Post by hockeyfreak (Hurricanes GM) on Aug 12, 2011 0:39:09 GMT -5
FREE AGENT MADNESS
Day 1 of free agency ends with some lucrative signings
To follow up one of the deepest entry drafts of all time, we now have one of the weakest UFA classes of all time.
One by one, the dominos fell until the prize of this years UFA group, Simon Gagne, was finally signed late last night to a mind numbing seven year deal worth $7m per season with a no trade clause to top it off with the San Jose Sharks.
Gagne created quite a stir in the market when a reported bidding war erupted between the Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both teams felt that adding Gagne would secure their role as Cup contenders for next season, but at the 11th hour, the Penguins reportedly softened their enthusiasm for Gagne forcing him and his agent to put the pen to the paper with the Sharks.
"Well, we really like the way we were treated by the Sharks, and, uh, they have a good thing going down there in San Jose right now, and I would like to be a part of it," Gagne said on a conference call after the announcement of the signing.
"We feel that Gagne is the last piece of the puzzle here," said Sharks General Manager mthomas, "There is no reason to believe that we can't be a playoff team next year-- especially with Simon".
In other news, Jamie Langenbrunner signed a $4m deal with the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day. Langenbrunner, a native Minnesotan, reportedly turned down an offer from the defending Cup champion Washington Capitals in order to return home to Minnesota.
"We wanted to bring in some veteran leadership after acquiring plenty of youth this offseason," said GM Heelsox, "Jamie is a guy that the second we saw he was available, we knew he was our guy. Throughout his career, he's been a guy to give it all on each shift and knows what it takes to win. He's a guy we want rubbing off on everyone in the locker room."
The Wild made headlines earlier in the off season by acquiring franchise goaltender Carey Price along with Jordan Eberle and not even to mention landing Nail Yakupov in the entry draft.
Yesterday also saw quite a few "cap floor" signings as Tomas Vokoun and Steve Bernier signed for $6m and $5m respectively with the Phoenix Coyotes just to meet the DHL's cap floor requirements.
Day two of the UFA market still leaves a couple players on the table. Veteran Ed Jovanovski has yet to reach a decision although reports have surfaced that he is nearing a decision on his future. Unconfirmed reports have said that one team out west is making a strong push to acquire he services of the one time 1st overall pick in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Jovo has stated he wants one last opportunity to win a Stanley Cup before he retires.
Day 1 of free agency ends with some lucrative signings
To follow up one of the deepest entry drafts of all time, we now have one of the weakest UFA classes of all time.
One by one, the dominos fell until the prize of this years UFA group, Simon Gagne, was finally signed late last night to a mind numbing seven year deal worth $7m per season with a no trade clause to top it off with the San Jose Sharks.
Gagne created quite a stir in the market when a reported bidding war erupted between the Sharks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both teams felt that adding Gagne would secure their role as Cup contenders for next season, but at the 11th hour, the Penguins reportedly softened their enthusiasm for Gagne forcing him and his agent to put the pen to the paper with the Sharks.
"Well, we really like the way we were treated by the Sharks, and, uh, they have a good thing going down there in San Jose right now, and I would like to be a part of it," Gagne said on a conference call after the announcement of the signing.
"We feel that Gagne is the last piece of the puzzle here," said Sharks General Manager mthomas, "There is no reason to believe that we can't be a playoff team next year-- especially with Simon".
In other news, Jamie Langenbrunner signed a $4m deal with the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day. Langenbrunner, a native Minnesotan, reportedly turned down an offer from the defending Cup champion Washington Capitals in order to return home to Minnesota.
"We wanted to bring in some veteran leadership after acquiring plenty of youth this offseason," said GM Heelsox, "Jamie is a guy that the second we saw he was available, we knew he was our guy. Throughout his career, he's been a guy to give it all on each shift and knows what it takes to win. He's a guy we want rubbing off on everyone in the locker room."
The Wild made headlines earlier in the off season by acquiring franchise goaltender Carey Price along with Jordan Eberle and not even to mention landing Nail Yakupov in the entry draft.
Yesterday also saw quite a few "cap floor" signings as Tomas Vokoun and Steve Bernier signed for $6m and $5m respectively with the Phoenix Coyotes just to meet the DHL's cap floor requirements.
Day two of the UFA market still leaves a couple players on the table. Veteran Ed Jovanovski has yet to reach a decision although reports have surfaced that he is nearing a decision on his future. Unconfirmed reports have said that one team out west is making a strong push to acquire he services of the one time 1st overall pick in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Jovo has stated he wants one last opportunity to win a Stanley Cup before he retires.