This past week saw the revelation of the schedule, Olympic roster invites and we finally found out the name of the division (which is plainly called the Central Division). Aside from that, it was mostly arbitration news around the division.
Chicago Blackhawks (~$2 million in cap space left)
New to town:
G Nikolai Khabibulin (1 yr/$2 million)
Leaving town:
G Ray Emery (To Philly, 1 yr/ $1.65 million)
G Carter Hutton (To Nashville, 1 yr/ $550K)
LW Viktor Stalberg (To Nashville, 4 yrs/$12 million)
C Michael Frolik (Traded to Winnipeg)
C Dave Bolland (Traded to Toronto)
C Rostislav Olesz (To New Jersey, 1 yr/$1 million)
D Steve Montador (Buyout)
Re-signed:
LW Bryan Bickell (4 yrs/ $16 million)
C Michal Handzus (1 yr/ $1 million)
C Marcus Kruger (2 yrs/$2.65 million)
D Michal Rozsival (2 yrs/ $2.2 million)
D Nick Leddy (2 yrs/ $5.4 million)
Still undetermined:
RW Jamal Mayers (UFA)
The Blackhawks actually made a number of additions last week. They signed a couple of depth defensemen, Theo Peckham and Mike Kostka, and a couple of forwards who will be stuck in the AHL this year, Drew LeBlanc and Brad Winchester. Peckham and Kostka will also be mostly relegated to the AHL level, but they’ll be called up pretty quickly when an injury occurs.
Colorado Avalanche (~$10 million in cap space left)
New to town:
RW J.T. Wyman (From Tampa Bay, 1 yr/$750K)
RW Guillaume Desbiens (From Vancouver, 1 yr/$600K)
C Nathan MacKinnon (3-year ELC signed)
D Nate Guenin (From Anaheim, 1 yr/ $600K)
D Nick Holden (From Columbus, 2 yrs/$1.2 million)
D Andre Benoit (From Ottawa, 1 yr/$900K)
Leaving town:
RW Geoff Walker (To Tampa Bay, 1 yr/ $575K)
C Tomas Vincour (Went to KHL)
D Greg Zanon (Buyout)
Re-signed:
LW Patrick Bordeleau (3 yrs/$3 million)
LW David Van der Gulik (1 yr/ $600K)
C Matt Duchene (5 years/ $30 million)
Still undetermined:
RW Chuck Kobasew (UFA)
RW Milan Hejduk (Likely to retire)
Colorado literally did nothing last week. There were no signings or extensions to announce.
Minnesota Wild (~$2.8 million in cap space left)
New to town:
LW Matt Cooke (From Pittsburgh, 3 yrs/$7.5 million)
RW Nino Niederreiter (Trade from New York Islanders)
D Keith Ballard (From Vancouver, 2 yrs/$3 million)
D Jonathon Blum (From Nashville, 1 yr/$650K)
Leaving town:
RW Devin Setoguchi (Traded to Winnipeg Jets)
RW Pierre-Marc Bouchard (To New York Islanders, 1 yr/$2 million)
RW Cal Clutterbuck (Traded to New York Islanders)
RW Mark Parrish (Buyout)
C Matt Cullen (To Nashville, 2 yrs/$7 million)
D Justin Falk (Trade to New York Rangers)
D Tom Gilbert (Buyout)
Re-signed:
G Niklas Backstrom (3 yrs/$10.25 million)
D Jared Spurgeon (3 yrs/$8 million)
Still undetermined: None of note
Much like the Colorado, the Wild were quiet last week. The only things of note about them were that Zach Parise, Ryan Suter and Nino Niederreiter were invited to, and are all expected to make, their respective Olympic teams this winter.
Nashville Predators (~$4.6 million in cap space left)
New to town
G Carter Hutton (From Chicago, 1 yr/ $550K)
LW Viktor Stalberg (From Chicago, 4 yrs/$12 million)
LW Eric Nystrom (From Dallas, 4 yrs/$10 million)
LW Matt Hendricks (From Washington, 4 yrs/$7.4 million)
C Matt Cullen (From Minnesota, 2 yrs/$7 million)
D Seth Jones (3-year ELC signed)
Leaving town:
RW Sergei Kostitsyn (off to the KHL)
D T.J. Brennan (To Toronto, 1 yrs/$600K)
D Jonathon Blum (To Minnesota, 1 yr/$650K)
D Hal Gill (Buyout)
Re-signed:
LW Rich Clune (2 yrs/$1.7 million)
C Nick Spaling (1 yr/$1.5 million)
Still undetermined:
G Chris Mason (UFA)
RW Brandon Yip (UFA)
Nashville settled with their one arbitration case, Nick Spaling, and look to be done with moves this offseason. Spaling signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal to stay with the team.
St. Louis Blues (~$8 million left in cap space)
New to town:
LW Magnus Paajarvi (Traded from Edmonton) – New this week
RW Mark Mancari (From Buffalo, 1 yr/$600K)
C Derek Roy (From Vancouver, 1 yr/$4 million)
C Maxim Lapierre (From Vancouver, 2 yrs/$2.2 million)
C/W Keith Aucoin (From NYI, 1 yr/$625K)
C Alexandre Bolduc (From Phoenix, 1 yr/$550K)
Leaving town:
LW David Perron (Traded to Edmonton) – New this week
RW Jamie Langenbrunner
RW Ty Rattie (Traded to Edmonton) – New this week
RW Dmitrij Jaskin (Traded to Edmonton) – New this week
C Andy McDonald (retired)
C Scott Nichol (retired)
D Kris Russell (Traded to Calgary)
Re-signed:
G Jake Allen (2 yrs/$1.6 million)
D Jordan Leopold (2 yrs/$4.5 million)
RW Chris Stewart (2 yrs/$8.3 million)
Still undetermined:
D Alex Pietrangelo (RFA)
The Blues re-signed two of their three remaining restricted free agents this past week. Winger Chris Stewart signed a two-year, $8.3 million contract and backup goalie Jake Allen signed a two-year, $1.6 million contract.
All that’s left now is the big one, Alex Pietrangelo. Pietrangelo is one of the best defensemen in the league (and only 23-years-old) and should be getting a huge contract whenever that finally gets worked out.
Winnipeg Jets (~$13 million in cap space left)
New to town:
RW Devin Setoguchi (Trade from Minnesota)
RW Michael Frolik (Trade from Chicago)
RW Jerome Samson (From Carolina, 1 yr/$600K)
RW Andrew Gordon (From Vancouver, 1 yr/$550K)
D Adam Pardy (From Buffalo, 1 yr/$600K) (also, HA!)
D Jacob Trouba (Up from the minors)
Leaving town:
LW Antti Miettinen (Went to Switzerland)
C Alexander Burmistrov (Went to KHL)
D Derek Meech (Went to KHL)
Re-signed:
G Al Montoya (1 yr/$601K)
LW Eric Tangradi (2 yrs/$1.35 million)
C Bryan Little (5 yrs/$23.5 million))
D Grant Clitsome (3 yrs/$6.2 million)
D Paul Postma (2 yrs/$1.425 million)
D Zach Redmond (1 yr/$715K)
Still undetermined:
RW Blake Wheeler (RFA)
C Nik Antropov (UFA)
C Kyle Wellwood (UFA)
D Zach Bogosian (RFA)
D Ron Hainsey (UFA)
The Jets were the busiest team in the division last week. They settled with a couple of their arbitration players and re-signed a couple of other players.
Winnipeg first settled with Paul Postma to the tune of a two-year, $1.4 million contract. They also re-signed Zach Redmond and, most importantly, Bryan Little. Little got himself a five-year, $23.5 million extension with the team.
There were a number of small moves also made. The Jets signed a couple of AHL goalies, Michael Hutchinson and Edward Pasquale, as well as forwards Eric O’Dell and Anthony Peluso. All should be AHL-level guys next season.
Antti Miettinen made a decision to leave the NHL and went Switzerland, becoming the third Jets player to leave for an overseas team.
Winnipeg still has a couple of big arbitration dates coming up for Zach Bogosian and Blake Wheeler.
