At 12 noon eastern time Friday the flood gates opened as teams were officially allowed to sign players that were on other teams rosters the past season.
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James Wisniewski (Columbus Blue Jackets)- This was not necessarily a free agent signing since Wisniewski's rights were traded to the Blue Jackets by Montreal, but for all intents and purposes it was the first signing of the day. With Wisniewski playing the first part of last season with the Islanders, I was able to watch him and see what he was about, and that is offensive defense. He was one of the better overall defenseman on the market, but I'm not sure he is worth $33 million over six years.
Andrew Brunette (Chicago Blackhawks)- Brunette was one of the oldest players available, and at 37 brings a lot of senior leadership to the Blackhawks. He knows how to stay healthy and will chip in a goal once in a while for Chicago.
Andy Greene (New Jersey Devils)- Greene was probably the best defensive defenseman of the unrestricted free agent class, and the Devils locked him up for another four years. Would have loved for the Isles to get him, but Greene is very much the type of player New Jersey is about, the not flashy, but gritty and very successful style of play.
Jaromir Jagr (Philadelphia Flyers)- Well I don't think many people saw this coming, as although it was well known Jagr was coming back over the pond, I don't think anyone outside the 'City of Brotherly Love' thought Jagr would be wearing orange next season. One of the more successful players in NHL history, Jagr is old but can still contribute to Philly, especially with the loss of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.
Ed Jovanovski (Florida Panthers)- Jovanovski may be a bit past his prime as well, but this signing shows a lot about what Florida is about, and that is not just going big, but looking for wins soon. The Panthers went out and had the best first days of any NHL team, mixing it up with guys like Jovanovski and other players further down this list. Look for a longer feature piece on the Panthers' moves Saturday.
Mike Smith (Phoenix Coyotes)- Not sure if Smith is the replacement for Ilya Bryzgalov, but at the very least he will show up if they make the playoffs. Smith did well with the high scoring Lightning, but it will be interesting to see how he does with a less talented Coyotes team.
Jose Theodore (Florida Panthers)- Yet another player whose best years are probably behind them, Theodore was at one point arguably the best in the league. The big question will be can he recreate some of that magic in Florida.
Raffi Torres (Phoenix Coyotes)- Torres made a name for himself this playoffs, but actually also had 29 points this past season. The Coyotes add yet another role player to their roster, and one that is willing to drop his gloves as well. Torres could be a sleeper or could have gotten hot at just the right time to maximize his value.
Scottie Upshall (Florida Panthers)- I know this looks like a pattern between the Panthers and Coyotes, but they just made all their signings at around the end of the two o'clock hour. Upshall is actually one of my favorite signings for the Panthers because he will bring some personality to the team and may fill a few more seats.
Semyon Varlamov (Colorado Avalanche?)- No, that question mark is not a typo. The facts are that Varlamov was traded by the Capitals to the Avalanche for a first round pick and second round pick. Varlamov is reportedly thinking of going to Russia to play in the KHL, and it seems like the Caps didn't want to risk that. To be honest I didn't think Varlamov was that great anyway, and for the Caps to get what should be a top five pick for him, I would call that highway robbery.
Erik Cole (Montreal Canadiens)- Was holding out hope that the Islanders would slide in and grab Cole, but instead he is going up to play in beautiful Montreal. I was kind of surprised he didn't stay in Carolina (especially with their other signings) but he is a talented enough player that the money must have been better elsewhere.
Roman Hamrlik (Washington Capitals)- The Caps added the 37-year-old who is still producing as a defenseman. This may be exactly what has been holding Washington back, their lack of a defensive veteran that can still lead by example. Hamrlik may have another five years left in him, and you would think one of those would be capped off with a Stanley Cup victory in DC.
Marty Reasoner (New York Islanders)- Total disclosure here, had never heard of this guy and am not going to act like I am any expert on him. Seems from the reaction to be a decent signing, nothing spectacular but a piece to the Islanders puzzle.
Michael Ryder (Dallas Stars)- Another player who made a name for themselves during this year's Stanley Cup, Ryder was a force in the playoffs with 17 points. A pretty good point producer, Ryder should take on a pretty big role in Dallas with the expected departure of Brad Richards.
Steve Sullivan (Pittsburgh Penguins)- If healthy this could be a great signing for the Pens, but the big question is going to be Sullivan's health. They would love 40 plus points out of him, which is what he would have put up this season if he had played more than half the year.
Kris Versteeg (Florida Panthers)- Versteeg comes to the Panthers via a trade from the Flyers, and is yet another example of the money Florida is putting down to rebuild their team, and in many ways save it from moving up to Quebec. Versteeg had a pretty successful campaign in 2010, but without the stars of the Flyers there to cover him up, he could put up even bigger numbers in 2011.
Joel Ward (Washington Capitals)- Ward may not be the most talented player of the class, but he has a lot of grit and is going to fill in some of the cracks of the Capitals high powered offense. Ward is willing to score the dirty goals, and on a team with Alex Ovechkin that is just what you need.
Ville Leino (Buffalo Sabres)- The Sabres continued to make moves by adding one of the best forwards available in Leino. Everyone knows the Sabres have Ryan Miller in net, but what they are really lacking is a goal-scorer, something Leino will bring to Buffalo.
Thomas Fleischmann (Florida Panthers)- Maybe the Panthers best move, Fleischmann was also considered to be one of the best available forwards. The Panthers may be overpaying for a player who has not exactly shown a lot, but the upside is so tremendous it may be worth it.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Colorado Avalanche)- It is players like Giguere who show why Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy are and were so amazing. Giguere was one of the best when the Ducks won the cup, but now could be a back-up to Semyon Varlamov in Colorado. Will be interesting to see how that works out for the Avalanche.
Sean Bergenheim (Florida Panthers)- The final player on our list is someone who most hockey fans had never heard of until this past season's playoffs, when Bergenheim went off for nine goals in 16 games. Is that the player the Panthers are getting or will they get the regular season Bergenheim is the big question? Either way one must admire Florida's effort and willingness to take risks.
If you are still with me through those past 1,355 words you may notice the biggest name not on this list, Brad Richards. He is yet to sign with a team and I imagine the news will break sometime Saturday.
If you think I missed out on an important player let me know in the comments section, and let me know why you think they are so important.
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