UFA Day Open Thread

Well, it's July 1st, the day when lots of signings happen and lots of dollars get committed, but probably the first day where teams can really blow it. I think more Stanley Cups get lost than won on UFA Day, but that doesn't mean that is isn't exciting for hockey fans. There's lots of players changing uniforms, lots of half-baked rumor-wishes, and there's bound to be plenty of surprises.

I'll be around most of the morning, and we'll try to keep this updated somewhat, with big signings across the league or small signings that impact the BoC. Don't count on a comprehensive list -- go here for that -- but gives us a place for reaction and outrage. And other BoC writers? Feel free to add to this as you wish (more recent signings on top).

July 2nd Signings:

12:45 pm: Dean Lombardi finally makes a UFA splash. The Kings sign UFA defenseman Rob Scuderi from the Penguins, allegedly for 4 years, $3.4M per.  Also, a few defensemen signed earlier today in the Pacific Division: Phoenix Coyotes sign Adrian Aucoin, 1 year, $2.25M. Dallas Stars sign Karlis Skrastins, 2 years, $1.38M per.

10:15 am: Compared to yesterday's deal-a-minute frenzy, this morning has been awfully quiet. Perhaps GMs are remembering the curse of the contract signed on July 2nd -- remember, that's the date when Burke signed Bertuzzi.

8:50 am: Some signings as of this morning:
- Havlat is confirmed with the Minnesota Wild, sorry Kings. 6 years, $5M per.
- The Atlanta Thrashers sign Nik Antropov, 4 years, $4M per.
- The Boston Bruins and Mark Recchi agree to a Selanne-style extension. 1 year, $1M, plus presumably some incentives.

July 1st Signings:

9:45 pm: Stuff that came in late today:
- Former Kings goalie Mathieu Garon signs in Columbus, 2 years, $1.2 per.
- Former Kings goalie Jason Labarbera signs in Phoenix, 2 years, undisclosed (but too much, I'm sure)
- Brian Gionta, never a King, signs onto the Montreal experiment, 5 years, $5M per.
- Chris Neil re-signs in Ottawa, 4 years, $2M per.
- John Madden signs in Chicago, 1 year, $2.75M.
- Apparently Marty Havlat will be signing in Minnesota soon, plus possibly Saku Koivu.
- I guess Dany Heatley has not been traded.

5:23 pm: Marian Gaborik signs a 5 year, $7.5 million dollar a year deal with the New York Rangers.  It's amazing, it's like Bob Gainey threw Glen Sather a life preserver and then Sather proceeded to eat it.  Now he's treading water with a full stomach.  That doesn't make sense.  (RK)

4:05 pm: Well, that may be about it for the day. Regardless, I'm heading out the door for a dinner and won't be back to update until later tonight. Feel free to keep yourself up-to-date in the comments.

3:20 pm: Apparently the Columbus Blue Jackets are the one to stick a knife in Sleek's heart: they sign former Duck Sammy Pahlsson to a 3 year contract, $2.65M per.  Damn.

3:00 pm: Tough to know what's real any more, but it looks like some d-men have been scooped up. Toronto steps up and signs Mike Komisarek from the rival Canadiens, details to come (5 years, $4.5M per, according to my new pal Twitter).  The Minnesota Wild signs Greg Zanon from the Nashville Predators for 3 years, $1.66M per.  Even the cash-strapped Phoenix Coyotes get in the mix: they sign F Vernon Fiddler from Nashville for 2 years, $1.1M per.  It's not all losses for Nashville, though; they re-sign F Steve Sullivan to a 2-year deal, $3.75M per.

2:35 pm: A big signing + a big trade. Former King Mike Cammalleri signed a 5-year pact with the Montreal Canadiens, $6M per. Good luck with that, Habs. Also, more details to come, but the Toronto Maple Leafs have traded D Pavel Kubina to the Atlanta Thrashers for D Garnet Exelby, with presumably more pieces. Overall the move should save Poppa Burke some $2M on their salary cap -- interesting to see what he'll do with that.

2:15 pm: The Sharks make a signing! Former Duck d-man Kent Huskins (Huskins Time!!!) has re-signed in San Jose -- two years, $1.7M per.  Somebody confirm my faulty memory -- that means that the Ducks get a better draft pick out of the Sharks from last year's deadline day deal, right?  So basically, now Kent gets two more years to eventually make his Shark debut.  Also, Koci to Colorado - 1 yr, $575k.

1:45 pm: A couple more -- G Scott Clemenson, who filled in admirably for an injured Brodeur last season, has signed a 3-year deal with the Florida Panthers, $1.2M per. Former King forward Ian Laperriere has signed with the Philadelphia Criminals, 3 years, $1.17M per. And according to my TV, Mike Rupp, one of the most despicable players on the planet (see 2003 cup finals, G7), has signed with the Penguins.  Hal Gill to the Canadiens seems a done deal as well -- 2 years, $2.25 per.

1:00 pm: Have the Habs taken themselves out of Beauchemin-ville? Montreal Canadiens sign D Jaroslav Spacek to a 3-year deal, $3.83M per.  On the goaltending front, my TV keeps saying that G Nikolai Khabibulin is headed to fill Roloson's vacancy on the Oilers -- oops, now it's done: 4 years, $3.75M per.  Also, F Eric Cole re-signs for two years in Carolina, $2.9M per.

12:30 pm: Sharks lose their back-up goalie. The Philadelphia Flyers bolster their Emery-goaltending plan by signing Brian Boucher to a 2 year deal, $925k per. Also, the Nashville Predators make a nice re-signing: forward Joel Ward re-signs for 2 years, $1.5M per.

12:07 pm: As expected, Scott Niedermayer signs a one year deal with the Anaheim Ducks, reportedly worth $6M plus incentives. Definitely I'll have more on that later this week.

12 noon: Some east-coast shuffling. Washington Capitals make a shrewd signing -- F Mike Knuble from the Pronger-filled Flyers for 2 years, $2.8M per. NY Rangers make a questionable signing -- enforcer Donald Brashear from WSH for 2 years, $1.4M per.  Also, the cable guy who was supposed to upgrade one of my receivers is now officially late.

11:50 am: Former Duck on the move -- Buffalo Sabres sign defenseman Steve Montador to a 2 year deal worth $1.55M per year. A quality signing for a reasonable amount, I think -- recall my post from earlier last season celebrating the contributions of Montador.

11:35 am: More goalie moving -- NY Islanders sign G Dwayne Roloson from EDM for 2 years, $2.5M per. It would be an even stronger signing had they not committed so much money to Rick Dipietro a few summers ago.

11:10 am: Things are picking up:
- Tampa Bay adds another blueliner, Matt Walker from Chicago -- 4 years, $1.7 per.
- St. Louis Blues add some goaltending experience in Ty Conklin (especially in outdoor games and losing cup finals) -- 2 years, $1.3M per.

10:50 am: A few big ones:
- Word is that Marian Hossa has signed with the Chicago Blackhawks -- reportedly 12 years, $5.2M per year. More to come, but wow.  Chicago also added DET F Tomas Kopecky on a 2-year deal.
- Florida Panthers extend forward David Booth for 6 years at about $4.25M per year -- that could be a big comparable for Bobby Ryan's next contract.
- Colorado Avalanche help shore up their netminding with Craig Anderson -- 2 year deal, $1.8M per.

10:15 am: Burke stays true to form. After a ho-hum re-signing of Radek Dvorak by the Florida Panthers (2 yrs, $1.7M per), Brian Burke made his first UFA splash as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Predictably, Poppa Burke went after muscle, signing enforcer Colton Orr to a 4-year deal at $1M per year. A slightly more expensive, less moustached George Parros -- watch your back, Northeast Division.

9:15 am: Mattias Ohlund goes to babysit Hedman. Tampa Bay Lightning sign defensemean Mattias Ohlund from Vancouver to a 7 year deal worth $3.75M per year.  A quality d-man that's no longer the western conference's worry (and knowing the Lightning, he might not be a huge eastern conference worry either).

8:25 am (35 minutes til zero hour): The Sedin Twins stay put. Vancouver Canucks re-sign Daniel and Henrik to identical 5-year deals worth $6.1M per year (each). Which puts them each about $800k higher than the Getzlaf and Perry 5-year deals from last summer, which makes me pretty happy. Still, Canucks will be a twin-sized pain in the Western Conference for five more years, it seems.

8:00 am (1 hour til zero hour): Anaheim Ducks re-sign Erik Christensen to a 1-yr, $750k deal. Who would have believed that GM Barstool Bob would have been the first to get a deal in on July 1st, even if it is minor? What's nice about this deal for the Ducks is that EC didn't get a qualifying offer with a mandatory 5% raise; instead he signed for the same dollar amount as last season. Not a big-impact move in any sense, but a decent fill-in to round out a roster. Will he be the only player who covets #26, I wonder?