There were, however, a good number of free agent signings yesterday.  Check out the list below (I sorted it alphabetically by team) and let me know what you think of these deals.  Montreal had the most acquisitions and while they look great on paper, I’m not sure how well all of the players will mesh.  It’s a fresh start for them with a new coach and new owners so we’ll just have to wait and see how it all turns out.

Anaheim Ducks

• Re-sign Scott Niedermayer – $6M for 1 year
• Re-sign Erik Christensen – 1 year, no salary details

Atlanta Thrashers

• Nik Antropov (from NY Rangers) – $16M for 4 years
• Re-sign Chris Thorburn – no details

Boston Bruins

• Steve Begin (from Dallas) – $850K for 1 year
• Re-sign Byron Bitz – no details
• Re-sign Mark Recchi – $1M for 1 year

Buffalo Sabres

• Steve Montador (from Boston) – $3.1M for 2 years

Calgary Flames

• Frederik Sjostrom (from NY Rangers) – $1.5M deal for 2 years
• Re-sign Adam Pardy – no details

Carolina Hurricanes

• Re-sign Erik Cole – $5.8M for 2 years

Chicago Blackhawks

• John Madden (from New Jersey) – $2.75M for 1 year
• Tomas Kopecky (from Detroit) – $2.4M for 2 years
• Marian Hossa (from Detroit) – $62.8M for 12 years

Colorado Avalanche

• David Koci (from Tampa Bay) – $575K for 1 year
• Craig Anderson (from Florida) – $3.6M for 2 years

Columbus Blue Jackets

• Mathieu Garon (from Pittsburgh) – $2.4M for 2 years
• Samuel Pahlsson (from Chicago) – $7.95M for 3 years

Edmonton Oilers

• Re-sign Jason Strudwick – $700K for 1 year
• Nikolai Khabibulin (from Chicago) – $15M for 4 years

Florida Panthers

• Scott Clemmensen (from New Jersey) – $3.6M for 3 years
• Re-sign David Booth- $25.5M for 6 years
• Re-sign Radek Dvorak – $3.4M for 2 years

Minnesota Wild

• Martin Havlat (from Chicago) – $30M for 6 years
• Greg Zanon (from Nashville) – $5.8M for 3 years

Montreal Canadiens

• Brian Gionta (from New Jersey) – $25M for 5 years
• Mike Cammalleri (from Calgary) – $30M for 5 years
• Hal Gill (from Pittsburgh) – $4.5M for 2 years
• Jaroslav Spacek (from Buffalo) – $11.5M for 3 years

Nashville Predators

• Re-sign Steve Sullivan – $7.5M for 2 years
• Re-sign Joel Ward – $3M for 2 years

New Jersey Devils

• Re-sign Andy Greene (no details)

New York Islanders

• Dwayne Roloson (from Edmonton) – $5M for 2 years

New York Rangers

• Marian Gaborik (from Minnesota) – $37.5M for 5 years
• Donald Brashear (from Washington) – $2.8M for 2 years

Ottawa Senators

• Re-sign Chris Neil – $8M for 4 years

Philadelphia Flyers

• Ian Laperriere (from Colorado) – $3.5M for 3 years
• Brian Boucher (from San Jose) – $1.85M for 2 years

Phoenix Coyotes

• Jason LaBarbera (from Vancouver) – two years (salary unknown)
• Vernon Fiddler (from Nashville) – $2.2M for 2 years
• Adrian Aucoin (from Calgary) – 1 year, no salary details

Pittsburgh Penguins

• Michael Rupp (from New Jersey) – $1.65M for 2 years

San Jose Sharks

• Re-sign Kent Huskins – $3.4M for 2 years

St. Louis Blues

• Ty Conklin (from Detroit) – $2.6M for 2 years

Tampa Bay Lightning

• Re-sign Lukas Krajicek – 1 year, no salary details
• Matt Walker (from Chicago) – $6.8M for 4 years
• Mattias Ohlund (from Vancouver) – $26.25M for 7 years

Toronto Maple Leafs

• Mike Komisarek (from Montreal) – $22.5 for 5 years
• Colton Orr (from NY Rangers) – $4M for 4 years

Vancouver Canucks

• Aaron Rome (from Columbus) – $550K for 1 year
• Re-sign Henrik Sedin – $30.5M for 5 years
• Re-sign Daniel Sedin – $30.5M for 5 years

Washington Capitals

• Mike Knuble (from Philadelphia) – $5.6M for 2 years

images: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

The Chicago Blackhawks have given Hossa a 12-year deal worth about $59.3 million which averages out to $5.2 per season for the first eight years and then drops down to $3.5 million for the last four.

The Blackhawks had a great season and I think that they have a real chance to not only make it to the playoffs again next season but, now that they’ve got experience in the postseason, I think they could go all the way to the Finals.

If they happen to make it that far and they lose with Hossa in the lineup, it will be the third year in a row that he’s been with a team that has narrowly lost the Stanley Cup.  If that happens, the superstition about not touching the conference trophy might pale in comparison with the bad luck associated with having Hossa in the lineup.

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat

I really couldn’t believe he did (or said) that but I didn’t think about it too much until it was clear that the two teams were going to get a rematch.  I started mulling over the possibility of Hossa watching the other team hoisting the Cup over their heads for a second year in a row and, instead of feeling pity, I began to feel hopeful.  I wanted him to lose and I think that my vengeful attitude is justified.

Winning the Stanley Cup isn’t about jumping on to the roster of the team that you think has the best chance of taking it home.  It’s about earning the honor and working hard to turn your team into the Stanley Cup champions.  Look at what Sidney Crosby has done with the Penguins in such a short amount of time.  I do believe that his enthusiasm and passion has helped push them to the finals two years in a row and, if I ever doubted his captaincy in the past, he’s proven that he is the leader his team needed.

Interestingly, Hossa wasn’t exactly effective for Detroit.  Not only did he fail to score in the finals, he became almost non-existent in Game 7.  I sometimes wonder if he didn’t psych himself out.  Whatever the reason for his lack of effort, he failed his team when they needed him most.  With Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper battling injuries, Detroit needed all of their players to be at their best.

After the game, Hossa said: “That’s life,” he said. “You just have to move on. It’s a great life experience.  It’s a tough pill to swallow.  It could be different circumstances if I sign in Pittsburgh and now they probably couldn’t sign some other players and they would be different team.  So we could sit here for hours discussing this, but it could be different team, could be different things so I don’t regret the decision.”

Well, I have to admit that his logic makes sense even if it sounds like something he’s telling himself to feel better.  I was glad that the Penguins were classy enough to not mention the irony during the postgame handshake. “Nobody said anything,” said Hossa. “I congratulated them and that was it.”

Hossa is eligible to be a free agent this offseason.  I am really curious to see where he ends up and what kind of deal he gets.  He’s clearly a great player and had a team-high of 40 goals during this past regular season so he probably will get a decent deal wherever he ends up.

image: TSN

Post from: Hockey Beat