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Another July 1st signing period gone. Lots of movement happening, but the Frenzy started with a big trade, with Ottawa sending Jason Spezza to Dallas in a long-awaited trade. From there, dominoes started falling.
Heroes:
Steve Yzerman cleared out some cap space earlier, then saved some more by signing Anton Stralman to a very affordable contract. Five years at $22.5 million is a great price for him, especially given some of the deals given to Stralman's peers so far.. Yzerman also added Evgeni Nabokov as the backup behind Ben Bishop, which should ease the pressure off him and they also added great depth and leadership at center with Brian Boyle on a three year, $6 million deal.
While the Dallas Stars did not add defensive help, they get their much needed second-line center in Jason Spezza. Soon after making that deal, the Stars also acquired Ales Hemsky on a three year, $12 million deal to pair with him on the second line. Spezza and Hemsky gives the Stars a second line that will actually carry their offensive weight this year, hopefully making up for the lack of defensive help. If the Stars can get an extension worked out with Spezza, even better for them.
Despite playing a key role in the run to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Rangers, Brad Richards received a compliance buyout. However, Richards quickly landed on his feet, signing a $2 million contract for next season to play for the Chicago Blackhawks, which fills their hole for a second-line center. It fills a need for cheap, but also assures that there is going to be money next year to pay to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews when the time comes.
Thomas Vanek has the ability to score goals like few others, but will also disappear for the same amount of time. The Minnesota Wild needed a pure goal scorer in the worst way, and ended up with the best player available in Vanek. True, they did give Vanek $6.5 million a season, but they were able to land Vanek for just a three year commitment. Considering how long they are locked into Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, this can only be considered a win for the Wild.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost two keys to their blueline (more on that later) but they added Christian Ehrhoff to a one year, $4.1 million deal, which replaces one of those players. The James Neal deal certainly leans in Nashville's favor right now, but I like pairing Patric Hornqvist with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin- he hangs around the net, controls the puck and will shoot it. Thomas Greiss is another signing to watch- he's showed flashes in his career, and with Marc-Andre Fleury in the last year of his deal, they are both playing for a job next year. New GM Jim Rutherford has made a few other smaller moves to add depth to the roster, give him a lot of credit for being active.
Also have to give credit to the Islanders for adding a pair of former Leafs in Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski, giving them much needed offensive depth. New Jersey needed some offensive help, and while I like the Mike Cammalleri addition, adding Martin Havley on a one year, $1.5 million may have just as much, if not more, impact than Cammalleri. Blues GM Doug Armstrong may have paid a steeper price for Paul Statsny, but he didn't have to give up any assets in the deal.
Top 3 Moves:
1.) Chicago inking Brad Richards to a very affordable one year deal, filling their second line center with a more than capable player.
2.) Tampa Bay signing Anton Stralman to a deal well below market value of his peers
3.) Dallas' deal for Jason Spezza, adding a much needed anchor for their second line.
Goats:
Credit new GM Brian MacLellan with being aggressive and spending money on their biggest need, but the Brooks Orpik signing was way too many years. Orpik will certainly help coach up the younger players, but may be a buyout candidate at the end of the deal. Matt Niskanen, a teammate of Orpik's from the Penguins, also joins the Capitals, and the verdict is out on whether or not he can sustain his success from last year. When you dump $67.75 million into two players, they shouldn't be players who have those kind of performance questions. They do deserve credit on the Justin Peters signing- he has some upside, but it also indicates to incumbent Braden Holtby they are committed to him by not bringing in another veteran.
What are the Vancouver Canucks thinking? I know Trevor Linden just took over and has a mess on his hands, but this team had two franchise goaltenders a few years ago Now they bring in an aging Ryan Miller on a three year, $18 million deal. They were the only team that really needed a #1 goaltender, so Vancouver had all the negotiating power here and still gave him that money. Credit Miller's agent with taking Linden to the cleaners. Radim Vrbata was a good deal at $10 million over two years, but unless he is playing with the Sedins, who is going to get him the puck?
Toronto was a team that needed to make some moves, but I don't like what they did. Investing three years in Stephane Robidas, given his history of leg injuries and being 37 years old qualifies for possibly the worst move of the off-season. Overpaying for Leo Kamorov, especially considering they could have brought back the aforementioned Kulemin for slightly more money is also puzzling. Give some credit for not getting matching the insane contract given to Dave Bolland, but Toronto is almost standing pat. Not good for a GM and coach who should be on the hot seat.
Bolland's contract is horrible- five years at $27.5 million should not be going to a guy who is a third line center at best. To make matters worse, the Florida Panthers signed another center in Derek MacKenzie for three seasons at $3.9 milllion. Those two block younger talents Vincent Trocheck and Drew Shore from the roster. The Panthers made several moves that would be fine for a competing team, but when you almost finish last in the year, stay away from these kind of players and let your young guys play.
By virtue of losing a lot of their depth, the Rangers have to be down here, though I like the Dan Boyle signing. The Red Wings needed defensive help more than any team except Washington, didn't get anyone and extended Kyle Quincey to a steep two year, $8.5 million deal. Having that cap space to spend in the future is a plus. Calgary gave out a horrible three year, $8.7 million deal to Deryk Engelland, who wasn't an every day player last year- he rounds out my top three horrible moves.
Bottom 3 Moves:
1.) Dave Bolland to the Panthers, both for his price and blocking younger players
2.) Stephane Robidas signing with the Leafs- old, injury prone, why?
3.) Deryk Engelland at least fits the mold of Brian Burke, but bank that money for that price.
Heroes:
Steve Yzerman cleared out some cap space earlier, then saved some more by signing Anton Stralman to a very affordable contract. Five years at $22.5 million is a great price for him, especially given some of the deals given to Stralman's peers so far.. Yzerman also added Evgeni Nabokov as the backup behind Ben Bishop, which should ease the pressure off him and they also added great depth and leadership at center with Brian Boyle on a three year, $6 million deal.
While the Dallas Stars did not add defensive help, they get their much needed second-line center in Jason Spezza. Soon after making that deal, the Stars also acquired Ales Hemsky on a three year, $12 million deal to pair with him on the second line. Spezza and Hemsky gives the Stars a second line that will actually carry their offensive weight this year, hopefully making up for the lack of defensive help. If the Stars can get an extension worked out with Spezza, even better for them.
Despite playing a key role in the run to the Stanley Cup Finals for the Rangers, Brad Richards received a compliance buyout. However, Richards quickly landed on his feet, signing a $2 million contract for next season to play for the Chicago Blackhawks, which fills their hole for a second-line center. It fills a need for cheap, but also assures that there is going to be money next year to pay to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews when the time comes.
Thomas Vanek has the ability to score goals like few others, but will also disappear for the same amount of time. The Minnesota Wild needed a pure goal scorer in the worst way, and ended up with the best player available in Vanek. True, they did give Vanek $6.5 million a season, but they were able to land Vanek for just a three year commitment. Considering how long they are locked into Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, this can only be considered a win for the Wild.
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost two keys to their blueline (more on that later) but they added Christian Ehrhoff to a one year, $4.1 million deal, which replaces one of those players. The James Neal deal certainly leans in Nashville's favor right now, but I like pairing Patric Hornqvist with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin- he hangs around the net, controls the puck and will shoot it. Thomas Greiss is another signing to watch- he's showed flashes in his career, and with Marc-Andre Fleury in the last year of his deal, they are both playing for a job next year. New GM Jim Rutherford has made a few other smaller moves to add depth to the roster, give him a lot of credit for being active.
Also have to give credit to the Islanders for adding a pair of former Leafs in Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski, giving them much needed offensive depth. New Jersey needed some offensive help, and while I like the Mike Cammalleri addition, adding Martin Havley on a one year, $1.5 million may have just as much, if not more, impact than Cammalleri. Blues GM Doug Armstrong may have paid a steeper price for Paul Statsny, but he didn't have to give up any assets in the deal.
Top 3 Moves:
1.) Chicago inking Brad Richards to a very affordable one year deal, filling their second line center with a more than capable player.
2.) Tampa Bay signing Anton Stralman to a deal well below market value of his peers
3.) Dallas' deal for Jason Spezza, adding a much needed anchor for their second line.
Goats:
Credit new GM Brian MacLellan with being aggressive and spending money on their biggest need, but the Brooks Orpik signing was way too many years. Orpik will certainly help coach up the younger players, but may be a buyout candidate at the end of the deal. Matt Niskanen, a teammate of Orpik's from the Penguins, also joins the Capitals, and the verdict is out on whether or not he can sustain his success from last year. When you dump $67.75 million into two players, they shouldn't be players who have those kind of performance questions. They do deserve credit on the Justin Peters signing- he has some upside, but it also indicates to incumbent Braden Holtby they are committed to him by not bringing in another veteran.
What are the Vancouver Canucks thinking? I know Trevor Linden just took over and has a mess on his hands, but this team had two franchise goaltenders a few years ago Now they bring in an aging Ryan Miller on a three year, $18 million deal. They were the only team that really needed a #1 goaltender, so Vancouver had all the negotiating power here and still gave him that money. Credit Miller's agent with taking Linden to the cleaners. Radim Vrbata was a good deal at $10 million over two years, but unless he is playing with the Sedins, who is going to get him the puck?
Toronto was a team that needed to make some moves, but I don't like what they did. Investing three years in Stephane Robidas, given his history of leg injuries and being 37 years old qualifies for possibly the worst move of the off-season. Overpaying for Leo Kamorov, especially considering they could have brought back the aforementioned Kulemin for slightly more money is also puzzling. Give some credit for not getting matching the insane contract given to Dave Bolland, but Toronto is almost standing pat. Not good for a GM and coach who should be on the hot seat.
Bolland's contract is horrible- five years at $27.5 million should not be going to a guy who is a third line center at best. To make matters worse, the Florida Panthers signed another center in Derek MacKenzie for three seasons at $3.9 milllion. Those two block younger talents Vincent Trocheck and Drew Shore from the roster. The Panthers made several moves that would be fine for a competing team, but when you almost finish last in the year, stay away from these kind of players and let your young guys play.
By virtue of losing a lot of their depth, the Rangers have to be down here, though I like the Dan Boyle signing. The Red Wings needed defensive help more than any team except Washington, didn't get anyone and extended Kyle Quincey to a steep two year, $8.5 million deal. Having that cap space to spend in the future is a plus. Calgary gave out a horrible three year, $8.7 million deal to Deryk Engelland, who wasn't an every day player last year- he rounds out my top three horrible moves.
Bottom 3 Moves:
1.) Dave Bolland to the Panthers, both for his price and blocking younger players
2.) Stephane Robidas signing with the Leafs- old, injury prone, why?
3.) Deryk Engelland at least fits the mold of Brian Burke, but bank that money for that price.
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