Niemi Awarded $2.75 Million Salary, 'Hawks Have 48 Hours To Decide

 

The most anticipated salary arbitration hearing this summer involved the Chicago Blackhawks and their Stanley Cup winning rookie netminder, Antti Niemi. Sporting the crease for Chicago’s first hockey championship since 1961 gave the 26-year old Finnish goalie enough leverage to seek a healthy raise from the $826,875 he earned last season. Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman, who is dealing with heavy salary cap constraints, was hesitant to pay starter-level money to a young goalie with still limited playing experience in the NHL and occasional flaws during the postseason run.

Both sides presented their cases before an arbitrator on Thursday. Niemi reportedly sought a $4 million salary for next year and Bowman looked to pay out closer to $1.5 million, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. Forty-eight hours later, it was announced that the arbitrator met them in the middle and awarded Niemi a $2.75 million salary for the 2010-11 campaign.

Bowman stated in a conference call Thursday evening that the size of the award would play a large role in determining Niemi’s future with the club. The entire offseason has been spent dumping salary in order to become cap compliant. Approximately two months shy of the start of the regular season, CapGeek has the Blackhawks still over $400,000 above the $59.4 million maximum allowable payroll. Accepting this award would move the team’s payroll to about $3.15 million above the salary cap.

A $2.75 million salary for Niemi is far more reasonable than the $4 million he was seeking, but it can still be viewed as a bit too rich for Chicago's blood right now. One thing is for certain with this award, however. The decision Bowman must now make it based entirely on money, not merit. Even with just 42 regular season games of NHL experience and some poor showings in the playoffs, the impact a Stanley Cup can have on a goaltender is immeasurable and the several times Niemi did come up big for the Blackhawks cannot be overlooked. A sub-$3 million wage is fair.

But Bowman must still weight the benefits of continuing to dump talent in order to retain another. He's had to make fiscally responsible moves all summer, and adding Niemi back into the fold will force him to let go of even more high-priced talent. Plus, he'll just have to deal with this problem again next summer when Niemi can become an unrestricted free agent. The Blackhawks should have more cap flexibility by then. However, they will also need to sign defenseman Brent Seabrook to a new contract based on his pending restricted free agency status.

If Bowman comes to the conclusion that he can't afford to accept the award, he can either deal off Niemi in a trade to acquire some assets for the loss or step away completely and allow Niemi to explore his own options as an unrestricted free agent. Bowman has 48 hours to make his decision.

If he elects to let Niemi go and does not obtain a viable goaltender via the trade route, he can look toward the free agent market for a replacement. Marty Turco and Jose Theodore are the likeliest remaining candidates that could immediately step in to a starter role with Chicago and probably do so at a cheaper price tag than Niemi. The Blackhawks could also choose to ride out Cristobal Huet, who earns $5.625 million in each of the next two seasons, and seek a minimum salary backup to complete the 1-2 punch.

Burying Huet's contract in the minors has long been an option, as well. And it would allow the Blackhawks to keep Niemi and possess about $2.5 million in cap space left over. But there has been no indication of the Blackhawks being ready to head down that road and Huet's spot on the roster is still intact to this point.

Arbitration News From Around The Crease: Plenty Of Players Avoid, Kennedy Gets Guaranteed Award & Niemi's Hearing Goes Ahead As Scheduled

 

~ Quite a few restricted free agents who filed for arbitration hearings elected to agree with their clubs prior to said hearings over the last few days.

• Anton Stralman, Defenseman - Columbus Blue Jackets: Stralman had a hearing scheduled for Wednesday, but managed to ink a one year deal worth $1.95 million prior to it. The 23-year old received a $1.285 million raise from his $665,000 salary last season and gets right back into the picture as a top four defenseman with the Blue Jackets. He will need to work on his defensive game as he continues to sport the blue line in Columbus. But his offensive contribution is there, with good puck movement and a solid shot from the point.
• Mark Fraser, Defenseman - New Jersey Devils: Left to watch this whole Ilya Kovalchuk/NHLPA vs. NHL situation play out from the sidelines, the Devils are able to handle some other business within the organization. Fraser had an arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday, and the team was able to get a deal worked out two days prior to it. The 23-year old physical defensive defenseman will be brought back for another season on a one year, $500,000 deal. That is consistent with what he made last year, though the fact that he will make just as much money if sent to the AHL as opposed to an $85,000 salary like last year provides great upside for Fraser. For the Devils, it's a cost effective move that provides depth on the blue line with a commodity they hope to grow in the system behind guys like Colin White and the newly-added Anton Volchenkov.
• Ben Eager, Left Wing - Atlanta Thrashers: The Atlanta Thrashers had a little bit of time to get something worked out before Ben Eager's hearing on Aug. 3. But why wait when you can sign a 26-year old proven agitator with decent offensive upside? The Thrashers locked up Eager for another season at $965,000, which is exactly what he made last year while winning a Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks. Packaged in that Dustin Byfuglien trade to Atlanta, Eager can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, making this a risky short-term signing if the Thrashers wish to retain him for the long haul. However, seeing how he works out next year on a largely re-structured Atlanta roster might not be the worst move, either.
• Andrew Ladd, Left Wing - Atlanta Thrashers: Another player dealt from the Chicago Blackhawks to Atlanta, Ladd was slated to have a hearing on Thursday. He got a one year deal worked out with the Thrashers prior to that hearing instead. He will earn $2.35 million in 2010-11, which would be a $700,000 raise from what he made last year with the Blackhawks. The 24-year old, two-time Stanley Cup Champion is a player the Thrashers definitely want to have and would probably be wise to work out some kind of extension with at some point during the season. He is a physical power foward with keen defensive instincts to go along with solid scoring ability. He may never play himself into a position as a consistent top six forward. But he has great all around ability that makes him more than just a role player. A price tag of $2.35 million is very fair for somebody that was integral to Chicago's Stanley Cup run.
• Peter Regin, Center/Left Wing - Ottawa Senators: Ahead of a hearing tomorrow, the Ottawa Senators inked 24-year old forward Peter Regin to a two-year, $2 million contract that will pay him $950,000 next season and $1.05 million in 2011-12. Regin had a solid campaign in 75 games with the big club last year, notching 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points. Even more impressive was his three-goal, four-point performance in six playoff games against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It took the former-third round pick some time to move on over to the Senators' roster since being drafted in 2004. But now that he's there, he appears primed to become an important offensive contributor for a club consistently on the lookout for young guns that can improve its scoring.

~ Tim Kennedy did have one of the few arbitration hearings to actually take place. He went to "court" with the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday and the ruling came down 48 hours later. He was awarded a $1 million deal for next season. Since the award is under $1,611,180, the Sabres must accept this award and have absolutely no option with regard to walking away, according to TSN. Kennedy made $635,000 last year in Buffalo, putting up 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points during his rookie campaign. A modest $365,000 raise was completely called for after that showing, and is a salary Buffalo should be more than willing to pay to see how much the 24-year old can continue to grow within their organization.

~ Antti Niemi's hearing went through as planned Thursday and that could be a good or bad thing for both parties involved depending on the arbitrator's decision. Niemi has long wanted starter money without affording Chicago a hometown discount based on his performance while playing net for the Blackhawks during their Stanley Cup run. He was, however, a rookie that showed plenty of flaws during that postseason to make General Manager Stan Bowman hesistant about inking him to such a long-term, big-money investment based on such a small sample of success. Niemi was reportedly seeking $4 million.

Although the arbitrator has until Saturday to render his award, Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun reported that Bowman called for a 7 p.m. conference call. This is a bit random and would seem to have something to do with this goaltending situation. According to NHL.com's Dan Rosen, Bowman doesn't really plan on making any news but instead provide an update with the call. Niemi's hearing could be a topic of discussion.

If the Blackhawks do choose to step away from Niemi, much cheaper options like Marty Turco and Jose Theodore remain available on the free agent market.

Maxime Talbot – Not a Fan Of Alexander Ovechkin

 

Obviously forgetting that it’s a ridiculously hot summer in the Northeast and that the 2011 Winter Classic at Heinz Field on New Year’s Day is still over five months away, the NHL held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to hype the overdone spectacle. While those media members this pandered to were likely delighted by the festivities, I would guess that a large portion of hockey fans aren't too worried about this affair at the moment because, well … IT’S JULY!

Anyhoo, even for all of the fluff quotes plundered out there by the likes of Gary Bettman and Mario Lemieux, we did learn a very important lesson as a result of this random media relations moment: Maxime Talbot is not the president of the Alexander Ovechkin fan club.

During the promotion of the game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals yesterday, Talbot was very vocal about his dislike for Washington’s Russian sniper in an interview with 105.9-FM, The X in Pittsburgh.

When asked by the hosts rather sarcastically whether he was upset that Ovechkin would not be in attendance at the press conference, Talbot very honestly replied, “I’m kind of happy he’s not there. I really didn’t want to see him. I just hate the guy.”

Talbot’s hatred is not a new thing, either.

“The first time I met him, he did not give the best impression to me,” Talbot said.

Talbot went on to tell the hosts that during last year’s NHL Awards Ceremony when the Penguins were defending Stanley Cup Champions, teammate Evgeni Malkin introduced him to his Russian comrade. Talbot left with the impression that Ovechkin was a female hygienic practice.

“I’m not really gonna say what happened. But I’m like, ‘Okay, this guy is a real douche.’”

I guess whatever helps fuel this kinda-sorta rivalry is always a good thing. But are we really surprised that a Penguins player isn't too fond of the arch-rival of Sidney Crosby? I mean, when his own countryman doesn't like him, it's hard to expect anybody else be a fan of No. 8.

Full audio of the interview with Talbot can be heard at http://www.1059thex.com/main.html.

Also, be sure to check out this post by Greg Wyshynski over at Puck Daddy, which shows the players in attendance at the press conference (Crosby, Dupuis and Talbot from the Pens; Knuble and Steckel from the Caps) attempting to make field goals by shooting the hockey puck from about 50 yards away through the uprights. Jeff Reed's job is safe.

Moulson, Fleischmann And Brule Avoid Arbitration

Salary arbitration can be an ugly process in where agents turn their clients into rockstars and general managers make them look like mere roadies. It’s where the truth really comes about between two parties that would much rather closet how they really feel. And sometimes, feelings get hurt.

So when a team can avoid going this route with any players, it’s a good thing. Such was the case earlier today when the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals and Edmonton Oilers managed to retain a young star each on new deals that didn’t require the assistance of an independent arbitrator to mediate through their squabbling.

Literally moments ahead of a 9 a.m. hearing in Toronto, the Islanders reached an agreement with left wing Matt Moulson on a one year deal at $2.45 million, according to Newsday. The 26-year old had a breakout campaign on Long Island last season in which he posted 30 goals – eight coming on the power play and five counting as game winners – and 48 points over the course of a full 82-game schedule. This was his first regular action in the NHL after spending three years in the Los Angeles Kings’ system and posting totals of six goals and 10 points in 29 games with the big club.

“I was excited. We figured that if something was going to get done it would be this morning,” Moulson told Katie Strang of Newsday. “I wanted to be back on the Island.”

Kings Move Past Kovalchuk And Frolov, Ink Ponikarovsky To One Year Deal

 

Exhausted by the process of losing out on Ilya Kovalchuk and having just watched Alexander Frolov move on to the New York Rangers, the Los Angeles Kings were in dire need of adding some offensive punch to their roster to render this offseason just short of a complete failure. With plenty of money to spend and the available talent really starting to dwindle, the Kings made a move to bring aboard a top six forward that can actually make the team better at a cheaper rate than Kovalchuk and with a little bit more conviction to his game than Frolov. TSN’s Darren Dreger broke the news Tuesday that Alexei Ponikarovsky was signed by LA to a one year contract at $3 million with a $200,000 signing bonus for a full cap hit of $3.2 million.

Ponikarovsky is coming off a rather subpar finish to last season, in which he was dealt by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade deadline deal. After netting 19 goals and 41 points in 61 contests with the team that selected him in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, the 30-year old Ukrainian netted just two goals and seven assists in 16 games with the Penguins. In 11 postseason games, he added just a single goal and four assists.

But Ponikarovsky is looking to rebound and has plenty to prove in Los Angeles on a one year deal. He has a consistent annual goal output of about 20 per season and, unlike Kovalchuk and Frolov, has a physical element to his game that renders him willing to hit hard and play good two-way hockey. He definitely wasn’t anybody’s first choice when it came to acquiring an offensively productive winger. But he’s far from an utter disappointment.

The Kings still have plenty of cap space left over to concentrate on re-signing their own to contract extensions and possibly re-entering the Kovalchuk race if the grievance filed on his part by the NHLPA over the rejected 17-year deal with New Jersey goes awry. The Kings’ payroll currently sits at $49,363,333 with $12,876,666 remaining in cap flexibility, according to CapGeek.

Rangers Add Offensive Boost With Alexander Frolov

 

The New York Rangers entered this offseason with limited funds and far too many of its own players in need of new deals to worry about becoming major players on the free agent market. To date, the team’s biggest pickups have been backup goaltender Martin Biron and the newest overpaid enforcer Derek Boogaard.

Even with just about $4.4 million in cap space remaining and Marc Staal’s restricted free agency still looming over the organization, the Rangers had a hole to fill in the scoring department. On Tuesday, General Manager Glen Sather finalized an agreement that will inject some more offense into the team with Alexander Frolov being brought into the fold on a one year deal at $3 million.

The 28-year old Moscow native instantly steps in as the Rangers second biggest scoring threat behind only Marian Gaborik. Frolov, who has has twice netted over 30 goals in his seven-year tenure with the Los Angeles Kings, represents a big addition to the Rangers’ top two lines and power play units.

Frolov is, however, also a fairly inconsistent player that has seen his numbers, playing time and overall responsibility hit a decline over the past three seasons with the Kings. The 19 goals he posted last year marks the lowest output since his rookie campaign in 2002-03 when he had 14. His 51 points were the lowest since his sophomore season. And his five power play scores marked a sharp 58.5 percent decrease from his previous year’s total of 12.

Frolov was once one of the Kings’ most dynamic offensive threats. But over time, he became a lesser contributor that lost out on first line duties, played fewer power play minutes and received constant benchings from head coach Terry Murray.

In Frolov’s mind, that was simply a matter of the Kings mishandling him. His agent, Sergei Isakov, told Russian newspaper Sovietsky Sport that the Kings deliberately spoiled his season last year in order to pay him less this year.

More realistically, there is something to be said for a player that comes and goes as he pleases on the score sheet and wishes to take little accountability for that. Frolov in a streaky player that will test head coach John Tortorella’s patience. Tortorella is a big fan of consistency and accountability amongst his players. Frolov will need to do a complete 180 from his previous years in order to accommodate that and remain on Tortorella’s good side.

Whether he can do that remains to be seen. Frolov still possesses 30-goal and near 70-point potential with all the talent and skill to be at least afforded to opportunity to get there. Perhaps a change of scenery could do him some good.

This move is a low-risk one for the Rangers that is financially responsible. On a one year deal, the Rangers can easily part ways with him at the end of the season if they deem him a failure. At $3 million, he is a bit of an investment and takes a good chunk of money out of what could be used to re-sign Staal. But $3 million for a much needed offensive boost is not unreasonable and comes at discount from the $4 million he earned last season and the $5 million per year he was reportedly offered in a four-year deal from the KHL, according to Arthur Staple. This signing leaves the Rangers with approximately $1.44 million in remaining cap space.

If he can have a bounce back year in New York and play up to the standards he set for himself earlier on in his career, Frolov should have little problem earning a bigger, more long-term payday with the Rangers or some other NHL next summer. If he continues to regress, however, a move back over to Russia is probably in order. It's all on his shoulders now to prove the disappointment of last season really was on the Kings and not him.

Frontloaded Contracts Throughout The NHL

In light of Ilya Kovalchuk's recently rejected 17-year, $102 million contract with the New Jersey Devils, here are other deals throughout the National Hockey League that are of the same long-term, heavily frontloaded variety:

Chris Pronger, Defenseman - Philadelphia Flyers
Seven-Year Extension Worth $34.45 million (July 2009)
Annual Cap Hit of $4,921,429
Age at Conclusion of Contract - 42

• 2010-11: $7.6 million
• 2011-12: $7.6 million
• 2012-13: $7.2 million
• 2013-14: $7 million
• 2014-15: $4 million
• 2015-16: $525,000
• 2016-17: $525,000

Marian Hossa, Right Wing - Chicago Blackhawks
12-Year Contract Worth $63.3 million (July 2009)
Annual Cap Hit of $5.275 million
Age at Conclusion of Contract - 42

• 2009-10: $7.9 million
• 2010-11: $7.9 million
• 2011-12: $7.9 million
• 2012-13: $7.9 million
• 2013-14: $7.9 million
• 2014-15: $7.9 million
• 2015-16: $7.9 million
• 2016-17: $4 million
• 2017-18: $1 million
• 2018-19: $1 million
• 2019-20: $1 million
• 2020-21: $1 million

Roberto Luongo, Goaltender - Vancouver Canucks
12-Year Extension Worth $64 million (September 2009)
Annual Cap Hit of $5,333,333
Age at Conclusion of Contract - 43

• 2010-11: $10 million
• 2011-12: $6.716 million
• 2012-13: $6.714 million
• 2013-14: $6.714 million
• 2014-15: $6.714 million
• 2015-16: $6.714 million
• 2016-17: $6.714 million
• 2017-18: $6.714 million
• 2018-19: $3.382 million
• 2019-20: $1.618 million
• 2020-21: $1 million
• 2021-22: $1 million

Hold That Thought: Kovalchuk's Contract Rejected By NHL

 

After 19 days of arduously tracking Ilya Kovalchuk’s free agency, it seemed just too easy for it to all be over with an announcement Monday afternoon of a 17-year pact for $102 million with the New Jersey Devils. And it appears that it was. Let this escapade continue.

Late Tuesday evening, approximately nine hours after the Devils formally reintroduced Kovalchuk in an afternoon press conference, news broke that the National Hockey League rejected the contract on the grounds that it circumvents the collective bargaining agreement. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet reported that the basis of this rejection is that the contract is a “retirement contract" with far too much money being paid out in the first 10 years. The league does not feel as if Kovalchuk, 27, will play for those backend years of the deal that would take him to 44 years of age, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. And both New Jersey and he mutually agreed to drastically lower the salaries for the final six years with the purpose of artificially lowering the hit against the Devils’ salary cap.

Circumvention is defined by Section 26.3 of the CBA:

(a) No Club or Club Actor, directly or indirectly, may: (i) enter into any agreements, promises, undertakings, representations, commitments, inducements, assurances of intent, or understandings of any kind, whether express, implied, oral or written, including without limitation, any SPC, Qualifying Offer, Offer Sheet or other transaction, or (ii) take or fail to take any action whatsoever, if either (i) or (ii) is intended to or has the effect of defeating or Circumventing the provisions of this Agreement or the intention of the parties as reflected by the provisions of this Agreement, including without limitation, provisions with respect to the financial and other reporting obligations of the Clubs and the League, Team Payroll Range, Player Compensation Cost Redistribution System, the Entry Level System and/or Free Agency.

Flyers Deal Gagne To Tampa Bay For … For … Not Too Much

 

With a payroll reaching over the salary cap and a few more players left to be signed, the Philadelphia Flyers needed to gain some cap relief. The player they chose to turn to was left wing Simon Gagne, who spent the entirety of his 10-year NHL career with the Flyers and had one year remaining on his contract that pays $5.25 million. On July 2, he reportedly agreed to waive his no-trade clause. That claim was later disputed by Gagne, but he understood the situation the Flyers were in and knew the writing was on the wall for an end to his tenure in Philadephia.

His future, like all the other left wings still sitting on the free agent market, hinged largely on the decision made by Ilya Kovalchuk. So, when Kovalchuk decided on Monday afternoon to remain in New Jersey, it appeared as if a whole new market opened up for Gagne. The Los Angeles Kings’ failed pursuit of Kovalchuk would have instantly made them a serious player for Gagne, as they reportedly already had interest in him.

But just a few minutes after Kovalchuk’s re-signing with the Devils was announced, a trade involving Gagne was also made. He was acquired by the Tampa Bay Lighting for defenseman Matt Walker and a 2011 fourth round draft. And just like that, as if he didn’t already look like one, General Manager Steve Yzerman became one of the smartest GMs in the league in just the few short months he’s held the position with the Lightning.

19-Day Free Agency Marathon Comes To An End: Kovalchuk Remains a New Jersey Devil

 

UPDATE: TSN has reported salary figures in line with what Michael Russo previously laid out. Kovalchuk's $102 million deal over the next 17 years will pay him $6 million in Years 1 and 2, $11.5 million in Years 3-7, $10.5 million in Year 8, $8.5 million in Year 9, $6.5 million in Year 10, $3.5 million in Year 11, $750,000 in Year 12 and $550,000 in Years 13-17.

ORIGINAL: It took him 19 days to make his decision and he didn’t need a flashy one-hour primetime special to let the world know about it. On Monday afternoon, it was announced that Ilya Kovalchuk will remain with the team he finished out last season with and return to the New Jersey Devils on a lifetime contract. No official terms have been disclosed, but it has been widely reported that the agreement is for 17 years and will pay out a total of $102 million. This is just the latest contract intended to circumvent the current collective bargaining agreement by utilizing a greater number of years to stretch out the overall salary for the purposes of lowering the annual cap hit, while still paying the player the amount of money he wishes to accumulate during his playing tenure. Kovalchuk, who was believed to be seeking an annual salary in the $8-10 million range, will now represent a $6 million annual cap hit to New Jersey.

“This was a long arduous process that has taken frankly a little longer than I thought,” agent Jay Grossman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “But you know what, nothing is worth anything unless you work for it. I can tell you he is very happy to be with the New Jersey Devils.”

As is the case for most contracts of this nature, it is safe to assume that Kovalchuk will be paid on a frontloaded basis to accommodate the years he will actually be playing. Then the financial terms will take a sharp decline when he is expected to be retired. Since he will not be 35 years old by June 30 of the upcoming season, Kovalchuk will cease to be paid and his cap hit will be erased from the Devils’ books should he retire before the completion of the deal. Kovalchuk, now 27, will be 44 years old when the contract expires in 2027, making it unlikely he will honor it in its entirety.

With no official terms announced and the Devils planning to re-introduce Kovalchuk to their fans in a press conference tomorrow at 1 p.m., there still has yet to be firm indication into how this contract breaks down on a year-by-year basis. Two unconfirmed figures have been reported, however.

Koivu Inks Seven-Year Extension With Wild

 

Having already felt the burn of losing a start player just one summer ago, the Minnesota Wild were uninterested in watching another skate away. To avoid a Marian Gaborik situation with their new leader next July, General Manager Cliff Fletcher wasted little time signing franchise player Mikko Koivu to a hefty contract extension. The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Michael Russo reported late Thursday that a seven-year deal worth $47.25 million was agreed upon between player and club that will keep the 27-year old on board through the 2017-18 campaign. The actual year-by-year figures of the extension are a bit odd, but it equals an annual $6.75 million against Minnesota’s cap. Currently, Koivu has one year left on a contract that pays him $3.7 million in actual salary and counts as a $3.25 million cap hit.

"It's a milestone day in the history of the Minnesota Wild," Fletcher said in a statement from the team. "When you have your franchise player commit to you, really for the next eight seasons. He's our best hockey player. He's our captain. And he's still just 27 with his best hockey years ahead of him."

According to Russo, Koivu will be afforded a full no-movement clause and has five different signing bonuses throughout the contract that makes it quite unbalanced financially. He will earn a base salary of $5.4 million starting with the 2011-12 season and receive signing bonuses worth $1.89 million each in October 2011, October 2013, October 2014, October 2015 and January 18. As a result, the year-by-year breakdown of Koivu’s extension is as follows:

Blackhawks Match Hjalmarsson Offer

 

Unprepared to let a 23-year old defensive juggernaut out of the organization, the Chicago Blackhawks made the risky financial committment to match San Jose's offer for Niklas Hjalmarsson and bring the young Swede back into the fold on a four-year, $14 million deal.

"We're going to match the offer and we're going to get the paperwork done today," Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman told Brian Hedger of NHL.com. "... We've been meeting over the last couple days. Niklas was a big part of our success last year and he's a big part of our core that's going to be together for a long time."

The contract represents a $3.5 million annual cap hit to a Blackhawks organization that has worked feverishly this summer to cut player expenses in order to become cap compliant. Since Hjalmarsson's actual salary will be equal to the cap it, this new deal also calls for a $2.834 million raise from the $666,000 he earned last season.

The Blackhawks, who now sit $113,410 under the salary cap according to CapGeek, were not really prepared for this type of expense. After dealing off the likes of Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd, they figured to have enough space to re-sign the likes of goaltender Antti Niemi and Hjalmarsson. The Sharks tender for the restricted free agent left Chicago in a dilemma: match the offer and end up right back in a challenging financial situation, or let the Sharks have him and receive first and third round draft picks as compensations.

On Monday, the decision was made to retain Hjalmarsson's services. In doing so, the Blackhawks will bring back the team's best shot blocker and a top overall defensive presence. But this move may have also signaled the end of Niemi's tenure in Chicago.

Rangers Focus On D: Girardi Re-Signed, Eminger Acquired & Staal Still In Limbo

Unlike most summers in The Big Apple, the New York Rangers did not enter this offseason with the intention of making wild blockbuster deals. Instead, the main priority was locking up key contributors from within the organization while adding more minor pieces here and there through free agency and the trade market.

General Manager Glen Sather has pretty much stuck to that game plan. He ensured the returns of forwards Erik Christensen, Vaclav Prospal and Brandon Prust while adding enforcer Derek Boogaard and backup goaltender Marty Biron into the mix.

On Friday, Sather turned his attention toward defense, where he re-signed a key restricted free agent and acquired some blue line depth in a deal with the Anaheim Ducks.

That key restricted free agent was none other than 26-year old Dan Girardi. The undrafted Welland, Ontario native agreed to a new four-year deal that will pay him $13.3 million over the lifetime of the contract. His annual cap hit to the Rangers will be $3.325 million, and he will earn actual salaries of $3.1 million next year and $3.4 million in each of the following three seasons (per CapGeek.)

Girardi is a valuable defensive asset to the Rangers and possesses the best shot blocking on the team. He adds a bit on the offensive side of the puck and has shined on the power play at times. But his true worth is in his own zone. The price tag of $3.325 million is more than anticipated, but the very healthy pay raise represents the Rangers’ commitment to sticking with one of their own.

Sharks Tender First Offer Sheet Of Summer To D Hjalmarsson

It was just a matter of time before some team went after another's restricted free agent, and the San Jose Sharks decided to take the leap. On Friday, they tendered Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson an offer sheet worth $14 million over four years. That comes out to an average annual cap hit of $3.5 million, which means that the Sharks would owe Chicago first and third round draft picks in 2011 if the Blackhawks choose not to match. They have seven days to make that decision.
A main priority for Chicago this summer was to cut a ton of salary, which was accomplished through various deals that bid adieu to the likes of Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and Andrew Ladd. But the whole point of those salary dumps was to be cap compliant and to have the financial flexibility to re-sign key restricted free agents, including goaltender Antti Niemi and Hjalmarsson.

While it would seem like a no brainer for the Blackhawks to match San Jose's offer and retain the 23-year old shock-blocking specialist who was incredibly valuable during the 2010 Stanley Cup run, it's obviously not that simple. Even with all the moves they've made, the Blackhawks still sit just $3.613 million under the 2010-11 cap figure of $59.4 million. And that's not counting Niemi, who has filed for salary arbitration and is believed to be seeking in the neighborhood of $4 million per season. Matching would bring Chicago right underneath that cap figure and make it almost impossible to bring Niemi back into the fold. Or, it would just make demoting Cristobal Huet an absolute necessity. Still, the Blackhawks need to fill out the remainder of their roster, which requires three more forwards, two more defenseman (Hjalmarsson would make it one) and a backup goalie (if Huet is taken out of the equation.)

General Manager Stan Bowman would probably love nothing more than to retain Hjalmarsson. But the economics just don't seem to make it possible. And if he's left choosing between keeping Hjalmarsson and re-signing Niemi, the latter is almost guaranteed to win out. Chances are, he takes the first and third rounders next summer and seeks other blue line options.

The Sharks aren't in desperate need of another defenseman, but would like a top four guy to replace the retired Rob Blake. General Manager Doug Wilson is fond of what the Sharks witnessed from Hjalmarsson in the playoffs and is willing to sacrifice the draft picks in return compensation to bring him on board

"We feel Niklas is a top-three defenceman in the National Hockey League," Wilson said. "We saw his abilities firsthand in the playoffs last season and he was an important piece of a Stanley Cup-winning team. He is a solid player that would be a good fit on our team now and in the future."

He won't necessarily fill in where Blake left off offensively, but Hjalmarsson can chip in here and there in the scoring department. His true worth, however, is in the defensive zone. There, he is tremendous at shutting down opponents and laying his body on the line to get in front of pucks. And at such a young age, Hjarlmarsson has the potential to be a big part of San Jose's defensive corp for a very long time. If Wilson can land him, it would be a big pickup well worth the picks.

Flyers Bring Zherdev Back From Russia

 

The last time Nikolai Zherdev was in the National Hockey League, it was two seasons ago for the New York Rangers. The Rangers acquired the former fourth overall selection from the Columbus Blue Jackets, who deemed him a disappointment within their organization. The Rangers would soon learn why Columbus was more than eager to dump Zherdev on them for a steady stay-at-home presence in Fedor Tytutin that had contrarily developed so well within the Rangers organization. For as capable a goal scorer as he is, Zherdev is as inconsistent as they come and never showed a true passion or committment to the game in the NHL.

That's why it came as a shock a few days ago when Puck Daddy's Dmitry Chesnokov reported that the Philadelphia Flyers signed Zherdev (which was initially disputed.) It was even more shocking when that report turned into an official agreement on Friday. General Manager Paul Holmgren inked the 25-year old to a one-year deal for $2 million.

Nabokov Going Home To Russia

Evgeni Nabokov has called San Jose his NHL home for all 10 years of his career in the league. But once the Sharks cut him loose after another failed push toward the Stanley Cup, the 34-year old decided to really go home. It was announced on Wednesday that Nabokov is moving to the SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League on a whopping four-year, $24 million contract.

The average salary in that deal is $6 million, which is what Nabokov was believed to be seeking in a new deal with an NHL club. Unlikely to find that kind of cash, it made sense for him from a financial standpoint to take the pact in his home country. Unfortunately, at just 34 years old and with plenty of gas left in the tank, it's a shame to see him give up the opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup. When his contract expires with SKA Saint Petersburg, Nabokov will be 38 years old and probably off most teams' radar as a No. 1 netminder in the NHL.

But once the Sharks kicked him to the curb and chose to go with some other in-house options to join up with new addition Antero Niittymaki, Nabokov earned ever right to go to whichever team he desires. Even if that team is not in the NHL.

Nabokov has plenty of support from his family, according to Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. He will be more wealthy as a result of this move, since no team in the NHL was going to grant him a $6 million per year set of paychecks. And he has the opportunity to join up with fellow-NHLers like Alexei Yashin, Sergei Brylin, Peter Cajanek, Darius Kasparaitis, Andrei Zyuzin and Sergei Zubov (Interestingly enough, fellow former-NHLer Robert Esche sported the crease for SKA Saint Petersburg the last two years.) Plus, as LeBrun so aptly points out, this deal in the KHL conveniently expires around the time of the 2014 Olympics in Socchi.

So, while it would have been nice to see him return with an NHL club next year, the grass was obviously greener for Nabokov in Russia.

Blues Get Halak Locked Up With Four-Year Deal

 

Looking to complete the process that will have Jaroslav Halak sport the crease for the St. Louis Blues, the team announced on Tuesday that he was signed to a four-year, $15 million contract. The contract will have an annual cap hit of $3.75 million but pay out salaries of $2.75 million next season, $3.5 million in 2011-12, $4.25 million in 2012-13 and $4.5 million in 2013-14.

Halak was acquired by the Blues via a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on June 17 that sent Lars Eller and Ian Schultz to the Habs in return. The Canadiens chose to deal Halak after a superhero performance in the playoffs, where he backstopped the team to a Conference Finals appearance. With both Carey Price and he entering restricted free agency and looked upon as No. 1 options, the Canadiens stuck with their fifth overall selection from 2005 and dealt Halak.

Luckily for St. Louis, Halak was excited about the move and believes he can help the organization.

"I've been looking forward to playing in St. Louis ever since the trade was announced," Halak said in a statement by the Blues. "I believe in my abilities and hope to do some good things for the Blues."

Halak looks to build off a career year last season. He outplayed Price to move into the starting goaltender position and award the Canadiens with a 26-13-5 record in 45 appearances. He also posted five shutouts and a league ranked fourth save percentage of .924. In the playoffs, he went 9-9 with a 2.55 goals against average and .923 percentage as he led the Canadiens past two favorites in the Eastern Conference - Washington and Pittsburgh - before succumbing to the Flyers in the third round.

With a four-year deal in place, the Blues have some security that their netminding position is in order. Previously, Chris Mason was the Blues' starter and did an admirable job. But at 34 years of age, he was never going to be a long-term option and that made it easy for St. Louis to pull the trigger on a deal for the 25-year old Halak when he was made available. Mason signed a two-year deal with the Thrashers on July 1.

News From Around The Crease: Hall Signs Entry-Level Deal, 31 Players To Arbitration, Probert Passes Away

 

~ When he was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, it was fully expect that Taylor Hall would immediately step into the lineup. The organization has yearned for a player with his potential and believe he is prepared to take the next step into the NHL. On Monday, the Oilers officially signed Hall to an entry level contract that calls for him to make $900,000 in base salary and as much as $3.75 million annually with bonuses over the next three years.

Now it's up to Hall to show he can handle the pressure of an entire city riding on his shoulders. The Oilers have longed to get back on the winning track, and he is believed to be the key to that happening. Good luck, kid.

Kovalchuk Nearing Deal With The Devils?

When we last check in on Ilya Kovalchuk, three teams were at the forefront of his free agency status. The Los Angeles Kings were perceived as out of the mix per comments by General Manager Dean Lombardi. The New York Islanders were preparing to fork over a $100 million, 10-year offer. And the New Jersey Devils were, somehow, still in the running.

That somehow part was given a bit of clarity today by The New York Post. At first, Mark Everson reported that Kovalchuk was expected to sign with the Devils on a seven-year pact worth $60 million. Everson's tune changed shortly thereafter, simply stating that Kovalchuk was expected to make a decision today and the Devils remained the favorites with their $8.57 million per season offer.

Unsure of what the Kings' last offer to Kovalchuk was, this seems like surprising news considering Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman reported that Lombardi just could not get Kovalchuk to get under his request of a $100 million contract (Source 1/2). If that's the reason he dropped out, then why is Kovalchuk accepting a lower bid from New Jersey?

The Market For Ilya Kovalchuk: Islanders Prepared To Offer $100M, Devils Still In Mix, Kings Out?

 

A flurry of activity was expected to surround Ilya Kovalchuk when the free agent market opened for business on Thursday. Not only was he leaps and bounds better than any other available player, but the 27-year old Russian sniper also possesses a unique ability to dramatically change the face of any NHL franchise. It therefore came as a bit of a surprise that there was little to report on his situation as Day 1 came to a close.

The Los Angeles Kings were at the forefront of negotiations with Kovalchuk, which was to be expected considering their interest dating back to the trade deadline. New Jersey Devils General Manager Lou Lamoriello believed his team was very much in the mix despite having added at least $8.625 million against the cap with previous signings throughout the day. And any number of unconfirmed teams were also posturing for the left wing’s services.

One of those other teams was revealed late in the day on July 2. TSN’s Darren Dreger pondered the idea of the New York Islanders going after Kovalchuk and indicated a source informed him of the team’s possible intentions to offer a $100-million, 10-year contract. ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun followed up with a text confirmation from Isles’ GM Garth Snow that they were in the mix.

A situation that had little movement in the first day of free agency suddenly transformed into the high-priced bidding process anticipated for Kovalchuk. Even in light of the Islanders' potential offer, the Kings were still believed to be the favorite to land Kovalchuk, with the Devils not too far behind pending Lamoriello’s ability to work around the less-than $5 million in cap space still left on the payroll. But with a proposed offer of $10 million annually for the next decade, the Islanders instantly emerged as a contender for Kovalchuk.

Souray Clears Waivers, Remains With Oilers For Now

 

The relationship between Sheldon Souray and the Edmonton Oilers has long been a tenuous one. It was tested throughout the season when Souray not just hinted, but flat out called for a trade out of the city. That didn't go down and neither has another push for both team and player to move on with their lives without each other.

On Friday, Souray was placed on waivers by the Oilers with the hopes that an interested suitor would come and take the 33-year old defenseman and the remaining $9 million on his contract. This, of course, came after the no-trade clause in said contract disappeared on Thursday. When no trades appeared to be imminent and the market for a deal proved thinner than General Manager Steve Tambellini had hoped, the best approach for the Oilers was to see if the idea of having Souray without giving back players and picks was an enticing one to other GMs. But the $5.4 million cap hit over each of the final two seasons on Souray's deal kept teams away.

While this may not appear like a panic situation to some, the fact that Tambellini was unable to find any trade worth pulling a trigger on and watched the disgruntled 12-year get looked over by every other NHL squad at a free price tag has to be a bit disheartening. Teams shold be clamoring for the services of a 20-goal scoring blue liner. Practically no other D-man in the NHL possesses that ability. But $5.4 million annually in cap space is a lot to sacrifice. As is the possibility Souray's health is not up to snuff, having played just 37 games last season and even less three years ago (26).

For now, everybody sits and waits. With all of the big time free agency options off the board, Souray is the best defenseman available. But with the trade route and waivers process already exhausted, it's entirely possible that Souray remains an Oiler at the start of next season. If that is the case, a move to the minors or a push toward re-entry waivers, where the Oilers would then need to eat up 50 percent of his remaining salary, could be the next logical steps for Tambellini to try and rid his organization of yet another player long looking to get out of Edmonton.

Blackhawks Deal Another One: Ladd Moved To Atlanta

 

Apparently trading away Dustin Byfuglien, Brent Sopel, Ben Eager, Akim Aliu, Colin Fraser, Kris Versteeg and Bill Sweatt was not enough to get the Chicago Blackhawks into comfortable positioning underneath the salary cap. They needed to deal another guy. And that other guy is 24-year old left wing Andrew Ladd, who was dealt to the Atlanta Thrashers amidst all the free agency madness on July 1 for a second round draft pick in 2011 and 22-year defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy.

Ladd will now re-unite with Byfuglien, Sopel, Eager and Aliu in Atlanta after those four were dealt to the Thrashers for a package including Marty Reasoner, Jeremy Morin, Joey Crabb, and the 2010 first and second round draft picks acquired in the Ilya Kovalchuk trade with New Jersey. Ladd is a restricted free agent who was extended a qualifying offer valued at $1.65 million by the Blackhawks on Sunday afternoon. He had the ability to seek higher compensation by filing for arbitration.

How much he would receive via arbitration is unknown, though we could still find out if he elects to go down that road with Atlanta, which one would have to figure as unlikely given the fact that the Thrashers traded for him. But in all of these deals, General Manager Stan Bowman has successfully shed about $5,333,333 in actual salary and $5,594,999 in cap space without even factoring in the cost of re-signing the restricted free agents (of course, this math depends on who you factor in as likely to actually play for Chicago next season from the return deals - I went with Viktor Stalberg and Vishnevskiy actually making the roster.)

This type of wheeling and dealing is necessitated by the fact that performance bonuses to a few of the Blackhawks players as a result of their Stanley Cup Championship actually drops the team's cap number lower than other teams next season. And with Antti Niemi needing a new deal with no hometown discount anticipated, costs largely accumulated during Dale Tallon's reign as GM needed to be cut loose.

Ladd now moved back to the Southeast Division, where he started his career as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes and won a Stanley Cup with them back in 2006. He has top six forward ability, but inconsistency generally reduces him to a checking line forward role. He can score, though, and did so with a career-high 17 goals last season. He is also a presence on the defensive side of the puck, using his size and physicality to guard his own zone.

Another Year In NY For Prospal, Two More In Anaheim For Koivu, Cullen Joins Up With Minny For Three

~ Vaclav Prospal came to New York last season with something to prove after being bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He joined up with his old head coach, played with Marian Gaborik and managed to be an absolute steal at $1.15 million in cost to the Rangers by posting 20 goals and 38 assists for 58 points in 75 games. It was a no-brainer to bring him back, and General Manager Glen Sather made sure to get it done. Prospal will return on another one year contract for a what will be a base salary of $1 million with $1.1 in what The New York Post's Larry Brooks calls "easily achievable bonuses." At 35 years old, he's still holding up pretty well and provides a good veteran presence for a team looking to get younger. He's a character guy, great leader and still strong offensively. And, he came cheap yet again. Great re-signing.

~ Saku Koivu clearly had a good time last year in his first season out of Montreal. He's coming back to the Anaheim Ducks on a two-year deal worth $2.5 million per season. the 35-year old Finnish center is coming off a campaign with 19 goals and 33 assists for 52 points in 71 games. That's pretty much what the Ducks are going to get out of Koivu offensively going forward, and always have his strong leadership skills to boot.

~ The Ottawa Senators wanted to keep him around, but that wasn't to be and now Minnesota will reep the benefits of responsible, two-way play from 33-year old center Matt Cullen. Cullen heads to his sixth NHL franchise in 12 seasons and will earn $10.5 million over three years with the Wild. Cullen is very dependable player who can go in all situations. He isn't the most dynamic offensive player, but he is a 15- to 20-goal scorer and 30 assist guy. In Minnesota, he will likely play No. 2 center duties behind Mikko Koivu.

Between The Pipes: Ellis Heading To Tampa, Mason Joining Atlanta, Raycroft Aligning With Stars

In light of teams being able to find postseason success without a high-priced goaltender, many are now seeking cheaper options to guard their net. While Evgeni Nabokov and Marty Turco are still without employment, several less-prolific, yet experienced goalies were snatched up right away - and cheap.

~ The Montreal Canadiens tried to bring Dan Ellis into their mix when they traded for his rights from the Nashville Predators. But they couldn't come to an agreement with the 30-year old, and instead opted to bring in Alex Auld on a one year deal. That left Ellis to look for work elsewhere, and he found it in Tampa Bay. Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman was able to lock him up for two years at $3 million, marking a $500,000/year discount over what former Lightning Antero Niittymaki signed for as the newest No. 1/1A in San Jose. Ellis should start out playing the backup role, with a generous portion of games going his way, to Mike Smith. And if Smith slips, there should be no hesitation on Tampa's end to make a switch. This is a good, cost-saving move by Yzerman that provides the Lightning a formidable one-two punch in net.

~ When the St. Louis Blues decided to get younger in net and traded for Jaroslav Halak, who is thus far unsigned as a restricted free agent, it pretty much spelled the end of Chris Mason's tenure with the team. That doesn't mean the 34-year old was a disappointment during his two years in St. Louis. Quite the contrary. He served extremely well in 118 games played with a 57-43-15 record as a Blue. In 61 games last year, he won a career-high 30 games and posted a 2.53 goals against average and .913 save percentage. Two years ago, he racked up a career-high six shutouts. That's solid production that the Atlanta Thrashers hope will continue from their new backup netminder. Mason signed with the ever-improving Thrashers for the next two years at $3.7 million. He will see salaries of $1.6 million next season and $2.1 million in 2011-12 for an annual cap hit of $1.85 million. Yeah, it's a bit expensive. But with Kari Lehtonen and Johan Hedberg both gone and Ondrej Pavelec still pretty unproven, Mason's pay is justified. When it's all said and done, he'll probably end up becoming Atlanta's starter.

~ Andrew Raycroft will forever be known as the Boston Bruin rookie who won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2004 and then went on to be ridiculously awful. But as a backup to Roberto Luongo in Vancouver last season, Raycroft actually played pretty well. He was in 21 games, went 9-5-1, had a 2.42 goals against and .911 save percentage. He parlayed that into a two-year, $1.3 million contract to play backup to Kari Lehtonen in Dallas. He will see salaries of $700,000 next season and $600,000 in 2011-12. A Lehtonen/Raycroft combination is pretty uninspiring really. But it's not exactly easy to get excited over a replacement for Marty Turco.

Coyotes Bring In Whitney, Retain Morris

 

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney unfortunately could not bring defenseman Zbynek Michalek back into the fold due to financial constraints, and he bolted to Pittsburgh for a $20 million, five-year deal. But Maloney was able to retain the services of defenseman Derek Morris and bring in the veteran scoring touch of left wing Ray Whitney.

The 31-year old Morris is back on a four-year, $11 million contract that will be split evenly at $2.75 million per season. It's a slight paycut from the $3.3 million he earned last season, but Morris remains in a comfortable situation with Phoenix. When Morris was acquired by the Coyotes last season as a trade deadline addition, it marked his second run with the team. He previously played with them from late 2004 through late 2009. In his return to the Coyotes this past spring, he put up a goal and three assists for four points in 18 games. He totals four goals and 25 assists for 29 points on the season when factoring in 58 games with Boston.

Morris is a solid all-around defenseman who can be good on the offensive and defensive sides of the puck when he wants to be. He's just inconsistent at times, and that prevents him ranking among the elite. At $2.75 million, though, Maloney was able to keep a familiar face at a reasonable price.

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In an effort to boost the league's seventh-worst goal scoring team in the league last year, Maloney brought in one of the more sought after left wings on the market, Ray Whitney, on a two-year deal valued at $6 million. According to TSN's Darren Dreger, this contract includes "a modified no-move clause that includes a small window for a few teams to trade with."

"We are thrilled to sign Ray to a contract," said Maloney (by way of TSN). "He is a terrific offensive player who will help us on the power play. He is a great leader in the dressing room with a Stanley Cup Championship to his credit and will instantly upgrade our offensive attack."

The 38-year old is one of those players that just hasn't run out of steam with age. He scored 21 goals last season - the fourth straight with over 20 scores - and 37 assists for 58 points in 80 games with the Carolina Hurricanes. In a career with 1,072 games played, Whitney boasts totals of 324 goals, 545 assists and 869 points.

The Coyotes will value his veteran presence as the team continues its push to be a serious contender. And even in his advanced age (at least sport-wise), the team need not worry about him being out of the lineup after having suited up for at least 80 games in three of the past four seasons.

Sutter Loses His Mind: Brings Jokinen, Tanguay Back To Calgary

 

Nobody necessarily classified Calgary Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter as a sane man. So perhaps what went down today with the Flames is called for. But he pulled a move that had pretty much everybody at TSN questioning everything they believe in by bringing back a completely failed player from the past.

After a rather good move on his end in bringing Alex Tanguay back to Calgary on a one year deal worth $1.7 million, Sutter called up Olli Jokinen and got him to return on a two-year, $6 million pact. Yes, that's the same Jokinen that Sutter tossed aside to New York last spring for Rangers castaways Christopher Higgins and Ales Kotalik - neither of which are still in Calgary right now.

As previously stated, the Tanguay deal is nothing to mock because he did produce pretty well with the Flames. His best season came with the team in 2006-07 when he posted a career-high 81 points between 22 goals and 59 assists. With a decline in his numbers over the past few years, it's hard to imagine he will reach that plateau again. But a single year committment at a low pricetag of under $2 million is a low-risk proposition for somebody that should, at the very least, offer around 15 goals and 40 points.

Jokinen's signing, on the other hand, is baffling. An absolute stud when he played with the Florida Panthers (and constant topic of trade chatter during his tenture there), the 31-year old Finnish center has failed miserably to bring his game to the same level in stints with the Phoenix Coyotes, Rangers and Flames. Last year, Calgary thought so little of his non-chemistry with Jarome Iginla that is participated in a cap dump for the Rangers by taking in $5.1 million in salary for Kotalik, who had two years, $6 million still left on his deal, and the pending RFA Higgins in exchange for him.

Apparently, as TSN's Darren Dreger tweeted, Sutter believed he should have never traded Jokinen. And thus, the marriage was reborn.

If it didn't work the last time, it's not going to work this time, either. Calgary was rid of Jokinen, who was pretty much set up to either take a really low offer from an NHL team on a one year basis or become the next NHL alum to head to Russia.

Poor Iginla.

Canucks Land Hamhuis, Malholtra

Defenseman Dan Hamhuis was one of the big prizes on this year's free agent market, so much so that his rights were traded twice in the weeks leading to today. In the end, the Vancouver Canucks were the big winners, signing the 27-year old to a six-year contract worth $4.5 million per season.

Before that deal was actually finalized, there were a slew of teams trying to pry him away from the Canucks. But he chose to head to Vancouver regardless of what other teams were piling on.

The addition of Hamhuis creates a bit of a logjam at defense, where the Canucks already had seven players, including the newly acquired Keith Ballard. But Kevin Bieska or Christian Ehrhoff could go on the trade block, which would clear some cap space and completely justify Hamhuis' signing.

He will provide Vancouver a solid defensive presence with the ability to play a ton of minutes and protect his zone. He won't put up a lot of points, but a 25-to-30 points is always a possibility for him.

The Canucks also landed forward Manny Malholtra, who last played for the San Jose Sharks. Coming off a 14-goal, 33-point campaign, Malholtra will see a raise from the measly $700,000 earned last season to a whopping $2.5 million in each of the next three seasons. He has done a fair share of moving in his time - starting with the Rangers and making stops through Dallas and Columbus. But he has grown his game in each location and the 30-year old is now a pretty solid asset in the NHL. He might not be worth $2.5 million, necessarily. But he's earned his payday and should add some good depth the Canucks' roster as a checking line forward.

Devils Add Volchenkov, Tallinder On D; Snag Hedberg To Backup Brodeur

 

The New Jersey Devils were one of those teams to watching heading into this free agency period. Not only were they the rights holder before today to the hottest UFA on the market - Ilya Kovalchuk, but they were also in danger of losing Paul Martin while being linked to Tomas Kaberle and Dan Hamhuis.

Well, Kovalchuk still hasn't signed anywhere as of this writing and Martin in now a Pittsburgh Penguin. But what the Devils did was build upon their strength - defense.

General Manager Lou Lamoriello committed $39 million to defensemen Henrik Tallinder and the prized defensive-defenseman of this class, Anton "A-Train" Volchenkov, while also forking over a one-year, $1.5 million deal (bonuses and no-trade clause included) to backup goaltender Johan Hedberg.

Volchenkov is not a sexy pickup but one that will make the Devils even more frustrating to play against. He is a top-notch shutdown defender who is well-regarded for his shot blocking and penalty killing. The 28-year old is limited offensively and will miss games throughout the season thanks to putting his body on the line so frequently. But when he's there, it will be even tougher to score against New Jersey. Volchenkov will be around for the next six years on his this contract and will earn $25.5 million, or $4.25 million per season. The deal also includes a no-trade clause.

Tallinder, 31, is another shutdown defenseman who Lamoriello grabbed, in part, because of his mentoring ability. According to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun:

One thing Lamoriello mentioned to me is that he's got young Swedish kids on D and he loves the way Tallinder helped Tyler Myers in Buff

Outside of teaching the kids, Tallinder will be another presence in the Devils' zone and limited offensive abilities on the other end. In a full 82-game slate last year, he posted four goals and 16 assists for 20 points.
He will cost New Jersey $13.5 million over four seasons - an annual cap hit of $3.375 million.

Of course, neither of these signing addresses who will replace Martin's offense, who will be the power play quarterback and if the Devils intend on having any defenseman actually join the rush next season. But good luck to any opposing forward who wishes to get past the neutral zone.

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In addition to adding to the options guarding the crease, the Devils secured their No. 2 inside it. Playing the role of the guy who will see about three games while Martin Brodeur takes on the other 79 this year is Johan Hedberg. Hedberg is as good a backup as any team could get this summer and comes on over for $1.5 million in a one-year deal that includes bonuses and a no-trade clause. That's a bit expensive for a backup, especially a backup to Brodeur. But maybe, just maybe, this is the year the Devils play him less? If so, the extra expense for a proven 37-year old veteran is worth it.

Penguins Add Paul Martin To The Mix

 

When Sergei Gonchar bolted from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a $16.5 million deal with the Ottawa Senators, General Manager Ray Shero turned around and inked Zbynek Michalek previously with the Phoenix Coyotes to a five-year, $20 million deal. And while Michalek is a solid, young defenseman, he is no Gonchar in the puck-moving, power play quarterbacking, offense producing department.

It turns out, he wasn't exactly the substitute Shero had in mind for Gonchar. Instead, the real replacement is 29-year old Paul Martin, who signed on for the next five seasons and will earn $5 million in each of them.

Martin is a good player and did receive plenty of interest from teams around the NHL. But this does beg the question of why Shero didn't just tack on an extra $500,000 per year and give Gonchar what he'll be earning in Ottawa for two less years. Gonchar is one of the best offensive forces from the blue line and is basically a 50- to 60-point threat with a true effectiveness in running the power play. Martin, on the other hand, was pretty much a 30-point generator in New Jersey and never topped the six-goal mark. He is basically half a Gonchar at virtually the same price.

Perhaps Martin's numbers were just a product of the Devils' stifling defensive system and he will have greater opportunity to spread his wings in a more open game with the Penguins. And being six years younger than Gonchar doesn't hurt. But it just seems like a panic move. The Michalek/Martin combination is nowhere near the Gonchar/Dan Hamhuis duo Shero was ultimately hoping for.

Rangers Keep Christensen; Lose Shelley And Replace With Boogaard

Glen Sather started the free agency bonzana off with a solid pickup in backup goaltender Martin Biron. Since then, he's resorted back to being one of the worst general managers in the league.

Before going down that road, he did avoid one disaster by actually re-signing Erik Christensen to a two-year deal at $925,000 per season. That's only a $175,000 raise per year than what he made last season, but it's also more than the $750,000 (which is on par with what he made a year ago) he turned down in a previous offer. Christensen has generally been a journeyman, or was on the verge of becoming one, in his five NHL seasons. But after a waiver pickup by the Rangers from Anaheim, he emerged as the team's top center and perfect linemate for Marian Gaborik. In 49 games, he scored eight goals and 26 points - a stark improvement over the zero points he had with Anaheim over the course of nine games. Because his numbers aren't astronomic as a result of being fairly inconsistent, he wasn't going to get into the millions. But for the times that he does produce and is on his game, he's basically the best player on the ice and deserves a roster spot in New York.

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Shelley apparently didn't deserve a roster spot, or at least that's the way Sather saw things. A near-trade deadline acquisition by the Rangers for a fifth round pick from San Jose, Shelley stepped in as the lead enforcer (though Brandon Prust did more fighting) in place Donald Brashear and played a crucial role on a very effective fourth line for the Rangers down the stretch. And he actually scored some goals - two to be exact! That's a big deal for him.

It wasn't a big deal to Sather. He offered Shelley a one-year deal for $825,000, watched Shelley reject it and then let the man walk over to Philadelphia (maybe not literally, but it's possible) to sign a three-year deal with the Flyers for $1.1 million per season. So it's okay to sign Donald Brashear for $1.4 million per year, which the Rangers are still on the hook for next season. But to up the ante on Shelley a bit and pay the most productive and intelligent enforcer the team has had in a while (Colton Orr wasn't as good in the offensive scheme like Shelley was last year), that's a no go? Incredible. And now, he's with a division rival, that is nasty enough as it is.

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With Shelley gone, it was naturally time for Sather to play the "Replace the Enforcer" game, ala Brashear for Orr, Shelley for Brashear, ??? for Shelley. That replacement comes in the form of Derek Boogaard from the Minnesota Wild. The 28-year old, who has yet to play more than 65 games in a season and has not scored a goal in FOUR YEARS (has two total - both scored his rookie year), was granted a four-year contract for $1.65 million a season. That is undoubtedly worse than the Brashear signing.

Now, Boogaard is understandably not being brought in for his scoring prowess. But at least Shelley is able to create some chances and net a puck every once in a blue moon. Boogaard has no offensive upside and is a much less regarded fighter than Shelley. And he's $550,000 more expensive per year for an extra year.

I sure hope Donnie Walsh isn't drinking from the same fountain at The Garden, or there's zero chance LeBron James is a Knick.

Armstrong To Leafs, Niittymaki To Sharks, Auld To Montreal, O'Donnell To Flyers

 

~ Penguins fans probably would have love to have him back, but the winger most compatible with Sidney Crosby that was dealt to Atlanta in the Marian Hossa trade is now heading to Toronto on a three-year, $9 million deal. That's right, Colby Armstrong is the second top-six forward acquired by Brian Burke in the past two days (Kris Versteeg being the first.) He made $2.4 million last year, so this represents a $600,000 raise and is pretty equal to the output he provides. Armstrong is a gritty two-way player with 20-goal potential.

~ The San Jose Sharks cut the line on Evgeni Nabokov because they wanted to seek cheaper options than the $5- to 6-million he will probably find somewhere in free agency. Well, they found one, and it comes in the form of ex-Flyer/Lightning netminder Antero Niittymaki. He is on board for two years at $2 million per, which drastically lower than what Nabokov likely would have cost. But I do fear in this case that the Sharks will get what they pay for. Niittymaki is good and posted 21 wins with Tampa last year in 49 games played. But he's still just a better-than-average backup and will fail to win over 40 games a season like Nabokov did three years in a row if asked to shoulder a heavy load in San Jose.

~ Forget Dan Ellis, people. His lacking French-speaking skills won't be necessary. The Montreal Canadiens went another route for their No. 1A/2 goalie next season with Alexander Auld. Auld, who was a waiver acquisition for the Rangers late last year, is a more-than-adequate backup who will push Carey Price. Auld is there for one year at $1 million, which is by far a cheaper rate than what St. Louis will now have to dish out for Jaroslav Halak.

~ Apparently the Philadelphia Flyers need an army of defensemen, because they have quite a few and just added another. Veteran Sean O'Donnell is coming to Philly on a one-year deal worth $1 million, plus games played incentives. He's a good stay-at-home defender and worth it at that price. But the signing still begs the question, why? Or ... who's being dealt?

Penguins Replace Gonchar With Cheaper Option: Zbynek Michalek

 

The Phoenix Coyotes really wanted to keep him, but there was simply not enough money to do so. Their loss is Pittsburgh's gain, and it appears Zbynek Michalek is headed to the Penguins on a five-year, $20 million deal. He is not as offensively gifted as Gonchar. But at $1.5 million less per season and about eight years younger, Michalek is a solid addition to the Penguins roster. He will add a great deal of defensive prowess to the team, and is able to sport the blue line in power play situation for modest results.

Lightning Deal Mezsaros to Flyers, Extend St. Louis Four More Years

Free agency might be about signing players, but trades are sure to go down, too. One was struck between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers, where new GM Steve Yzerman moved defenseman Andrej Meszaros and the four years, $18.5 million remaining on his contract to the Flyers for a second round pick.

A decent all-around defenseman, the Flyers might not be thrilled with the fact that he hasn't as physical a player as his size would indicate. But being unable to re-sign Dan Hamhuis, Meszaros isn't a terrible No. 2 play. The second rounder might be much and the $4 million cap hit is not great one for Philly, though.

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One player is sent away by Yzerman, another is kept for a longer period of time. In his second big move of the day, Yzerman signed right wing Martin St. Louis to a four-year extension that, added with the one year remaining on his current deal, will have him donning the Bolt until 2016. TSN's James Duthie tweet that the extension is worth $22.5 million over four years, which averages out to $5.625 million per season. St. Louis will earn $4 million next season with a $5.25 million cap hit.

Even with Steven Stamkos emerging as the Lightnings' top offensive threat, St. Louis is a key piece to their scoring puzzle. He is a former 48-goal scorer who still possess 30-goal ability (was just one off the mark last season.) And skating with Stamkos has granted him great setup opportunities, as well, boasting a career-high 65 assists last season.

At 35 years old, this should be the final contract of St. Louis' career.

Gonchar Saying Goodbye To Pittsburgh, Hello To Ottawa

 

The Pittsburgh Penguins worked toward the end to bring their top offensive blue liner back into the fold. But it just wasn't meant to be. Sergei Gonchar was the first big name off the board Thursday afternoon, electing to leave the Penguins for richer (in money only) pastures with the Ottawa Senators at what TSN's Darren Dreger reports to be a three-year, $16.5 million deal with a no-trade clause. That will break down to an average cap hit of $5.5 million per season for Ottawa.

There was always the possibility this would play out for Pittsburgh, considering the 35-year old Gonchar has just one more big-time contract in his career and he wants another payday. That wasn't going to fit well into Pittsburgh's budget, so General Manager Ray Shero pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire the rights to Dan Hamhuis for a third round pick. He wanted to get both guys inked, but that was improbably and both chose to go the UFA route. Hamhuis, however, is still an option for the Pens.

Gonchar now goes to a team that didn't previously have tremendous potency in the scoring department from defenseman. He immediately emerges as the team's top gunner from the point and first unit power play quarterback, which is exactly what General Manager Bryan Murray was looking to snag this summer.

First Signing: Martin Biron Joins New York Rangers

 

Not many people pegged Glen Sather to be busy this year in unrestricted free agency. But he made the first deal of the day once the market opened at noon. A main priority for New York was to acquire a reliable backup netminder to Henrik Lundqvist who was willing to take a role as a 10-15 game guy. And that goalie comes to New York in the form of Martin Biron. The 32-year old will join the Rangers on a two-year deal worth $1.8 $1.75 million, which TSN's Bob McKenzie breaks down to $950,000 next season and $800,000 in 2011-12. The deal will be an annual cap hit of $900,000 $875,000 to the Rangers' payroll.

"I’m very excited, I think it’s going to be fun. It’s a great organization and a great team," Biron told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun. "Looking forward to joining back up with Chris Drury, a great guy I played with in Buffalo. Really looking forwad to playing with Henrik Lundqvist and working with (goalie coach) Benoit Allaire. The Rangers are going to give me an opportunity to be able to do that."

Biron is a 12-year veteran who spent last season as one of many goaltenders to guard the crease for the New York Islanders. He saw action in 29 games, going 9-14-4 with a 3.27 goals against average and .896 save percentage. That was the Islanders, though, and Biron was also a 30-game winner in both Philadelphia and Buffalo previously. For a team in need of a cheap, yet steady backup presence in net, Biron is a solid signing.

Get Out Your Checkbooks: NHL Free Agent Market Is Open For Business!

This may be a weak free agent class in comparison to other years (and definitely in comparison to the one in the NBA - I mean really, have you seen who's available over there?!) But there are still Ilya Kovalchuk's, Sergei Gonchar's and at least half a dozen quality goaltenders that general managers wish to pay no more than $2 million a season for. It's bound to be an active day on all fronts. Check back here and on the Twitter page (@getoutmycrease), which I surprisingly have not broken yet, for all the updates as this free agent bonzana plays out. Who knows, maybe LeBron James quits the NBA entirely and joins the Red Wings on a one-year deal. It's probably his best shot to win a championship at this point!