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Free Agent Frenzy 2021: Day Two Signings By Team

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After a whirlwind day one of free agency that saw over 160 new contracts, it would not have been a surprise to see a quiet day two. However, the market kept on moving today as another 40 players signed deals. Here are all of the latest signings, broken down by team. All dollar amounts represent the average annual value at the NHL level.

Anaheim Ducks:

F Danny O’Regan – Two years, $750K
D Greg Pateryn – One year, $750K
F Buddy Robinson – One year, $750K

Arizona Coyotes: 

F Michael Carcone – Two years, $750K
F Hudson Fasching – One year, $750K

Boston Bruins: 

(none)

Buffalo Sabres:

F John Hayden – One year, $750K
D Ethan Prow – One year, $750K

Calgary Flames:

D Andy Welinski – One year, $750K

Carolina Hurricanes: 

D Brendan Smith – One year, $800K
D Jalen Chatfield – One year, $750K

Chicago Blackhawks:

(none)

Colorado Avalanche: 

F Darren Helm – One year, $1MM
F Stefan Matteau – One year, $750K
F Dylan Sikura – One year, $800K

Columbus Blue Jackets:

D Jake Bean – Three years, $2.33MM
D Zach Werenski – Six years, $9.583MM*

Dallas Stars: 

D Jani Hakanpaa – Three years, $1.5MM
F Michael Raffl – One year, $1.1MM

Detroit Red Wings:

D Ryan Murray – One year, $800K
D Daniel Renouf – One year, $850K
D Luke Witkowksi – Two years, $750K

Edmonton Oilers:

(none)

Florida Panthers: 

(none)

Los Angeles Kings: 

(none)

Minnesota Wild: 

D Jon Merrill – One year, $850K
D Kevin Czuczman – One year, $750K
F Brandon Duhaime – Two years, $750K

Montreal Canadiens:

F Mathieu Perreault – One year, $950K

Nashville Predators: 

F Mathieu Olivier – Two years, $750K

New Jersey Devils:

F Joseph Gambardella – Two years, $750K
D Robbie Russo – Two years, $750K

New York Islanders:

(none)

New York Rangers: 

F Filip Chytil- Two years, $2.3MM

Ottawa Senators: 

F Pontus Aberg – One year, $750K
D Dillon Heatherington – One year, $750K
F Kole Sherwood – One year, $750K

Philadelphia Flyers: 

(none)

Pittsburgh Penguins: 

F Danton Heinen – One year, $1.1MM
F Michael Chaput – One year, $750K

San Jose Sharks: 

(none)

Seattle Kraken:

(none)

St. Louis Blues: 

F Brandon Saad – Four years, $4.5MM
G Charlie Lindgren – One year, $750K
F Matthew Peca – One year, $750K
F Nathan Todd – One year, $750K

Tampa Bay Lightning:

D Cal Foote – Two years, $850K
F Corey Perry – Two years, $1MM

Toronto Maple Leafs:

F Pavel Gogolev – Three years, $834K**
F Brett Seney – One year, $750K

Vancouver Canucks:

(none)

Vegas Golden Knights:

(none)

Washington Capitals:

(none)

Winnipeg Jets:

(none)

*Extension starting in 2022-23
**Entry-level contract
Indicates two-way deal

Darren Helm Inks Deal With Colorado Avalanche

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Longtime Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm has signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche in free agency. TSN’s Darren Dreger reports the deal carries a $1MM cap hit.

Come October, Helm will be playing his first NHL game outside of the Detroit Red Wings organization. After 14 seasons in Detroit, which included 744 games and a Stanley Cup ring, Helm will be departing for Denver for what could be his last season in the NHL. Helm’s dealt with constant injury issues, mainly concussions, throughout his career. He’s still managed to tally over 100 goals and 250 points over the course of his career. Last season was a career-worst for the 34-year-old, however, scoring just eight points in 47 games.

Helm carries limited upside for the Avs, but brings a gritty veteran presence to what is shaping up to be a very youthful and inexperienced bottom-six forward group. While his scoring ability is non-existent, Helm’s still been a good defensive forward on a team that hasn’t played much defense in recent seasons. He likely slots in as the team’s fourth-line center, possibly a direct replacement for Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. It looks to be a solid bet for the Avs, who gain a dependable defensive presence to aid their youth.

Free Agent Frenzy 2021: Day 1 Signings By Team

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The 2021 offseason saw an incredible amount of player movement before the gates opened in free agency, and it didn’t slow down once players were allowed to sign new contracts. Nearly $800MM in contract dollars were dolled out on day one, with more than 160 players inking new deals. Here are all of the signings from day one of the free agent frenzy, broken down by team. All dollar amounts represent the average annual value at the NHL level.

Anaheim Ducks:

F Ryan Getzlaf – One year, $4.5MM
D Brogan Rafferty – One year, $750K

Arizona Coyotes: 

F Dmitrij Jaskin – One year, $3.2MM
F Ryan Dzingel – One year, $1.1MM
G Carter Hutton – One year, $750K
F Liam O’Brien – One year, $750K

Boston Bruins: 

F Nick Foligno – Two years, $3.8MM
F Erik Haula – Two years, $2.375MM
F Tomas Nosek – Two years, $1.75MM
D Derek Forbort – Three years, $3.0MM
G Linus Ullmark – Four years, $5.0MM
F Samuel Asselin – Two years, $750K
F Steven Fogarty – One year, $750K
D Tyler Lewington – One year, $750K
G Troy Grosenick – One year, $750K

Buffalo Sabres:

G Craig Anderson – One year, $750K
F Vinnie Hinostroza – One year, $1.05MM
F/D Mark Pysyk – One year, $900K
F Sean Malone – One year, $750K
D Jimmy Schuldt – One year, $750K
D Brandon Davidson – One year, $750K
G Aaron Dell – One year, $750K

Calgary Flames:

F Blake Coleman – Six years, $4.9MM
F Trevor Lewis – One year, $800K
D Kevin Gravel – One year, $750K
D Nick DeSimone – One year, $750K
G Adam Werner – One year, $750K

Carolina Hurricanes: 

F Jordan Martinook – Three years, $1.8MM
F Josh Leivo – One year, $750K
D Ian Cole – One year, $2.9MM
D Anthony DeAngelo – One year, $1.0MM
G Frederik Andersen – Two years, $4.5MM
G Antti Raanta – Two years, $2.0MM
F C.J. Smith – One year, $750K

Chicago Blackhawks:

F Jujhar Khaira – Two years, $975K
D Seth Jones – Eight years, $9.5MM*
D Jake McCabe – Four years, $4.0MM

Colorado Avalanche: 

D Roland McKeown – One year, $750K

Columbus Blue Jackets:

F Patrik Laine – One year, $7.5MM
F Boone Jenner – Four years, $3.75MM*
F Sean Kuraly – Four years, $2.5MM
F Eric Robinson – Two years, $1.6MM*
F Alexandre Texier – Two years, $1.525MM
F Tyler Sikura – One year, $750K
D Gavin Bayreuther – Two years, $750K

Dallas Stars: 

F Luke Glendening – Two years, $1.5MM
D Ryan Suter – Four years, $3.65MM
G Braden Holtby – One year, $2.0MM
D Alex Petrovic – One year, $750K
D Andreas Borgman – One year, $750K

Detroit Red Wings:

F Pius Suter – Two years, $3.25MM
F Jordan Oesterle – Two years, $1.35MM
F Sam Gagner – One year, $850K
G Calvin Pickard – One year, $800K

Edmonton Oilers:

F Zach Hyman – Seven years, $5.5MM
F Derek Ryan – Two years, $1.25MM
D Tyson Barrie – Three years, $4.5MM
D Cody Ceci – Four years, $3.25MM

Florida Panthers: 

F Carter Verhaeghe – Three years, $4.17MM*
F Maxim Mamin – One year, $975K
F Juho Lammikko – One year, $750K
G Christopher Gibson – One year, $750K

Los Angeles Kings: 

F Phillip Danault – Six years, $5.5MM
F Andreas Athanasiou – One year, $2.7MM
D Alexander Edler – One year, $3.5MM
F T.J. Tynan – One year, $750K
G Garrett Sparks – One year, $750K

Minnesota Wild: 

F Frederick Gaudreau – Two years, $1.2MM
D Alex Goligoski – One year, $5.0MM
D Dmitry Kulikov – Two years, $2.25MM
F Dominic Turgeon – One year, $750K
D Jon Lizotte – One year, $750K
D Joe Hicketts – Two years, $750K

Montreal Canadiens:

F Mike Hoffman – Three years, $4.5MM
F Cedric Paquette – One year, $950K
D David Savard – Four years, $3.5MM
D Chris Wideman – One year, $750K
F Jean-Sebastien Dea – One year, $750K
D Louis Belpedio – One year, $750K

Nashville Predators: 

F Mikael Granlund – Four years, $5.0MM
G David Rittich – One year, $1.25MM
F Zachary L’Heureaux – Three years, $925K**
F Michael McCarron – Two years, $750K
F Anthony Richard – One year, $750K
F Matt Luff – One year, $750K
D Matt Tennyson – Two years, $750K

New Jersey Devils:

D Dougie Hamilton – Seven years, $9.0MM
G Jonathan Bernier – Two years, $4.125MM
F Brian Flynn – One year, $750K
F Chase De Leo – One year, $750K

New York Islanders:

(None)

New York Rangers: 

D Patrik Nemeth – Three years, $2.5MM
D Jarred Tinordi – Two years, $900K
F Dryden Hunt – Two years, $763K 
F Greg McKegg – One year, $750K

Ottawa Senators: 

D Michael Del Zotto – Two years, $2.0MM
F Andrew Agozzino – On year, $800K

Philadelphia Flyers: 

F Nate Thompson – One year, $800K
D Keith Yandle – One year, $900K
G Martin Jones – One year, $2.0MM
F Ryan Fitzgerald – One year, $750K
F Gerald Mayhew – One year, $800K
D Cooper Zech – Two years, $838K**
D Adam Clendening – One year, $750K
D Nick Seeler – One year, $750K

Pittsburgh Penguins: 

F Brock McGinn – Four years, $2.75MM
F Evan Rodrigues – One year, $1.0MM
F Dominik Simon – One year, $750K
D Taylor Fedun – One year, $750K
G Filip Lindberg – Two years, $925K**

San Jose Sharks: 

F Nick Bonino – Two years, $2.05MM
F Andrew Cogliano – One year, $1.0MM
G James Reimer – Two years, $2.25MM
F Lane Pederson – Two years, $750K
F Nick Merkley – One year, $750K
D Jaycob Megna – One year, $750K

Seattle Kraken:

F Jaden Schwartz – Five years, $5.5MM
F Alexander Wennberg – Three years, $4.5MM
G Philipp Grubauer – Six years, $5.9MM

St. Louis Blues: 

(None)

Tampa Bay Lightning:

F Brayden Point – Eight years, $9.5MM*
F Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – Two years, $1.0MM
D Zach Bogosian – Three years, $850K
G Brian Elliott – One year, $900K
F Gabriel Dumont – One year, $750K
F Remi Elie – One year, $750K
F Charles Hudon – One year, $750K
D Darren Raddysh – One year, $750K
D Andrej Sustr – One year, $750K
G Maxime Lagace – One year, $750K

Toronto Maple Leafs:

F David Kampf – Two years, $1.5MM
F Michael Bunting – Two years, $950K
F Kurtis Gabriel – One year, $750K
G Petr Mrazek – Three years, $3.8MM
F Michael Amadio – One year, $750K
D Carl Dahlstrom – One year, $750K
D Alex Biega – One year, $750K

Vancouver Canucks:

F Brandon Sutter – One year, $1.125MM
F Justin Dowling – Two years, $750K
D Travis Hamonic – Two years, $3.0MM
D Tucker Poolman – Four years, $2.5MM
D Luke Schenn – Two years, $850K
D Brad Hunt – One year, $800K
D Brady Keeper – Two years, $763K
G Jaroslav Halak – One year, $1.5MM (+$1.5MM performance bonuses)
F Danila Klimovich – Three years, $887K**
F Justin Bailey – One year, $750K
F Sheldon Dries – One year, $750K
F Phillip Di Giuseppe – One year, $750K
F Nicolas Petan – One year, $750K
D Kyle Burroughs – Two years, $750K
D Devante Stephens – One year, $750K

Vegas Golden Knights:

F Mattias Janmark – One year, $2.0MM
F Patrick Brown – Two years, $750K
D Alec Martinez – Three years, $5.25MM
G Laurent Brossoit – Two years, $2.325MM
F Sven Baertschi – One year, $750K
F Gage Quinney – One year, $750K

Washington Capitals:

D Dylan McIlrath – Two years, $750K
D Lucas Johansen – One year, $750K
D Matt Irwin – One year, $750K
G Hunter Shepard – Two years, $750K

Winnipeg Jets:

F Michael Eyssimont – Two years, $750K
F Luke Johnson – One year, $750K

*Extension starting in 2022-23
**Entry-level contract
Indicates two-way deal

Seattle Kraken Sign Philipp Grubauer, Jaden Schwartz

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July 28: The Seattle Kraken saved cap space at seemingly every turn through the expansion draft, passing on several high-profile candidates. They’ve now decided to use that cap space in free agency, signing Vezina finalist Philipp Grubauer. Kevin Weekes of NHL Network first heard a deal could happen between Seattle and Grubauer, while Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports it will be a six-year contract with an average annual value of $5.9MM. The team has also officially announced a five-year contract for free agent forward Jaden Schwartz, which will carry an average annual value of $5.5MM.

It’s a huge swing for the expansion franchise, inking number four and nine from our Top 50 UFA List. Add in Alexander Wennberg, who signed earlier today for three years and $13.5MM and the Kraken have quickly used their cap space to improve the roster. Still, the Grubauer move in particular brings up several questions.

Seattle now has three NHL goaltenders on the roster between Grubauer, Chris Driedger and Vitek Vanecek. That will lead to a crunch before the start of the season given all three are waiver-eligible, meaning there could be a trade coming in the next few weeks. Friedman tweets that the Washington Capitals would be interested in re-acquiring Vanecek if possible, though it’s unclear what it would cost them at this point. Remember, the Kraken passed on selecting Brenden Dillon from the Capitals in expansion, only to watch Washington flip him for two second-round picks. If the return on Vanecek is any less than that, it will certainly raise some voices in criticism of GM Ron Francis.

For Grubauer specifically, he leaves one of the best teams in the league for a complete question mark. Colorado recently re-signed both Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog for huge cap hits, not leaving a lot of room to fit in their starting goaltender. The 29-year-old Grubauer could very well become the face of the franchise in Seattle after his outstanding 2020-21 performance, but he won’t have quite the same team in front of him.

The Avalanche now are left scrambling for a starting option, with not many left on the free agent market. Trade targets like Darcy Kuemper stand out as top options, though that also comes at a cost. Losing Grubauer is painful, but the team was going to be in a very tough financial situation if they tried to outbid a $5.9MM cap hit.

Schwartz meanwhile joins the Kraken as the team’s first big forward addition (apologies to Wennberg), signing a long-term deal. He will likely slot into the team’s top line, though there are now several wingers that could be interchangeable pieces in Seattle. After a down year with the St. Louis Blues, Schwartz still landed a slight raise on the $5.35MM cap hit he has carried over the last five seasons.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Boston Bruins Sign Four To Minimum Deals

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The Boston Bruins aren’t slowing down. The busiest team on this first day of free agency have added four more signings to the list to help fill out their AHL ranks. Goaltender Troy Grosenick, defenseman Tyler Lewington, and forward Steven Fogarty have each signed one-year, two-way contracts worth the minimum $750K NHL salary. Forward Samuel Asselin, who spent the past two seasons on an AHL deal with the Providence Bruins, has been rewarded with a two-year entry-level contract, also with a $750K AAV.

Grosenick, 31, will join a goaltending depth chart that added Linus Ullmark and lost Daniel Vladar today, likely making him the third option in the early part of the season, until Tuukka Rask conceivably returns. He’ll require waivers to go to the minor leagues, but with a handful of NHL appearances–including two in 2020-21–he’d be in line for any starts that come about because of injury.

Lewington and Fogarty are in a similar boat, signed for the AHL but with enough experience to chip in if Boston needs some injury insurance. The 26-year-old Lewington has played ten games in the NHL, recording three points and 33 penalty minutes. The 28-year-old Fogarty is a little more experienced with 28 NHL appareances, including one playoff game for the New York Rangers in 2020. The 6’3″ forward scores at a strong rate in the AHL, but has just three points at the highest level.

Asselin meanwhile is just 23 and coming off his first full season with Providence, after splitting time in the AHL and ECHL during 2019-20. The undrafted QMJHL free agent signing scored 16 points in 25 AHL games this season, showing that the offensive production that appeared at previous levels might travel with him to the high minors. He’ll have to prove it again this season, but an entry-level contract is a nice reward for the hard work he’s put in to this point.

Boston Bruins To Sign Linus Ullmark

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With Tuukka Rask out for a good chunk of next season after major surgery and Jaroslav Halak now in Vancouver, the Boston Bruins have brought in a new goaltender. Linus Ullmark has signed with the Bruins, leaving the Buffalo Sabres after a long negotiation that stretched all the way into free agency. Ullmark’s new deal with Boston will be a four-year contract worth a total of $20MM.

Beyond the financial increase, which is significant, Ullmark gets a huge competitive upgrade in terms of the team that will be in front of him on a nightly basis. Through the first six seasons of his NHL career, he had been backstopping a Buffalo team that never once finished above .500 or made the playoffs. Despite all that losing for the Sabres in general, Ullmark’s results have actually been relatively strong, posting a 50-47-13 record in his 117 appearances. This season he was responsible for nine of the team’s 15 wins, despite only appearing in 20 games due to injury. He had a .917 during those limited outings, slightly higher than his career .912.

The gamble here by the Bruins is that behind a better structure, Ullmark will not only turn into a viable starting goaltender, but an elite one. The team has committed to a $5MM cap hit through 2024-25, actually tied the 12th-highest among goaltenders in league-wide. Robin Lehner, for instance, signed a five-year $25MM deal less than a year ago coming off two seasons where he finished in the top-6 of Vezina Trophy voting.

Lehner is actually an interesting comparison for Ullmark, because he was the Sabres goaltender that once blocked Ullmark’s path to the NHL. After posting a .916 over 133 games with Buffalo, Lehner immediately broke out after going to a stronger defensive team. He had a .930 in 2018-19 with the New York Islanders, winning the Jennings Trophy and finishing as a Vezina finalist. The numbers between the two during their time in Buffalo are eerily similar, so it makes sense that the Bruins would be hoping for a similar transformation.

Still, Lehner left Buffalo (under admittedly different circumstances) and received just one year and $1.5MM on the open market, essentially having to prove himself all over again with the Islanders. Committing this much money to Ullmark already is certainly a risk for the Bruins. It also begs the question of what will happen when Tuukka Rask is healthy enough to play again, as the assumption was that he would sign with Boston after rehabbing his hip injury. With Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman in place, the team should have enough goaltending to compete. If either one falters, the franchise icon could join the team midseason and help, but if they don’t, it’s unclear where Rask’s future lies.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Blake Coleman To Sign With Calgary Flames

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The Calgary Flames are going to bring in a Stanley Cup champion, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic confirms they will sign Blake Coleman when free agency opens. Joe Smith of The Athletic reports the deal will be a six-year contract and will carry an average annual value of $4.9MM. The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian reports that the deal carries a full no-movement clause for the first three seasons and a modified no-trade clause for the final three.

Initially linked to the Dallas Stars, his hometown team, and the Boston Bruins, a rival of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Coleman will instead head about as far from Tampa as possible by joining the Flames. Calgary is a team that is trying to become tougher to play against and Coleman’s hard-nosed game will certainly help with that. Though limited to a third-line role with the Bolts, albeit a crucial one, Coleman will likely compete for top-six minutes with the Flames. The team is deep up front with the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund, Andrew Mangiapane, and Dillon Dube, but Coleman’s game is unlike any of these current top-nine options. He has the chance to be the piece that completes the puzzle for a Flames squad whose results have not matched their talent on paper.

Though unsurprising, Coleman’s official departure from Tampa means the team will be replacing their highly-valued third line in its entirety. Coleman, Yanni Gourde, and Barclay Goodrow will all be on new teams this season after playing a critical role the past two years, especially in the postseason.

Pittsburgh Penguins Re-Sign Evan Rodrigues

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The Pittsburgh Penguins will be bringing back Evan Rodrigues, as Darren Dreger of TSN reports. The two sides have agreed to a one-year, $1MM contract, avoiding unrestricted free agency.

Rodrigues, 28, scored seven goals and 14 points in 35 games for the Penguins this season, but apparently, that was enough to bring him back for another year. He’s a skilled forward that is versatile enough to play up and down the lineup, but has never been able to bring much consistency for a full season.

In returning to Pittsburgh, Rodrigues may have a leg up in the competition to fill some of the Penguins’ recently vacated forward spots. However, he will have to compete all the same. The Penguins are looking to make changes to the tone and tenor of their bottom-six play and Rodrigues may not last long in the lineup if he cannot bring more to the table than he did this past season.

Brandon Sutter Expected To Re-Sign In Vancouver

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Per TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Vancouver Canucks forward Brandon Sutter is expected to re-sign with the team when free agency opens. McKenzie expects a one-year deal for the veteran forward. The Athletic’s Thomas Drance reports that the deal is worth $1.125MM.

Sutter’s a seasoned veteran, but he’s seriously struggled to stay healthy. The last time Sutter played a full season was 2016-17 where he played in 81 contests. Since that season, Sutter’s topped 10 goals and 20 points just once in a single season. He had a bit of a goal-scoring rebound last season, potting nine markers in 43 games, but tallied only three assists for 12 points. He’s also seen his ice time steadily deteriorate over recent years, now largely serving in a third- or fourth-line role.

A veteran of 770 NHL games, Sutter will return to a Vancouver Canucks forward core that’s been rejuvenated this offseason. With some free agent turnover in depth spots, both Conor Garland and Jason Dickinson will be injected into the Canucks’ offense. And with Dickinson’s acquisition, Sutter will either serve as a right-winger for Dickinson on the third line or as the team’s fourth-line center. Sutter’s health could be a rather key piece for a Canucks roster that’s fighting to get back into the playoff picture.

Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Joel Armia

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The Montreal Canadiens have made a mark on free agency before it even gets started. Joel Armia has agreed to terms with the club on a new four-year contract extension that will keep him away from the open market. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.4MM and keeps Armia under contract through 2024-25. Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reports that the deal does not include any signing bonuses or trade protection.

Armia, 28, may not create a lot of offense, but he’s still a valuable contributor to the Canadiens that can be used in a variety of ways. One of the best penalty killers in the league, he scored two short-handed goals in Montreal’s 21-game playoff run while lining up against some impressive competition. His 6’4″ frame allows him to get a stick in passing lanes or easily strip players of the puck, all helping Montreal’s identity of a tight defensive group with a penchant for the counter-attack.

The Canadiens, who also have Corey Perry, Phillip Danault, Eric Staal and Tomas Tatar scheduled for unrestricted free agency, were going to need to add some forwards at some point this summer, so why not bring back a player you know and like. The risk involved in a four-year deal is mitigated somewhat by the fact that Armia is still just 28, though he did get a pretty substantial bump in pay. If his defensive ability declines at all, it’s hard to see how Montreal would get their value back from a player that has only hit 30 points once in his career.

Still, the team has cap space to burn, given Shea Weber’s likely placement on long-term injured reserve for at least this season. Even with Armia back in the fold, Montreal has close to $20MM in room to add in free agency and just a handful of spots left to fill on the roster.

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