NHL free agency got off to a surprising start when it was announced that longtime Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson would leave Ottawa and sign a one-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings. The financial terms of the deal included $3.5 million dollars in guaranteed salary with an extra $2 million in performance bonuses.
Alfredsson, who many though would be a lifer in Ottawa informed the team Thursday night that he wouldn’t re-up with them citing his desire to win a Stanley Cup before he call’s it a career.
Nonetheless, the 40-year old’s decision to spurn his former team will likely add to a potentially budding divisional rivalry between the Sens and Red Wings next season.
Ottawa however didn’t waste any time keeping pace with their new division rivals.
Just hours after the Alfredsson to Detroit deal became official, the Senators pulled off a huge trade by sending RW Jakob Silfverberg, RW Stefan Noesen and a first-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks for 26-year old power forward Bobby Ryan.
https://twitter.com/b_ryan9/status/353235030929186816
Ryan, who should pick up plenty of minutes on the power play in Ottawa and probably fit right in being able to switch back to his natural right wing is signed for two more seasons and is owed a salary of $11.125-million, which is a little higher than his $5.1-million cap hit according to www.capgeek.com.
Regardless the newly realigned division of Detroit, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Florida, Buffalo and Tampa Bay is quickly shaping up to be one of the more interesting story lines to keep an eye on as the regular season approaches. This is especially the case after the movement involving Detroit and Ottawa as well as the Red Wings also signing Stephen Weiss away from Florida and Tampa Bay signing Valtteri Filppua away from Detroit.
Here are the rest of the free agent acquisitions during the first day.
Boston Bruins
Jarome Iginla, one year, $6 million, per Ryan Rishaug of TSN.
Chad Johnson, $600,000, per Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe.
Bobby Robins, 2-year, 2-way deal, per Joe Haggery of CSN New England
.
Calgary Flames
Corban Knight, per James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail
Greg Nemisz, per Mirtle
Karri Ramo, two years, $2.75 million, per Mirtle.
Carolina Hurricanes
Mike Komisarek, one year, $700,000, per Darren Dreger of TSN.
Anton Khudobin, one year, $800,000, per Aaron Ward of TSN.
Chicago Blackhawks
Bryan Bickell, four years, $16 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Michal Handzus, one year, $1 million, per Bruce Garrioch.
Michael Rozsival, 2-year deal, per Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Nikolai Khabibulin, one-year deal, $1.7 base salary with up to $300,000 in bonuses, per Comcast Sportsnet Chicago
Colorado Avalanche
Andrew Benoit, one year, $900,000, per Aaron Ward of TSN.
Nick Holden, 2-year deal, per Avalanche official Twitter.
Nate Guenin, 1-year deal, per Avalanche tweet.
Guillaume Desbiens, 1-year deal, per Avalanche tweet.
J.T. Wyman, 1-year deal, per Avalanche tweet.
David Van Der Gulik, 1-year deal, per Avalanche official Twitter.
Colin Smith, 3-year deal, per Avalanche tweet.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Nathan Horton, seven years, $37.1 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Thomas Larkin, 2-year, 2-way deal, per team’s official website.
Cody Bass, 1-year, 2-way deal, per team’s official website.
Jeremy Smith, 1-year, 2-way deal, per team’s official website.
Ryan Craig, 1-year, 2-way deal, per team’s official website.
Dallas Stars
Dan Ellis, two years, $1.8 million, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Detroit Red Wings
Daniel Alfredsson, one year, $5.5 million, per Chris Peters of CBS Sports.
Stephen Weiss, five years, $24.5 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Ference, four years, $13 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Boyd Gordon, three years, $9 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Jason Labarbera, one year, $1 million, per McKenzie.
Jesse Joensuu, 2-year deal, per Oilers official Twitter.
Will Acton, 2-year deal, per Oilers official Twitter.
Ryan Hamilton, 2-year deal, per Oilers official Twitter.
Florida Panthers
Shawn Matthias, two years, $3.5 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Joey Crabb, 2-year deal, per George Richards of the Miami Herald.
Mike Mottau, 1-year, 2-way, $700,000/$200,000 deal, per Andy Strickland.
Jesse Winchester, 1-year deal, per Panthers official Twitter.
Los Angeles Kings
Jeff Schultz, one year, $700,000, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Minnesota Wild
Keith Ballard, two years, $3 million, per Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Niklas Backstrom, three years, $10.25 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Jared Spurgeon, 3-year deal, per Wild official Twitter.
Montreal Candadiens
Danny Briere, two years, $8 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Nashville Predators
Viktor Stalberg, four years, $12 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Matt Cullen, two years, $7 million, per Aaron Ward of TSN.
Matt Hendricks, four years, $7.4 million, per Craig Custance of ESPN.
Carter Hutton, 1-year, $550,00/$100,000 deal, per team’s official website.
Eric Nystrom, four years, $10 million, per team’s official website.
New Jersey Devils
Patrik Elias, three years, $16.5 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Ryan Clowe, five years, $24.25 million, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Rostislav Olesz, 1-year deal, per James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail.
Michael Ryder, two years, $7 million, per Rich Chere of the Star-Ledger.
New York Islanders
Evgeni Nabokov, one year, $3.25 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Peter Regin, one year, $750,000, per Aaron Ward of TSN.
Pierre Marc-Bouchard, one year, $2 million, per Arthur Staple of Newsday.
Travis Harmonic, seven years, $27 million, per Ward.
New York Rangers
Dominic Moore, one year, $1 million, per Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
Aaron Johnson, one year, $600,000, per Darren Dreger of TSN.
Ottawa Senators
Clarke MacArthur, two years, $6.5 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Philadelphia Flyers
Vincent Lecavalier, five years, $22.5 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Claude Giroux, eight years, $66.2 million, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Ray Emery, one year, $1.65 million, per LeBrun.
Yann Danis, 1-year deal, per Flyers official Twitter.
Phoenix Coyotes
Mike Smith, six years, $34 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Lauri Korpikoski, four years, $10 million, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Kyle Chipchura, multi-year, $875,000/year deal, per the team’s official site andChris Johnston of NHL Network.
Thomas Greiss, one year, $750,000, per Darren Dreger of TSN.
Mike Ribeiro, four years, $22 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Michael Stone, 3-year deal, per Dreger.
Chris Summers, 1-year deal, per Craig Morgan of Fox Sports Arizona.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pascal Dupuis, four years, $15 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
Rob Scuderi, four years, $13.5 million, per Gretz.
San Jose Sharks
Tyler Kennedy, two years, $4.6 million, per Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.
Scott Hannan, one year, $1 million, per LeBrun.
St. Louis Blues
Jordan Leopold, two years, $4.5 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
Keith Aucoin, one year, $625,000, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Mark Mancari, 2-way deal, per Andy Strickland
Tampa Bay Lightning
Geoff Walker, 1-year, 2-way deal, per Mike Corcoran of NBC Sportstalk.
Valtteri Filppula, five years, $25 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Jonathan Drouin, 3-year entry-level deal, per Erik Erlendsson of the Tampa Tribune.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Frazer McLaren, two years, $1.4 million, per Chris Johnston of NHL Network.
Tyler Bozak, five years, $21 million, per Adam Gretz of CBS Sports.
David Clarkson, seven years, $37.1 million, per Brian Stubits of CBS Sports.
T.J. Brennan, one year, $600,000, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Vancouver Canucks
Yannick Weber, one year, $650,000, per Aaron Ward of TSN.
Brad Richardson, two years, $2.3 million, per Bob McKenzie of TSN.
Winnipeg Jets
Al Montoya, one year, $600,000, per team’s official site.