James van Riemsdyk has signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets reportedly worth $900,000. The 35-year-old veteran isn’t at the same level we saw from him early in his career, but he’s still a solid role player who can do a great job as a middle-six forward for his new organization. Veteran Presence
Free Agency
The Colorado Avalanche have been busy this offseason. They re-signed vital free agents, filled out the forward group, and loaded up the defensive core, but are they done making changes and signing new names? More specifically, do they offer anyone a professional tryout contract (PTO) to see how they might fit with the team during
The Toronto Maple Leafs made a flurry of signings on the opening day of free agency, including the decision to bring in Jani Hakanpaa on a two-year $3 million contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million. To some, it was a slight overpay, though adding a physical defenceman with a 6-foot-6 stature was
Last week, we looked at which teams fared best in free agency. Today, we’ll look at some teams who took the wrong approach or maybe didn’t improve their rosters as much as it may seem. Of note, this article only includes UFA signings, so if your favorite team made some trades, those transactions will not
When the Chicago Blackhawks made their free agent frenzy signings on July 1, goaltending was the one position that unsurprisingly got a big upgrade. General manager Kyle Davidson said at the end of the season that he would “take a deep look” at the position, considering backup goaltender Arvid Söderblom‘s struggles. Now, they have a
The Florida Panthers have entered the 2024 offseason as Stanley Cup champions for the first time in franchise history. They look to build the roster back up to run it back this season for a chance to retain their title. As with most free agency periods, there were Panthers pieces that were lost in the
Plenty of ink has been spilled since the NHL’s Free Agency arrived on July 1 about the uncharacteristically quiet offseason for Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings. Through the first few days of free agency, the team hadn’t added any significant assets, and had lost an important leader and depth scorer in David Perron,
Long gone is the NHL free-agent frenzy. At this point, it’s safe to say which teams did the best and worst in free agency, even though a couple of notable UFAs (James van Riemsdyk and Daniel Sprong, to name a couple) remain available. Let’s look at five teams who did best in free agency this
Through all the chaos of the Tampa Bay Lightning offseason, fans may have missed that the organization inked a deal with 24-year-old Jesse Ylonen in free agency. The winger was drafted with the 35th overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in 2018 but has yet to live up to his full potential in the NHL.
Now that the Ottawa Senators have signed Shane Pinto to a new two-year contract worth $7.5 million, they have their core locked in for at least the next two seasons. The issue they face now is collecting wins and playing meaningful games in April, ultimately leading to their first playoff appearance since 2017. The Senators’
What is better than having one Slavin in an organization? How about two Slavin’s? On Sunday, July 7, the Carolina Hurricanes inked Josiah Slavin to a two-year, two-way deal that sees him be with the organization through the 2025-26 season. He will join his brother, two-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner Jaccob Slavin, within the
The Vancouver Canucks’ biggest signing of free agency this week was inking former Boston Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk to a five-year contract with an average annual value of $5.5 million. This addition seemed to make sense for both sides, as DeBrusk always seemed to want a bigger role in Boston and by signing in Vancouver
The Calgary Flames have signed winger Anthony Mantha to a 1-year, $3.5-million deal, according to Eliotte Friedman. Anthony Mantha to Calgary, 1 x $3.5M — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2024 The 29-year-old Mantha is entering his 10th season in the NHL. He finished with 23 goals (the third highest of his career) in 74
The St. Louis Blues have been busy over the past week before free agency begins throughout the league on July 1. General manager Doug Armstrong has been working the trade market with two deals made during the week of the 2024 Draft. On top of this, the club made nine picks from the Las Vegas
The Anaheim Ducks desperately need to add more depth pieces in the offseason, especially players who can contribute offensively. General manager Pat Verbeek has emphasized signing forwards with speed and grit to bolster the bottom-six forward group. Pending unrestricted free agents who embody those qualities should be plentiful come July 1, but some players in