Panthers Sign Jose Theodore, Scottie Upshall, Ed Jovanovski

The Florida Panthers were very busy in the opening hours of free agency on July 1 by signing goaltender Jose Theodore to a two-year contract worth $3 million and right wing Scottie Upshall and defenseman Ed Jovanovski to four-year contracts worth $14 million and $16.5 million, respectively. Theodore's contract will pay him $1.5 million per season, Upshall's will pay him $3.5 million per season, and Jovanovski will get $4.125 million each year. In 32 games last season with the Minnesota Wild, Theodore posted a 15-11-3 record, one shutout, a 2.71 GAA, and a .916 save percentage. Upshall appeared in 82 games last season with the Phoenix Coyotes and Columbus Blue Jackets, scoring 22 goals and 12 assists for 34 points. In 50 games last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, Jovanovski had five goals and nine assists for 14 points and 39 penalty minutes. These are good signings for the Panthers, as all three players will greatly improve the team at their respective positions. Theodore will bring lots of depth and experience in goal for the team. He has excellent positioning and is very agile and will likely begin the 2011-12 season as Florida's starting goaltender. Upshall will bring lots of experience and offensive skill to the wing, as well as plenty of grit and energy despite being a bit prone to injury. Jovanovski will bring plenty of size, aggression, grit, and veteran depth to the blueline. He will also brings loads of leadership to the rebuilding club. Plus, this will be Jovanovski's second stint with the Panthers, where he previously played from 1995 to 1999, and will likely be welcomed back warmly by the fans.

Coyotes Acquire Klesla, Byers from Blue Jackets for Upshall, Lepisto

The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that they have acquired defenseman Rostislav Klesla and left wing Dane Byers from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for right wing Scottie Upshall and defenseman Sami Lepisto. Klesla still has three years left on his current contract, while Upshall will be an unrestricted free agent, while Lepisto and Byers will be eligible for restricted free agency. In 45 games this season with Columbus, Klesla has three goals and seven assists for 10 points. Byers, who was acquired by the Blue Jackets from the New York Rangers this past November in exchange for Chad Kolarik, has 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points and 120 penalty minutes in 64 games with Hartford/Connecticut and Springfield of the AHL. Upshall has 16 goals and 11 assists for 27 points in 61 games with the Coyotes, while Lepisto has four goals and seven assists for 11 points in 51 games. Not a bad deal for both teams, as it addresses needs for both of them. The Coyotes get a shutdown defender in Klesla who can play a lot of minutes and also some much needed defensive depth with the current injuries to Ed Jovanovski and Adrian Aucoin. In Upshall, the Blue Jackets get some offensive depth on the wing, as well as a fiery player even though he is a bit prone to injury. Lepisto will bring some offensive depth and puckmoving skill to the Columbus blueline, which will help with the loss of Klesla. Byers will likely play the rest of the season in the minors and won't make an impact on the Phoenix roster.

Coyotes Sign Forward Upshall to One-Year Extension

The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that they have signed left wing Scottie Upshall to a one-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been eligible for restricted free agency on July 1. In 49 games last season with the Coyotes, Upshall had 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points and 50 penalty minutes. He missed much of the season with a right knee injury sustained in January. In 279 career NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers, and Phoenix Coyotes, he has 64 goals and 74 assists for 138 points and 273 penalty minutes. This is a good signing for the Coyotes, as Upshall was having a breakout season in 2009-10 before injuring his knee. He is developing into a decent goal-scorer and also plays with lots of grit and energy. Look for him to be one of the Coyotes' top offensive producers for the 2010-11 season as long as he stays healthy.

Flyers Acquire Carcillo from Coyotes for Upshall

The Philadelphia Flyers added some toughness to their team on Wednesday by acquiring left wing Daniel Carcillo from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for left wing Scottie Upshall and a second round draft pick. Upshall was rumored to be on the move by the trade deadline in an attempt to free up salary cap space for a larger move. In 54 games so far this season, Carcillo has three goals and seven assists for 10 points and 174 penalty minutes. Upshall has seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 55 games. Carcillo brings lots of toughness to the Flyers' lineup and should be a character player for them. Upshall gives the Coyotes a gritty winger with plenty of offensive depth.