Free Agents

AS OF 4 O’OCLOCK THIS AFTERNOON NHL TEAMS HAVE SIGNED A TOTAL OF 71 FREE AGENTS…
AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DOZENS OF PLAYER WHO HAVE SIGNED CONTRACT EXTENTIONS WITH THEIR EXISTING TEAMS…
THE LANDSCAPE OF THE NHL HAS BEEN DRAMATICALLY CHANGED…
THE BIG WINNERS INCLUDE…
THE NEW YORK RANGERS WHO LANDED SCOTT GOMEZ AND CHRIS DRURY BUT WERE ALSO ABLE TO RESIGN BRENDAN SHANNAHAN AND HENRIK LUNDQVIST…
THE COLORADO AVALANCHE ADDED RYAN SMYTH AND SCOTT HANNAN…
THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS SIGNED DANIEL BRIER…KIMMON TIMONEN AND SCOTT HARTNELL…AND PULLED OFF A TRADE WITH EDMONTON GIVING THEM JASON SMITH AND JOFFREY LUPUL…
THE ST. LOUIS BLUES OVER PAID TO GET PAUL KARIYA AT 6 MILLION A SEASON…BUT THEY ALSO RE-AQUIRED KEITH TKACHUK…
THE LEAFS ADDED JASON BLAKE AND ALSO TRADED TO GET VESA TOSKALA…WHO THEY SIGNED TO A TWO YEAR EXTENSION…
THE L.A. KINGS OPENED UP THEIR CHEQUE BOOK AND ADDED…BRAD STUART…MICHAL HANDZUS…LADISLAV NAGY…TOM PRESSING AND KYLE CALDER…
BUT THE BIGGEST WINNER WAS PITTSBURGH…
GENERAL MANAGER RAY SHERO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE FUTURE IS NOW…WHICH IS WHY HE NOT ONLY RE-SIGNED GARY ROBERTS AND MARK RECCHI…BUT ALSO ADDED DARRYL SYDOR AND PETER SYKORA…
SHERO SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST…
HE SIGNED SIDNEY CROSBY TO A 5 YEAR EXTENSION FOR $43.5 MILLION…WELL BELOW MARKET VALUE…
THE PENGUINS NOW HAVE A SIX YEAR WINDOW TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP…
THE BIGGEST LOSER OF THEM ALL WAS BUFFALO…
THE SABRES LOST DRURY…BRIER AND ZUBRUS AND GOT NOTHING IN RETURN…
BUFFALO HAS BEEN TO THE EASTERN CONFERNCE FINAL FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS…
THIS SEASON THE SABRES WILL BE LUCKY TO MAKE THE PLAYOFFS…
AS FOR THE CANUCKS…THEIR BIGGEST SIGNING WAS AARON MILLER…
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY GENERAL MANAGER DAVE NONIS WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE CORE OF HIS TEAM TOGETHER…
WHETHER THAT’S ENOUGH WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL AT LEAST CHRISTMAS…