Jets Sign Andrew Ladd to Five-Year Contract

The Winnipeg Jets have announced that they have signed left wing Andrew Ladd to a five-year contract worth $22 million. The deal will average out to $4.4 million per season. The team also announced that he will remain as their captain when they hit the ice for the 2011-12 season. He was named captain of the Atlanta Thrashers last November. In 81 games last season with the Thrashers, he had 29 goals and 30 assists for 59 points. This is an excellent signing for the Jets, as Ladd will bring plenty of offensive skill, scoring upside, and toughness to the forward lines. He posted career numbers last season in Atlanta with increased ice time, so there's a good chance he will probably improve on those numbers next season.

Thrashers Re-Sign Forwards Eager, Ladd, Goaltender Mannino

The Atlanta Thrashers have announced that they have avoided arbitration with left wing Ben Eager and re-signed him to a one-year contract worth $965,000. The team has also avoided arbitration with left wing Andrew Ladd and signed him to a one-year contract worth $2.35 million. The Thrashers also announced that they have re-signed goaltender Peter Mannino to a multi-year contract. The financial terms of his deal were not disclosed. Eager was acquired by the Thrashers from the Chicago Blackhawks on June 24 in the Dustin Byfuglien trade, while Ladd was acquired in a separate deal with the Blackhawks on July 1 for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy. These aren't bad signings for the Thrashers, as both players will bring plenty of veteran depth to the team. Eager will bring some much needed toughness and grit to the forward lines, while Ladd will also bring some toughness and offensive depth as well. Mannino is really just a depth signing for the team and will likely spend most of the next two seasons in the minors.

2010 NHL Arbitration

The following 32 NHL players have elected to file for salary arbitration this summer. July 5 was the deadline for players to elect salary arbitration. The hearings will be held from July 20 to August 4, with the specific dates to be determined by the NHL and NHLPA on Tuesday. If more players file for arbitration, I will add them to this list. Arbitrators are only allowed to hand out one to two year deals and their decisions must be made within 48 hours of the hearing. Teams then have 48 hours to accept or decline the arbitrator's decision. If a team has more than one player filing for arbitration, that team has 48 hours from their last player's hearing to decide if they want to accept or decline the arbitrator's decision. If a team declines an arbitrator's decision, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent. Players who have filed for arbitration cannot be given an offer sheet. The following players are still scheduled for arbitration:

Atlanta Thrashers
Clarke MacArthur - July 21, 2010 - Awarded one-year contract worth $2.4 million in arbitration (Thrashers walked away from the award, making him an unrestricted free agent)

Boston Bruins
Blake Wheeler - July 29, 2010 - Awarded one-year contract worth $2.2 million in arbitration (Bruins accepted the award)

Buffalo Sabres
Tim Kennedy - July 29, 2010 - Awarded one-year contract worth $1 million in arbitration (Sabres accepted the award, but later bought out his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent)

Chicago Blackhawks
Antti Niemi - July 31, 2010 - Awarded one-year contract worth $2.75 million in arbitration (Blackhawks walked away from the award, making him an unrestricted free agent)

Vancouver Canucks
Jannik Hansen - July 22, 2010 - Awarded one-year contract worth $825,000 in arbitration (Canucks accepted the award)


The following players have re-signed with their teams prior to their arbitration hearings:

Anaheim Ducks
James Wisniewski - 1 year, $3.25 million (7/30/10) (later traded to NY Islanders)

Atlanta Thrashers
Ben Eager - 1 year, $965,000 (7/28/10)
Andrew Ladd - 1 year, $2.35 million (7/29/10)

Boston Bruins
Greg Campbell - 2 years, undisclosed (7/15/10)

Buffalo Sabres
Patrick Kaleta - 2 years, $1.815 million (7/21/10)

Calgary Flames
Ian White - 1 year, $2,999,995 (7/30/10)

Columbus Blue Jackets
Jared Boll - 2 years, undisclosed (7/13/10)
Anton Stralman - 1 year, undisclosed (7/28/10)

Dallas Stars
Fabian Brunnstrom - 1 year, $675,000 (7/22/10)

Detroit Red Wings
Derek Meech - 1 year, undisclosed (7/15/10)

Edmonton Oilers
Gilbert Brule - 2 years, $3.7 million (7/27/10)
Jeff Deslauriers - 1 year, undisclosed (7/31/10)
Jean-Francois Jacques - 1 year, undisclosed (7/13/10)

Los Angeles Kings
Brad Richardson - 1 year, undisclosed (7/17/10)

New Jersey Devils
Mark Fraser - 1 year, $500,000 (7/28/10)

New York Islanders
Matt Moulson - 1 year, $2.45 million (7/27/10) (hat tip to TheMetalChick for mentioning this one)

New York Rangers
Dan Girardi - 4 years, $13.3 million (7/9/10)

Ottawa Senators
Chris Campoli - 1 year, $1.4 million (7/30/10)
Peter Regin - 2 years, $2 million (7/29/10)

Philadelphia Flyers
Daniel Carcillo - 1 year, undisclosed (7/13/10)

St. Louis Blues
Cam Janssen - 1 year, undisclosed (7/6/10)

Tampa Bay Lightning
Nate Thompson - 1 year, undisclosed (7/16/10)

Vancouver Canucks
Tanner Glass - 1 year, undisclosed (7/9/10)
Mason Raymond - 2 years, $5.1 million (7/26/10)

Washington Capitals
Eric Fehr - 2 years, $4.4 million (7/8/10)
Tomas Fleischmann - 1 year, $2.6 million (7/27/10)
Jeff Schultz - 4 years, $11 million (7/7/10)

Thrashers Acquire Ladd from Blackhawks

The Atlanta Thrashers announced on Thursday that they have acquired left wing Andrew Ladd from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for prospect defenseman Ivan Visnevskiy and a second round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft. Ladd is a restricted free agent and will have to be re-signed by the Thrashers. Not a bad trade for Atlanta, as Ladd will add toughness and offensive depth to the wing. The Blackhawks get an affordable defenseman in Vishnevskiy who could crack the lineup next season. He will bring some offensive skill to Chicago's defense.