Erasure Lives

I try to discover
A little something to make me sweeter
Oh baby refrain from breaking my heart
I'm so in love with you

I'll be forever blue

That you give me no reason
Why you're making me work so hard

That you give me no
That you give me no
That you give me no
That you give me no

Soul, I hear you calling
Oh baby, please give a little respect to me

"A Little Respect" by Erasure

Don't look now, but the Caps are starting to get grumblings of respect from the rest of the NHL as under GMGM's guidance they have quietly improved their roster in a span of a few short weeks. (Take that, Dave Fay.) The latest admirer is none other than the Great Mullet himself, Barry Melrose - in today's Post, George Solomon quotes Melrose:

"The Capitals are much improved -- without breaking the bank [...] Nylander had a great year for the Rangers, Poti is a solid addition on defense and Kozlov gives them depth. I think they've signed three of the top nine free agents available."

This of course comes right on the heels of Scott Burnside's analysis calling the Caps a team on the rise:

"Slowly, quietly, GM George McPhee is building the Caps into a dangerous team in the east. Hard-working and tough already, the Caps added some offensive juice down the middle in the form of Viktor Kozlov and Michael Nylander (now Public Enemy #1 in Edmonton, not that anyone in Washington cares) who combined for 51 goals and 134 points a year ago. Tom Poti, another New York Islander ex-pat should help out a power play that ranked 24th. The Caps hung around the playoff race for two-thirds of a season a year ago -- look for them to be in it until the end this coming season."

To quote Winnie the Pooh's friend Eeyore: thanks for noticing us.

Now I'm just waiting for that flashy NHL.com cover story and I'll be happy. You know, like the other teams that did less. (Hello, Detroit, I'm looking at you - signing two geriatrics does not a spectacular offseason make...)

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Always Look On the (Sort of) Bright Side of Life

It's always nice to open the paper (or in my case, click on a link) and see Dave Fay's byline in the Washington Times. It just sets the mood for a happy day.

Sarcasm, folks. Live it, love it.

Just days after the Caps made a pretty significant splash in the free agent market, a collection of moves that seem to have pleased both pundits and fans alike, we get an article from everyone's favorite crotchety old man with the following title: Caps Still Must Address Defense.

Okay. We all were here last year and the year before. We know that defense has, in recent years, not been a strong suit in Washington. No one is arguing that point, nor is anyone arguing that while the moves GMGM made were good this is still not a Stanley Cup-caliber team and they will at some point need a veteran, stay at home defenseman. Even McPhee himself has hinted that the Caps are not necessarily done retooling, a process that will likely and should continue through the arbitration period and right up to training camp.

But do we have to get all gloomy so quickly? McPhee has pulled off some near-brilliant moves, starting with the draft, and has improved this team significantly. Instead of pointing out that "All [three new Caps] have warts", (and honestly, very few players don't have "warts" as he so nicely puts it) why not focus on what they can add to this team? Power play presence, puck-moving ability, veteran experience...nothing? Nope. Here's what he says about the newbies:

Kozlov, 32, has worked with Alex Ovechkin previously in Russia. Assuming Kozlov is Ovechkin's right wing, that opens up avenues for the third-year player that were not there before. [Gee, I think he likes Kozlov, who to me was the weakest of the three signings...]

The complaint against Nylander, who turns 35 in October, wherever he has been is that he holds the puck too long, passing up scoring opportunities while playing keep-away. Chances are that can't be cured, but at least no one has been complaining about his defense. [Oh, snap! Clever, Dave.]

Poti's reputation has been as a "soft" defenseman, one who is not as reliable killing a penalty or even in normal defensive situations as he is setting up a power play, where he excels. Poti, 30, should be able to build on his reputation with the Caps. [Not really sure if he means that in a good way or a bad way...]

Dave does praise McPhee for doing what he's done and admits the team is better, but there are a few too many "buts" in this article for my liking, a few too many backhanded compliments. I'm not surprised, I'm just pointing it out - it's what I do.

One last rant and then I'll let ol' Dave be - Mr. Fay, please don't put words in my mouth or thoughts in my mind by saying stuff like this: "[i]t's just that fans are anxious to hear what sound a second shoe makes."

Please, I'm a Caps fan. I've heard plenty of other shoes dropping. Let me be happy, if only for a little while longer...

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When You're Lowe, You're Low

- I can't believe I'm about to spend my 450th post talking about the Sabres, but what can you do...

So when Kevin Lowe lost out on Nylander he made what sounded like a somewhat empty threat - he would tender offer sheets to restricted free agents. His rationale is that the Oilers cannot take the ice in the fall with the roster they have right now, and I am inclined to agree with him. Still, I highly doubted that Lowe, up until recently one of the more respected GMs if only for his glorious history as a player, would stoop to Bobby Clarke's thuggish ways.

Boy, was I wrong.

In what some would probably call a desperate move, Lowe presented an offer sheet to Tomas Vanek, Buffalo's young emerging superstar, for a whopping 7-year, $50 million deal. Being no dummy Vanek signed, putting Buffalo in the position of having to match or lose yet another offensive talent from their already depleted roster. Regier, obviously not wanting to see that happen (I'm picturing Slug riots the likes of which you've never seen), will hold a press conference this afternoon to in all likelihood announce that Buffalo will match.

Wow. It's a little ridiculous to me that a) such a huge contract would be offered to someone like Vanek, who while talented is not yet a proven superstar and b) Buffalo would open their wallets for Vanek and not for Drury or Briere. Puzzler, isn't it? So much for these small-market teams not having the cash or cojones to go after those fat contracts...$50 million is nothing to sneeze at.

- The Caps will hold their development camp at KCI next week and all events are open to the public - if I recall correctly, in past years this event has been exiled to Hershey, so if you're around and want to check out some of our young talent make an effort to come out and see them play. That means not only getting your first glimpse of new Caps studs Backstrom and Alzner but also some of the lesser known but equally talented guys in the system like Varlamov, Pokoluk and Werner. If I can swing it I know I'll be there!

Here's the schedule, per Tarik:
Tuesday, July 10 -- Players arrive

Wednesday, July 11 - On ice in two groups beginning at 8:30 a.m.; scrimmage from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Thursday, July 12 - On ice in two groups beginning at 8:30 a.m.; scrimmage from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Friday, July 13 - On ice in two groups beginning at 8:30 a.m.; scrimmage from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 14 - On ice in two groups beginning at 8:30 a.m.; scrimmage from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 15 -- Players depart

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Free Agent Mini-Frenzy

The wheel o' backup goaltenders continues, as the Buffalo Sabres replace Martin Biron/Ty Conklin with Penguins' castoff Jocelyn Thibault.

In other signing news, the Islanders signing spree continues, signing Bill Guerin to a two-year deal and Mike Comrie to a one-year deal...good news for the Oilers, since Comrie was probably the one free agent they didn't want.

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Blueshirts Lacking the Green?

- One of the biggest splashes in the free agent market this offseason was made by, who else, the New York Rangers. Signing first Scott Gomez and then Chris Drury was a bold move to be sure, but the jury's still out on whether it was a smart one.

With these two signings the Rangers' salary, pre-arbitration, was inflated to $39,711,310. Still under the cap, so no problem, right? Wrong.

There is this tiny nagging problem that four of their cornerstone players remain unsigned: Brendan Shanahan, Sean Avery, Marcel Hossa, and Henrik Lundqvist. (Prucha was the fifth, but he re-signed today, terms undisclosed.) The remaining cap space is just enough to cover Lundqvist at $5 million, Avery at $2.5 million, Hossa at his qualifying offer, and Shanahan at $2.5 million plus cap-exempt bonuses.

Lundqvist is in the best position to negotiate, arguably being the biggest reason for the Rangers' success in the postseason this past summer, and could file for arbitration before tomorrow's deadline.

Raise your hand if you think any of these guys, particularly King Henrik, is going to settle for these amounts after the numbers thrown at Drury and Gomez. No one? Me neither. Now raise your hand if you think Shanahan is as good as gone. Everyone?

Me, too.

- In other Rangers-related news, the Devils have stolen away Lundqvist's backup Kevin Weekes, signing him to a $1.375-million, two-year contract. I guess all this really means is that Clemmensen is on his way out and the Devils will now overpay someone different to ride the bench for 79 games a year. Good plan.

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Post-Holiday Catch Up

Enough cheesy patriotic mumbo-jumbo - we've all had our fill of hamburgers, beer, fireworks and rain...back to the important matters at hand.

- Looks like this Nylander thing is going to work out fine, at least for the Caps. According to Tarik (by way of the Edmonton Journal) there was no binding contract with Edmonton, just a verbal and e-mail exchange between Lowe and Nylander's agent. Lowe apparently called Nylander in Sweden on Monday and was informed that he had signed with the Caps instead. I understand Lowe's reasons for being upset and truthfully Nylander should have kept him apprised of the situation if he was reconsidering - but bottom line, a contract with the Oilers was never signed and until it was Lowe should have continued to pursue other avenues.

It's sometimes hard to remember that all of this wheeling and dealing of players actually involves real people and real lives. This was clearly a change of heart based on Michael's decision to put his family first, ahead of a more lucrative contract with the Oilers, and stay in an area they were familiar with. I feel sorry for Lowe and the Oilers but I applaud Nylander for really putting the concerns of his family before anything else. That's exactly the type of player I want wearing the Caps' jersey.

- Guess what? The Islanders actually signed someone! Ruslan Fedotenko (former Bolt and probable future recipient of another "kiss my [rear]" quote from Tortorella) agreed to a one year deal with the Isles that would pay him $2.9 million. Woo.

- Speaking of that quotable quote by the ever-classy Lightning coach...who out there thinks Eric Perrin is going to play just a little bit harder those 8 times he has to see his former team now that he's with a division rival? Should be fun to watch.

- I'm sure I'm the only one who cares but I'm feeling extremely let down by Bob Gainey's efforts to bolster a Canadiens team that found itself outside the playoffs looking in just a few short months ago. The only good thing he has done is rid himself of dead weight (aka Samsonov and Souray). Hamrlik and Smolinski are good players but are not enough for this team that is lacking in a lot of areas. You've got your captain, Saku Koivu; solid goaltending for years to come with Huet, Halak and Price likely competing for the number one spot, a handful of promising youngsters (Ryder, Higgins, Komisarek) and then...what? Even the Caps at least had Ovechkin to build around. I see a couple of rough years ahead for this storied franchise, my beloved Habs.

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Lowe Needs a Hanky

Okay, nobody panic...I'm not a betting woman but I would put all my money on the fact that Nylander will in fact be with the Caps come training camp. From everything I've read and everything I understand about contracts 101, this thing with the Oilers is nothing more than a little blip on the radar. Until I hear otherwise, that's what I have to believe.

(I think we also have to consider that this may be a bit of Kevin Lowe trying to save face after getting...oh, what was it again...uh, NOTHING since the trade deadline last season. Oilers' fans, get your torches and pitchforks ready.)

Check out what Tarik has to say about this whole mess on Capitals Insider and in the Post, or Corey's piece in the Times for a little perspective.

In other new Caps' news, Nylander and Karl Alzner both stopped in to SportsTalk 980 this week. Funny, funny guys - give 'em a listen.

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Jiri It for Columbus

Quick update on a few former Caps - Jiri Novotny signs with the Blue Jackets for two years and Dainius Zubrus signs for six years with the Devils. Fascinating.

Oh, and if you're keeping track of all parts to that controversial trade...Timo Helbling remains teamless. Even more fascinating.

More later...

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Michael Michael Motorcycle

Okay. Whew. Done jumping around and ready to look at this signing from a calm, collected point of view.

Oh, who am I kidding?? I'm still giddy as a schoolgirl because Nylander is back!

I know there are people out there saying he's not as good without Jagr or he's overpaid at $5 million plus per year...and those people can stuff it. Because in his two years here and in the years since I never saw anyone who could puckhandle around five opposition players and a goalie the way he could. It was a thing of beauty, something truly breathtaking to behold.

Now picture that dangling ability. Combined with the perfect pass. Landing on the stick of Ovechkin. Uh...I may need to start jumping around again.

But seriously, say what you will about Michael's age or his production being an outgrowth of playing on a line with Jagr. Ovechkin will always beat out Jagr in my book, and I can't wait to see the production from both of these guys once they join forces.

It will be something to see, I assure you.

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Take That, Edmonton!

YAY!!

More after I stop jumping around like a lunatic...

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Lost Players Find Homes

Day 1 of the "Free Agent Frenzy" has come and gone, and we've all had time to process the moves that were made or not made as the case may be around the NHL.

Some thoughts...
- Let's deal with the biggest issue on everyone's mind - no, we didn't sign Gomez or the gruesome twosome from Buffalo. Uh...did people actually think we were going to? The prices and length of term for those three guys who, I'm sorry, are grossly overrated, would have put the Caps in a financial and contractual bind and prevented them from moving forward with extensions for our youngsters in the coming years. They're good players, sure. Are they worth $6-7 million a year until the end of time? Absolutely not.

What's more, we all knew those were the kinds of dollars and contract lengths being tossed around for any one of those centers, and had we signed any of them there would have been cries of "overpaid!" coming from every corner of CapsNation. Now I'm well aware that I've repeated time and time again how much I love Chris Drury and wanted him here. But not for five years at just over $7 million a year, no thank you. And now that he's donning the hated blueshirt, my love and respect for him has just taken a serious hit. Sorry, Chris, but you can't be the heart and soul player for a team that has neither heart nor soul. Good luck with Satan Jagr...

- As always I took a spin around the Caps online world to get a feel for the verdict on yesterday's action, and while I was pretty impressed (and frankly surprised) with how positive many people seemed to be, to the rest of you I have to say one thing: quit your whining. Look around at the deals being made all day yesterday, huge dollar amounts flying left and right, lifetime contracts being doled out...then look at the fantastic job that GMGM did.

He got us a puck-moving defenseman who can, wait for it, quarterback the power play. He locked him up for four years at $3.5 million per year, maybe a tad overpaying but definitely low considering the market. Maybe not a number one defenseman, but still top four and all in all a good pickup. Then he went out and got a guy who has played with Ovechkin, who put up career numbers last year, who at just 30 is still in his prime, and who can fill the need for a skilled right winger. Price tag? Two years, $2.5 million. Voila.

That's filling two holes that needed to be filled with relatively little risk involved, particularly with Kozlov. If either doesn't work out, a 2 or 4 year deal is much easier to move than a 6-8 year contract...we know that all too well. So that's $6 million tied up in two pretty decent players, leaving tons of cash left over to go after one sexy center, whoever that may be...I know who I want.

- Back to the Poti deal - this is a guy that I actually wanted to see here the last time he was available and the more I think about it the better I feel about this signing. People are complaining that he's sometimes prone to defensive mistakes. Guess what? He wasn't brought in to be a Scott Stevens or even a Brendan Witt. He was brought in to do exactly what he does, play the point, boost the offense, and occasionally shut down the other team's scoring.

The organization has quite a few youngsters who will, in time, fill that stay at home d-man position. Jeff Schultz leaps immediately to mind, as does Shaone Morrisonn. Big bodies, young players who will grow into their role, and the only way to let them do that is to actually give them experience doing just that. It may continue to be a little bumpy along the way, but let's face it - how much worse could it really be? And in the meantime you get a guy with playoff experience, a guy who knows a few of his new teammates, a guy who can pick up some badly needed points on the power play...I say well done, McPhee.

- The Rangers are really bugging the crap out of me, I'll say it right now. It's not that I thought Drury or Gomez would come here because I honestly didn't, as I mentioned before. It's the sheer audacity they have in resuming the game I like to call "New York big bucks franchise tries to buy a championship" (See Steinbrenner, George.) Last season I found myself occasionally praising the team I loathed for getting away from all that crap and trying to build through the draft and acquisitions based more on character and ability than on name alone (around Jagr, sure, but still...) Flash forward to yesterday: they sign Drury and Gomez, the two biggest names of the UFA frenzy. They're going to lose Nylander, they just lost Ortmeyer...and they're back to square one. Of course, they still don't have any defense to back up their "firepower", so at least we can hang on to that lovely thought.

- What the hell are the Flyers doing? I'm no expert in the ways of building a winning team, but to me it doesn't seem wise to lock up a handful of second-tier players to huge long-term contracts the year after your worst season in franchise history. To me this looks like the desperate act of a franchise trying to quickly win back their fans. Newsflash to Snider and Holmgren: Philly fans are fickle. Sure, the trades and signings that got done yesterday may make the Flyers an infinitely better team...it could also blow up in their face. As a former division rival, am I the only one who is hoping it's the latter? If that makes me a bad person, I don't care. Too many long nights surrounded by fans in orange and black will make a person bitter.

(I will say that I do like the idea of Briere going somewhere I already hate - makes it easier to continue my own personal loathing of the evil little hobbit.)

- Winners of the first day: Colorado. Wow. Locking up Smyth and Hannan (who went for a lot less than I thought he would) augments what already was a pretty decent team...hey, any team that can make Andrew Brunette into a consistent scorer gets my vote. With Joe Sakic continuing to produce and lead in a way that only he can and now these two new additions, this Avs team is going to look pretty darn scary come the fall.

- Bizarre Award: Pittsburgh. They've already locked up their geriatric duo, Roberts and Recchi. So what's next? Go find a 35 year old defenseman whose best days are behind him to...to what? Increase the average age in the locker room? Okay, sure. Then they pick up Petr Sykora (you know, the "good" one), who has never really lived up to the hype that surrounds him. Just ask Devils fans. Throw in the addition of a new backup goalie after spending this year praising the hell out of Thibault's performance, and rightly so, and you've got one strange, strange day on the market for the Pens.

- The Caps really were the best team in the division at improving their roster after their moves yesterday. Granted, they had more work to do than the other four teams who all either made the playoffs or really sat just on the cusp at the end of last season, but still. No Cup winner out of the Southeast Division this season? What's that all about? Let's take a brief gander around the Southeast:

• Tampa: Signed Michel Ouellet to a two-year deal. Respectable point totals, but the guy couldn't score consistently on a line with Sidney Crosby. Please. I may not like Sid the Kid very much but I hear he's a pretty decent passer...
  
• Carolina: Agreed to a two-year deal with Jeff Hamilton. Again, I'll say...who?
  
• Atlanta: Signed Eric Perrin, formerly of the Bolts, to a two-year deal. Not necessarily a bad signing, just kind of...meh. Signed Todd White to a four-year deal. Again, not necessarily bad, just...meh. And they lost their silver bullet, Jon Sim, to free agency. Oops.
• Florida: Signed Richard Zednik (2 years), Brett McLean (3 years) and Radek Dvorak (2 years). I'm sorry, I do love him, but Zed? Suckers. The other two are space-fillers at best, and with Bertuzzi and Roberts departing at the deadline they have very little grit. Of course they did swing that Vokoun deal at the draft, which fills a very urgent need in net and signals the end of Eddie "the Balding Eagle" Belfour's reign of terror, so that's an upgrade.

So now we sit and wait for the rest of the UFAs to go their separate ways, with many eyes suddenly and bizarrely on the Michael Nylander situation but also focused on *shudder* Alexei Yashin. The Caps are still looking for a top line center and I'll bet GMGM has been very busy today trying to lock one up as soon as possible...stay tuned.

Update: Per Japers' Rink (and courtesy of an alert commenter) it looks like my Nylander dream, like so many of my Caps-related dreams, has come crashing back to earth with a resounding thud. A second radio station is claiming Nylander has signed a 4 year deal with the Oilers. No confirmation from TSN as yet, but this is twice now that we're hearing word out of Edmonton of a deal - three times and I say we move on to...*sigh*...Yashin. I guess. Sure.

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Just An Idea...

I'm just going to throw this out there as an idea, see how it sounds: Ovechkin on the left wing, Nylander at center, and Kozlov on the right wing.

Hmm, rolls right off the fingertips, doesn't it? That's some scary-good puck handling, playmaking ability on your top line. And the good news is, we've already got two of the three parts...

Come on, GMGM, git 'er done!

(In other news, Caps fans should rejoice - Jon Sim has officially left the Southeast Division! He just signed a 3-year deal with the Islanders, meaning we only have to see him 4 times a year now. Oh, say it softly, it sounds like singing...)

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Bodies Flying Everywhere

I don't think I have any Rangers' fans who read what I write on a regular basis, so I feel pretty comfortable in saying this:

I hate the New York Rangers. Hate. Despise. Loathe. And now? Fear.

How is it fair that they pick up Gomez AND Drury? Grr. GRRR.

...rant complete.

The Caps made a move while I was ranting about the Rangers, signing Viktor Kozlov to a two year, $5 million deal. To me this is a good pick up and not a completely surprising one - he's made it clear that he would like to play with Ovechkin and Semin, he's cheaper than the ridiculously overpriced centers that flooded the market this offseason, and at 32 years old still has some good years left.

He also is coming off a career year in goals, a number that can only go up when playing on the same line with Ovechkin. +12 on a defensively suspect Isles team isn't bad, either, and a 2-year deal is relatively low risk considering some of these long-term deals being handed out (8 years for Briere w/ a no trade clause? WHAT?)

Good day so far for GMGM...

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Let the Madness Begin

Here's the scoop - the free agent "frenzy" kicks off in exactly two hours. There are rumblings that this could be quite the crazy, action-packed day. Throughout the day I'll be taking my Red Bull and PowerBars, doing my best to update the most recent signings and roster moves here, but I'm sure in the meantime everyone has something to say.

So here in the Cheap Seats I'm taking a page from my superior colleague and kicking off an open thread to discuss what you want, when you want. I know its Sunday and most people have lives, but if you're kicking around waiting for the contract news to trickle in like me and you stumble through here, feel free to make your voice heard.

• Who do you want to see in the red, white and blue?
• Which signing would make you rip out your hair?
• What team will be the most active? How about the least active?
• Who do you (realistically) think the Caps (or your favorite team) will bring in?
• Will Gilligan ever get off that damn island?

Discuss...

Update: Pascal Dupuis signs 1 year, $880K contract w/ Atlanta; Joe Thornton signs 3-year contract extension w/ San Jose

(Mental) Update: For some reason I have that Tom Petty song running on a loop through my head...you know, "The waiting is the hardest part / Every day you see one more card / You take it on faith, you take it to the heart / The waiting is the hardest part..."

Update: Iginla is on the verge of signing a long-term contract with Calgary, reported to keep him there through either 2010-11 or 2011-12. As you all know Calgary is my third team (anyone keeping track of how many there are? I've lost count), so as a sort-of Flames fan I say YAY! That was one of the issues facing Calgary next year at this time - glad to see they got Iggy tied up; he's definitely the heart and soul of that Flames team.

Update: Todd White signs with the Thrashers, 4 years at just over $2 million/year. And may I just say...Todd who? Big, exciting day so far, folks.

Update: The excitement continues as RFA Ryan Whitney has agreed to a contract extension w/ the Penguins, terms as yet unannounced. Woo.

Update: The Caps have signed Tom Poti to a 4 year, $3.5 mil/year deal. Huh. Not sure how I feel about that, although it adds veteran presence to the blueline and gives us a stay at home d-man...more later after I've processed.

Update: Florida has signed Brett Mclean to a 3-year deal and Richard Zednik to a 2-year deal, thus continuing a long line of confusing moves by the kitty cats.

Update Mathieu Schneider has signed a 2-yr, $11.25 million deal with the Ducks - looks like Niedermeyer is hanging them up, although I don't know the value of overpaying someone just as old and not as skilled to take his place...

Update: I'm hearing (unconfirmed) rumblings that Briere is officially a Flyer and Gomez has signed with the Rangers...updates to come, stay tuned. Update to the update, per TSN.ca: Daniel Briere has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers for eight years and $52 million. The deal includes a no movement clause.

Update: Calgary signs defenceman Cory Sarich to a five year, $18 million deal. Good upgrade for a team that will probably lose Hamrlik to free agency in the next few days.

Update: (coming fast and furious now, eh?) Brian Rafalski agrees to a five year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

Update: Forward Yanic Perreault agrees to terms with the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year, $1.5 million contract. Poor Yanic...not really sure why he keeps bouncing around so much, he's always been a favorite of mine. Can you imagine him here? Picture 82 games of Locker calling him "No Panic Yanic". Too bad.

Update: A quick check of Tom Poti's Wikipedia entry informs us that he has a number of assorted allergies, including chocolate, peanuts and MSG. Huh. MSG? Didn't he used to play for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden? (Oh, I crack myself up...). He's also a Yankees fan...wonder what Clark will think about that!

Update: (More semi-interesting deals)
- The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed right winger Michel Ouellet to a two-year deal worth $1.2 and $1.3 million. [At least he didn't come to the Caps.]
- The Carolina Hurricanes agree to a two-year contract worth $800,000 per year with forward Jeff Hamilton. [Who?]
- Florida Panthers have signed forward Radek Dvorak to a two-year contract. [Panthers have been busy the last few days, that doesn't bode well if any of their dealings pan out...this division is getting a little scarier.]
- The Boston Bruins have signed free-agent right winger Shawn Thornton to a multi-year contract. [Another bizarre and uninteresting Boston pick-up, along with Manny Fernandez last night.]

Update: The Atlanta Thrashers have signed forward Eric Perrin to a two year deal worth $1.5 million. The Southeast shuffle continues.

Okay, I'm out. For updated free agent signings check some of the other blogs or the source everyone is already using, TSN.ca's real time Free Agent Tracker. If the Caps do anything else I'm sure I'll be back on to discuss it - if they sign Yashin, you can count on it.

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