Blues Sign Matt D'Agostini to Two-Year Contract

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have re-signed right wing Matt D'Agostini to a two-year contract worth $2.3 million. The deal will pay him $1.15 million per season. In all 82 games last season, he had 21 goals and 25 assists for 46 points. This is a good signing for the Blues, as D'Agostini had a fine season with the team in 2010-11. He's decent on the power play, has some scoring upside, and has a good shot despite being somewhat inconsistent in his scoring. However, D'Agostini saw increased ice time last season due to injuries to T.J. Oshie and David Perron, which lead to his high stats. He may have a hard time duplicating his success of last season if he doesn't play a top-six role next season. Given the current offensive depth on the Blues' roster, he will have to fight for a top-six role at training camp in September.

Stars Sign Radek Dvorak and Vernon Fiddler

The Dallas Stars announced on the first day of free agency that they have signed right wing Radek Dvorak to a one-year contract worth $1.5 million and left wing Vernon Fiddler to a three-year contract worth $5.4 million. Fiddler's deal will average out to $1.8 million per season. In 66 games last season with the Florida Panthers and Atlanta Thrashers, Dvorak had seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points. Fiddler appeared in 71 games last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, scoring six goals and 16 assists for 22 points. These aren't bad depth signings for the Stars, as both players will bring plenty of offensive depth to the team. Dvorak will bring plenty of two-way skill to the wing, as well as experience to the penalty kill. He should be an effective third line forward for the Stars. Fiddler has solid defensive skill, is good on faceoffs, can play an agitating brand of hockey, and is good on the penalty kill. He should be an excellent checking line forward for the team.

Sabres Sign Cody McCormick to Three-Year Extension

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have signed center Cody McCormick to a three-year contract extension worth $3.6 million. The deal will average out to $1.2 million per season. In 81 games last season, he had eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points and 142 penalty minutes. Not a bad signing for the Sabres, as McCormick is a hard worker on the ice, plays with lots of grit and toughness, and is versatile enough to play on the wing. He should be a good fit on the checking lines for the next three years.

Flames Sign Chris Butler to Two-Year Deal

The Calgary Flames have announced that they have signed defenseman Chris Butler to a two-year contract worth $2.5 million. The deal will pay him $1.25 million per season. He was acquired by the Flames on June 25 from the Buffalo Sabres along with Paul Byron in exchange for Robyn Regehr, Ales Kotalik, and Calgary's second round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. In 49 games last season with the Sabres, Butler had two goals and seven assists for nine points. Not a bad signing for the Flames, as Butler will bring plenty of puck-moving skill and depth to their blueline. With a bigger role in Calgary, look for him to improve his game over the next two seasons.

Devils Sign Andy Greene to Four-Year Extension

The New Jersey Devils have announced that they have signed defenseman Andy Greene to a four-year contract extension worth $12 million. The deal will pay him $3 million per season. In all 82 games last season with New Jersey, he had four goals and 19 assists for 23 points. This isn't a bad signing for the Devils, as Greene brings solid puck-moving skills to the blueline. He is also very mobile and has a little offensive skill despite being somewhat inconsistent in his scoring. Look for him to play a top-four role on the team for the foreseeable future.

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.

Hurricanes Sign Tim Brent to One-Year Contract

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have signed center Tim Brent to a two-year contract worth $1.5 million. The deal will pay him $700,000 in 2011-12 and $800,000 in 2012-13. In 79 games last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he had eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points. This is an okay depth signing for the Hurricanes, as Brent will likely only see action on the fourth line. He is a good faceoff man and is a decent checker, so he should be a capable fourth line forward for the team.

Coyotes Sign Raffi Torres, Boyd Gordon, Mike Smith

The Phoenix Coyotes announced a trio of signings on July 1 by inking left wing Raffi Torres to a two-year contract worth $3.5 million, center Boyd Gordon to a two-year contract worth $2.65 million, and goaltender Mike Smith to a two-year contract worth $4 million. Torres will be paid $1.75 million per season, Gordon will get $1.325 million each season, and Smith will make $2 million per season. In 80 games last season with the Vancouver Canucks, Torres had 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points and 78 penalty minutes. Gordon played in 60 games last season with the Washington Capitals, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points. In 22 games last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Smith posted a 13-6-1 record, one shutout, a 2.90 GAA, and a .899 save percentage. He missed 18 games with a knee injury. These aren't bad depth signings for the Coyotes, as all three players will bring plenty of depth to their respective positions. Torres brings some offensive skill to the team, as well as plenty of grit and toughness and some skill to the power play. He should be a good addition to the team. Gordon is a decent defensive forward who is excellent on the faceoff and is versatile enough to play on the wing. He doesn't have a lot of offensive ability and isn't a consistent scorer, so he will likely play on the third or fourth line next season. Smith brings plenty of veteran depth in goal, as well as lots of size, but is terribly inconsistent and prone to playing bad stretches of hockey. With Smith and Jason Labarbera set to be the goaltending tandem in Phoenix next season, the team is likely to struggle in goal given the consistency issues of both goalies.

Capitals Sign Jeff Halpern to One-Year Deal

Jeff Halpern is heading back to the team he started his NHL career with. The Washington Capitals announced on the first day of free agency that they have signed the 35-year-old center to a one-year contract worth $875,000. In 72 games last season with the Montreal Canadiens, he scored 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points. He missed the last four games of the 2010-11 regular season and three playoff games with a lower-body injury. Not a bad signing for the Capitals, as Halpern will bring lots of veteran depth to the team. He's a decent defensive forward who is great on the penalty kill, so he should be a very effective forward for Washington next season.

Stars Sign Defenseman Adam Pardy to Two-Year Deal

The Dallas Stars have announced that they have signed defenseman Adam Pardy to a two-year contract worth $4 million. The deal will pay him $2 million per season. In 30 games last season with the Calgary Flames, he had one goal and six assists for seven points. He missed 25 games early in the 2010-11 season with a shoulder injury and the last 27 games of the season with an upper body injury. Not a bad depth signing for the Stars, as Pardy brings the team plenty of size and a little bit of grit on defense. However, $2 million per season is a bit much for him, so he will really have to prove he is worth that money at training camp and throughout the course of the regular season.

Lightning Add Mathieu Garon and J.T. Wyman

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have signed goaltender Mathieu Garon to a two-year contract worth $2.6 million and right wing J.T. Wyman to a one-year, two-way contract. Garon's deal will pay him $1.3 million per season, while the financial terms of Wyman's deal were not disclosed. In 36 games last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Garon posted a 10-14-6 record, three shutouts, a 2.72 GAA, and a .901 save percentage. Wyman appeared in 80 games last season with Hamilton of the AHL, scoring 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points. Garon is a decent depth signing for the Lightning, as he is a hard worker on the ice and is an excellent backup goalie. He should be a good compliment to Dwayne Roloson next season. As for Wyman, he is just a depth signing and will likely spend all of next season in the minors.

Wild Re-Sign Josh Harding and Drew Bagnall

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Josh Harding to a one-year contract worth $750,000 and defenseman Drew Bagnall to a two-year contract. The financial terms of Bagnall's deal were not disclosed. Harding missed all of the 2010-11 season due to a knee injury he sustained in an exhibition game on September 24 against the St. Louis Blues. He last played during the 2009-10 season with the Wild, posting a 9-12-0 record, one shutout, a 3.05 GAA, and a .905 save percentage. Bagnall played in two games last season with Minnesota, scoring no points. He also appeared in 72 games with Houston of the AHL, recording two assists and 112 penalty minutes. Harding is not a bad signing for the Wild, provided he has fully recovered from the knee injury. If he is healthy, he will be a solid backup goalie for the team, and has plenty of upside to jump into the starter's role if Niklas Backstrom should struggle or succumb to injury. As for Bagnall, he is just a depth signing for the Wild and will likely spend the majority of next season in the minors.

Red Wings Re-Sign Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller

The Detroit Red Wings retained some offensive depth on the first day of free agency by re-signing right wing Patrick Eaves to a three-year contract worth $3.6 million and left wing Drew Miller to a two-year contract worth $1.65 million. Eaves' contract will average out to $1.2 million per season, while Miller's deal will pay him $825,000 per season. In 63 games last season, Eaves had 13 goals and seven assists for 20 points. He missed three games with an upper-body injury and 10 games with a groin injury. Miller appeared in 67 games last season, scoring 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points. These are decent depth signings for the Red Wings, as both players are very hard-working forwards for the team. Eaves is a good skater, brings plenty of offensive skill to the forward lines, and is versatile enough to play on both wings. Miller brings plenty of defensive skill to the forward lines, as well as a strong work ethic and some skill to the penalty kill. Both players should continue to be good fits in Detroit for the duration of their contracts. Plus, their inexpensive contracts make them very affordable for the Red Wings and are good bargains at their skill levels.

Canucks Re-Sign Sami Salo and Chris Higgins

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have re-signed defenseman Sami Salo to a one-year contract worth $2 million and left wing Chris Higgins to a two-year contract worth $3.8 million. The deal will average out to $1.9 million per season. In 27 games last season, Salo had three goals and four assists for seven points. He missed 55 games with an Achilles' tendon injury. The Canucks acquired Higgins on February 28 from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Evan Oberg and a third round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft. In 62 games last season with the Panthers and Canucks, he had 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points. These aren't bad signing for the Canucks, as both players bring plenty of depth to the team at their respective positions. Salo has good size, a decent shot, and brings plenty of offensive skill to the blueline despite being very prone to injury. If Salo can stay healthy all of next season, he should help Vancouver remain competitive on defense. Higgins brings the team plenty of offensive depth to the third and fourth lines, as well as some two-way ability and skill on the penalty kill. He was a fine addition for Vancouver after being acquired by the team and should continue to fit in well over the next two years.

Penguins Sign Tyler Kennedy to Two-Year Contract

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have re-signed right wing Tyler Kennedy to a two-year contract worth $4 million. The deal will pay him $2 million per season. In 80 games last season, he had 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. He added two goals and one assist for three points in seven playoff games. Not a bad signing for the Penguins, as Kennedy brings plenty of offensive depth to the team. He has some offensive skill, plays with some ruggedness, and brings lots of energy to the team. He should continue to be a decent forward for Pittsburgh next season.

Oilers Sign Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk

The Edmonton Oilers added some toughness to their lineup on the first day of free agency by signing left wing Ben Eager to a three-year contract worth $3.3 million and left wing Darcy Hordichuk to a one-year contract worth $800,000. Eager's deal will pay him $1.1 million per season. In 68 games last season with the Atlanta Thrashers and San Jose Sharks, he had seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points and 120 penalty minutes. Hordichuk appeared in 64 games last season with the Florida Panthers, scoring one goal and four assists for five points and 76 penalty minutes. These are decent depth signings for the Oilers, as they have added a couple physical bodies to their checking lines. Eager plays with lots of grit and toughness, is willing to drop the gloves to defend his teammates, and is great as an agitating winger. Hordichuk plays with plenty of energy, will drop the gloves to defend teammates, and plays with a physical edge. They should help make the Oilers a more physical team on offense next season.

Blackhawks Sign Jamal Mayers, Sean O'Donnell, Andre Brunette, Daniel Carcillo

The Chicago Blackhawks added a slew of new players on the first day of free agency by signing right wing Jamal Mayers, defenseman Sean O'Donnell, left wing Andrew Brunette, and left wing Daniel Carcillo to one-year contracts. Mayers' deal will pay him $550,000, O'Donnell will get $850,000, Brunette will be paid $2 million, and Carcillo will make $775,000. In 78 games last season with the San Jose Sharks, Mayers had three goals and 11 assists for 14 points and 124 penalty minutes, while Brunette had 18 goals and 28 assists for 46 points in all 82 games with the Minnesota Wild. O'Donnell appeared in 81 games with the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring one goal and 17 assists for 18 points and 87 penalty minutes, while Carcillo had four goals and two assists for six points and 127 penalty minutes in 57 games with the Flyers. These are decent depth signings for the Blackhawks, as they have become a much more physical team with these players. Mayers and Carcillo bring lots of grit and toughness to the checking lines, while O'Donnell provides lots of veteran depth and toughness to their blueline. Brunette brings plenty of playmaking skill and offensive depth to the wing, as well as a little leadership. All four players should be decent additions to the team next season.

Wild Acquire Dany Heatley from Sharks for Martin Havlat

The Minnesota Wild completed a blockbuster trade on Sunday evening by acquiring right wing Dany Heatley from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for right wing Martin Havlat. Heatley still has three years remaining on his current contract, while Havlat has four years left on his current deal. This is the second major trade the two teams have completed with each other this off-season. On June 24, Minnesota sent Brent Burns and a second round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft to San Jose for Devin Setoguchi, prospect Charlie Coyle, and the Sharks' first round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft, which the Wild used to select Zack Phillips. In 80 games last season with the Sharks, Heatley had 26 goals and 38 assists for 64 points, while Havlat had 22 goals and 40 assists for 62 points in 78 games with Minnesota. This is an excellent move for the Wild, as Heatley will add lots of offensive skill to the re-vamped team. He also brings a great shot and plenty of skill on the power play to the team. As for the Sharks, Havlat will bring plenty of offensive skill and speed to the wing, as well as a cheaper salary than Heatley. With the Sharks faltering in the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row, there's no doubt GM Doug Wilson was looking to shake-up the team a bit in order to get them to the Stanley Cup Finals. Only time will tell if the two trades with Minnesota will give the Sharks enough of a jolt to win the Stanley Cup in 2012.

Blue Jackets Sign James Wisniewski to Six-Year Contract

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have re-signed defenseman James Wisniewski to a six-year contract worth $33 million. The deal will average $5.5 million per season. His negotiating rights were acquired by the Blue Jackets on June 29 from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. The pick became a fifth-rounder since Columbus signed him to a contract. The Canadiens acquired Wisniewski last December from the New York Islanders in exchange for a second round pick in 2011 and a conditional fifth round pick in 2012. In 75 games last season with the Islanders and Canadiens, he had 10 goals and 41 assists for 51 points. This is a good signing for the Blue Jackets, as they were in need of some offensive depth on defense. Wisniewski has lots of offensive skill, is an excellent power play quarterback, and plays with plenty of toughness. He should be a good fit for Columbus throughout the duration of the contract.

Blues Sign Adam Cracknell to One-Year Deal

According to thehockeynews.com, the St. Louis Blues have re-signed right wing Adam Cracknell to a one-year contract. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been a Group Six unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 24 games last season with the Blues, he had three goals and four assists for seven points. He also appeared in 61 games with Peoria of the AHL, scoring six goals and 19 assists for 25 points. This is really nothing more than a depth signing for the Blues, as Cracknell will likely spend much of next season in the minors, providing plenty of offensive depth for Peoria.

Avalanche Sign Ryan O'Byrne to Two-Year Extension

The Colorado Avalanche announced on Thursday that they have re-signed defenseman Ryan O'Byrne to a two-year contract worth $3.6 million. The deal will pay him $1.8 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. O'Byrne was acquired by the Avalanche last November from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for prospect Michael Bournival. In 64 games last season with the Canadiens and Avalanche, he had 10 assists and 71 penalty minutes. Not a bad depth signing for Colorado, as O'Byrne will bring lots of grit, toughness, and size to their blueline. He will likely play on the third defensive pairing next season for the team.

Red Wings Sign Jonathan Ericsson to Three-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced Thursday evening that they have signed defenseman Jonathan Ericsson to a three-year contract extension worth $9.75 million. The deal will pay him $3.25 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 74 games last season, he had three goals and 12 assists for 15 points and 87 penalty minutes. Not a bad depth signing for the Red Wings, as Ericsson brings lots of size and grit to the blueline. He also brings plenty of mobility and some defensive upside to the team. However, the Red Wings definitely overpaid to retain his services, as he still has yet to prove that he is worth this kind of money. With a very limited pool of free agent defensemen to choose from on July 1 and a need for defensive depth with the retirement of Brian Rafalski, it would seem Red Wings' GM Ken Holland offered Ericsson such a hefty contract to keep him from leaving the team via free agency and creating another hole in the team's defense. Ericsson will have to greatly improve his game over the next three years to show that he is worth the $3.25 million per season.

Sabres Sign Christian Ehrhoff to 10-Year, $40 Million Contract

The Buffalo Sabres prevented one of the top free agent defensemen from hitting the market on Friday by signing Christian Ehrhoff to a 10-year contract worth $40 million. The deal will pay him $9 million in 2011-12 and 2012-13, $4 million in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2016-17, $3 million in 2017-18, and $1 million in 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. The deal includes a no-movement clause and a modified no-trade clause. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Sabres acquired Ehrhoff's negotiating rights from the New York Islanders on June 29. His rights were acquired by the Islanders just one day prior from the Vancouver Canucks. In 79 games last season with the Canucks, he had 14 goals and 36 assists for 50 points. This is an excellent signing for the Sabres, as Ehrhoff will bring lots of offensive skill to the team's blueline. He is also excellent on the power play and can log lots of minutes. Even though he will likely be a solid addition for Buffalo, a 10-year contract is a bit excessive for just about any player. When the current CBA expires, the NHL needs to look into limiting teams to no more than five years on a contract for any player to prevent any type of salary cap circumvention.

Blackhawks Sign Steve Montador to Four-Year Contract

Just one day after acquiring the negotiating rights to defenseman Steve Montador from the Buffalo Sabres, the Chicago Blackhawks have announced that they have signed the 31-year-old blueliner to a four-year contract worth $11 million. The deal will average out to $2.75 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 73 games last season with the Buffalo Sabres, he had five goals and 21 assists for 26 points and 83 penalty minutes. This is a decent signing for the Blackhawks, as Montador will bring plenty of grit and toughness to the team. He will also bring some offensive skill to the blueline, which will help fill the void that was created when the Blackhawks shipped Brian Campbell to the Florida Panthers on June 24.

Maple Leafs Sign Ben Scrivens to One-Year Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Thursday that they have re-signed goaltender Ben Scrivens to a one-year, two-way contract worth $600,000. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. In 33 games last season with Toronto of the AHL, he posted a 13-12-5 record, two shutouts, a 2.33 GAA, and a .924 save percentage. He also appeared in 13 games with Reading of the ECHL, posting a 10-3-0 record, with a 2.23 GAA and a .938 save percentage. Not a bad depth signing for the Maple Leafs, as Scrivens has plenty of upside to become a regular NHL goaltender one day. More than likely, he will spend the entire 2011-12 season in the minors.