Washington Capitals defenseman Dennis WidemanJack Dempsey/The Associated Press
The Calgary Flames have decided not to wait until NHL free agency begins. They got busy Wednesday acquiring and signing defenceman Dennis Wideman from the Washington Capitals and also re-signing forward Blake Comeau.
The Caps shipped Wideman to the Flames in exchange for defenceman Jordan Henry and a fifth-round pick in the 2013 entry draft.
With the Capitals last season, Wideman played in all 82 games and scored 11 goals and 35 assists. He signed a five-year contract with the Flames that will average $5.25-million (all currency U.S.) a season.
The 29-year-old Wideman will join a Calgary defence that presently includes Jay Bouwmeester, Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Anton Babchuk, Derek Smith and Chris Butler. Veterans Scott Hannan and Cory Sarich are about to become unrestricted free agents.
The Flames chose not to make a qualifying offer to Comeau earlier this week then re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.25-million. Comeau was claimed off waivers last season from the New York Islanders and played in 58 games with Calgary scoring 15 points.