I will be writing my opinion on the free agent signings and trades. For trades, which team wins and why, and which team loses and why. And for the free agent signings I will write about if I think it was a good move for the team and why, and if it was a good move for the player and why. I will also decide whether it was a good price for the player and if it was a good amount of years. Also I won't write about minor signings and minor trades.
Trades:
1. San Jose Sharks trade Dany Heatley (RW/LW) to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for Martin Havlat (RW).
Winner: Minnesota Wild
Out of the three trades Dany Heatley has been apart of, this is the first one he didn't publicly ask for. Minnesota wins this trade because they get a former back to back 50 goal scorer, while giving up an injury prone play maker. Also Dany Heatley will be able to play on the top line with play maker Mikko Koivu, and I think that both players will see a spike in points. Heatley had an off year with 64 for points, which is 2 points ahead of Havlat's 62. On the San Jose side of things, Heatley has had declining numbers, but so has Havlat, so I think that both teams are hoping a change of scenery will motivate the players. I just don't understand where those extra points are coming from with Havlat. Havlat is a play maker, playing on a line with either: Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski, or Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. He would be in the same situation he was in in Minnesota. Havlat (a play maker) playing on a line with another play maker (San Jose = Joe Thornton, Minnesota = Mikko Koivu). However it wasn't a terrible trade for San Jose, just a less than stellar trade. But Minnesota definitely engineered a trade that will help.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs trade Brett Lebda (D) and Robert Slaney (LW) to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Matthew Lombardi (C) and Cody Franson (D).
Winner: Toronto Maple Leafs
Not much to analyze here. It was mostly a salary dump for Nashville as they just signed defense man Shea Weber to a 7.5 million dollar deal and are going to have to deal with restricted free agents Ryan Suter and Pekka Rinne next year. Franson is a second or third pairing D'man as of now, but is only 23 and has the potential to be a top four defensman. Lombardi is a top six forward but has been out with a concussion all year and it is uncertain whether or not he will be back for the start of next year. Lebda is a depth defense man and Slaney is a prospect and it is hard to gauge what his potential is. He will have to spend at least 2 more years in the AHL. It wasn't really a bad trade for Nashville. They gave more than they got, but the purpose of this deal wasn't to get better, it was to get cheaper.
3. Colorado Avalanche trades a 2012 first round pick, and a conditional pick to the Washington Capitals for Semyon Varlamov (G).
Winner: Washington Capitals
Sure Varlamov will be a starting goalie in the NHL some day, but I don't think that he will be a star. And I don't think that he is worth a first and a second, or third round pick. Plus he was expendable. Washington just signed veteran goalie Tomas Vokoun to a deal. Washington also has 2 very good young goalies in Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby. On the Colorado side they did need a goalie for the future, because although they signed Veteran goalie J-S Giguere, he isn't going to cut it in 2 years. Varlamov is only 23. It was actually a good trade for Colorado. But it was a great trade for Washington.
4. Buffalo Sabres trade Chris Butler (D) and Paul Byron (C) to the Calgary Flames in exchange for Robyn Regehr (D), Ales Kotalik (RW) and a second round pick in 2012.
Winner: Buffalo Sabres
Like the Nashville-Toronto trade there isn't much to analyze because it was a salary dump for the Calgary Flames. Buffalo gets a top pairing shut down defense man in Robyn Regehr. Ales Kotalik who is washed up and was really just a throw in in this trade. And they get a second round pick. Calgary gets a depth defense man in Chris Butler. And a 22 centre man in Paul Byron who will probably need a couple years in the minors before making Calgary. Byron will probably be a second or third liner when he is fully developed. This wasn't a bad trade for Calgary. The goal was to save money and they did just that in this trade. But Buffalo gets much better with this trade.
5. Chicago Blackhawks trade Brian Campbell (D) to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Rostislav Olesz (RW).
Winner: Florida Panthers
This is a salary dump for Chicago getting rid of the 7.1 million dollar cap hit of Campbell. However, unlike the other salary dumps (Calgary-Buffalo, Nashville-Toronto) Chicago got a player of almost the same value as Campbell in Rostislav Olesz (not same cap value). OleszCampoli this year. Without Campbell they will probably have to end up using a couple AHL caliber D'men in their starting roster. Florida is hurting at forward and defense, so it doesn't really matter which position the players they trade are. Come to think of it, if Jacob Markstrom doesn't do very well this year, they would be hurting a goalie too!!
6. Minnesota Wild trade Brent Burns (D) and a second round pick in 2012 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi (RW), Charlie Coyle (F) and first round selection in this year's NHL draft 28th and with that pick the Wild drafted Zack Phillips (C).
Winner: Minnesota Wild
Both teams did do a good job in this trade and got what they wanted. However I think the Sharks gave up too much for Burns. I think that a this trade would have been more even if the Sharks only gave up a second or third round pick instead of a first round pick. The Sharks did do a good job in filling in a defensive corps that had a couple holes. And with this trade the Wild do a good job of filling in some hole up front for now and for the future with Zack Phillips and Charlie Coyle. Charlie Coyle was a first round draft pick (28th) in the 2010 NHL draft. Also Setoguchi is still only 26 so he isn't exactly long in the tooth either. San Jose got a defenseman that hasn't quite lived up to the expectations that were set upon him. People thought Burns was going to be a star. But then injuries kind of derailed his career. He had a bit of a bounce back year last year, and is only 25, but I still don't think that he will ever be a star. Don't get me wrong though, there is still a chance that Burns could someday be a star but I think that he is a solid #2 D'man.
Seeing as I have already analyzed the Philadelphia trades in a previous blog, I will be moving on to the signings.
Free Agent Signings:
One quick note: I will only be doing signing from July 1st and on.
1. Shea Weber (D) re-signs with the Nashville Predators or one year at 7.5 million dollars.
Slightly over paid, I personally think that Weber is currently only good enough for a 6.75 million dollar deal, but this signing is key for Nashville. The only problem is that it is only for 1 year so they will have to lock him up long term sometime this year, and that is easier said than done when you only have a 55 million dollar cap ceiling when every other team has a 64 million dollar limit. However this is still a step in the right direction for Nashville with Weber.
2. Zach Parise (LW) re-signs with the New Jersey Devils for one year at 6.0 million dollars.
I think this is just the right price for Parise, if he hadn't been out all of last year with an injury he might of been worth more. Like Nashville, the Devils will have to renegotiate another, probably more long-term deal, in the near future. The Devils are right up against the cap ceiling, so it will be difficult to get Parise signed long-term. This is a good signing for the Devils though.
3. Ryan Callahan (RW) re-signs with the New York Rangers for 3 years at 4.275 million dollars a year.
Callahan had a breakout year this year with the Rangers and plays a similar game to Ryan Kesler. Callahan had a breakout year offensively and defensively. He finished the year with 48 points in 60 games. His teammate Marian Gaborik finished with 48 points in 62 games. Callahan plays a grinding style defensively and is getting quite good at scoring now too. I think this is a good price for a 26 year old player that will be good for years to come.
4. Vaclav Prospal (C) signs with the Colombus Blue Jackets for one year at 1.75 million dollars.
I think this is a great signing for the Blue Jackets. Although Prospal had an injury riddled year and only played 29 games, he got 23 points in those games. Not bad for a 36 year old vet. Also in the year before last Prospal had 58 points . Prospal is still an effective NHLer and will have a great veteran presence on a Blue Jackets team that has been lacking in that area. Also he is good enough that if the Carter, Nash combination isn't working he can fill in on that top line. And the Jackets got him for the bargain price of 1.75 million dollars. Fantastic signing for the Blue Jackets.
5. Brandon Dubinsky (F) re-signs with the New York Rangers for 4 years at 4.2 million dollars a year.
Good signing for the Rangers but I think they may have slightly over paid Dubinsky. Dubinsky plays very much alike his Ranger teammate Ryan Callahan. Dubinsky is one year younger than Callahan at 25. I don't think that Dubinsky is quite as good as Callahan, so I think that 3.5 million is probably his value.
6. Steven Stamkos (C) re-signs with the Tampa Bay Lightning for 5 years at 7.5 million dollars a year.
This is a huge signing for the Lightning locking up Stamkos for 5 years. Stamkos is the face of the franchise and worth every penny they are paying him. He is a dynamic scorer and is only 21. Fabulous signing for the Lightning.
7. Jason Arnott (C) signs with the St. Louis Blues for one year at 2.8 million dollars.
The Blues are a very young inexperieced team, bringing in Arnott will have a great impact on this team. Arnott is a 36 year old vet that can still contribute at both ends of the ice. He had 31 points in 73 games in a year split between New Jersey and Washington. A bit over paid but not anything major. Good signing for the Blues.
8. Jamie Langenbrunner (RW) signs with the St. Louis Blues for one year at 2.8 million dollars.
Like the Arnott signing, the Blues brought in a veteran presence in Jamie Langenbrunner. This is a decent signing for the blues. The 36 year old Langenbrunner is still contributing but just doesn't really have it any more. I would be a much bigger fan of this signing if it was a 1.5 million dollar signing instead of a 2.8 million dollar signing.
9. Tomas Kaberle (D) signs with the Carolina Hurricanes for 3 years at 4.25 million dollars a year.
Kaberle is 33 and still playing at the same level he was playing at five years ago, however, I'm not so sure how good this signing will look when Kaberle is 36 and making 4.25 million dollars. He was down right terrible in the first 2 rounds of last year's playoffs with Boston, but played alright in the final 2 rounds. This signing will help the Hurricanes with the loss of Joe Corvo. Also this should help a defensive corps that had a couple holes in it last year.
10. Keith Yandle (D) re-signs with the Phoenix Coyotes for 5 years at 5.25 million dollars a year.
Yandle had a breakout year last year and showed that he is one of the premier offensive defense men in the game today. Yandle had 59 points in all 82 games. Some people may say that he is over paid with this contract but I disagree. Yandle is only 24 and should keep improving year after year, so 5 years from now, this signing might look like a bargain. Great job Coyotes.
11. Ian White (D) signs with the Detroit Red Wings for 2 years at 2.875 million dollars a year.
I think Kenny Holland and the Red Wings got this signing just right. I think that White will be one the Red Wings defense men that will help make up for the loss of Brian Rafalski. White is a power play specialist and is only 27. I don't think that this signing over paid, or under paid him. I think that this was just an all round good signing.
12. Simon Gagne (LW/RW) signs with the Los Angeles Kings for 2 years at 3.5 million dollars a year.
Gagne had a bit of an off year with the Lightning last year but I think that Los Angeles will be a great place for him to have a bounce back year. Gagne is 31 so he isn't old. Gagne is another piece to Los Angeles's solid forwards. They have been building the forwards up this off season, trading for Richards, and now signing Gagne. Good signing for the Kings.
13. Tim Connolly (C) signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs for 2 years at 4.75 million dollars a year.
Connolly has had an injury riddled career and has only played 82 games in a single season twice. In 11 years. one year he didn't even play at all because of an injury. Connolly is 30 years of age and had 42 points in 68 games last year. I think this deal over pays Connolly by about 1 million dollars. However I see what Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs are trying to do. Connolly could be the play making centre that Phil Kessel has been waiting for. Anyways, a decent signing for the Leafs.
14. Brad Richards (C) signs with the New York Rangers for 9 years at 6.666666 million dollars a year.
This may be the play making centre that Marian Gaborik needs to jump start his offense. The 31 year old Richard broke out the last 2 years getting 91 points in 80 games, then 77 in 72 games. Richards is not over paid in this deal, in fact I thought he was going to get at least 7 million dollars, so I think that this deal is a great one for the Rangers.
15. J.S. Giguere (G) signs with the Colorado Avalanche for 2 years at 1.25 million dollars a year.
I think that this is a good cheap signing for the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche just traded for the 23 year old Semyon Varlamov and so I think that the 34 year old Giguere will be a good mentor for Varlamov, and if Varlamov stumbles during the year Giguere can play a couple extra games.
16. Tomas Fleischmann (C) signs with the Florida Panthers for 4 years at 4.5 million dollars a year.
This is a good signing for the Panthers with a forwards corps with plenty of holes, I think that Fleischmann will be a good hole filler. The Panthers over paid him by about 750 k. but Fleischmann is still only 27 and is a great offensive producer, in the last 2 years Fleischmann has played 114 games and has 82 points in those games.
17. Ville Leino (C/W) signs with the Buffalo Sabres for 6 years at 4.5 million dollars a year.
Buffalo over paid Leino in this deal, but with new owner Terry Pegula, Buffalo has money to spend. The 27 year old Leino had a breakout year last year with 53 points in 81 games. Leino should help the offensively challenged Sabres.
18. Joel Ward (W) signs with the Washington Capitals for 4 years at 3 million dollars a year.
The Capitals are looking for playoff performers, and Ward is just that. However they slightly over paid him for the regular season part of the deal. Ward had 13 points in 12 playoff games. But in 80 regular season games just 29 points. I do see why Washington made this deal: they are trying to add some sandpaper to their lineup, but they paid a bit much in my mind.
Well that concludes this blog, talk to you later.
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