Oilers Sign Ryan Smyth to Two-Year Contract

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have re-signed right wing Ryan Smyth to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million.  The deal will average out to $2.25 million per season.  In all 82 games last season, he had 19 goals and 27 assistd for 46 points and 82 penalty minutes.  This is a solid move for the Oilers, as Smyth has always been an excellent player on the team.  He's a great playmaker, has good offensive skills, is an excellent leader on and off the ice, and plays with some grit.  He will continue to be an excellent forward for the Oilers over the next two years.

Penguins Sign Brad Thiessen to One-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Brad Thiessen to a one-year, two-way contract worth $525,000 at the NHL level.  In five games last season with the Penguins, he posted a 3-1-0 record, with a 3.72 GAA and a .858 save percentage.  He also appeared in 41 games with Wilkes/Barre-Scranton of the AHL, posting a 23-15-2 record, two shutouts, a 2.82 GAA, and a .887 save percentage.  Not a bad depth signing for the Penguins, as Thiessen will be a good option as a third goaltender if Marc-Andre Fluery or Tomas Vokoun should miss time due to injury.  Otherwise, look for Thiessen to play primarily in the minors next season.

Blue Jackets Re-Sign Jared Boll and Nick Holden

The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that they have re-signed right wing Jared Boll to a two-year contract worth $2.1 million and defenseman Nick Holden to a one-year, two-way contract.  Boll's deal will pay him $950,000 in 2012-13 and $1.15 million in 2013-14, while Holden's contract will pay him $550,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 in the minors.  In 54 games last season, Boll had two goals and one assist for three points and 126 penalty minutes.  In 25 games last season with Springfield of the AHL, Holden had three goals and six assists for nine points.  He last appeared in the NHL with Columbus during the 2010-11 season.  Boll isn't a bad depth signing for the Blue Jackets, as he plays with loads of grit and toughness.  He has good size, loves to be an agitator on the ice, and will drop the gloves to defend his teammates.  Look for him to be the team's primary enforcer over the next two years.  Holden has good size and some offensive ability, but will likely spend a good chunk of next season in the minors.  If he sees any time with the Blue Jackets, it will likely be as an injruy replacement.

Predators Sign Paul Gaustad to Four-Year Deal

The Nashville Predators announced on Saturday that they have re-signed center Paul Gaustad to a four-year contract worth $13 million.  The deal will average out to $3.25 million per season.  Nashville acquired the 30-year-old center and a fourth round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft on February 27 from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Nashville's first round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.  In 70 games last season with Buffalo and Nashville, he had seven goals and 14 assists for 21 points and 76 penalty minutes.  He added one goal and one assist in 10 playoff games.  Not a bad move for the Predators, as Gaustad brings plenty of skill to the forward lines.  He brings lots of grit, toughness, size, defensive skill, and versatility to the checking lines and should help the Predators continue to be a competitive team in the Western Conference.

Hurricanes Sign Jordan Staal to 10-Year Extension

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have signed newly acquired center Jordan Staal to a 10-year contract extension worth $60 million.  The deal will average out to $6 million per season.  He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.  Staal was acquired by the Hurricanes on June 22 from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Brandon Sutter, defenseman Brian Dumoulin, and Carolina's first round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft.  The Penguins used the pick to draft defenseman Derrick Pouliot.  In 62 games last season with the Penguins, Staal had 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points.  He added six goals and three assists for nine points in six playoff games.  The Hurricanes had been seeking a number one center and they got that in Jordan Staal.  He has plenty of offensive talent and two-way skill, skates well, and is excellent on the power play and penalty kill.  Now that he will be the number one center in Carolina, as well as playing alongside brother Eric, look for Staal to increase his offensive numbers in the coming years and help the Hurricanes become more competitive offensively.

Canadiens Re-Sign Alexei Emelin to Two-Year Deal

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Saturday that they have re-signed defenseman Alexei Emelin to a two-year contract worth $4 million.  The deal will average out to $2 million per season.  In 67 games last season, his first season in the NHL, he had three goals and four assists for seven points.  Not a bad signing for the Canadiens, as Emelin brings plenty of rugged play and grit to the blueline.  He also has good size, is a strong skater, and is very mobile.  He has plenty of upside, so look for him to improve his play and get stronger with the Canadiens over the next two years.

Kings Sign Jonathan Quick to 10-Year Extension

The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they have signed goaltender Jonathan Quick to a 10-year contract extension worth $58 million.  The deal will average out to $5.8 million per season.  He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer and has one more year remaining on his current contract.  The new deal will officially be signed on July 1, 2012.  In 69 games last season, he posted a 35-21-13 record, 10 shutouts, a 1.95 GAA, and a .929 save percentage.  In 20 playoff games, he posted 16-4 record, three shutouts, a 1.41 GAA, and a .946 save percentage.  He helped lead the Kings to their first Stanley Cup and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the MVP of the 2012 playoffs.  This is an excellent move for the Kings, as Quick is quickly (no pun intended) emerging as one of the top goaltenders in the league.  He has excellent size and speed, lots of confidence, and is a solid goaltender all-around.  He will continue to make the Kings a competitive team in goal for the next decade.

Penguins Sign Sidney Crosby to 12-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced they have signed center Sidney Crosby to a 12-year contract extension worth $104.4 million.  The deal will average out to $8.7 million per season.  He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer and still has one more year left on his current contract.  The new deal will officially be signed on July 1, 2012.  In just 22 games last season, he had eight goals and 29 assists for 37 points.  He missed 60 games last season with post concussion symptoms, which caused him to miss much of the 2010-11 season as well.  This deal comes as no surprise, as the Penguins wanted to get their franchise player locked-up long-term.  Crosby is one of the most complete players in the NHL today, as he has superb vision on the ice and can read and anticipate the play very well.  He has outstanding offensive instincts and has some of the most impressive passing skills in the league today.  He leads by example, plays with some grit, and is a very quick skater.  Concussions have become a problem for him now, which the team will have to monitor for the rest of his career.  Despite the concussion issues, Crosby will continue to help make the Penguins a very competitive team throughout his career.

Penguins Sign Matt Niskanen to Two-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Saturday that they have signed defenseman Matt Niskanen to a two-year contract extension worth $4.6 million.  The deal will average out to $2.3 million per season.  In 75 games last season, he had four goals and 17 assists for 21 points.  Not a bad signing for the Penguins, as Niskanen has plenty of offensive upside and is an excellent skater.  He is a bit inconsistent back on the blueline, but is still a decent defensive option for Pittsburgh.

Canadiens Sign Travis Moen to Four-Year Extension

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that they have signed left wing Travis Moen to a four-year contract extension worth $7.4 million.  The deal will average out to $1.85 million per season.  In 48 games last season, he had nine goals and seven assists for 16 points and 41 penalty minutes.  He missed the last 27 games of the season with an upper body injury.  Not a bad signing for the Canadiens, as Moen has good size, works hard on the ice, plays with plenty of grit and toughness, and is excellent on the penalty kill.  He will continue to be a good fit on the forward lines for the next four years.

Lightning Sign Keith Aulie to One-Year Contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced on Saturday that they have re-signed defenseman Keith Aulie to a one-year, two-way contract.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He was acquired by the Lightning on February 27 from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Carter Ashton.  In 36 games last season with Toronto and Tampa Bay, he had three assists.  He also appeared in 26 games with Toronto and Norfolk of the AHL, scoring three assists.  This is a decent move for the Lightning, as Aulie will bring plenty of shutdown skill and physical play to the blueline.  More than likely, the short-term deal will be used to evaluate Aulie next season before the team considers offering him a longer contract.

Coyotes Re-Sign Andy Miele to One-Year Deal

The Phoenix Coyotes have announced that they have re-signed center Andy Miele to a one-year contract.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He was held pointless in seven games last season with the Coyotes.  He also appeared in 69 games with Portland of the AHL, scoring 16 goals and 38 assists for 54 points.  Not a bad depth signing for the Coyotes, as Miele has some offensive upside.  However, there's a good chance he will probably spilt next season between the Coyotes and the minors.

Kings Re-Sign Jarret Stoll and Colin Fraser

The Los Angeles Kings have locked-up two pieces of their Stanley Cup championship team by re-signing center Jarret Stoll to a three-year contract worth $9.75 million and center Colin Fraser to a two-year contract worth $1.65 million.  Stoll's deal will pay him $3.25 million per season, while Fraser will earn $825,000 per year.  Both players would have been unrestricted free agents on July 1.  In 78 games this past season, Stoll had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points.  He added two goals and three assists for five points in 20 playoff games.  Fraser appeared in 67 games, scoring two goals and six assists for eight points and 67 penalty minutes.  He added one goal and one assist in 18 playoff games.  These are excellent signings for the Kings, as both Stoll and Fraser are good role players on the team.  Stoll brings plenty of two-way ability and a great shot to the checking lines, as well as excellent skills on the faceoff.  Fraser plays with plenty of grit, toughness, and energy and has some defensive ability.  Look for both players to continue to play checking line roles with the Kings throughout the duration of their contracts.

Predators Re-Sign Brandon Yip and Chris Mueller

The Nashville Predators have announced that they have re-signed right wing Brandon Yip to a one-year contract worth $750,000 and center Chris Mueller to a one-year, two-way contract.  Mueller's deal will pay him $550,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 at the AHL level.  Both players would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.  The Predators claimed Yip off waivers from the Colorado Avalanche this past January.  In 35 games this past season with Colorado and Nashville, Yip had three goals and four assists for seven points.  Mueller was held pointless in four games with the Predators.  He also appeared in 73 games with Milwaukee of the AHL, scoring 32 goals and 28 assists for 60 points.  Yip isn't a bad depth signing for the Predators, as he plays with lots of energy and has a little offensive ability.  Look for him to play a role on the checking lines next season in Nashville.  As for Mueller, he is just a depth signing for the club and will likely spend much of next season in the minors.

Ottawa Senators Sign Erik Karlsson to Seven-Year Deal

The Ottawa Senators have locked up an important piece of their team by re-signing defenseman Erik Karlsson to a seven-year contract extension worth $45.5 million.  The deal averages out to $6.5 million per season.  He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1 and could have been a prime target for an offer sheet.  In 81 games this past season, he had 19 goals and 59 assists for 78 points.  He won the Norris Trophy this past Wednesday as the NHL's Top Defenseman for the 2011-12 season.  This is an excellent signing for the Senators, as Karlsson has loads of defensive upside.  He has exceptional offensive skill and hockey sense on the blueline, is a great skater, has excellent puck-moving ability, lots of talent on the power play, and a good shot.  Look for Karlsson to become one of the elite and top defenseman in the NHL over the next few seasons, as well as a likely annual finalist for the Norris Trophy.

Wild Sign Josh Harding to Three-Year Deal

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Josh Harding to a three-year contract extension worth $5.7 million.  The deal will average out to $1.9 million per season.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 34 games this past season, he posted a 13-12-4 record, two shutouts, a 2.62 GAA, and a .917 save percentage.  Not a bad move for the Wild, as Harding has developed into a solid backup goalie for the club.  He has good size and some upside to take on a starting goaltender role.  More than likely, he will play backup to Niklas Backstrom once again next season, which will allow prospect Matt Hackett to develop his game a little more in the minors.

Red Wings Sign Darren Helm to Four-Year Contract

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have re-signed center Darren Helm to a four-year contract extension worth $8.5 million.  The deal will pay him $2.125 million per season.  He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1.  In 68 games this past season with the Red Wings, he had nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points.  This is a great move for the Red Wings, as Helm has developed into an excellent two-way forward.  He is an excellent skater and one of the fastest players in the league, works very hard on the ice, and is great on the penalty kill.  Look for Helm's two-way game to continue to flourish in Detroit over the next four years.

Oilers Sign Lennart Petrell to One-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have re-signed right wing Lennart Petrell to a one-year contract extension.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 60 games this past season with the Oilers, he had four goals and five assists for nine points.  He also appeared in nine games with Oklahoma City of the AHL, scoring two goals and two assists for four points.  Petrell has some defensive skill and lots of versatility, as he can play on both wings.  He doesn't have a lot of offensive upside, so look for him to play a bottom-six role in Edmonton next season.

Lightning Re-Sign Mike Angelidis to One-Year Deal

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have re-signed left wing Mike Angelidis to a one-year, two-way contract.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  He had one goal in six games this past season with the Lightning.  He also appeared in 54 games with Norfolk of the AHL, scoring 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points.  This is really just a depth signing for the Lightning, as Angelidis will likely spend the majority of next season in the minors.  If he sees any time in the NHL, it will likely be as an injury replacement on Tampa Bay's fourth line.

Sharks to Sign Brad Stuart to Three-Year Deal

The San Jose Sharks announced on Monday that they have signed defenseman Brad Stuart to a three-year, $10.8 million contract.  The deal will average out to $3.6 million per season.  The 32-year-old defenseman was acquired by the Sharks on June 10 from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Andrew Murray and a conditional seventh round pick in the 2014 Entry Draft.  Detroit will now receive the pick since Stuart signed with the Sharks.  He would have been eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 81 games last season with the Red Wings, Stuart had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points.  This will be a solid move by the club.  There was much speculation that Stuart wanted to play in California next season to be closer to his family, so San Jose has helped accommodate his wishes.  Stuart will bring lots of defensive and shutdown skill and veteran depth to the team's blueline over the next three seasons.

Blues Sign Barret Jackman to Three-Year Extension

The St. Louis Blues announced today that they have signed defenseman Barret Jackman to a three-year contract extension.  The financial terms have not been disclosed, but the deal is reportedly worth $9.5 million, which would average out to $3.16 million per season.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 81 games this past season, he had one goal and 12 assists for 13 points and 57 penalty minutes.  The Blues were wise to lock up Jackman before July 1, as he is a decent defensive defenseman who plays a physical game and has some shutdown skills.  He is also a solid leader on and off the ice, making him a valuable player to the St. Louis organization.

Blackhawks Re-Sign Smtih, Bollig, Hutton

The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Monday that they have re-signed center Ben Smith and left wing Ben Bollig to two-year contracts and goaltender Carter Hutton to a one-year contract.  The financial terms of all three deals were not disclosed.  All three players would have been eligible for restricted free agency on July 1.  In 13 games last season with the Blackhawks, Smith had two goals.  He also appeared in 38 games with Rockford of the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 16 assists for 31 points.  Bollig had 58 penalty minutes and was held pointless in 18 games with the Blackhawks.  He also played in 53 games with Rockford, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points and 163 penalty minutes.  Hutton posted a 22-13-4 record, three shutouts, a 2.40 GAA, and a .917 save percentage.  He also appeared in 14 games with Toledo of the ECHL, posting a 7-7-0 record, with a 3.15 GAA, and a .900 save percentage.  He has yet to appear in an NHL game.

These aren't bad depth moves for the Blackhawks.  Smith brings some two-way upside and versatility to the forward lines, while Bollig adds plenty of toughness and grit to the checking lines.  Hutton will likely spend almost all of next season in the minors, where he will bring plenty of goaltending skill to Rockford.

NY Islanders Sign Jesse Joensuu to One-Year Deal

The New York Islanders have announced that they have re-signed right wing Jesse Joensuu to a one-year contract.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  In 50 games last season with HV-71 of the Swedish Elite League, he had 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points.  He last appeared in an NHL game with the Islanders during the 2010-11 season, scoring six goals and three assists for nine points in 42 games.  While Joensuu has good size and some scoring ability, he could end up seeing some time in the minors next season if he can't make the team out of training camp.  If he lands a spot on the Islanders' roster for the 2012-13 season, it will likely be on the fourth line.

Kings Re-Sign Marc-Andre Cliche and Richard Clune

The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they have signed center Marc-Andre Cliche and left wing Richard Clune to two-year contract extensions.  The financial terms of both deals were not disclosed.  Both players would have been group six unrestricted free agents on July 1.  In 72 games last season with Manchester of the AHL, Cliche had 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points.  He last appeared in the NHL with Los Angeles during the 2009-10 season.  Clune played in 56 games this past season with Manchester, scoring six goals and nine assists for 15 points and 253 penalty minutes.  He last appeared in the NHL with Los Angeles during the 2009-10 season.  These are really just depth signings for the Kings, as both Cliche and Clune will likely spend the majority, if not all, of next season in the minors.  If they see any NHL action during the 2012-13 season, it will likely be as injury replacements.

Lightning Re-Sign Adam Hall and J.T. Wyman

The Tampa Bay Lightning have announced that they have re-signed right wings Adam Hall and J.T. Wyman to one-year contracts.  The financial terms of both deals were not disclosed.  Hall's contract is one-way, while Wyman's will be a two-way deal.  Both players would have been unrestricted free agents on July 1.  In 57 games last season, Hall had two goals and five assists for seven points.  Wyman had two goals and nine assists for 11 points in 40 games with the Lightning.  He also appeared in 29 games with Norfolk of the AHL, scoring six goals and six assists for 12 points.  These aren't bad depth signings for the Lightning, as both players will bring some skill to the checking lines.  Hall has some defensive ability, versatility, and skill on the penalty kill, while Wyman also has some defensive skill and a little speed.  Look for both players to play on the fourth line next season, although Wyman could possibly spend some time in the minors.