NHL Free Agency Drama

As the 2009 NHL Entry Draft passed us by, we started setting out minds on the “Frenzy” that is the Free Agency season for the National Hockey League.

There was much anticipation and many rumors that accompanied the days and hours leading up to the opening of the market. A couple of teams pulled no punches going after each and every available body that would fill a need on their team.

Leading up to free agency many teams seemed very inactive, but if your team was silent (Devils) there was always enough Dany Heatley news to go around!

Habs Go Hog-Wild

Bob Gainey and the brass of the Montreal Canadiens looked downright foolish to some, including myself, prior to free agency by acquiring Scott Gomez and his anchor of a  contract ($7.35Million/year).

However, as Canadiens fans do, there was an abrupt’ about face’ when the landing of Gomez led to the attraction of other free agents that will, no doubt, help the Canadiens cause.

The Canadiens acquired the tiny, but speedy and talented Brian Gionta, along with Mike Cammalleri – who publicly stated that it was the acquisition of Gomez that lured him to Montreal.

Gainey, with what appears to be a blank check from the Molson Brothers, burned through the Habs’ cap space like Paris Hilton on Rodeo Drive!

Hal Gill and Jaroslav Spacek were both signed as free agents.  Spacek is talented, fairly durable, but not overly big and plays soft.  He looks to be a solid addition to the Canadiens blueline, but leaves the powerplay with two set-up defensemen (Markov) and no “shooter”.

The loss of Mike Komisarek to the Leafs was tough to swallow for many Canadiens fans, wondering who will be the physical presence on the Habs’ blueline this coming season?

It is possible that Hal Gill was acquired to replace the size and physicality of Komisarek.  Gill can be physical and is certainly a huge presence, but he skates like a drunken walrus and can’t hit what he can’t catch.

Blackhawks Blunder?

The Chicago Blackhawks also went on a spending spree acquiring Marian Hossa from the Detroit Red Wings and locking him up with a huge 12-year contract.  That looked to be a decent move for the Blackhawks and they also acquired Kopecky from the Red Wings as well.

Lost in the Blackhawks plans seems to be the acquisition of a starting goaltender as Khabibulin was snagged by the Edmonton Oilers.

To top it all off, there is an investigation by the league into the way that the Blackhawks made their qualifying offers to a host of restricted free agents, including the highly touted youngsters, Kris Versteeg and Cam Barker.  It is thought that this might pass without consequence, but if the qualifying offers were found to be invalid these players could become unrestricted free agents!

The result of the botched qualifying offers could mean one step forward and two steps back for this resurrected franchise.

One More Year

A couple of the NHL’s grisled and talented veterans decide to have one more kick and the Cup before the y call it quits.  Teemu Sleanne announced that he will suit up for one more season with the Ducks, while Mark Recchi took a 1-year $1million contract for another campaign with the Boston Bruins.