NHL Free Agency: Be Disappointed

Posted by Adam Hart July 1, 2008 at 10:19 am

REFRESH THIS PAGE THROUGHOUT THE DAY… we will be adding updates as to the big signings and rumors (excluding the short time that I will be eating lunch at Papa Ginos, and the time I will be embarking on my afternoon 6 mile run). If today is anything like last season’s trade deadline, I will be very angry. At that time the Bruins were hot on the trail of Marian Hossa, but instead Peter Chiarelli made no moves — electing to nominally send Phil Kessel and a few others down to Providence for an hour so that they would be eligible for the AHL Playoffs.

Reuters/Jim Young

The Market opens at noon today. The Bruins did not buy out Glenn Murray by yesterday’s deadline, so his contract remains on the books, but could be bought out up to 48 hours after Denis Wideman’s arbitration hearing. To help straighten things out, The Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa breaks down the B’s salary situation for next season.

Some key observations:

– Check out my fallback options should Hossa and Brian Campbell sign elsewhere. To make it worth your while I include videos of each player and a killer Wayne’s World reference. Mike Giardi also tries to recover from the Tampa Bay signing of Ryan Malone. Hossa or Campbell would make him smile.

– I’m really glad Manny Fernandez is being paid 4.33 million dollars. He was great for us last year….

– As it stands the Bruins are roughly $6.3 million under the cap. Technically, the B’s salaries can go to $62.3 million, or $12 million above their current mark, so long as they duck under the cap of $56.7 million by the start of the season. Just so you know, buying out Muzz’s contract only reduces his 4.15 million dollar cap hit by 1/3. Basically, that mean the B’s have room for one max contract if they buy Muzz out. But that means no additional money can be spent, like on Wideman who could earn upward of 3 million dollars in arbitration. Peter Chiarelli must prioritize. And I must go shower. Don’t expect Hossa or Campbell to sign with the Bruins. See you after noon for some free agency disappointment via Causeway Street.

– The Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont ruins anything fun about today, saying that the B’s will likely wait out the free agent rush and go after second tier free agents. He also says that nothing the Bruins do “today, tomorrow, or later this summer can equate the impact of getting both Patrice Bergeron and Manny Fernandez back under full-time employment.” That’s a tired point of view and, frankly, a cop out. Who even knows how Patrice will respond? Will he be more susceptible to another concussion? And Manny Fernandez is a pricey netminder for someone who was given away by Minnesota and played 4 games last season. Yeah, Brian Campbell’s 62 points and +8 rating is dog crap compared to Manny Fernandez and Patrice Bergeron.

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Marian Hossa

10:30 The Calgary Herald reports that the Edmonton Oilers are willing to pay Hossa $9 million per season to move to their bland, unattractive city. That is far out of the Bruins price range. But, the B’s have proven willing to overpay to get hockey players to the Hub.

11:36 The Oilers have now traded winger Raffi Torres to the Columbus Blue Jackets for center Gilbert Brule. This move save Edmonton about $2 million. They are definitely positioning themselves to make a big run at Hossa.

12:49 Or the Oilers simply wanted to bring Erik Cole to Edmonton. Joni Pitkanen goes to Carolina in the deal.

4:37 Little has been said about a true possible landing spot for Hossa. He is most likely fielding loads of offers, and is taking his time to sift through the best.

9:41 TSN.ca is reporting that Hossa is considering offers from the New York Rangers, Canadiens, Penguins, and aformentioned Oilers. I’d like the Bruins to get him, but I may be cheering more for the Canadiens not to get him. I hate the Habs. Hate them.

Brian Campbell

10:59 So far, according to assorted reports, the Devils, Rangers, Senators, Canadiens, and Bruins have been granted permission to talk contract with Campbell prior to the noon start of free agency. There are justifications as to why each team has a leg up. But one thing seems certain, Campbell wants to return to the Northeast to be closer to his home in Ontario. That logic would put Chicago down in the race for Campbell, except for the fact that they have $13 million to spend. The most a player can earn next season is $11.34 million.

4:38 Teams were allowed talk with Campbell before the start of free agency, and he still hasn’t signed a deal. Asante Samuel wasn’t able to discuss anything with teams before the NFL’s free agency, and he almost immediately had a contract drawn up with Philadelphia. And NFL teams follow tampering rules to the letter of the law….

5:58 The Brian Campbell sweepstakes are over. The Chicago Blackhawks are the winners, inking the defenceman to an 8-year, 56.8 million dollar contract. That averages out to $7.1 million per season. The long term commitment and big bucks were obviously what got this deal done. The Blackhawks finished 2 spots out of the Western Conference playoffs. With youngsters Patrick Kane and Martin Havlat, the addition of Campbell could mean that fortunes will finally turn around for the Blackhawks, who have suffered through poor personnel moves for far too long. Campbell will be 37 when this deal expires. The Bruins can still sign Denis Wideman to a contract before reaching arbitration, or they could accept the terms found deserved by the arbitrator. I still think free agent defenceman Brooks Orpik would fit in Claude (CLODE!) Julien’s system. He reminds me of a young Aaron Ward.

Brian Rolston

10:42 TSN.ca reporting that the The Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t sign every player whose rights they acquired via trade. Of Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts and Vaclav Prospal, Rolston is the only one willing to test the market. Would the former Bruin return to Boston? Not unless the deal is kind to his wallet, I’m thinking.

7:32 Rolston blew off the Lightning to sign with New Jersey. Nobody likes the devils. For years they have played the most boring style of hockey. Rolston gets $20.25 million over 4-years.

Brad Stuart

12:48 Former Bruin defenceman Brad Stuart has re-signed with the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. It is a 4-year deal averaging $3.75 million per year.

Evgeni Malkin

12:59 Those rumors that a Russian club was going hard after Malkin? Not happening. Malkin is going to re-sign with Pittsburgh, inking a deals similar to that of Sidney Crosby. First the Berlin Wall, now Malkin. What else do you want us to take from you, Russia?

Radim Vrbata

1:13 Is money really growing on trees in Tampa? First, they sign Vincent Lecavalier to a mega-deal. Then they sign Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts and Vinny Prospal. Now they sign winger Radim Vrbata to a 3-year, 9 million dollar contract. Wasn’t the NHL supposed to be limiting spending, you know, because the league is doing horribly across the board? For $3 million per year the Bruins could have signed Vrbata. I would be happy with his 27 goals and 29 assists. Really, I would.

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!

1:22 The Bruins have signed University of Minnesota forward Blake Wheeler to an entry level contract. Oh wait, no. We knew about this a couple weeks ago. It just becomes official today. Sorry if I got you all excited there. My bad. Early reports are that Wheeler will start, and possibly finish, the season in Providence. Who’s making the trip to the Dunk to watch him in action? He was a first round pick of the Phoenix Coyotes, but never signed, making him an unrestricted free agent. He is big, and was successful in college.

YOU GO AWAY FOR A 45 MINUTE RUN AND…

Nothing happens. Nothing of consequence, at least. Here are the notable moves.

Andrei Kostitsyn

3:45 He re-signs with Montreal on a 3-year contract worth $3.25 million per season. Perfect. Now Milan Lucic can still beat up the Kostitsyn brothers in the same game.

Ty Conklin

3:47 Pittsburgh’s backup to Marc-Andre Fleury is now in Detroit on a 1-year deal worth $750,000. That’s relatively cheap.

Andrew Raycroft

3:48 This is more of a “Where are they now?” than an important signing. Raycroft joins Colorado for $800,000 on a 1-year deal. Raycroft deserves more than Ty Conklin? I guess. The good news for Toronto stemming from that whole Raycroft-for-Rask deal is that Tuukka is still not projected to play in the NHL. Even though he won a handful of starts last year in an emergency call up from Providence…

Jose Theodore

4:01 Remember the Bruins 10-2 loss to Washington late in the season? Remember Alexander Ovechkin’s hat-trick in the first period? Well, the Capitals have added Jose Theodore in net with a 2-year deal worth $4.5 million annually. He replaces Cristobal Huet, who signed with the Chicago Blackhawks today.

Darcy Tucker

4:04 Bruins fans will be happy to know this rough-housian is now out of Toronto and in the Western Conference, inking a deal to play for Colorado. It’s a 2-year deal worth $4.5 million over the life of the contract, or $2.25 million per year.

Jaromir Jagr

4:20 Who says you can’t go home? Homeless people. What a mean question to ask.

4:21 Pittsburgh reportedly has offered Jagr a contract to join Sid the Kid and Evgeni Malkin. They came up short in the Stanley Cup Finals and are losing Marian Hossa. Jagr would come full circle if he signs with the Penguins.

Mats Sundin

4:23 Desperation is a stinky cologne, and Vancouver stinks. Word out of Canada has the Canucks offering Sundin a 2-year deal at $10 million per season to leave Toronto for Vancouver. Sundin is 37 years old. He has questioned his own desire to play any longer. Sundin is still consistently hovering around 80 points per season. Are those $10 million dollar numbers? Not if the max contract is $11.34 million.

Alex Auld

4:29 It’s official. Auld is out of Boston. He has signed a 2-year deal with Ottawa worth $1 million dollars. I don’t get it. He is definitely worth more than Andrew Raycroft. Whatever, the Bruins will still dominate the Senators. They always do.

Glen Metropolit

7:34 The hated Philadelphia Flyers have signed the Bruins center to a 2-year deal for an undisclosed amount of money. Metropolit was easily my favorite name to say on the Bruins. Now I need a new favorite. I like Orpik…

Mark Streit

9:32 The Candiens defenceman joins the New York Islanders, which is good news for Bruins fans. The Islanders stink up the joint every year, and Streit caused headaches for the B’s in this year’s playoff series. His deal is for 5 years and $20.5 million over the life of the contract.

BRUINS

A conference call scheduled for 6pm has been postponed indefinitely for undisclosed reasons. Wonder what Peter Chiarelli could be doing that prohibits him from taking part in this conference call. Probably eating a nice pasta dinner. Those things get me so filled up, I can hardly do anything for, like, an hour — including talk on the phone. It’s true.

7:36 The Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa is now reporting that Chiarelli is awaiting word from a player on whether or not he will sign with Boston. So it wasn’t a pasta dinner. I thought I had it, too. And now I face a difficult decision… Do I go to the gym as planned, or do I sit and wait to hear what uninteresting free agent the Bruins sign? Gym it is. If Hossa signs in between that time, oh well.

9:34 No Hossa. No Chiarelli. I’m starting to worry about him. Maybe it was a tainted tomato that’s holding things up. Salmonella is no joke.

9:41 TSN.ca is reporting that Hossa is considering offers from the New York Rangers, Canadiens, Penguins, and aformentioned Oilers. No mention of the B’s. So, the tomato story — however baseless it may be — could soon grow legs. I’d like the Bruins to get him, but I may be cheering more for the Canadiens not to get him. I hate the Habs. Hate them.

9:45 The conference call is rescheduled for…. right now. Updates will come as I get them. But I am not sitting in on the call. I’m not “important” enough. Or, I’m not at work. Either way, I’m getting second hand knowledge, and that ain’t cool.

10:15

BRUINS SIGNEE:

Michael Ryder — RW, 6′0, 190 lbs., 14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points

The Bruins have signed Montreal Canadiens right winger Michael Ryder to a 3-year deal worth $12 million overall. The Bruins still have slightly over $2 million to spend before reaching the salary cap, but will assuredly use that money on Denis Wideman. This means no Hossa, and that I’ll be wearing a frown for the next few hours.