Winners
Minnesota Wild - When you sign the two biggest free agents on the market you know you are doing something right. Both Zach Parise and Ryan Suter signed 13 year $98 million contracts after a few days delay, that seemed like an eternity to reporters. These signings instantly make the Wild a playoff contender this year.
Colorado Avalanche - The Avalanche made several good signings that I think got overlooked. PA Parenteau will be a great addition to a blossoming offense in the mile high city. His play-making abilities will be a blessing to the 25th best offense in the league last year. They also managed to sign underrated defenseman Greg Zanon, who will add some depth to what is now a formidable back-end. Speaking of depth, the signing of John Mitchell will shore up a hole down the middle that was an issue last year.
Tampa Bay Lightning - The Lightning knew they had issues with their defensive play and wanted to address that this off-season. They did just that inking veteran d-men Matt Carle and Sami Salo. Although I feel they over payed ($5.5M and $3.75M per year respectively) it at least gives the Lightning some time to develop young talent.
Edmonton Oilers - When a player chooses your team over a reported 25 other teams that were interested, it means you have something going for your franchise. When Justin Schultz announced he would be heading to Oil Country it was a huge boost to a city that is notoriously snubbed by high-profile free agents. Oh and they finally have the top defensive prospect they had been avoiding for so long.
Brandon Prust - Must have felt like he won the lottery when he was offered $2.5M per season by the Montreal Canadiens this off-season. Good money for a man who has only once broke 10 goals in a season and only once broke 20 points in a season.
Losers
Nashville Predators/New Jersey Devils - Both teams desperately needed the superstars they lost. Whether it was money issues, no confidence in the organization or the player just needing a new change in scenery it was not good for two franchises that sit in the bottom third of attendance.
Toronto Maple Leafs - For a team that finished well below expectations last year they sure were quiet during the first week of free-agency. Burke has said he doesn't like to play the free-agency game much but you have got to do something to a team that finished in the bottom three in the conference. Especially with your job on the line if you can't change things around.
Montreal Canadiens - Two of the worst contracts I have seen this summer have come out of Montreal. The Prust contract I noted above and then the albatross of a contract they threw at Carey Price. $6.5M per season for 6 years!!! That's the third largest cap hit for a goaltender! He sits behind Henrik Lundqvist (current Vezina trophy winner) and Pekka Rinne (back-to-back Vezina nominations) for cap hits, and doesn't have anywhere near their numbers.
Rick Nash - Still a Columbus Blue Jacket.
Roberto Luongo - Still a Vancouver Canuck.
Colorado Avalanche - The Avalanche made several good signings that I think got overlooked. PA Parenteau will be a great addition to a blossoming offense in the mile high city. His play-making abilities will be a blessing to the 25th best offense in the league last year. They also managed to sign underrated defenseman Greg Zanon, who will add some depth to what is now a formidable back-end. Speaking of depth, the signing of John Mitchell will shore up a hole down the middle that was an issue last year.
Tampa Bay Lightning - The Lightning knew they had issues with their defensive play and wanted to address that this off-season. They did just that inking veteran d-men Matt Carle and Sami Salo. Although I feel they over payed ($5.5M and $3.75M per year respectively) it at least gives the Lightning some time to develop young talent.
Edmonton Oilers - When a player chooses your team over a reported 25 other teams that were interested, it means you have something going for your franchise. When Justin Schultz announced he would be heading to Oil Country it was a huge boost to a city that is notoriously snubbed by high-profile free agents. Oh and they finally have the top defensive prospect they had been avoiding for so long.
Brandon Prust - Must have felt like he won the lottery when he was offered $2.5M per season by the Montreal Canadiens this off-season. Good money for a man who has only once broke 10 goals in a season and only once broke 20 points in a season.
Losers
Nashville Predators/New Jersey Devils - Both teams desperately needed the superstars they lost. Whether it was money issues, no confidence in the organization or the player just needing a new change in scenery it was not good for two franchises that sit in the bottom third of attendance.
Toronto Maple Leafs - For a team that finished well below expectations last year they sure were quiet during the first week of free-agency. Burke has said he doesn't like to play the free-agency game much but you have got to do something to a team that finished in the bottom three in the conference. Especially with your job on the line if you can't change things around.
Montreal Canadiens - Two of the worst contracts I have seen this summer have come out of Montreal. The Prust contract I noted above and then the albatross of a contract they threw at Carey Price. $6.5M per season for 6 years!!! That's the third largest cap hit for a goaltender! He sits behind Henrik Lundqvist (current Vezina trophy winner) and Pekka Rinne (back-to-back Vezina nominations) for cap hits, and doesn't have anywhere near their numbers.
Rick Nash - Still a Columbus Blue Jacket.
Roberto Luongo - Still a Vancouver Canuck.
1 comment:
You always have to bring the Maple Leafs in hey, plenty of other teams that didn't do anything but feel the need to single out the Leafs, you are a biased bastard. Also this sentence doesn't make any sense to me " will shore up a hole down the middle that was an issue last year." Up, down, middle, I don't think you can have that many directions in one sentence.
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