More Signings

This is sort of a carry-over article from the Canada/UFA Day article. While I find it somewhat funny that agents and general managers are still working the phones at 2am ET, I guess it goes to show that "the early bird catches the worm", so to speak. In any case, this article will be periodically updated throughout the day on July 2, so check back often to keep track of who's moving where and for how much.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Darryl Sydor to a two-year, $5 million contract.
Teebz: I like this signing! It takes a pile of pressure off of Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney to be the offensive catalysts from the back end. Sydor is defensively-responsible in his own end as well, and brings a pile of experience to a rather young defensive unit.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed winger Petr Sykora to a two-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: The Penguins missed out on Paul Kariya, so they went out and got another pure goal scorer in Sykora. Sykora will thrive with Crosby feeding him the puck. Michel Therrien will stress defensive play from Sykora, but having him as a finisher for Crosby will certainly electrify Pittsburgh again.

The Nashville Predators signed winger Jed Ortmeyer to a two-year, $1.5 million contract.
Teebz: I guess Nashville wanted some depth. Ortmeyer won't replace Kariya or Hartnell, but he is a good hustle guy and will provide some grit up front.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Bates Battaglia to a two-year, $1.3 million contract.
Teebz: I had said that with the addition of Mark Bell, the Bates Battaglia Project should end. At $650,000 per season, Battaglia is a value-priced third-liner. I'm ok with this signing.

The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Lukas Krajicek to a two-year, $2.2 million contract.
Teebz: I think this might be a little expensive for a player of Krajicek's stature. He is a relatively inexperienced defenseman, but brings youth and speed to the Canucks blueline. This deal might close the books on any future Canucks' signings due to salary cap space.

The Los Angeles Kings signed defenseman Tom Preissing to a four-year, $11 million contract.
Teebz: Nothing wrong with this signing at all. The Kings get a very good defenseman for a decent price. Good job, Mr. Lombardi. Now how about a goalie?

The Washington Capitals signed centreman Michael Nylander to a four-year, $19.5 million contract.
Teebz: Washington gets their play-making centreman at $4.875 million per season. Nylander should be an upgrade at the centre position from last season, and that will help make Semin and Ovechkin better. He might not be the complete package, but Nylander will help.

The Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Roman Hamrlik to a four-year, $22 million contract.
Teebz: $5.5 million per season for Hamrlik? What about Souray? Did Bob Gainey lose his mind? Hamrlik doesn't have the shot that Souray has, and they are both are somewhat of a liability on defense. I am struggling to see any positives in this signing.

The Chicago Blackhawks signed centreman Robert Lang to a two-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: This is a decent signing. The playmaking Lang will help Havlat immensely, and is a significant upgrade at that position. As long as Lang and Havlat can stay healthy, the Blackhawks should be better with this signing.

The Nashville Predators signed centreman Radek Bonk and defenseman Greg de Vries to two-year contracts. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: Greg de Vries is a solid defensive defenseman. He will help bolster the blueline and the Predators' young defenseman. Why did David Poile even waste the ink on Radek Bonk? He's been terrible since Ottawa drafted him, and there's no reason to believe he's going to be better in Music City. Maybe the Predators are trying to keep their fans away to accomodate a move to Kansas City?

The Anaheim Ducks signed winger Todd Bertuzzi to a two-year contract, $8 million contract.
Teebz: Did Brian Burke have a post-Stanley Cup victory labotomy? Maybe he missed the series between the Ducks and Wings where Bertuzzi was basically invisible? $4 million per season?!? Either way, Bertuzzi neither fits the Ducks' system nor does he fit the type of player that the Ducks need. This signing seems like a "pity signing" to me: completely useless in every form.

The Calgary Flames signed winger Owen Nolan to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: Darryl Sutter follows Brian Burke's lead with a "pity signing". Owen Nolan was useless for the Coyotes. Is this part of Mike Keenan's plan? Bring back players that are past their prime by five or ten years? This is an absolutely stupid signing. And I'm going on record as saying it.

The Montreal Canadiens signed centreman Bryan Smolinski to a two-year, $2 million contract. The contract includes a no-trade clause.
Teebz: Smolinski will certainly replace Radek Bonk, but I find the no-trade clause a high price to pay to get him. If Montreal can deal him at the deadline next season in the event that they miss the playoffs, they should hold that card. Instead, they'll have to wait for Smolinski's blessing. Good luck, Montreal.

The Los Angeles Kings signed forwards Ladislav Nagy to a one-year contract, Michal Handzus toa four-year contract, and Kyle Calder to a two-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: Nagy will have to be better defensively to fit in Crawford's system. And he better not disappear or he'll be in the press box quickly. Handzus will bring a big body to the front of the net, and will fit well with the speedy Frolov and Kopitar. Handzus might be an understated signing, but his contribution won't be. Calder might be down to his last chance. He floated in Chicago, and he didn't do much in Detroit. He is out of chances with this blogger in terms of his potential.

The Atlanta Thrashers signed defenseman Ken Klee to a multi-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.
Teebz: Klee is a good defensive defenseman who will replace Greg de Vries on Atlanta's blueline. I see nothing wrong with this signing.

More team reports coming up this week, and I'll incorporate the new signings into my analysis of each team. Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!