While the Dallas Stars have been really busy so far during this free agency, what’s the rest of the Pacific Division been up too? Well, in short, all the other teams in the division have been pretty quiet but there have been a few interesting moves and there will be some significant ones to come. So let’s see what those rivals have been up to.
Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have been busy this offseason adding to thier blue line. They reached a little bit and drafted Hampus Lindholm with the sixth overall pick in the draft, which I don’t have a problem with if they really like him. There were other defensemen more talented than Lindholm but it’s obvious that the Ducks were set on him.
They also sent away noted Stars killer Lubomir Vishnovsky to the New York Islanders for a second-round pick during the draft.
When free agency hit, they went out and got themselves another couple of big defensemen. They signed Sheldon Souray away from the Dallas Stars with a three-year, $11 million deal and they also signed shot blocker and all-around effort defensemen Bryan Allen to a three-year $10.5 million deal.
It’s a big boost to their pretty shoddy d-core but it’s nothing earth shattering. Souray had his problems on the ice with penalties and struggled offensively for long stretches during the season. Allen adds very little on the offensive side of the ice.
The Ducks also signed Brad Staubitz to two-year deal (for an unconfirmed amount). He’s nothing more than a depth line tough guy. Anaheim wanted to add some beef and toughness to the team and they got it.
Now there should still be a couple of big moves coming from the Ducks. First off, Teemu Selanne is still a UFA and wants to play another year. He should be back next year with the Ducks.
The other big move involves Bobby Ryan. The 25-year-old is a huge trade piece out in the market right now but is being overshadowed by Rick Nash. Ryan would not be as expensive to trade for and he’s just as good as Nash. Teams with some serious interest in Ryan so far have been the Philadelphia Flyers, Buffalo Sabres and the Toronto Maple Leafs. I still find it surprising that the Ducks are willing to trade him, but he’s out there to be had.
As of July 5, the Ducks still need a little over $7 million to reach the cap floor, so there will be more moves from this team.
Additions: Allen, Souray, Staubitz, Lindholm (draft), Nicolas Kerdiles – C (draft)
Subtractions: Sheldon Brookbank – D (to Chicago), George Parros – RW (to Florida), Riley Holzapfel – C (to Pittsburgh), Jean-Francois Jacques – LW (to Florida), Vishnovsky (trade to NYI)
Re-signed: No one as of yet
Still Unresolved: Selanne (UFA), Rod Pelley – C (UFA), Ryan O’Marra – C (UFA), Niklas Hagman – LW (UFA), Jason Blake – LW (UFA), Kyle Cumiskey – D (RFA), Iiro Tarkki – G (UFA), Dan Ellis – G (UFA),
Phoenix Coyotes
The Coyotes really haven’t done much this offseason. They’ve made a bunch of little signings and re-signings to help fill out the roster but there’s been no one significant. Case in point, their biggest signing so far has been center Steve Sullivan for a one-year $1.85 million contract.
They did, however, make a pretty big trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the draft that saw defensemen Zbynek Michalek come to the Coyotes for a couple of prospects and a draft pick. Michalek should step in as a top-four defensemen for the Yotes.
While the Coyotes haven’t been too busy signing players, they have been busy watching players leave. They’ve lost a few guys, most significantly winger Ray Whitney to the Dallas Stars. Whitney led the Coyotes in scoring last season and will be a massive loss.
Phoenix also has a big free agent in winger Shane Doan, who still hasn’t decided where he’s going to sign. There are a lot of other teams interesting in him, most significantly the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings.
There’s also been rumblings that the Yotes are looking to deal away veteran defensemen Keith Yandle, but I just don’t see that happening. It’s going to take a pretty big deal to get him away from Phoenix. An offseason in which they lose Whitney, Doan and Yandle would be crazy.
Phoenix sits about $11.5 million away from the cap floor, so they have to make a good number of signings.
Additions: Michalek, Sullivan, David Moss – LW, Rob Klinkhammer – LW, Chris Connor – RW, Henrik Samuelsson – C (draft), Chad Johnson – G
Subtractions: Adrian Aucoin – D (to Columbus), Whitney (to Dallas), Taylor Pyatt – LW (to NYR), Matt Beaudoin – RW (to Washington), Matt Watkins – RW (to NYI), Marc Cheverie – G (trade to Pittsburgh), Harrison Ruopp – D (trade to Pittsburgh)
Re-signed: Alex Bolduc – C, Andy Miele – C
Still Unresolved: Doan (UFA), Kyle Chipchura – C (RFA), Daymond Langkow – C (UFA), Marc-Antoine Pouliot – C (UFA), Brett MacLean – LW (RFA), Justin Pogge – G (UFA), Chris Summers – D (RFA), Kurt Sauer – D (UFA), Michal Rozsival – D (UFA)
San Jose Sharks
Like Phoenix, the Sharks have been pretty quiet so far this offseason. They’ve made very few signings and lost a couple of players in free agency. Their biggest signings so far has been Adam Burish away from the Dallas Stars for a four-year $7.2 million contract and a trade with the Red Wings for defenseman Brad Stuart and signing him to a three-year $10.8 million contract.
Other than those two, it’s been silence from the Sharks camp. The one thing that could change all of that is the Rick Nash sweepstakes, which the Sharks are in on. Nash would command a hefty trade package from the Sharks and the Rangers are the frontrunners at the moment, so San Jose might be pretty much done this offseason. They’re already above the cap floor so there’s no need to make more signings if they elect not to.
If the Nash move doesn’t happen, it looks like this will be pretty much the same Sharks team as usual.
Additions: Stuart, Burish, Bracken Kearns – C, Jonathan Matsumoto – C, Tomas Hertl – C (draft)
Subtractions: Torrey Mitchell – C (to Minnesota), Mike Moore – D (to Nashville)
Re-signed: Alex Stalock – G
Still Unresolved: Dominic Moore – C (UFA), Daniel Winnik – LW (UFA), Brad Winchester – LW (UFA), Benn Ferriero – RW (UFA), T.J Galiardi – LW (RFA), Colin White – D (UFA), Jim Vandermeer – D (UFA), Antti Niittymaki – G (UFA)
Los Angeles Kings
The Cup Champions have been the most quiet team in the division during this offseason. They’ve made three re-signings: Colin Fraser, Dustin Penner and Jarret Stoll and that’s basically their entire offseason so far. They have the luxury of just sitting back and taking this same team to next season as they’re still pretty young and obviously talented.
The Kings are well above the cap floor, so they don’t need to make any signings. I wouldn’t expect the Kings to do too much the rest of the offseason.
Additions: Tanner Pearson – LW (draft)
Subtractions: Ethan Moreau – LW (retired), Jeff Zatkoff – G (to Pittsburgh)
Re-signed: Fraser, Penner, Stoll
Still Unresolved: Dwight King – C (RFA), Scott Parse – LW (UFA)
