I don't expect a lot of Islanders news today, but you never know. Surely they'll be chasing something. Everyone acknowledges a weak market, so maybe Garth Snow goes the trade route. Meantime, to help everyone use their crazy free agent wishlist template to the fullest, we might as well stay up to date on who's gone where.
Summer by summer, GMs are getting smarter [EDIT: No, no they're not. Not after today's deals. Lottery Colorado trading a 1st for Varlamov. Florida signing Jovo to a four-year, $4 million per over-35 deal], locking up what they can before they have to pay 29-bidder prices. Some, like Buffalo with Christian Ehrhoff, are still circumventing the cap with absurd deals (which Gabe Desjardins says is not worth it, and wasn't worth the Islanders' reported offer either).
Here's a cheat sheet of who's already off the market (pretty much everyone) and who is rumored to be after whom thanks to tampering conveniently self-serving leaks to media.
NOTE: We'll be adding updates below throughout.
Islanders and General Links First
- Zenon Konopka is philosophical about being let go by the Isles.
- The Sound Tigers signed big Ben Olson, a late-season PTO.
- Cool story on Islanders 2nd-round pick Scott Mayfield, whose parents I should probably stalk.
- Here's the Islanders five-game preseason schedule, which spans from Calgary to Bridgeport.
- Areener Update: All you need to know to vote, and such. You better register by July 7.
- Something about numbers and stuff that makes the Islanders look alright last year.
- Brian Lawton wants you to know he was a thoughtful GM.
- Justin Bourne on young partiers in the NHL or thereabouts.
- Probably stay away from these free agents.
- Here are free agents that worked (Islanders) and those that didn't (Rangers). FanShot here.
- A great PPP poem about the stupidity of UFA period.
Atlantic
I don't know whether those old rumors of him having money troubles were legit, but in any case Jaromir Jagr is a consummate flake, so his little soap opera does not surprise me one bit.
Update: And whatdya know? The Penguins pulled their offer. I'm not surprised. There is a reason I didn't want my Czech jersey to be a JAGR way back when.
Update 2: Jagr goes to -- get this -- the Flyers! Ho-ho, that's gonna be an interesting relationship.
Shock, shock! The Flyers, despite days of tampering rumors, will not make an offer sheet to Steven Stamkos that would have cost them four first-round draft picks and, in case of injury or decline or continued slumping like the end of last season, would still cost them four first-round draft picks. (Seriously, I don't get why anyone even entertains the thought, other than to drive up the price for their conference rival.)
The Penguins are working to keep Tyler Kennedy. UPDATE: Kennedy is signed. Two years, $2 million per.
I'm looking forward to seeing the Rangers sign Brad Richards for too much and too long. Don't be scared, folks; he's not that scary.
Quisp asks what I asked except asks it much better: WTF is Brooks talking about in his latest CBA diatribe? Silly Quisp -- doesn't he know if you put "Make no mistake" or "Repeat after me" before a declaration, then it is infallible?
Update: Devils lock up Andy Greene for four years.
Northeast
So yeah, Ehrhoff signed a 10-year, $40 million deal with the Sabres. The final three seasons are Kovalchukian, with a total outlay of $3 million. The Sabres are a benevolent-billionaire-owner story to watch. They have the money to burn, but so far they've used it on Brad Boyes, Robyn Regehr and Christian Ehrhoff. I'm just saying. Unlike diamonds, cap space isn't forever.
Boston's Peter Chiarelli is wary of this dangerous UFA market, which is why he's allowing secondary players Tomas Kaberle and Michael Ryder to test the market before they come back home for cheap. Actually, I bet both those guys take the money and run -- and then alternately thrill and madden their new fanbases.
Southeast
The Capitals haven't made an offer to defenseman Scott Hannan.
Jim Rutherford has signed all of the Hurricanes he just said he wouldn't be able to sign except for Erik Cole.
Not a rumor, but: In garik's "SIGN VOKOUN AND GET 14 MORE POINTS" fanpost I asked whether Florida (like Nashville) was one of the league's shot overcounters that make Tomas Vokoun look a little better than he is. But perhaps they are not.
Dwayne Roloson is on board for more in Tampa Bay (he's like only their second goalie under contract in the entire organization), but Sean Bergenheim has priced himself out. No matter, Thompson, Gervais and Brewer live on.
Update: Florida is tossing money around like a drunken sailor -- only some of it wisely.
The Rest
One woman's version of the top 10 free agents. What an ugly list.
Detroit was supposed to be tampering "interested" in either Ehrhoff or James Wisniewski for their "Rafalski slot," but Ehrhoff is gone and Wisniewski may very well take too much money from their Central "rival."
Update: Wisniewski signs for six years, $33 million in Columbus. Wow.
The Blackhawks are in manage expectations mode (aka paying off their Faustian Cup deal) but did manage to lock up ex-Sabre Steve Montador.
Oh, did someone say it's overpayment season? The Red Wings joined in by keeping Jonathan Ericsson for too much.
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Well, happy July 1, everyone. I'm guessing you'll be enticed, excited, let down and, finally, relieved.
Consider this a live, open thread which will be updated as news and time warrants. So feel free to share news you see in comments. Remember: You serve your fellow reader much better by providing a LINK or naming a SOURCE for your scuttlebutt. Thanks.