Inside the NHL
Economics quiet NHL free agency buzz
Unsigned players a sign vets are losing leverage
Right up until this afternoon, as the NHL's free agent signing period nears its 100th hour, the talent pool will still be pretty deep. The Canadiens could darned near build an All-Star team, if allowed to roll back the clock a few years, with players who were still available going into Saturday night.
How's this for a power play: Alex Kovalev, Saku Koivu and Robert Lang up front with Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Schneider manning the points. A few years ago, all five and Alex Tanguay would have been snapped up and given handsome contracts in nothing flat, but all were still looking for work.
It has made for a few days in which free agency has been, well, somewhat boring.
The reason comes down to the basic laws of supply and demand, simple NHL economics. The league is heavily stocked with veterans who grew accustomed to making big bucks that were commensurate with their skill. Unfortunately, there haven't been many places to put them while adhering to the NHL's $56.8 million salary cap.
They can do little but wait for teams to buckle to the pressure around them, wait for the Rangers to make another mistake, or start embracing the idea that they'll need to accept less while still making pretty pennies. Common sense suggests their leverage, along with their price tag, decreases every day they spend on the sidelines without an offer.
It's not to say the Habs will be hurting, of course. They were busy reloading a roster that all but imploded after the All-Star break last season. We'll see whether the new faces can create better chemistry and ultimately make Montreal a stronger team. Sometimes, shuffling the deck leads to a jackpot, sometimes it makes for a bust.
Every team still has needs, even the Stanley Cup-winning Penguins and perennial powerhouse Red Wings, but addressing them comes with a price. General managers who fear getting stuck in the muck if the cap goes down next summer will spend the next month or so scrounging for jewels at garage sale prices.
Today, we'll take an early peek at the winners and losers through the first three-plus days of free agency.
Winners
Calgary: GM Darryl Sutter aggressively traded for the rights to Jay Bouwmeester, the best defenseman available. The move paid off. Bouwmeester signed a five-year deal worth $33.4 million before hitting the open market, where he likely would have received more. He improves a blue line that already included Dion Phaneuf, Robyn Regehr and Cory Sarich. The Flames lost center Mike Cammalleri, but they picked up Olli Jokinen last season. Banger Fredrik Sjostrom comes over from the Rangers. Bouwmeester makes up for departed defensemen Jordan Leopold (Florida) and Adrian Aucoin (Phoenix), both of whom are older. Big question: Do they have enough offense?
Chicago: Marian Hossa gives them a superstar at left wing on a team loaded with talent up front. His 12-year deal for $62.8 million should be viewed as a six- or seven-year deal with a buyout, but for now it helps them manage the salary cap. John Madden is still solid in the middle and gives them another stopper with Patrick Sharp. Thomas Kopecky was a role player in Detroit and should get a better opportunity to produce in Chicago. The Blackhawks look good today, but their spending is bound to catch up to them next summer when contracts expire for Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith, among others. Big question: Will goaltending hold up?
Vancouver: The Canucks' best move was keeping the Sedin twins, who signed identical five-year, $30.1 million contracts when it appeared they could be headed elsewhere. Playing in the Twin Cities would have been fitting. The Canucks also grabbed Mikael Samuelsson, a solid third-line player for Detroit who was good for 15-20 goals and 40-45 points. He was a plus-49 over four years with the Red Wings. They will need to find a defenseman after losing Mattias Ohlund to Tampa Bay, and they were nearly $10 million under the cap. Big question: Do they have enough scoring depth?
Montreal: The decision to acquire overpaid center Scott Gomez made little sense until they signed winger Brian Gionta. The two had good chemistry when they played in New Jersey. Cammalleri will need to justify his five-year deal for $30 million, but he's a younger replacement for the aging Koivu. The Habs still have room under the cap to sign Kovalev and Tanguay, if they choose, or they could dip back into the market. Hal Gill is still slow but he did win a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh. They paid too much for Jaroslav Spacek. Big question: They were busy, but are they better?
Losers
Ottawa: The Senators were prepared to make several moves but were being held hostage by malcontent winger Dany Heatley, who has become a whiny diva. He's Exhibit A for teams not giving no-trade clauses. The Sens' big signing was — Chris Neil? Ottawa still needs defensemen and lacks depth up front. If they can get a solid return in a Heatley trade and dump his money, they would have more options. Good news: With or without Heatley, they still have playoff-caliber talent.
Buffalo: OK, they weren't geting Bouwmeester for various reasons. Still, it would have been nice if they took a run at another top-end defenseman. Their biggest obstacle, it appears, is recruiting. Mike Komisarek would have been a good fit. Rob Scuderi signed with Los Angeles for a reasonable salary. The Sabres settled for Steve Montador. He works hard and plays harder, which will be appreciated in Buffalo, but they still need a puck-mover along the blue line. Good news: They're in position to make trades.
New Jersey: It's not often GM Lou Lamoriello is second-guessed, but the Devils so far have lost much more than they've gained. Gionta and Madden were major parts of their core. Backup goalie Scott Clemmensen split for a better opportunity in Florida. He was terrific when Martin Brodeur was injured. Michael Rupp took his big body and toughness to the division-rival Penguins. Good news: They kept defenseman Johnny Oduya on a three-year deal worth $10.5 million, a bargain.
Detroit: The Red Wings are still loaded, but their previous signings have limited their ability to work the open market. They made an honest effort to keep Hossa, but it wasn't enough. They lost backup goalie Ty Conklin, who was better than Chris Osgood during the regular season. Role players Samuelsson and Kopecky are gone, and goaltending remains a question. Good news: Rookies Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader are prepared to step into steady roles.
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