Free agency day didn't have the wild money tossed around like usual, and trades overshadowed most of the signings. Yet there are still some clear winners and losers from July 1.
WINNERS
- With the weakest free-agent pool in recent history, NHL general managers kept themselves from overpaying. No contract was longer than six years, Andrej Sekera's US$33 million with the Oilers was the most money and Mike Green's $6 million with the Red Wings the highest cap hit.
- Edmonton continued its makeover by improving the blue line with Sekera, so the Calgary Flames brought back goaltender Karri Ramo at a reasonable $3.8 million and signed sought-after "utility tool" forward Michael Frolik. The next few seasons of this rivalry should be fun.
- Getting rid of Phil Kessel, even at 27 in the prime of his career, is a major step forward for the Leafs because it's the start of their real teardown. Now that Kessel is gone, Tyler Bozak and/or Joffrey Lupul could be next as management begins to rebuild.
- Being a third-pairing defenceman with the Capitals was the slap in the face and Mike Green said he needed to move on. The only defenceman to score 30 goals in a season in the past 10 years will be a top-four presence for the puck-moving Red Wings under new coach Jeff Blashill.
LOSERS
- Losing is a relative term in this market, but the Vancouver Canucks embraced the team-in-transition label put on by GM Jim Benning. Getting Brandon Prust for Zack Kassian and a fifth-rounder is a downgrade, and replacing Kevin Bieksa with Matt Bartkowski doesn't make them better.
- Unable to get a top-six winger, the Ottawa Senators also lost a nice player in Erik Condra, who signed a three-year deal with the Lightning. Eric O'Dell is a nice depth signing, but Condra's departure leaves a hole in Ottawa's forward ranks.
- Winnipeg brought Alexander Burmistrov back from the KHL on a two-year deal softened the blow of losing Michael Frolik to the Calgary Flames, but that's still a bit of an unknown. Drew Stafford returned, which is a plus, but Frolik's absence will hurt more than anyone realizes.
- It's hard to say a player who cashed in on a $19-million free-agent deal is a loser, especially considering it's a major raise for the big winger. But Matt Beleskey got less than most expected, and probably could have stayed in Anaheim at that price on a five-year contract.
- Spinning blossoming star Brandon Saad into centre Artem Anisimov and prospect Marko Dano was nice, but the cap-strapped Chicago Blackhawks will face some growing pains. Anisimov replaces Brad Richards, who left for Detroit, and unrestricted free agent Johnny Oduya's future is still unknown.
July 1st deals (ordered by total contract)
| PLAYER | POS | TEAM (2014-15) | YRS | TOTAL | CAP HIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrej Sekera | D | EDM (LA) | 6 | $33 M | $5.5 M |
| Michael Frolik | F | CGY (WPG) | 5 | $21.5 M | $4.3 M |
| Paul Martin | D | SJ (PIT) | 4 | $19.4 M | $4.85 M |
| Matt Beleskey | F | BOS (ANA) | 5 | $19 M | $3.8 M |
| Mike Green | D | DET (WSH) | 3 | $18 M | $6 M |
| Francois Beauchemin | D | COL (ANA) | 3 | $13.5 M | $4.5 M |
| Antoine Vermette | F | ARI (CHI) | 2 | $7.5 M | $3.75 M |
| Blake Comeau | F | COL (PIT) | 3 | $7.2 M | $2.4 M |
| Mike Ribeiro | F | NSH (NSH) | 2 | $7 M | $3.5 M |
| Thomas Hickey | D | NYI (NYI) | 3 | $6.6 M | $2.2 M |
| Justin Williams | F | WSH (LA) | 2 | $6.5 M | $3.25 M |
| Zbynek Michalek | D | ARI (STL) | 2 | $6.4 M | $3.2 M |
| Brad Richardson | F | ARI (VAN) | 3 | $6.24 | $2.080 |
| Mikael Granlund | F | MIN (MIN) | 2 | $6 M | $3 M |
| Stanislav Galiev | F | WSH (WSH) | 2 | $ 6 M | $3 M |
| Mark Letestu | D | EDM (CBJ) | 3 | $5.4 M | $1.8 M |
| John Moore | D | NJ (ARI) | 3 | $4.8 M | $1.6 M |
| Daniel Winnik | F | TOR (PIT) | 2 | $4.5 M | $2.25 M |
| Barrett Jackman | D | STL (STL) | 2 | $4 M | $2 M |
| Karri Ramo | G | CGY (CGY) | 1 | $3.8 M | $3.8 M |
| Erik Condra | F | TB (OTT) | 3 | $3.75 M | $1.25 M |
| Michal Neuvirth | G | PHI (NYI) | 2 | $3.25 M | 1.625 M |
| Alexander Burmistrov | F | WPG (KHL) | 2 | $3.1 M | $1.55 M |
| Thomas Greiss | G | NYI (PIT) | 2 | $3 M | $1.5 M |
| Gregory Campbell | F | CLB (BOS) | 2 | $3 M | $1.5 M |
| Brad Richards | F | DET (CHI) | 1 | $3 M | $3 M |
| Matt Hunwick | D | TOR (NYR) | 2 | $2.4 M | $1.2 M |
| Matt Bartkowski | D | VAN (BOS) | 1 | $1.75 M | $1.75 M |
| Steve Downie | F | ARI (PIT) | 1 | $1.75 M | $1.75 M |
| Shawn Horcoff | F | ANA (DAL) | 1 | $1.75 M | $1.75 M |
| Yannick Weber | D | VAN (VAN) | 1 | $1.5 M | $1.5 M |
| Riley Nash | F | CAR (CAR) | 1 | $1.5 M | $1.5 M |
| P.A. Parenteau | F | TOR (MTL) | 1 | $1.5 M | $1.5 M |
| Curtis McKenzie | F | DAL (DAL) | 2 | $1.35 M | $675 K |
| Nate Prosser | D | MIN (MIN) | 2 | $1.25 M | $625 K |
| Jhonas Enroth | G | LA (DAL) | 1 | $1.25 M | $1.25 M |
| Zack Stortini | F | OTT (PHI) | 2 | $1.2 M | $600 K |
| Paul Thompson | F | NJ (NJ) | 2 | $1.15 M | $575 K |
| Patrick Eaves | F | DAL (DAL) | 1 | $1.15 M | $1.15 M |
| Viktor Stalberg | F | NYR (NSH) | 1 | $1.1 M | $1.1 M |
| Marc Arcobello | F | TOR (ARI) | 1 | $1.1 M | $1.1 M |
| Adam Pardy | D | WPG (WPG) | 1 | $1 M | $1 M |
| Cody Hodgson | F | NSH (BUF) | 1 | $1 M | $1 M |
| Richard Panik | F | TOR (TOR) | 1 | $975 K | $975 K |
| Anders Lindback | G | ARI (BUF) | 1 | $875 K | $875 K |
| Mike Kostka | D | OTT (NYR) | 1 | $800 K | $800 K |
| Matt Halischuk | F | WPG (WPG) | 1 | $750 K | $750 K |
| Cal O'Reilly | F | BUF (VAN) | 2 | $700 K | $700 K |
| Taylor Chorney | D | WSH (PIT) | 1 | $700 K | $700 K |
| Raphael Diaz | D | NYR (CGY) | 1 | $700 K | $700 K |
| Eric O'Dell | F | OTT (WPG) | 1 | $700 K | $700 K |
| Derek Grant | F | CGY (OTT) | 1 | $700 K | $700 K |
| Chris Butler | D | STL (STL) | 1 | $675 K | $675 K |
| Ryan Carter | F | MIN (MIN) | 1 | $625 K | $625 K |
| David Warsofsky | D | PIT (BOS) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| T.J. Hensick | F | CAR (AHL) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| Mark Barberio | D | MTL (TB) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| Matt Lindblad | F | NYR (BOS) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| Jim O'Brien | F | NJ (AHL) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| Andy Miele | F | DET (DET) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| Kevin Porter | F | PIT (DET) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| Kael Mouillierat | F | PIT (NYI) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| Steven Oleksy | D | PIT (WSH) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| Brian Gibbons | F | NYR (CBJ) | 1 | - | - |
| Pat Cannone | F | STL (STL) | - | - | |
| Jason Akeson | F | BUF (PHI) | - | - | |
| Mike McKenna | G | FLA (ARI) | 2 | - | - |
| Richard Bachman | G | VAN (EDM) | 2 | - | - |
| Brent Regner | D | FLA (AHL) | 2 | - | - |
| Marc Hagel | F | MIN (MIN) | 2 | - | - |
| Matt Hackett | G | ANA (BUF) | 2 | - | - |
| Chris Connor | F | PHI (WSH) | 2 | - | - |
| Dustin Jeffrey | F | ARI (NYI) | 2 | - | - |
| Tom McCollum | G | DET (DET) | 1 | - | - |
| Rasmus Rissanen | D | CAR (CAR) | 1 | - | - |
| Sena Acolatse | D | FLA (FLA) | 1 | - | - |
| Viktor Tikhonov | F | CHI (KHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Matt Donovan | D | BUF (NYI) | 1 | - | - |
| Taylor Fedun | D | VAN (SJ) | 1 | - | - |
| Jayson Megna | F | NYR (PIT) | 1 | - | - |
| Ruslan Fedotenko | F | MIN (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Joel Hanley | D | MTL (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Dylan Reese | D | ARI (ARI) | 1 | - | - |
| Cameron Gaunce | D | FLA (DAL) | 1 | - | - |
| Carter Camper | F | WSH (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Sean Collins | F | WSH (CLB) | 1 | - | - |
| Mike Moore | D | WSH (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Aaron Ness | D | WSH (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Joe Piskula | D | ANA (NSH) | 1 | - | - |
| Chris Mueller | F | ANA (NYR) | 1 | - | - |
| Davis Drewiske | D | PHI (MTL) | 1 | - | - |
| Tim Brent | F | PHI (KHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Matt Taormina | D | TB (AHL) | 1 | - | - |
| Zac Dalpe | F | MIN (BUF) | 1 | - | - |
Deals prior to July 1st
| DATE | PLAYER | POS | TEAM (2014-15) | YRS | TOTAL | CAP HIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30 | Martin Jones | G | SJ (LA) | 3 | $9 M | $3 M |
| June 30 | Ryan White | F | PHI (PHI) | 1 | $800 K | $800 K |
| June 30 | Andrej Sustr | D | TB (TB) | 2 | $2.9 M | $1.45 M |
| June 30 | Anders Lee | F | NYI (NYI) | 4 | $15 M | $3.75 M |
| June 30 | Dougie Hamilton | D | CGY (BOS) | 6 | $34.5 M | $5.75 M |
| June 30 | Brenden Dillon | D | SJ (SJ) | 5 | $16.35 M | $3.27 M |
| June 30 | Patrick Mullen | D | OTT (OTT) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| June 30 | Michael Leighton | G | CHI (CHI) | 1 | $575 K | $575 K |
| June 30 | Brian Flynn | F | MTL (MTL) | 2 | $3.8 M | $1.9 M |
| June 30 | Drew Stafford | F | WPG (WPG) | 2 | $8.7 M | $4.35 M |
| June 30 | Brendan Smith | D | DET (DET) | 2 | $5.5 M | $2.75 M |
| June 29 | Jacob Markstrom | G | VAN (VAN) | 2 | $3.1 M | $1.55 M |
| June 29 | Linden Vey | F | VAN (VAN) | 1 | $1 M | $1 M |
| June 29 | Antti Niemi | G | DAL (SJ) | 3 | $13.5 M | $4.5 M |
| June 29 | Jay Beagle | F | WSH (WSH) | 3 | $5.25 M | $1.75 M |
| June 29 | Ian Cole | D | PIT (PIT) | 3 | $6.3 M | $2.1 M |
| June 29 | Chris Wideman | D | OTT (OTT) | 1 | $800 K | $800 K |
| June 29 | Mike Blunden | F | TB (TB) | 1 | $600 K | $600 K |
| June 29 | Andrej Nestrasil | F | CAR (CAR) | 2 | $1.825 M | $912.5 K |
| June 29 | David Rundblad | D | CHI (CHI) | 2 | $2.1 M | $1.05 M |
| June 29 | Austin Watson | F | ANA (NSH) | 2 | $1.15 M | $575 K |
| June 29 | Chris VandeVelde | F | PHI (PHI) | 2 | $1.425 M | $712.5 K |
| June 27 | Devan Dubnyk | G | MIN (MIN) | 6 | $26 M | $4.33 M |
| June 26 | Joakim Andersson | F | DET (DET) | 1 | $815 K | $815 K |
| June 26 | Adam McQuaid | D | BOS (BOS) | 4 | $11 M | $2.75 M |
| June 26 | Mike Fisher | F | NAS (NAS) | 2 | $8.8 M | $4.4 M |
| June 26 | Carl Soderberg | F | BOS (COL) | 5 | $23.75 M | $4.75 M |
| June 24 | Curtis McElhinney | G | CBJ (CBJ) | 2 | $1.6 M | $800 K |
| June 15 | Torrey Mitchell | F | MTL (BUF) | 3 | $3.6 M | $1.2 M |
| June 2 | Jeff Petry | D | MTL (EDM) | 6 | $33 M | $5.5 M |
| May 20 | Andrew Hammond | G | OTT (OTT) | 3 | $4.05 M | $1.35 M |