NHL Free Agency

All the signings and wildness from the NHL’s Free Agent Frenzy

Wednesday marked the day where NHL general managers from across North America throw money at their problems attempting to appease their fan bases and get their clubs in playoff or Cup contention. The fun part is, the big splashes rarely work (see the 2016 edition) and now with a flat salary cap, GMs must be shrewd and cunning.

That did not happen. The first day of NHL free agency saw GMs make 163 singings for a total of 296 contract years and $785.1 million dollars per Cap Friendly.

The biggest signings of the day were defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who went to the New Jersey Devils on a seven-year deal worth $9 million a season, and Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer who signed a six-year deal that pays $5.9 million per year with the Seattle Kraken. Brayden Point re-upped with the Tampa Bay Lightning (8x$9.5M) and the Blackhawks officially announced their mega-deal with defenseman Seth Jones (8x$9.5M).

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By Ian Oland 2 years ago

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Assigning the correct grades to all the big NHL free agency deals

We’re only 48 hours into the free-agency frontier, and the terrain is daunting. Unsure of when the next season will even begin or what revenue may look like in the future, NHL teams nonetheless sallied forth, signing free agents and making plans for whatever comes next.

What are we, the fans, to think of these deals? Worry not and think not, as I have done all the thinking for you. Here are the correct grades for all the big free-agent deals*.

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By Peter Hassett 2 years ago

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Free agent free-for-all: Open thread

Hello. Today is October 9… or is it July 1? Either way, at noon a whole bunch of contracts will expire, and a whole bunch of teams will gouge one others’ eyes out to buy the services of free-agent players.

Or at least, that’s the way it usually goes. Right now we don’t know when the next season will start or how future revenues will be impacted by the coronavirus. Also there are like a billion goalie free agents, including our beloved Braden Holtby. The only signing we think will happen will be for Holtby’s replacement, most likely Henrik Lundqvist. But anything can happen, and Brian MacLellan isn’t afraid to shake things up for his new coach.

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By Peter Hassett 2 years ago

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John Madden holding the Stanely Cup (Al Bello/Getty Images)

Now that I have gotten my feelings on free agency out of my system, I’m ready to take a look at some of the bargain UFAs that may still be available. I mean, does it matter if I think Matthew Lombardi was a decent contract and second line center option while you say The Little Viking, Matty P. and/or Flash can handle the load, since we’ll both be cheering the Caps to a Cup anyway? Together. Like BFFs?

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By 13 years ago

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They Can Take Our Centers, But They Can’t Take Our Dreams

This man may be the answer to the Capitals Second Line Center Woes.

First, the Montreal Canadiens signed leading scorer Tomas Plekanec to a six-year, $30 million contract on Tuesday. Then, the San Jose Sharks sign Patrick Marleau to a four-year contract a week before he would have become a free agent. This eliminated the two best (albeit pricey) options the Caps had to fulfill a glaring need: second-line center.

So we panic right? I mean, it’s over, Johnny, right?

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

Is this Washingtonian photo contest (where my picture “ Taking in the Sights” is in second place and could use some votes) over? Nope. (Mostly because voting ends June 30th. Seriously go vote for me.)

Bet you’re asking, “Then who, hot shot?”

We’ll tell you who.

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By 13 years ago

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