Free Agent Signings

Wow - nice start to the free agent season! Here's a recap:

Derian Hatcher and Mike Rathje are apparently both heading to Philadelphia. Bob Clarke just loves those big defensemen, and these are two of the biggest.

Adam Foote quickly signed a deal to patrol the blue-line in Columbus. If they only had a goalie this move would make the team a playoff threat. Without a new netminder they will be in tough to make the playoffs - Denis and Leclaire are just not good enough.

Adrian Aucoin has reached an agreement to play in Chicago. Solid fit for him, as he will likely continue to log inhuman amounts of ice-time in all roles as he did for the Islanders.

Mike Modano is apparently in a pout that Dallas offered a three year deal to Zubov but not to him. Current suitors include; Boston, Atlanta and Pittsburgh. He'd be a tremendous fit in all three locales.

Zubov as mentioned above will stay with the Stars for another three seasons.

Brad Isbister was dealt to the Bruins for a 4th rnd draft pick.

Perhaps to get the better of his Northern rivals, Sutter dealt Mike Commodore to the Hurricanes for a 3rd rnd pick. Colour me biased, but ditching the AHL calibre Commodore for a 3rd is just robbery.

Andrei Nazarov (remember him as a Flame?) has signed a deal to provide muscle for the Wild.

Aaron Downey is now a St Louis Blue. Yeah, I tried hard to care too, but I just couldn't.

Attached at the hip the last few years, there is no surgery in sight for Roberts and Nieuwendyk, who have both signed on to play for Mike Keenan's Panthers. The kids in that locker room will now have some legit leaders to look up to, and Keenan will have a bang-and-crash winger and a face-off specialist to add to his toolbox.

Still no word on Niedermayer's destination, though it is understood that Philly only went for Hatcher and Rathje after failing to entice Nieds to jump to Philly. Rumours that Nieds wants close to the max are apparently true, and that will certainly work against him being signed quickly as too many teams are going to be gunshy to unload a HUGE contract offer with this much chaos in the market.

Chris Pronger was qualified by the Blues, but rumours continue to swirl around him being dealt in order to create more cap space (Tkachuk and Weight eat a lot of room up). My favourite thought experiment for Pronger is to wonder whether or not either the Blues or Panthers would consider doing a Bouwemeester for Pronger deal straight up.

Finally, Joe Thornton was offered a 5 year $5M deal by Boston, which as I think everyone agrees, is pretty much an insult. He'll be a UFA after his qualifying offer runs out, and Boston would get nothing for him under that circumstance, so stay tuned for a trade if Boston continues to play hardball (and signing Modano might be the key in moving Thornton on).