July 5 was a crazy one. Analysis on what I thought here...
I'm doing mainly quick notes on all of the moves:
HORCOFF TO DALLAS-Always played hard for Edmonton, truly a class act, and a good leader. He is a good two-way player who can play both PP and PK, who's good for your 3rd line. 765 games in Edmonton, it's going to be strange to see him in a new city. His contract and his role on the Oilers as a No.1 or No.2 C due to a lack of depth were always targeted by Edmonton media, but he battled through it to the end. Dallas has a lot of young talent coming into the system and it took them two days to completely re-shape their C core with Seguin, Peverley, and now Horcoff. I'm a little surprised that Edmonton didn't simply buyout Shawn Horcoff, but then I'm also surprised that Dallas didn't make Edmonton eat any money in the deal. Edmonton did a good job gaining the extra cap space, which we all know now was meant for David Clarkson but they couldn't finish that deal (probably a dodged bullet, as he may have been overpaid to 6M if he came to the Oilers.) Taylor Hall will likely become the captain in Edmonton, and Nail Yakupov will get his junior favorite #10 number back if he wants to. I think Ales Hemsky is the next veteran on his way out of Edmonton.
EMERY-Philly signs him to a very reasonable deal and the short term is nice too. He's fought through a lot to get a chance at a No.1 goalie position again, and he truly deserves the opportunity. He'll likely beat out Steve Mason and get a chance to sign a longer term deal in the summer of 2014 if he plays well and his hip holds up. Awesome signing. I'm surprised that Chicago paid more for Nikolai Khabibulin than they did for Emery, but it's possible Emery just didn't like the fit in Chicago.
KOMISAREK-Mike is a classy player who signs for a bargain in Carolina, where he'll be in a quieter market where the pressure will be less. There is no risk to this deal at 700K, and if he gets his confidence back, he'll be a solid stay-at-home D-man for the Canes. It's up to him to prove he can still play in the league. PS: Khudobin was super cheap, what an awesome signing.
HORTON-The Columbus Blue Jackets continued making big moves, and Jarmo Kekalainen adds to his resume with a relatively decent deal for 7 years at 5.3M a season. Horton will provide a nice boost to the Jackets when he comes back from injury in the winter and they have a great shot at making the playoffs now. They've also completely rebuilt the right wing with Gaborik and Horton in their top six.The injury history is of big concern, so you hope he doesn't get concussed again or suffers more shoulder problems in the future. He will score 20 goals at least every season and he also gets to go to a quieter market than Boston, which was something he was looking for. 17 points in 22 playoff games this year for Boston, the Bruins look very different from the team we saw just weeks ago.
FERENCE/GORDON/LABARBERA-Andrew Ference was a great signing for the Oilers, because he's gritty and physical, something Edmonton was sorely lacking. He was a big part of shutting down Sidney Crosby in the playoffs. It's probably a year too long, but it's still very reasonable, and he'll be Justin Schultz's reliable new partner. Ference is also a class act and a very bright individual who will help the kids in the room, where his leadership and Stanley Cup winning experience will help big. If Oiler fans are lucky, Ference will score a goal and flip the bird to Canuck fans next season. Boyd Gordon, despite being overpaid, will replace Horcoff and use his grit to help in the bottom six. Gordon also is big on winning face-offs and is another leader for the dressing room. LaBarbera is a good backup for Dubnyk who had a .923 save percentage last year in Phoenix. The Oilers also signed Jesse Joensuu, an underrated 4th line guy with size. The Oilers still have work to do, looking for a physical top six forward as well as a younger, physical 3rd line RW, as well as possibly another good D-man. A No.2 C may also be needed if they aren't convinced Gagner is their man. If they get those pieces, then playoffs will be coming soon. PS: Love how they signed Ryan Hamilton, great AHL leader with grit.
RUSSELL-He has offensive skills that he just hasn't been able to replicate since his world juniors for Canada many years ago, but he'll get a nice opportunity in Calgary for some 2nd unit PP minutes to show his talent. Underrated guy. I am a bit puzzled because the Flames could have just claimed him off waivers two days ago, and also I don't get why they re-signed Chris Butler because he just didn't provide much for them.
MACARTHUR-Scratched in the playoffs after having a rougher season with Randy Carlyle at the helm, he'll bounce back on a decent contract with the Sens. He'll probably score 20 goals from the 3rd line and provide some offensive skill.
ALFREDSSON/WEISS-For a 40 year old, 5.5M seems a bit too much for Alfredsson, especially when Detroit essentially let Filppula, Brunner and Cleary all leave, and I'm not convinced that Detroit is more of a contender than the Ottawa Senators (although Detroit will always be competitive, their prospect system rocks). I'm also a bit surprised that Daniel is moving his family to Detroit for what's likely going to be one season only, but he believes Detroit has a winning team, so he's going to go for a Stanley Cup. It's still a good addition for the Wings overall. Also, playing with Zetterberg and Datsyuk is way more attractive than Turris and Michalek. It's sad to see him leave Ottawa, but the Sens will be able to move on, led by Chris Phillips, Chris Neil and Jason Spezza. Definitely a shocking move, but Alfie is a classy guy who just wants to try something different for the end of his career. Quick note on that other signing that wasn't talked about much, Weiss is a great fit in Detroit to replace Filppula.
SCUDERI-Tough loss for the Kings. A good, tough d-man who will be key for a Pittsburgh team lacking defensive structure. He's a character guy who will stay-at-home and he's a two-time Stanley Cup winner. He'll probably allow Kris Letang to have more freedom as his partner. Pittsburgh needs to add some more pieces, but they'll have to move out some salary first, and I believe Matt Niskanen may be on the chopping block. Meanwhile, LA needs Willie Mitchell to come back soon, they will really miss Scuderi.
RAMO-27 years old now, he's been able to mature in the KHL and he has improved over time. I initially was interested at his 2.75M price that seemed steep, but I think he'll be good for the Flames in net.
FILPPULA-5M a season? Tampa Bay overpaid hard here. I'd much rather have Lecavalier at his price than Filppula at 5M. He's not a first line C, and he's way too inconsistent sometimes to even be a 2nd line C. This is a bad move for the Lightning, and a future buyout in the making. Drouin is a nice add, but I'm not in love with Steve Yzerman's offseason so far.
RYAN TRADE TO SENS-Only really have one point to say about this one: Forget about Alfredsson in a few months Ottawa, because Ryan is much better. The Ducks also got some nice pieces back in a first rounder, Noesen, and especially Silfverberg. Ryan is a bigger beast, 30 goal scorer who could hit 40 with Jason Spezza feeding him, and I'm sure Anaheim only traded him because of cap issues. Ryan will also enjoy that he will get increased minutes, as he would be sometimes limited when he wasn't on a line with Getzlaf and Perry. This was a surprising move. He has 2 years left on his deal, which is something to think about in the future for Sens fans.
NABOKOV/HAMONIC/BOUCHARD/REGIN-Nabokov signs a nice deal for both himself and the Isles after a nice playoff appearance. 3.25M is nice and cheap for a starting goalie. The Isles also got a steal of a deal on young d-man Travis Hamonic. It will be interesting to see how Bouchard and Regin do, as both are talented but also injury prone.
PARROS-Takes a burden off of Prust to fight, and is a smart, tough 4th liner who will match up against Colton Orr or Shawn Thornton or Frazer McLaren, and provide sandpaper for the Habs. Parros can protect a guy like Brendan Gallagher and also provide nice character in the room. I think Montreal will still look at dealing Desharnais and Gionta, as well as Travis Moen, so I don't think they're done. Montreal still wants more of a top nine presence who can mix it up and grind it out. He also has a great moustache that has more value than 200 players or so around the league.
MOORE-Very glad to see Dominic Moore back in the NHL. Wins faceoffs, plays a few PP minutes, is underrated and a true class act. Good add by the Rangers.
MOVES-There are some moves that I thought were solid that didn't really need analysis. Re-signings like Matthias in Florida, Kennedy/Hannan in San Jose, Bernier in Toronto, Koivu in Anaheim, Rozsival/Handzus in Chicago, Spurgeon in Minny, as well as signings like Mottau and Crabb in Florida, Ellis in Dallas, Lapierre to Blues, Stalberg/Hendricks/Cullen/Nystrom in Nashville (Nystrom was a bit pricey, Hendricks is an underrated add, Stalberg was 500K too much), Pouliot in New York, and yes, Ribeiro in Phoenix. First line C in Phoenix, Ribeiro produces, it's an obvious fit.
CANUCKS-Vancouver made some nice moves, signings Yannick Weber (who can shoot) and Brad Richardson, who replaces Lapierre. Once they re-sign Chris Tanev, they will still have a lack of cap space to really make an impact, and I think that's going to hurt this team's progress towards a cup.
CLOWE/RYDER-Clowe is the direct replacement to Clarkson in New Jersey, but they overpaid. He scored 3 goals last year, but there were still a lot of teams wanting to use him. If Clowe stays healthy, he can still be a great team player and a fan favorite at the top of his game. The concussions are a worry, but they seem to be an only recent problem. Ryder is a very affordable pick-up who will provide NJ with 50-60 points. All they need now is Dan Cleary, to create the Newfoundland Line, as long as one of them shifts to center.
SETOGUCHI-A good pick-up by Winnipeg for the 2nd line. He'll be a top six forward that allows the Jets a tad of alleviated pressure on Mark Scheifele to score points. Frolik and Setoguchi will both fight in training camp to be on a line with Evander Kane, and Devin will provide some heart to a team that seems to be on the cusp of the playoffs. Although it's not surprising the Minnesota was trying to clear cap space, I'm surprised that they moved him for only a 2nd round pick, but I guess he is a UFA in 2014. I also still think Alex Burmistrov's status as a Jet is up in the air, they could get a 2nd round pick back by trading him.
COOKE-Welcome to the West once again, Mr.Cooke. No one likes his style except for the team that has him. Although he's cleaner than before, I'm sure he'll do something controversial in the term of this deal. A nice replacement for Clutterbuck.
IGINLA-Marian Hossa 2.0 on this one. Iginla is a good fit, but this is hilarious. The question is going to be whether or not Iginla can do more for the Bruins both on and off the ice as Jaromir Jagr did, which I think he certainly can. Scores goals, hits, fights, and leads. He will have something to prove, and I wouldn't be shocked if he puts up 30+ goals with Bruins fans screaming for an extension. Boston has two new solid lines with Lucic-Krejci-Iginla and Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson, making them just as dangerous as they were in the playoffs. It should be interested to see if Boston can re-sign Tuukka Rask while staying cap compliant. For Iginla's sake, I hope Pittsburgh doesn't win the cup...although it would be a nice story for the beat writers.
CLARKSON AND BOZAK-I saved it for last. If the Leafs can re-sign Kadri to a nice deal this offseason and extend Kessel, then Nonis will have proved his worth. David Clarkson is a guy with tons of heart who is a team player, crasher/fighter/agitator/grinder. The Leafs haven't seen a guy like Clarkson in their lineup since Darcy Tucker. With Kadri's playmaking skills, I see Clarkson hitting 20 for sure in the goals department, maybe 30 if he gets PP time, in exchange for protection, as Kadri could use some. Tyler Bozak's deal was very reasonable and good for the Leafs, a lot less than what was rumored. Clarkson, meanwhile, was definitely overpaid at 5.25M cap hit for 7 years, but this was the right team to make that type of deal, so all in all I'm fine with it. Toronto is a hard team to play against who will once again challenge for making it past round one of the playoffs. Fraser, Colborne, Franson, and of course Kadri are still RFAs, so Nonis still will be busy. Toronto still needs a shutdown D-man and also needs a No.1 C still, arguably, although they may be contempt with Bozak/Kadri/Bolland/McClement down the middle. I could also see the Leafs trying to deal J-M Liles (the Islanders need a PP guy to play with Visnovsky with Streit gone and Donovan not a guarantee). A 3rd line LW would also be ideal.
-Dion Phaneuf is a big wildcard. I think he stays until the season, but does he come back as a UFA? I don't think so at this point, but I don't know.
HORCOFF TO DALLAS-Always played hard for Edmonton, truly a class act, and a good leader. He is a good two-way player who can play both PP and PK, who's good for your 3rd line. 765 games in Edmonton, it's going to be strange to see him in a new city. His contract and his role on the Oilers as a No.1 or No.2 C due to a lack of depth were always targeted by Edmonton media, but he battled through it to the end. Dallas has a lot of young talent coming into the system and it took them two days to completely re-shape their C core with Seguin, Peverley, and now Horcoff. I'm a little surprised that Edmonton didn't simply buyout Shawn Horcoff, but then I'm also surprised that Dallas didn't make Edmonton eat any money in the deal. Edmonton did a good job gaining the extra cap space, which we all know now was meant for David Clarkson but they couldn't finish that deal (probably a dodged bullet, as he may have been overpaid to 6M if he came to the Oilers.) Taylor Hall will likely become the captain in Edmonton, and Nail Yakupov will get his junior favorite #10 number back if he wants to. I think Ales Hemsky is the next veteran on his way out of Edmonton.
EMERY-Philly signs him to a very reasonable deal and the short term is nice too. He's fought through a lot to get a chance at a No.1 goalie position again, and he truly deserves the opportunity. He'll likely beat out Steve Mason and get a chance to sign a longer term deal in the summer of 2014 if he plays well and his hip holds up. Awesome signing. I'm surprised that Chicago paid more for Nikolai Khabibulin than they did for Emery, but it's possible Emery just didn't like the fit in Chicago.
KOMISAREK-Mike is a classy player who signs for a bargain in Carolina, where he'll be in a quieter market where the pressure will be less. There is no risk to this deal at 700K, and if he gets his confidence back, he'll be a solid stay-at-home D-man for the Canes. It's up to him to prove he can still play in the league. PS: Khudobin was super cheap, what an awesome signing.
HORTON-The Columbus Blue Jackets continued making big moves, and Jarmo Kekalainen adds to his resume with a relatively decent deal for 7 years at 5.3M a season. Horton will provide a nice boost to the Jackets when he comes back from injury in the winter and they have a great shot at making the playoffs now. They've also completely rebuilt the right wing with Gaborik and Horton in their top six.The injury history is of big concern, so you hope he doesn't get concussed again or suffers more shoulder problems in the future. He will score 20 goals at least every season and he also gets to go to a quieter market than Boston, which was something he was looking for. 17 points in 22 playoff games this year for Boston, the Bruins look very different from the team we saw just weeks ago.
FERENCE/GORDON/LABARBERA-Andrew Ference was a great signing for the Oilers, because he's gritty and physical, something Edmonton was sorely lacking. He was a big part of shutting down Sidney Crosby in the playoffs. It's probably a year too long, but it's still very reasonable, and he'll be Justin Schultz's reliable new partner. Ference is also a class act and a very bright individual who will help the kids in the room, where his leadership and Stanley Cup winning experience will help big. If Oiler fans are lucky, Ference will score a goal and flip the bird to Canuck fans next season. Boyd Gordon, despite being overpaid, will replace Horcoff and use his grit to help in the bottom six. Gordon also is big on winning face-offs and is another leader for the dressing room. LaBarbera is a good backup for Dubnyk who had a .923 save percentage last year in Phoenix. The Oilers also signed Jesse Joensuu, an underrated 4th line guy with size. The Oilers still have work to do, looking for a physical top six forward as well as a younger, physical 3rd line RW, as well as possibly another good D-man. A No.2 C may also be needed if they aren't convinced Gagner is their man. If they get those pieces, then playoffs will be coming soon. PS: Love how they signed Ryan Hamilton, great AHL leader with grit.
RUSSELL-He has offensive skills that he just hasn't been able to replicate since his world juniors for Canada many years ago, but he'll get a nice opportunity in Calgary for some 2nd unit PP minutes to show his talent. Underrated guy. I am a bit puzzled because the Flames could have just claimed him off waivers two days ago, and also I don't get why they re-signed Chris Butler because he just didn't provide much for them.
MACARTHUR-Scratched in the playoffs after having a rougher season with Randy Carlyle at the helm, he'll bounce back on a decent contract with the Sens. He'll probably score 20 goals from the 3rd line and provide some offensive skill.
ALFREDSSON/WEISS-For a 40 year old, 5.5M seems a bit too much for Alfredsson, especially when Detroit essentially let Filppula, Brunner and Cleary all leave, and I'm not convinced that Detroit is more of a contender than the Ottawa Senators (although Detroit will always be competitive, their prospect system rocks). I'm also a bit surprised that Daniel is moving his family to Detroit for what's likely going to be one season only, but he believes Detroit has a winning team, so he's going to go for a Stanley Cup. It's still a good addition for the Wings overall. Also, playing with Zetterberg and Datsyuk is way more attractive than Turris and Michalek. It's sad to see him leave Ottawa, but the Sens will be able to move on, led by Chris Phillips, Chris Neil and Jason Spezza. Definitely a shocking move, but Alfie is a classy guy who just wants to try something different for the end of his career. Quick note on that other signing that wasn't talked about much, Weiss is a great fit in Detroit to replace Filppula.
SCUDERI-Tough loss for the Kings. A good, tough d-man who will be key for a Pittsburgh team lacking defensive structure. He's a character guy who will stay-at-home and he's a two-time Stanley Cup winner. He'll probably allow Kris Letang to have more freedom as his partner. Pittsburgh needs to add some more pieces, but they'll have to move out some salary first, and I believe Matt Niskanen may be on the chopping block. Meanwhile, LA needs Willie Mitchell to come back soon, they will really miss Scuderi.
RAMO-27 years old now, he's been able to mature in the KHL and he has improved over time. I initially was interested at his 2.75M price that seemed steep, but I think he'll be good for the Flames in net.
FILPPULA-5M a season? Tampa Bay overpaid hard here. I'd much rather have Lecavalier at his price than Filppula at 5M. He's not a first line C, and he's way too inconsistent sometimes to even be a 2nd line C. This is a bad move for the Lightning, and a future buyout in the making. Drouin is a nice add, but I'm not in love with Steve Yzerman's offseason so far.
RYAN TRADE TO SENS-Only really have one point to say about this one: Forget about Alfredsson in a few months Ottawa, because Ryan is much better. The Ducks also got some nice pieces back in a first rounder, Noesen, and especially Silfverberg. Ryan is a bigger beast, 30 goal scorer who could hit 40 with Jason Spezza feeding him, and I'm sure Anaheim only traded him because of cap issues. Ryan will also enjoy that he will get increased minutes, as he would be sometimes limited when he wasn't on a line with Getzlaf and Perry. This was a surprising move. He has 2 years left on his deal, which is something to think about in the future for Sens fans.
NABOKOV/HAMONIC/BOUCHARD/REGIN-Nabokov signs a nice deal for both himself and the Isles after a nice playoff appearance. 3.25M is nice and cheap for a starting goalie. The Isles also got a steal of a deal on young d-man Travis Hamonic. It will be interesting to see how Bouchard and Regin do, as both are talented but also injury prone.
PARROS-Takes a burden off of Prust to fight, and is a smart, tough 4th liner who will match up against Colton Orr or Shawn Thornton or Frazer McLaren, and provide sandpaper for the Habs. Parros can protect a guy like Brendan Gallagher and also provide nice character in the room. I think Montreal will still look at dealing Desharnais and Gionta, as well as Travis Moen, so I don't think they're done. Montreal still wants more of a top nine presence who can mix it up and grind it out. He also has a great moustache that has more value than 200 players or so around the league.
MOORE-Very glad to see Dominic Moore back in the NHL. Wins faceoffs, plays a few PP minutes, is underrated and a true class act. Good add by the Rangers.
MOVES-There are some moves that I thought were solid that didn't really need analysis. Re-signings like Matthias in Florida, Kennedy/Hannan in San Jose, Bernier in Toronto, Koivu in Anaheim, Rozsival/Handzus in Chicago, Spurgeon in Minny, as well as signings like Mottau and Crabb in Florida, Ellis in Dallas, Lapierre to Blues, Stalberg/Hendricks/Cullen/Nystrom in Nashville (Nystrom was a bit pricey, Hendricks is an underrated add, Stalberg was 500K too much), Pouliot in New York, and yes, Ribeiro in Phoenix. First line C in Phoenix, Ribeiro produces, it's an obvious fit.
CANUCKS-Vancouver made some nice moves, signings Yannick Weber (who can shoot) and Brad Richardson, who replaces Lapierre. Once they re-sign Chris Tanev, they will still have a lack of cap space to really make an impact, and I think that's going to hurt this team's progress towards a cup.
CLOWE/RYDER-Clowe is the direct replacement to Clarkson in New Jersey, but they overpaid. He scored 3 goals last year, but there were still a lot of teams wanting to use him. If Clowe stays healthy, he can still be a great team player and a fan favorite at the top of his game. The concussions are a worry, but they seem to be an only recent problem. Ryder is a very affordable pick-up who will provide NJ with 50-60 points. All they need now is Dan Cleary, to create the Newfoundland Line, as long as one of them shifts to center.
SETOGUCHI-A good pick-up by Winnipeg for the 2nd line. He'll be a top six forward that allows the Jets a tad of alleviated pressure on Mark Scheifele to score points. Frolik and Setoguchi will both fight in training camp to be on a line with Evander Kane, and Devin will provide some heart to a team that seems to be on the cusp of the playoffs. Although it's not surprising the Minnesota was trying to clear cap space, I'm surprised that they moved him for only a 2nd round pick, but I guess he is a UFA in 2014. I also still think Alex Burmistrov's status as a Jet is up in the air, they could get a 2nd round pick back by trading him.
COOKE-Welcome to the West once again, Mr.Cooke. No one likes his style except for the team that has him. Although he's cleaner than before, I'm sure he'll do something controversial in the term of this deal. A nice replacement for Clutterbuck.
IGINLA-Marian Hossa 2.0 on this one. Iginla is a good fit, but this is hilarious. The question is going to be whether or not Iginla can do more for the Bruins both on and off the ice as Jaromir Jagr did, which I think he certainly can. Scores goals, hits, fights, and leads. He will have something to prove, and I wouldn't be shocked if he puts up 30+ goals with Bruins fans screaming for an extension. Boston has two new solid lines with Lucic-Krejci-Iginla and Marchand-Bergeron-Eriksson, making them just as dangerous as they were in the playoffs. It should be interested to see if Boston can re-sign Tuukka Rask while staying cap compliant. For Iginla's sake, I hope Pittsburgh doesn't win the cup...although it would be a nice story for the beat writers.
CLARKSON AND BOZAK-I saved it for last. If the Leafs can re-sign Kadri to a nice deal this offseason and extend Kessel, then Nonis will have proved his worth. David Clarkson is a guy with tons of heart who is a team player, crasher/fighter/agitator/grinder. The Leafs haven't seen a guy like Clarkson in their lineup since Darcy Tucker. With Kadri's playmaking skills, I see Clarkson hitting 20 for sure in the goals department, maybe 30 if he gets PP time, in exchange for protection, as Kadri could use some. Tyler Bozak's deal was very reasonable and good for the Leafs, a lot less than what was rumored. Clarkson, meanwhile, was definitely overpaid at 5.25M cap hit for 7 years, but this was the right team to make that type of deal, so all in all I'm fine with it. Toronto is a hard team to play against who will once again challenge for making it past round one of the playoffs. Fraser, Colborne, Franson, and of course Kadri are still RFAs, so Nonis still will be busy. Toronto still needs a shutdown D-man and also needs a No.1 C still, arguably, although they may be contempt with Bozak/Kadri/Bolland/McClement down the middle. I could also see the Leafs trying to deal J-M Liles (the Islanders need a PP guy to play with Visnovsky with Streit gone and Donovan not a guarantee). A 3rd line LW would also be ideal.
-Dion Phaneuf is a big wildcard. I think he stays until the season, but does he come back as a UFA? I don't think so at this point, but I don't know.