Four hours into UFA, and chaos abounds!

July 1, 2009   ·   Hasan   ·   Jump to comments

Well the first day of NHL free agency certainly hasn’t lacked for news.  Less than a half hour after free agency officially opened for business came the first big signing when Mattias Ohlund left Vancouver to go to Tampa Bay for a seven year, $25.5 million deal.  Yes, for you math majors that means Ohlund will be under contract until he’s 40!

For the second straight year, Marian Hossa made a big splash in UFA, this time the more traditional way signing a $62.8 million dollar deal – over twelve years!  Considering his cap number’s ‘only’ $5.23 million it’s great for the Blackhawks’ cap but wow, still a lot of zeros.  And it’s funny that Hossa’s become a turncoat for the second straight year, after leaving last year’s finals loser for the winner, he goes from Detroit to their biggest rival the Blackhawks, presumably replaing the oft-injured Martin Havlat, who is also a UFA.

A couple of goaltenders have been on the move, most notably Nikolai Khabibulin – who signed with the Oilers mere minutes ago for $15 million over four years.  Reading the tea leaves, Dwayne Roloson left Edmonton and signed a 2 year, $5 million contract for the Isles.  I get that the Islanders can’t count on Rick DiPietro but man, signing a 40-year old goalie to a two year deal is kinda desperate.  Maybe they needed to throw away the money to meet the salary floor.  Supersub Craig Anderson went from Florida to Colorado on a two year, $3.6 million deal, presumably to be penciled in as the newest number one hopeful ahead of Peter Budaj.  Ty Conklin left the Wings to go to St. Louis for 2 years, $2.6 million forming a nice tandem with Chris Mason.   I guess that’s also good news for Blues fans who want to see a Winter Classic in the near future.  No word yet on where the Devils’ Scott Clemmensen may land.

Among the other locals, Jaroslav Spacek left Buffalo to sign a three year, $11.5 million deal with Montreal shortly after the Sabres inked Boston’s Steve Montador to a 2  year, $3.1 million deal.  After the Rangers’ Colton Orr signed a four year, $4 million deal with the Leafs, Glen Sather turned around and ironically replaced him with Donald Brashear (2 years, $2.8 million).  Ironic because Brashear was involved in a bit of a nasty scuffle during the playoffs with the Rangers barely two months ago.  Apparently the Rangers have also made an offer to Ottawa’s Chris Neil.  I guess they figure if you can’t score, beat ‘em up!  So far the biggest Devils ’splash’ has been re-signing Andy Greene to a two year deal at just under 750k per, kind of curious since they refused to quality him at a cheaper price.  I guess Lou was willing to trade 90k of cap space to have him locked up for another year.

As far as the other big names, both Sedin twins got their twin deal (5 years, $30.5 million each) - from Vancouver just minutes before UFA.  Scott Niedermayer re-upped in Anaheim for $6 million on a one-year deal while David Booth re-upped with the Panthers (6 years, $25.5 million).  Mike Knuble went from the Flyers to the Capitals (2 years, $5.6 million) while Brian Boucher came back to the team he famously broke in with, as the Flyers inked him signed him for $1.85 million over two years.  No word yet on Dany Heatley, whose status is still up in the air until midnight tonight at least.