Jannik Hansen signed through 2013-2014

Following his first full NHL season, The Canucks rewarded Jannik Hansen with a 3 year deal and in the process avoided a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for July 29th. The energetic forward played in all 82 regular season games, recording 9 goals and 20 assists and played a key role on the Canucks penalty kill. During the Canucks run to the Stanley Cup Finals, Hansen contributed 3 goals and 6 assists in 25 games and played perhaps his best hockey in a Canucks uniform, making big plays in big spots and continuing to play with an edge.

The cap hit on the contract comes out at an affordable $1.35 million, a bargain for a 25 year old who figures to continue developing into a better offensive player (with his speed 20 goals is a possibility) while maintaining an effective defensive game. The length of the deal is a positive for both sides. Hansen wanted a contract that assured some long term stability while the Canucks were able to save some salary cap space and sign a player they clearly like for an extended period of time.

Hansen does what every bottom six forward should strive to do: he skates hard every shift and he forechecks aggressively at every opportunity. It helps that Hansen has exceptional speed and is unafraid to throw his body around. He's an ideal complement to Manny Malhotra on the Canucks third line and an important piece if the Canucks hope to play in mid June again next season. The only remaining free agent that saw considerable time with the Canucks last season is RFA Victor Oreskovich, the soon to be 25 year old winger who shares many similar traits with Hansen and will likely be back next season as a full time fourth liner.

10 Intriguing UFA's

Canada Day and the free agent frenzy are already three weeks behind us but that doesn't mean there aren't more moves to be made before NHL training camps open in mid September. Here's a list of 10 intriguing unrestricted free agents that have yet to find a home for the 2011-2012 season.

Goaltenders

Ray Emery wants the opportunity to be a starting goalie in the NHL

Ray Emery 

Age: 28 

10-11 team: ANA

10-11 cap hit: $500,000

The 28 year old Emery returned to the NHL at the end of last season following an extensive rehabilitation process as he battled through a serious hip injury. Emery posted a 2.28 GAA and a 9.25 SV % in 10 regular season games with Anaheim and started 5 games in the playoffs. Emery carries a significant injury risk and has been considered a locker room distraction in the past but he has the talent to be a reliable NHL goaltender.

Pascal Leclaire

Age: 28

10-11 team: OTT 

10-11 cap hit: $3.8M

Throughout his NHL career, Leclaire has struggled through injury and inconsistency. During his two years in Ottawa, he played in just 48 games. Leclaire's window as an NHL starter is all but shut but a team may take a chance on him and hope he can regain the form he displayed in 07-08 when he posted a 2.25 GAA and a .919 SV % in 54 games with Columbus.

Defenceman

McCabe is the best offensive defenceman left on the market

Bryan McCabe
Age: 35

10-11 team: FLA/NYR
10-11 cap hit: $5.75M

Acquired by the Rangers at the trade deadline, McCabe contributed 2 goals and 4 assists in 19 regular season games and 2 assists in 5 playoff games for the Broadway Blueshirts. The 15 year veteran won't be a 50 plus point defenceman like he has been in the past, but he could still provide an offensive boost to a team in need of blue line scoring.

Chris Campoli 
Age: 27

10-11 team: OTT/CHI
10-11 cap hit: $1.4M

Another trade deadline acquisition, Campoli became an unrestricted free agent when the Blackhawks decided to walk away from the 2.5 million he was awarded in an arbitration hearing. At 27, Campoli is the youngest established UFA and warrants consideration from the many teams looking for a well rounded defenceman who can compete for a spot on one of the top two pairings.

Scott Hannan 
Age: 32

10-11 team: COL/WAS
10-11 cap hit: $4.5M

A reliable if unspectacular defensive minded defenceman, Hannan still has something to offer an NHL team. He'll have to take a significant pay cut but Hannan has averaged 81 games played over the past 8 seasons and is worth the risk for a team looking for blue line depth, even as he ages.

Forwards

If Selanne returns it's unlikely he will leave Orange County

Teemu Selanne

Age: 41

10-11 team: ANA

10-11 cap hit: $4.25M

By far the most accomplished player available, Selanne is currently recovering from knee surgery and has yet to decide if he wants to return for a nineteenth season. If he decides to come back it's unlikely he will leave Anaheim. Selanne proved he can still compete at a high level last season, scoring 31 goals and recording 49 assists in 73 games.

Nikolay Zherdev

Age: 26

10-11 team: PHI

10-11 cap hit: $2M

The ever enigmatic Zherdev is available once again because unsurprisingly, he clashed with Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and averaged a career low 12:51 minutes per game. Zherdev is immensely talented but production has yet to match the headache but a team in need of offense will undoubtedly assess the risk and decide it's worth taking a chance on the mercurial Russian.

Alex Kovalev

Age: 38

10-11 team: OTT/PIT

10-11 cap hit: $5M

There's no team foolish enough to offer an aging and unmotivated Kovalev a big money contract like the Senators did in 2009. It's always the same story with Kovalev and the willingness to compromise disappears. It's difficult to predict where Kovalev will end up but a team in desperate need of an offensive spark could talk themselves into given him a chance.

John Madden

Age: 38

10-11 team: MIN

10-11 cap hit: $1.25M

Madden spent last season in Minnesota following a year with the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. Madden, a three time Stanley Cup champion, would like nothing more than to make a final playoff run before hanging them up. If he's healthy and motivated, a contender looking for a solid bottom six forward with postseason experience should look no further than signing Madden to a one year deal.

Cory Stillman

Age: 37

10-11 team: FLA/CAR

10-11 cap hit: $3.5M

Following a midseason trade to Carolina, Stillman recorded 5 goals and 11 assists in 21 games, giving potential suitors a reason to believe he can still be a productive NHL forward. At the right price, Stillman could be a valuable offensive asset for a team in a position to take a risk and not be crushed by the result if Stillman gets injured or isn't performing to expectations.

Paul Kariya

Kariya played for the Ducks from 1994 to 2003

From the moment he stepped onto the ice as a rookie in 1994, North Vancouver native Paul Kariya was one of the most productive and electrifying forwards in the National Hockey League. As a twenty-one year old, Kariya recorded 50 goals and 108 points. He was named an NHL First Team All Star three times (1996, 1997, 1999), and was twice awarded the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1996, 1997). An able goal scorer and maybe more importantly, a willing passer, it’s impossible to understate his outstanding hockey sense. Kariya will be best remembered by hockey fans for his time as captain of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and for his role on the gold medal winning team at in 2002 at the Salt Lake City Olympics. Following the lockout, Kariya’s star began to fade; he spent two productive seasons in Nashville (setting a team record for points in a season with 85,) and then joined the St. Louis Blues for the final three seasons of his career. He had an illustrious career and was always a fan favorite. The only item missing from his impressive resume: the Stanley Cup. 

The closest Kariya came to lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup was in 2003, when the underdog Mighty Ducks pushed the New Jersey Devils to seven games. The series in question produced two anecdotes that still resonate within the hockey community. The first is the outstanding play of Ducks goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who was awarded the Conn Smythe trophy even in defeat. The second is the resounding open ice hit Devils captain Scott Stevens unleashed on an unsuspecting Kariya in Game 6. The momentous body check was memorable enough on its own, but it was the series of subsequent events that vaulted the hit into hockey lore. Kariya was in need of medical attention and was helped off of the ice, but later returned to the game and scored a goal that extended Anaheim’s lead and helped force a seventh game. It is said that Kariya doesn’t even recall scoring that goal. 

Kariya lay motionless on the ice following the devastating body check

On June 29^th 2011, Paul Kariya quietly retired from the NHL. The thirty-six year old was sidelined for the entire 2010-2011 season, battling post-concussion syndrome. Kariya wanted to return, but doctors advised that he step away from the game, warning him of the serious dangers of another potential concussion. Kariya retired from hockey having recorded an impressive 989 points in 989 games, but he will always be linked with concussions. Head injuries are still a serious issue in hockey. The Golden Boy, Sidney Crosby, missed 41 games last season with concussion related symptoms. Many people would argue that the career of Eric Lindros was nowhere near where it could have been had he avoided the concussions that plagued him throughout his career. The same can be said about Kariya, a great hockey player whose on ice legacy is overshadowed by a series of unfortunate and mostly avoidable injuries. Kariya is in favor of more severe punishment for cheap shots and the league has publicly stated it is trying to rid the game of hits to the head (see rule 48), but there is still a long way to go before concussions can be considered a non-issue in the NHL.

Completely Untrue Rumors

Mike Gillis has gone on record saying the words, “trade market...emerging,” it's fairly obvious he's hinting at trading away at least one of Vancouver's star players.

After a poor performance in the final two games of the Stanley Cup Final by Roberto Luongo, it's only logical for the former Canucks' captain to be cut loose, as suggested by Damien Cox. Since a deal has not been reached with Zach Parise by the New Jersey Devils, a great trade for both clubs would be Luongo, Alexandre Burrows, and a pick for Parise. This would give the Canucks another great forward while also giving the reigns to a better goaltender in Cory Schneider. With 35 games under his belt, it's evident Schneider is ready for a cup run. Alexandre Burrows is a nice throw-in to sweeten this deal. On NJ's side, they get a NHL starter to take over from Father Time, Martin Brodeur, as he would obviously retire to a much younger goalie despite posting a 2.45 GAA and 0.903 save% while playing for a team below five hundred.

Another good trade for the Canucks would be to exchange Ryan Kesler, Cory Schneider, and a pick for Shea Weber. VAN gets a premiere defenseman as Nashville still haven't signed the Norris Trophy candidate, so it's obvious for them to move him and receive a good return on him. Kesler had a great year and Schneider is poised for starting duties. This is a nice exchange for a former defenseman who played a key role on Team Canada's Olympic team while only giving up a backup goaltender and a second line center.

After Gillis' hints, the Vancouver Canucks are probably involved in making a huge trade in the coming months. Hopefully this will be soon so the Canucks can actually become a good team for once.

The Biggest Steal of Free Agency

Entering free agency on
July 1^st, Tomas Vokoun was regarded as arguably the best netminder available, but while Philly signed Ilya Bryzgalov, Colorado snapped up Semyon Varlamov, Tampa Bay re-signed Dwayne Roloson and Phoenix went the economical route with Mike Smith, Vokoun found himself without a team or contract. It certainly looked bleak for the twelve year veteran but instead of returning to Florida, he waited for an offer from a team with a better supporting cast. A day later, on his 35^th birthday no less, an offer finally rolled around in the form of a 1 year, 1.5 million dollar contract from the Washington Capitals. The deal is mutually beneficial as it provides Vokoun a chance to play for Lord Stanley and the Capitals a veteran goalie at a bargain bin price.

While the market for Vokoun had dried up, it was by no means a slight on his playing abilities. Since the lockout, Vokoun has recorded a save percentage of .918 or better in each of the six seasons while no other goalie has surpassed that mark more than four times. Putting up these numbers in a mediocre system such as Florida’s is no small feat considering, over the past two years, the Panthers have ranked 27^th and 28^th in league scoring, putting up an average of 2.39 goals per game.

It may also seem easy to critique Vokoun’s inability to win the games that truly matter in the post-season, but in two trips to the playoffs, the Czech backstopper posted quality numbers – a 2.00 goals against average and .939 save percentage in six games against Detroit in 2004, and a 2.96 GAA and .902 SV% in five games against San Jose, though both trips came as a member of a much more defensively sound Predators squad.

Naturally, none of this guarantees that Vokoun will be the saving grace of a Washington club that hasn’t managed to escape the second round since 1998 but at the very least, it provides themselves with the opportunity to let talented young netminders Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby develop – as backup goalie for the former and AHL starter for the latter.

One thing’s for sure; the deal is one of the biggest steals of the offseason. In a worst case scenario, Vokoun is unable to transfer his Floridian heroics to the nation’s capital and is let go at the end of the season with a tandem of Neuvirth and Holtby taking over duties the following year; at best, Vokoun is the final addition needed to solidify Washington as a post-season threat as they manage to capture the ever elusive first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Should Ehrhoff fire his agent?

As we sift through the deals completed on Fantastic Free Agent Frenzy Friday, I'd like to take some time to look at probably the most important Canucks-related signing of 2011- Christian Ehrhoff's 10 year deal with the Sabres. What struck me most about the deal was the average value of 4 million per year. At first glance, it seems to be less than what Ehrhoff could have earned by taking the 'Nucks contract and then hitting the open market at the age of 33. With the help of a finance-literate advisor, I did some simple number crunching to see whether or not Ehrhoff had actually taken less money to go with the Sabres.

The first thing to do is to lay out the numbers we know for sure. Assuming the Canucks did as they said and offered Ehrhoff the same deal as Bieksa, the two deals will compare over ten years as below.

Year	Money with Canucks(millions of USD)	Money with Sabres(millions of USD)
1	7.0	10
2	4.5	8
3	5	4
4	4	4
5	2.5	4
6	?	4
7	?	3
8	?	1
9	?	1
10	?	1

We don't know for sure how much Ehrhoff would have recieved once his Canucks contract was up- injuries or inconsistency could mean his next contract would vary from 5 million per year to to a big fat zero. At 33 however, Ehrhoff would be by no means in the twilight of his career. Let's make a pretty conservative estimation, barring any injuries, and say Ehrhoff nabs a 17 million, 5 year contract at the age of 33, which is mildly front-loaded. The two contracts stack up like so:

Year	Money with Canucks(millions of USD)	Money with Sabres(millions of USD)
1	7.0	10
2	4.5	8
3	5	4
4	4	4
5	2.5	4
6	4	4
7	4	3
8	4	1
9	3	1
10	2	1
Total $	40	40

Well isn't that interesting. Using only our conservative estimation, Ehrhoff actually moved to the Sabres for... the same amount of money. If he cashes in a la Ed Jovanovski once his Nucks contract is up, Ehrhoff actually ends up making less money with the Sabres. That's not even taking into account intangibles like living quality in Vancouver, and the higher likelihood of winning a Cup (or at least making it to Game 7 before losing and crushing the dreams of certain high school students turned bloggers).

And this guy.

But there must be some reason for Ehrhoff taking the Sabres contract. Figuring it out takes a bit of math and finance knowledge. As my advisor reminds me, he is getting a whopping 18 million over the first two years. The other option- the Canucks/UFA "deal"- is structured more evenly. What that results in is a higher present value for the Sabres deal. For those not as finance-literate as my advisor (like me), present value works out like this; money that you get today can be invested immediately, and will earn money on that investment. Money that you get five years from now will not have been earning money during that five years, and its present value (its value to you at this moment) will be correspondingly less.

So, assuming Ehrhoff could have gotten a 6 percent return on whatever investment he's making with the cash- maybe he opens up a roadside currywurst-and-sauerkraut stand with Dirk Nowitzki- the present value (or PV) of each deal works out like so:

Year	Money with Canucks(millions of USD)	Money with Sabres(millions of USD)
1	7.0	10
2	4.5	8
3	5	4
4	4	4
5	2.5	4
6	4	4
7	4	3
8	4	1
9	3	1
10	2	1
Total $	40	40
PV	30.73	32.66

Now it starts to make sense. Ehrhoff gets 18 million in the first two years with the Sabres, but only 11.5 million with the Canucks. If he's earning 6 percent each year on the difference, it becomes pretty significant, even if the two contracts end up giving him the same amount of cash. Of course, there's a whole host of unknown variables that we ignored, simply because its hard to calculate, say, the odds of injury for a player other than Sami Salo. (110 percent).

So to answer our first hypothesis- no. Ehrhoff should not fire his agent. But he should start on that currywurst stand quick, before Dirk spends all of his championship bonus on lederhosen or comically oversized beer steins or whatever it is that those crazy Germans like.

July 1st Free Agent Frenzy - Winners & Losers

July 1^st usually represents a day of rest and relaxation but for NHL general managers and free agents alike, it’s a day of stress and signings. Though thus far we’ve lacked big names being moved, it’s been a hectic few hours with 68 signings and a handful of trades before we even hit the midway point of the afternoon. Compared to the 30 signings within the first six hours last year, there’s a lot of information to digest – how’d my team do? Who were the winners? Who were the losers? We at 41 Seasons have you covered.

The Winners:

Colorado Avalanche:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Jean-Sebastien Giguere	Two Years	$1,250,000	11-11-4, 2.87 GAA, .900 SV%
Chuck Kobasew	Two Years	$1,250,000	9G, 7A, -6 Plus/Minus, 19 PIM,
Jan Hejda	Four Years	$3,250,000	5G, 15A, -6 Plus/Minus, 28 PIM
Semyon Varlamov	Two Years	$2,750,000	11-9-5, 2.23 GAA, .924 SV%

Semyon Varlamov looks to take over starting goaltender duties in Denver.

The Spin:

Many expected the Avs to come out in 2010-2011 seasons and continue where they left off after putting up a good effort in the playoffs before eventually being knocked out by San Jose. Unfortunately, starting goaltender Craig Anderson was unable to recapture the magic that led him toward a 38 win ’09-’10 season. In 33 games, Anderson had a 3.28 GAA and .897 save percentage before being dealt to Ottawa. Without the presence of a dependable goalie, Colorado plummeted in the standings and ended up with the worst second half record in the entire league. It was an obvious flaw in an otherwise promising franchise, so general manager Greg Sherman set out to rectify the issue. Hours later, Semyon Varlamov and veteran J.S. Giguere were headed to Denver. Varlamov is the safe bet to take over as starting goaltender with Giguere pushing him should he falter or sustain yet another long term injury. Kobasew and Hejda are also decent additions for depth, though Hejda is being slightly overpaid.

Florida Panthers:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Ed Jovanovski	Four Years	$4,125,000	5G, 9A, +4 Plus/Minus, 39 PIM
Jose Theodore	Two Years	$1,500,000	15-11-3, 2.71 GAA, .916 SV%
Marcel Goc	Three Years	$1,700,000	9G, 15A, +10 Plus/Minus, 6 PIM
Scottie Upshall	Four Years	$4,500,000	22G, 12A, -7 Plus/Minus, 52 PIM
Tomas Fleischmann	Four Years	$4,500,000	12G, 19A, +2 Plus/Minus, 18PIM
Sean Bergenheim	Four Years	$2,750,000	14G, 15A, 0 Plus/Minus, 56 PIM
Kris Versteeg	One Year	$3,083,333	21G, 25A, -9 Plus/Minus, 53 PIM

The Spin:

Dale Tallon has made the most of his time in Florida. The man behind the Chicago championship team has managed to draw some key free agents and players to sunny Florida with promises of a rebirth of the franchise. It seems they’re buying in. With the likelihood of All-Star goaltender Tomas Vokoun leaving town growing with each passing day, the Panthers went out and signed the much maligned Jose Theodore to a two year deal. Should Vokoun move on as suspected, Theodore and last year’s backup Scott Clemmensen should vie for the starting position throughout the year. Don’t be shocked if Clemmensen ends up on top either – he put up a respectable 8-11-7 record with a 2.62 GAA and .911 SV% last season in 31 appearances.

Tallon also continued his trend of acquiring ex-Blackhawks by trading for Kris Versteeg. The versatile winger never really found his groove after being traded to Philadelphia mid-season from Toronto but that was with him playing mostly second and third line shifts. With the expected promotion to first and second line duty, a return to his days of fifty point seasons shouldn’t be far behind – especially if he ends up on a line with newly acquired winger Tomas Fleischmann. An underrated forward, Fleischmann is looking to rebound from a season cut short by health issues. At $4.5 million a year, he’s a tad expensive but he could prove valuable down the road as long as he stays healthy.

Florida didn’t stop there, adding Sean Bergenheim, Scottie Upshall, Marcel Goc and ex-Panther Ed Jovanovski to their roster. The deals were all done at a fair price, and help add scoring depth to a team that was devoid of scoring, period, last year.

Tallon seems to want to build a team based around a team effort rather than the ability of one or two key scorers. If the team clicks as well as expected and their goaltending is solid throughout the year, we may just see the Panthers return to the post-season for the first time since 2000.

Washington Capitals:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Jeff Halpern	One Year	$825,000	11G, 15A, +6 Plus/Minus, 29 PIM
Roman Hamrlik	Two Years	$3,500,000	5G, 29A, +6 Plus/Minus, 81 PIM
Joel Ward	Four Years	$3,000,000	10G, 19A, -1 Plus/Minus, 42 PIM
Sean Collins	One Year	$650,000	1G, 0A, +2 Plus/Minus, 0 PIM
Ryan Potulny	Two Years	$500,000	0G, 0A, -1 Plus/Minus, 0 PIM

The Spin:

In my mind, the Capitals are so close to finally breaking through in the playoffs and the additions of roll players Roman Hamrlik and Joel Ward should help cement Washington as contenders. Sure, Hamrlik and Ward aren’t big time names within the free agent pool but they’re severely underrated as contributors. Hamrlik has long been a steadfast presence on the blueline for the Habs, putting up an average of 0.38 points per game over the last four seasons. A move to the more offensively-minded Caps, and possibly a partnership with two time All-Star Mike Green, should help boost his stock and provide the Capitals with another dependable d-man.

Joel Ward had flown under the radar for years, perhaps because he played for Nashville or maybe because he has 40 regular season goals in his career. Whatever the reason, he briefly captured the hearts of Tennessean hockey fans when he put up 13 points in 12 post-season games these past playoffs with most of them coming against the Canucks. Turns out not only were Vancouverites and Nashvillians taking notice, but also Washington general manager George McPhee who inked Ward to a four year, $12 million dollar contract earlier today. He may not fit within the Capitals’ top two lines, but he’s a more than capable option for third line duties.

The Losers:

Edmonton Oilers:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Cam Barker	One Year	$2,250,000	1G, 4A, -10 Plus/Minus, 34 PIM
Eric Belanger	Three Years	$1,750,000	13G, 27A, +11 Plus/Minus, 36 PIM
Ben Eager	Three Years	$1,100,000	7G, 10A, +4 Plus/Minus, 120 PIM
Darcy Hordichuk	One Year	$825,000	1G, 4A, -1 Plus/Minus, 76 PIM

The Spin:

Yes, I know the Oilers weren’t looking to make a splash. Yes, I know they have years to wait before being Cup contenders, and yes, I know they needed some grit. But with the long awaited departure of expensive veteran Sheldon Souray and close to $15 million in cap space, the Oilers could have brought their future to them rather than wait. At close to two million dollars a year for the duo, Hordichuk and Eager provide a veteran presence for the many up and coming stars in Edmonton’s system, but the real issue “The City of Champions” needed to deal with was acquiring a presence on their backend, not players who hinder their team by taking needless penalties as Eager and Hordichuk are apt to do. Barker looks to be Oil Town’s shot at nabbing the aforementioned backend presence, but with stats like 1 goal, 4 helpers and a minus 10 rating in 52 games, Barker clearly leaves something to be desired.

Despite the positioning in the “Losers” category, the signing of Eric Belanger is a quality one. With 40 points last year, a cap hit of $1.75 million per year seems more than fair for his talents.

Montreal Canadiens:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Erik Cole	Four Years	$4,500,000	26G, 26A, -1 Plus/Minus, 49 PIM
Peter Budaj	Two Years	$1,150,000	15-21-4, 3.20 GAA, .895 SV%

The Spin:

Over-paid! *Clap Clap Clapclapclap*

Erik Cole was today’s winner of Most Overpaid Player, receiving a four year, $18 million dollar contract from the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge. It’s beyond me as to why a player would earn four and a half million dollars a year after compiling 52 points – especially when he spent most of his ice time with talented sniper Eric Staal. Cole will be welcomed as an additional scoring threat on a second line devoid of depth, but Montreal paid too much of a premium for a player who’s missed 107 games over the past three seasons.

Philadelphia Flyers:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Jaromir Jagr	One Year	$3,300,000	19G, 31A, +6 Plus/Minus, 48 PIM (KHL)
Andreas Lilja	One Year	$750,000	1G, 6A, -15 Plus/Minus, 28 PIM
Maxime Talbot	Five Years	$1,800,000	8G, 13A, -3 Plus/Minus, 66 PIM
Jakub Voracek	One Year	$2,250,000	14G, 32A, -3 Plus/Minus, 26 PIM

The Spin:

The Flyers cleared a massive amount of cap space last week with the trading of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter and were rumored to be in the running for the top prize of this year’s free agency – Brad Richards. Instead, Philly ended up with a hero of cross-state rival Pittsburgh – Jaromir Jagr. The 39 year old Czech is a wildcard next year for the Flyers as it’s anyone’s guess as to how well he plays in his return to the NHL. Voracek is solid add for his price considering he had four less points than Erik Cole this past year, but at close to half the price. However, if this is the biggest splash Philadelphia makes with their four million in cap room, then hockey fans in Pennsylvania will have the right to be disappointed and the Flyers’ label of “Loser” will be deserving even if they make more moves throughout the summer.

Phoenix Coyotes:

Player	Years	Dollars/Year	2010-2011 Stats
Radim Vrbata	Three Years	$3,000,000	19G, 29A, +5 Plus/Minus, 20 PIM
Raffi Torres	Two Years	$1,750,000	14G, 15A, +4 Plus/Minus, 78 PIM
Boyd Gordon	Two Years	$1,325,000	3G, 6A, -5 Plus/Minus, 16 PIM
Mike Smith	Two Years	$2,000,000	13-6-1, 2.89 GAA, .899 SV%
Alex Bolduc	One Year	$500,000	2G, 2A, +1 Plus/Minus, 21 PIM

The Spin:

Ahh the ‘Yotes. The perennial losers of free agent frenzy now have even less draw for impending free agents as the team goes through numerous ownerships and location issues. Though they may have little to to no money to spend, Phoenix still needs to field a team whether it’s competitive or not. To fill the roster spots left by Eric Belanger, Ed Jovanovski, Vern Fiddler, Ilya Bryzgalov and free agent to be Keith Yandle, the Coyotes went with the most economic options – castoffs from other teams.

Mike Smith was signed to replace the departed Bryzgalov and is in position to be the team’s starting goaltender with career journeyman Jason LaBarbera as backup. Smith faltered midway through last season as part of a timeshare with Dan Ellis before the Lightning finally acquired Dwayne Roloson. Behind Roloson, Smith made a few spot starts in the playoffs where he played well, stopping 46 of 48 shots against in two relief appearances and a start, which was clearly enough to convince Phoenix management he was worth the investment.

Other notable castaways include ex-Canucks Alex Bolduc and Raffi Torres as well as ex-Capital Boyd Gordon. All three should see increased playing time with their new team but don’t spark much excitement for any remaining Phoenix fans.

You know you haven't been successful in free agency if your top acquisition is Raffi Torres.

So there you have it – the winners and losers of the first day of free agent frenzy. With 98 days left until the first game of the season, today’s winners have plenty of time to change their team from a Loser to a Winner and vice versa.

Think your team didn’t deserve to put be designated as a Loser/Winner? Let us know why in the comments below!