Free Agency Grades - A Bit Late

These are definitely a bit late, but I wanted to get it up anyway.

If you're a hockey fan, you know that on July 1, the NHL's unrestricted free agents were let loose like Nerds candy at the bottom of a Nerds candy container with a hole in it. Bad analogy? Perhaps, but the fact remains that the free agents were let loose. The bind on the agents that were free was no longer applicable. The -

Here are my grades for the BEST and WORST July 1-and-after actions:

BEST

* NEW YORK RANGERS - B+

Rangers GM Glen Sather certainly had some sort of plan when July 1st came around, the kind of plan that made New York fans cringe - at first. The drama on Seventh Avenue leading up to UFA day revolved around the notion of whether or not Sather would re-sign Sean Avery and Jaromir Jagr. Sean Avery seemed a given - after all, while he was often touted as possibly the most annoying person ever to take the ice, the Rangers won more often than not when this summer's Vogue intern was in the lineup. But, as many bloggers and writers have noted, there's a reason why Avery can't sign with any team for the long haul - he's undoubtedly impossible to deal with. There's a reason why Sean was forced to take a deal in Dallas, of all places. Sather knew what went on in the locker room, as well as on and off the ice. As much as it seems strange to say this, the Rangers may be better off without Sean Avery.

Jagr is a different story. Nobody has the strength that this guy has shown during his NHL career. Watching an opponent try to take the puck off Jags was often a lost cause, and the Rangers will miss that. But, like Avery, Jagr probably didn't want to wind up in Russia and end his NHL career as he did. As I mentioned earlier, Sather had a plan, and carried it out.

First, Sather improved the Rangers on D by inking Wade Redden who, while 31, likely still has another five, maybe even six years left in him. The Rangers hope he has at least six, because that's how long the contract is for.

Then, Glen dished out the big bucks for Markus Naslund. Now, I'm a fan of this move because Naslund still has another 20-30 goal season left in him. The downside is that he'll turn 35 by the end of this month, making it official that Broadway is the place where NHLers go to die. However, Rangers fans should look at it this way - Naslund will replace Jagr as the team's token European forward, and probably offer more offensive productivity than would Number 68 at this point in his career.

But the greatest move Glen Sather made this offseason: THE BLOCKBUSTER trade of the summer with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Having some room to move players around on D with the signing of Redden, Sather traded defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman to the Jackets for forwards Dan Fritsche and Nikolai Zherdev. I bolded the last guy's name because you can expect to see it a lot more, especially now that he's out the hockey hotbed of Columbus. This kid is a hidden gem. He scored 26 goals and 35 assists - 61 points - last season, beating out supposed star Chris Drury's 25 goals and 33 assists - 58 points.

Looking at the video, it's obvious that Zherdev is an Ovechkin-type player, and will be a star on Broadway. I'm going to say that this could be the best move Sather has ever made - you heard it here first:



Probably the only truly questionable move (thus the B+ rating) Sather made was re-signing Michal Roszival for far too much cash.

* CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS - B

Chicago all but ensured they will make the playoffs next season with two key signings this off-season. On the same day, the Hawks locked up the ever-sought-after defenseman Brian Campbell for eight years and goaltender Cristobal Huet (stolen from the Capitals) for four years.

The only downsides?

Campbell is 29 - and the contract was for approximately $7 million per season. Campbell is a strong backliner, yes, but doesn't that seem a bit pricy for a guy who career high for assists is 42? (Note: I know this gets into all sorts of cap issues, which I won't go into).

Additionally, with Nikolai Khabibulin as the top dog for the Hawks, Huet's entrance in Chicago almost creates a goalie controversy all by itself. Neither netminder is a "young star," persay; Huet will turn 33 in September while 'Bulin is 35. However, both are solid and will provide much comfort if the other goes down with an injury.

The point is, the Hawks have lined themselves up to make the post-season and finally remind their fans that there is indeed a pro hockey team in Chicago - an Original Six one at that. And for phenoms like Jonathan Toews (whose name pronounciation I just can't seem to get right) and Patrick Kane, that's a VERY good thing.

WORST - AND NOW FOR THE EASY PART

* TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS - D

Yes, it does give me pleasure to report that the Maple Leafs have royally screwed up a franchise that's already screwed up. Let me just pull out the old notes here in the vault to report what the Leafs did on day one...oh, here it is!

Toronto GM Cliff Fletcher started out by signing 41-year-old goalie Curtis Joseph to a one year deal. Not really sure where Cliff was going with that one. What about Toskala? But let's not dwell, there are more important things to report.

Like Jeff Finger. Who? Jeff Finger. Who? JEFF FINGER! No, seriously, I have no idea who that is.

I've had this conversation with myself over and over, but I still can't seem to figure out who Jeff Finger is. Wait, I did find a few things:

1) NHL.com does not have a photo of Jeff Finger. Most - I should say virtually all - NHL players have their picture on NHL.com. He must be a new guy or something.

2) Jeff Finger has played in 94 total NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche, registering 9 goals, 15 assists and 51 penalty minutes.

3) On July 1, 2008, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Jeff Finger to a 4-year contract worth $3.5 million per season.

Do items 2 and 3 not match up? Still wondering who Jeff Finger is? The world will soon find out. At that much money (see item 3), Leafs fans better pray he's the savior they've been waiting for, now that Mr. Prince Mats Sundin is taking his sweet little time deciding his future.

What saved Cliff Fletcher and the Leafs from an F? They managed to sign Dominic Moore for a season.

* VANCOUVER CANUCKS - C-

It's the new fad in the NHL to say Canucks GM Mike Gillis' hasn't done enough this post-season, and I certainly wouldn't want to see uncool. Gillis is the new guy in town, but when you're the GM in such a great hockey market as Vancouver, even if you're a newbie, there's little room for error.

He's watched as Naslund walked across the entire continent and as Brendan Morrison shipped himself down the coast to Anaheim. All Gillis has to show for himself and for a team that took a nose dive at the end of last season and missed the playoffs is Steve Bernier and Mark Cullen - oh, and a few other guys whose names don't light up when you hear them.

Now, it seems Gillis wants Mats Sundin. The Canucks GM offered the 37-year-old Swede $10 per year for two years. Hey, I'll give Gillis a little credit - that's a lot of money, but he certainly hasn't spent it on anyone else. And the fact remains that while Sundin seems ancient at this point, the guy can still score goals and create offense in general.

It's my take, however, that because Sundin is making us all wait on him for lord-knows-how-long, Mats will remain with the Leafs when it's all said and done.

* OTTAWA SENATORS - C-

The Senators front office oughta be ashamed. With the way they finished last season - going from first to seventh and getting swept by the Penguins - you would have expected GM Bryan Murray to make some key changes this offseason.

OK, he got rid of Ray Emery. Whoop-dee-freaking-doo. He's in Russia now like the rest of the rejects.

All Murray has to show for the Sens is the loss of Wade Redden, the signing of an underrated backup (or maybe even starter) in Alex Auld, and Jarkko Ruutu, a world class jerk on the ice.

Oh, and did I mention Jason Smith? What a loss for the Flyers - a 34-year old d-man for 2 and a half million per year? No way!

HONORABLE MENTIONS

BEST - Washington Capitals - The Caps managed to re-sign almost all of last season's roster, with the exception of their goaltender. Still, even with the loss of Huet, GM George McPhee was able to go out and get Jose Theodore who, while he isn't great, won't be bad enough to severely hurt the club. The Caps could go at least as far as the second round of the playoffs this season, which would be a large step for a franchise relatively recently in shambles.

-Tampa Bay Lightning - The new owners in Tampa didn't waste any time taking this team in a new direction. The master of the mullet, Barry Melrose, was a great choice for a new head coach. The re-signing of Vinny Lecavalier for the long term didn't hurt either. Additionally, Olie Kolzig, now a traitor his longtime club the Washington Capitals, was a fine option for a backup goalie.

WORST - Calgary Flames - Anyone who feels like signing Todd Bertuzzi doesn't get my vote.

Thanks for reading this far.

-JS

PS: Stay tuned for tomorrow's post on the firing of Ted Nolan - I've got my own little views on that issue.