of $2.5 million. Smyth, 36, appeared in 82 games last season and scored 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists).
-EN Says: Smyth was never going to leave the Oilers. He forced the Kings to trade him to Edmonton last year so he could be closer to his family. For Edmonton, he provides a veteran voice in a locker room full of young faces. Additionally, he's still capable of 20 goals a season while offering one of the best net-front presences in the NHL. This is a good salary for the Oilers.
11:20 a.m. - Hurricanes center Jordan Staal has signed the contract extension he wouldn't sign with the Penguins. Staal agreed to a 10-year contract worth a total of $60 million. The Penguins were believed to have offered a similiar deal a few weeks ago before trading Staal to the Hurricanes at the draft.
Staal, 23, will have a salary cap hit of $6 million. He has one year left on a contract with a salary cap hit of $4 million.
In 62 games last season, Staal had 50 points (25 goals, 25 assists).
-EN Says: In the end, it was all about being a No. 1 or 2 center and playing with his brother for Jordan Staal. The Penguins offered the same contract. The only thing they couldn't offer was regular work on the top two lines or a family member to play with.
One has to wonder if he's undervaluing himself down the road. If he becomes a 30 or 40-goal threat in four or five seasons, will $6 million be a gross underpayment for his services?
(Photos: Smyth, Leighton and Gustavsson-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Staal, Zatkoff, Armstrong, Parros and Salo-Christian Petersen/Getty Images; Pouliot and Corvo-Elsa/Getty Images; Clemmensen, John Mitchell, Penner, Ponikarovsky and Garrison-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Moss and MacIntyre-Dale MacMillan/Getty Images; Torrey Mitchell-Ezra Shaw/Getty Images; Whitney and Aucoin-Jeff Gross/Getty Images; Holzapfel-Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images; Boyes-Dave Sandford/Getty Images; Glass-Claus Andersen/Getty Images; Asham-Jamie Sabau/Getty Images; Kuba-Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images; Prust and Samuelsson-Joel Auerbach/Getty Images; Parenteau-Al Bello/Getty Images; Mason-Marianne Helm/Getty Images; Reese-Paul Bereswill/Getty Images; Allen-Jim McIsaac/Getty Images; Tootoo-Frederick Breedon/Getty Images; Souray-Ronald Martinez)