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Clay Wilson signed a two-year deal with the Panthers, according to the Sports Network. Financial terms were not disclosed. He previously played with the Thrashers.
Our View: Wilson only has 14 games of NHL experience, and the 26-year-old does not look to make an impact in fantasy leagues next season. He was added to provide depth along the Panthers' blueline. |
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Stefan Meyer has signed a one-year deal to remain with the Coyotes, according to TSN. Terms were not disclosed.
Our View: He was acquired from Florida in the Steve Reinprecht trade back in June. He does not look to hold much fantasy value while fighting for ice time next season. |
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Chad LaRose has signed a two-year deal to remain with the Hurricanes, according to the Raleigh News & Observer. He will earn $1.5MM next season, and $1.9MM in 2010-11.
Our View: LaRose was a priority for Carolina to retain after contributing 19 goals and 12 assists over 81 games last season, while maintaining a +6 rating. |
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Jordan Leopold has inked a one-year deal with the Panthers worth $1.75MM, according to TSN.
Our View: Leopold was acquired from Calgary in the Jay Bouwmeester trade, and Florida made sure they did not lose him in free agency. |
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Jeremy Reich has signed a one-year deal with the Islanders, according to SLAM Sports. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our View: Reich has 99 games of NHL experience, and scored a career-high 21 goals and 13 assists in the AHL last season. He could push for a roster spot with the Islanders in training camp. |
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Scott Munroe has signed a one-year deal with the Islanders, according to SLAM Sports. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Our View: Munroe was in the Flyers' organization for the last four years, and helped lead the Phantoms of the AHL to the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the last two seasons. He will get a chance to compete for a backup gig in New York. |
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TSN.com reports that the Kings have signed free agent defenseman Robert Scuderi to a four-year, $13.6 million contract.
Our View: Scuderi, who hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in June, is the Kings' first free agent signing of the offseason. The solid and gritty defenseman was a plus-23 with 16 points in 81 games last season. |
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According to FOX Sports, the Devils have reunited with Finnish forward Ilkka Pikkarainen. Details of the deal were not disclosed.
Our View: Pikkarainen, the Devils' seventh-round pick in 2002, spent three years with the top ranked farm team in Albany, NY, but returned to Finland to play the last three seasons with HIFK Helsinki. He lead the team with 24 goals in 54 games, and now rejoins the Devils for the 2009-10 season. |
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Sportsnet.ca reports that the Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Lawrence Nycholat. Terms of the deal were not released.
Our View: Nycholat rejoins the Canucks after finishing last season with the Avalanche. In 19 games with both teams in 2008-09 he recorded one assist. He has nine points in 50 career NHL games and will likely be used as emergency depth. |
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According to Sportsnet.ca, the Cannucks have signed defenseman Nolan Baumgartner. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed due to club policy terms.
Our View: Baumgartner spent all of last season with the Manitoba Moose (the Canucks AHL affiliate) last season, registering 11 goals and 33 points in 72 games. He will add depth to the team's defensive unit, but will likely only be called up as a result of injury to a starter. |
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According to TSN.com, the Maple Leafs have re-signed center Mikhail Grabovski to a three-year, $8.7 million contract. He was a restricted free agent.
Our View: In his first full NHL season Grabovski scored 20 goals and collected 48 points in 78 games. He came on in the second half last year and is a solid bet to surpass the numbers he put up in 2008-09, making a him a nice fantasy sleeper. He will earn nearly $3 million dollars a season. |
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According to the Ottawa Citizen, the price for Dany Heatley has gone up.
Our View: By not getting a deal done by midnight Wednesday night, the Senators had to absorb a $4 million bonus owed to Heatley. They'll now be looking for even more in return to try and offset the additional cost they've incurred. The talented but cranky winger has already vetoed a trade to Edmonton after specifically asking for a move out of town and now seems stuck in Ottawa. The Senators will continue to entertain offers for the former 50-goal scorer, but he may wind up staying put. If that is the end result, it's sure to cause problems in the clubhouse and front office. Heatley is still going to be unhappy, and everyone surrounding him in Ottawa is well aware of it. This situation likely hasn't come to a head just yet. |
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TSN.com reports that the Dallas Stars have signed free agent defenseman Karlis Skrastins to a two-year deal worth $2.75 million.
Our View: Skrastins is coming off a four-goal, 18-point season with the Florida Panthers. He had an injury plagued season in 2007-08, only playing in 17 games, but rebounded nicely last year. He looks to be a top-six defenseman for the Stars. |
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TSN.com reports that the Flames have signed minor league forward Riley Armstrong. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Our View: Armstrong has been in the Sharks' minor league system for the last five years and has only appeared in two NHL games. He racked up 25 goals and 42 points to go along with his 101 penalty minutes in 71 games at Worcester last year. He is a long shot to make the club. |
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TSN.com reports that the Flames have signed center Garth Murray. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Our View: Murray spent most of last season with the minor league San Antonio Rampage, but managed to get into ten NHL games with parent club, the Phoenix Coyotes. He is 27-years-old and will likely try and crack the Flames' roster in training camp. |
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TSN.com reports that the Phoenix Coyotes have signed free agent defenseman Adrian Aucoin to a one-year contract. Details of the deal are currently undisclosed.
Our View: The former Flames defender will turn 36 tomorrow, but still appears to have plenty in the tank. He scored ten goals and posted 34 points last season and will be a nice veteran presence on a young Phoenix team next season. |
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According to TSN.com, the Bruins have re-signed veteran forward Mark Recchi to a one-year deal worth $1 million.
Our View: Boston acquired Recchi at the trade deadline last season from Tampa Bay. He had a fine offensive season, putting up 23 goals and 61 points and should be bankable for similar numbers in 2009-10. His plus/minus should also improve with a full year in his new environment, and he stands to be a solid fantasy contributor across the board. |
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TSN.com reports that the Atlanta Thrashers have signed free agent Nik Antropov to a four-year, $16 million contract.
Our View: The veteran forward will make $4 million a year and is coming off a career season where he notched 28 goals and 59 points. The long time Leaf will now settle into Atlanta and try and rejuvenate a struggling franchise. Depending on his linemates, he could be a valuable fantasy forward in 2009-10. |
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According to TSN.com, the Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed right winger Chris Thorburn. Terms of the deal have not yet been released.
Our View: Thorburn registered just seven goals and 15 points in 82 games last season. However, he spent some time on a line with Ilya Kovalchuk and if he lands there again next season he could have some fantasy value. He'd be a bruiser (104 PIM in 2008-09) who chipped in with the occasional point or two. |
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Updating a previous report, Byron Bitz will be paid $687,500 for his new two-year contract, according to the Boston Globe.
Our View: Bitz is a fourth line winger and will add depth and energy to the Bruins. He doesn't cost much and is a feisty, hard-checking young player. Good move for the B's. |
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According to Sportsnet.ca, the hurricanes have inked Pat Dwyer to a two-way contract. Details of the deal have yet to be released.
Our View: Dwyer was up and down with the Canes last season and registered just one goal in limited time. He will vie for a roster spot in training camp this season. |
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Sportsnet.ca reports that the Hurricanes have re-signed center Michael Ryan to a two-way contact. Details of the deal have not been released.
Our View: Ryan had just two points in 18 games with the Canes last season and spent most of his time in the AHL, where he was very good. He scored 25 goals and collected 42 total points in just 40 games. He'll look to make the team out of training camp next season. |
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According to Sportsnet.ca, the Senators have signed goaltender Mike Brodeur to a one-year, two-way contract.
Our View: Brodeur was solid in the AHL last season with an 18-13-4 record and a 2.45 GAA. In 2009-10 he will play for the farm team in Binghamton. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. |
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According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Sharks and winger Ryane Clowe have a long term deal in place. Both sides are just awaiting approval from the NHL.
Our View: Clowe notched 22 goals and put up 52 total points last season fro the first place Sharks. He is an up and coming young talent and should be able to improve on those totals in 2009-10. Clowe's name was passed around in trade rumors, but it looks like he's not going anywhere. |
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The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that talks with the Blues and RFA defender Roman Polak have made no recent progress.
Our View: The two sides are still not in agreement, but President John Davidson expects a deal to get done in the new future. Young, fast and strong, Polak was instrumental in the Blues' surprising success last year. He's solid defensively and chipped in with 15 points as well. He's not fantasy worthy yet, but we have not yet seen the full extent of how good this kid can be. |
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According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, talks have stalled between the Blues and restricted free agent winger B.J. Crombeen.
Our View: The gritty forward was extended a qualifying offer, but the two sides have not yet met in the middle as far as a new deal goes. Crombeen chipped in with 12 goals and 22 points last year and provided a nice spark on the Blues lower scoring and grinding lines. Expect the two sides to eventually come to an agreement. |
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According to the Minneapolis-St. Paul Tribune, the Minnesota Wild are going after long-time Canadien, Saku Koivu.
Our View: As an unrestricted free agent, Koivu could land anywhere, but most rumors have him going to the Wild to join his brother Mikko. The Habs have been busy this offseason, signing a glut of players and likely wouldn't have the cap room to bring Koivu back. He could be a fine second-line center in Minnesota. |
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According to the Dallas Morning News, defenseman Sergei Zubov is now an unrestricted free agent.
Our View: After missing almost the entire 2008-09 campaign due to hip surgery, Zubov will now have a chance to peruse the free agent market. He still has loyalty though. The veteran puck-moving defenseman has told Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk that he will keep the Stars in the loop and make them aware of any offers he gets. Sounds like Zubov will remain in Dallas unless someone blows him away with a big money offer the Stars can't match. As long as he's fully healthy he should be a solid fantasy blueliner once again. |
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