[Updated in comments with Roloson post-signing discussion]
The NHL passed into its free agent frenzy period overnight er, today at noon, but the biggest names moved last night -- and we're not talking househunting in Vancouver, either. The big stuff, followed by Islanders bits after the jump:
- Let me get this straight: Dany Heatley requested a trade. Bryan Murray obliged. Dan(n)y said: Oh, maybe not that trade. What a country. Where I'm from, they'd "beat you like a redheaded stepchild."
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James MIrtle has a reassuring take on the Scott Gomez cap-salvage deal and some insight into Jay Bouwmeester taking the money (5 years, $6.6M per) in Calgary before hitting the market.
- Johnny Oduya's $3.5M per from the Devils puts a little context on Rob Scuderi's price. The Pens want to re-sign Tenk, too.
- IslesOfficial Doug alerted me that Chris Neil turned down the Sens' offer. He'd be a fit with the Isles, I'm afraid.
It's funny with the draft: We go in with our average rankings for all these prospects, but the complex routes of communication mean there is great disagreement about where some of these kids rank, and great misdirection by GMs who think they've got a line on a real gem. When a GM/scouting team beats a rival to the prize, they're not going to sour relations by coming out and saying so. But sometimes the real circumstances filter out...
Later: A more in-depth look at the mixed bag of free agent goalie candidates we've been tossing around...