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While the more significant free agent signings get covered with their own
Numbers Game columns, Scott Cullen will provide analysis for NHL free agents
that sign with new teams in this updating blog. Fran Tarkenton Jersey . First, the Numbers
Game pieces on the major off-season deals: Wild win sweepstakes, sign Parise,
Suter Lightning land defenceman Carle Stars sign Jagr Jets ink veteran centre
Jokinen Stars get Roy for Ott, Pardy Flames sign Jiri Hudler Canucks land
defenceman Garrison Avalanche get Parenteau Senators, Blue Jackets trade Stars
sign veteran scorer Ray Whitney Oilers secure Schultzs services Flames trade
for, then sign, Wideman Leafs deal Schenn for van Riemsdyk Hurricanes get
another Staal Capitals get Ribeiro from Dallas Islanders acquire Visnovsky Blue
Jackets bring in Bobrovsky RED WINGS sign G JONAS GUSTAVSSON for two years,
$3-millionJonas Gustavsson hasnt shown much in three NHL seasons, but the
27-year-old did have some moments last season for Toronto (eg. .926 save
percentage in 11 games in January), but a .900 save percentage in 107 career
games is not indicative of anything more than a backup. Could he be better in
Detroit? Perhaps. Even if Detroits defence could slip now that Nicklas Lidstrom
has retired, it is a good opportunity for Gustavsson to show that he has more to
offer. With that contract, Gustavsson could be reasonably active, maybe getting
25-30 starts in the backup role. COYOTES sign RW DAVID MOSS for two years,
$2.1-million David Moss, 30, is a big winger who has some offensive upside, but
has been hampered by injuries, missing 98 games over the last three seasons.
Moss scored two goals in 32 games last season, playing a career-high 14:01 per
game for Calgary, but his advanced metrics were solid, facing a relatively high
calibre of competition and starting more of his shifts in the defensive zone
(per www.behindthenet.ca). With the Coyotes, Moss will fit in a top-nine role.
If he stays healthy and plays 15-plus minutes per game, Moss could snipe 20
goals for the second time in his career. AVALANCHE sign C JOHN MITCHELL for two
years, $2.2-millionJohn Michell, a 27-year-old forward who had fallen out of
favour with Toronto, but resurrected his career with the New York Rangers last
season, performing well in a fourth-line role after starting the season in the
American Hockey League. In Colorado, Mitchell is a sensible fourth-line centre,
who can win faceoffs (51.8% last year, 55.7% in 2010-2011). SENATORS sign D
MIKE LUNDIN for one year, $1.15-millionA player that flies under the radar,
27-year-old Mike Lundin was out of the lineup for much of last season due to a
back injury then, later in the year, a sports hernia, but hes been quietly
effective when he does play. Lundin played only 17 games for the Wild last
season and was asked to play tough minutes. Hes played more than 20 minutes per
game in each of the last three seasons so, presuming hes healthy, Lundin should
step into a regular role on the Ottawa blueline. HURRICANES sign D JOE CORVO for
one year, $2-millionThis is the third time around in Carolina for 35-year-old
Joe Corvo, a talented, yet enigmatic defenceman who can help on the power play,
yet also will also make shockingly poor decisions with the puck from time to
time. Corvos role was reduced (18:49 per game ATOI) last season in Boston, after
playing a career-high 24:47 per game in Carolina in 2010-2011, which should make
it easier to slide him into a third-pairing role for the Hurricanes. WILD sign C
ZENON KONOPKA for two years, $1.85-millionIt took Zenon Konopka some time to
reach the NHL as a regular, finally sticking as a 28-year-old with Tampa Bay in
2009-2010. While hes bounced around since then, hes found his niche as a
fourth-line centre that can fight and win face-offs. In the last three seasons,
31-year-old Konopka has 76 fights (www.hockeyfights.com) and has won 59.0% of
his face-offs. He also has eight goals and is minus-29 in 211 games over the
last three seasons, so there is no reason to expect anything more from him than
those two established areas of contribution. With Minnesota, Konopka will fit
behind Mikko Koivu, Kyle Brodziak and Matt Cullen down the middle, so he wont be
asked to do too much, but hell also provide a more consistent pugilistic
presence in the lineup alongside heavyweight Matt Kassian. WILD sign RW
TORREY MITCHELL for three years, $5.7-millionTorrey Mitchell is a 27-year-old
forward that has never scored more than 23 points in an NHL season, but hes
speedy, versatile and has been an effective checker when healthy. Based on the
financial commitment shown by Minnesota, Mitchell is likely to play a more
substantial role with the Wild. He could fit in a third line role, perhaps with
more penalty killing time than he received in San Jose. CANADIENS sign RW
COLBY ARMSTRONG for one year, $1-million29-year-old Colby Armstrong is coming
off the toughest season of his career, missing significant time with a sprained
ankle and broken foot, managing one goal, three points and a career-worst
minus-8 rating in 29 games. Those struggles resulted in his contract being
bought out by the Toronto Maple Leafs and made Armstrong free to sign with any
club. With this short-term deal, Armstrong has an opportunity to re-establish
his NHL credentials because, prior to two forgettable seasons in Toronto,
Armstrong had been a solid top nine forward who tallied 15 goals three times in
his career. SENATORS sign LW GUILLAUME LATENDRESSE for one year,
$1.25-millionGuillaume Latendresse, 25, is a big forward with soft hands who has
flashed offensive ability in his career, but has spent most of the last two
seasons on the sidelines battling a groin injury then a concussion that limited
him to a total of 27 games over the last two seasons. When he wasnt hurt last
season, Latendresse played a career-high 15:11 per game and scored five goals in
16 games. If he can manage to stay healthy, Latendresse could provide secondary
offence for the Senators, offsetting at least some of what the Senators lost
when they traded Nick Foligno to Columbus. Considering how much time Latendresse
has missed over the last two seasons, its optimistic to assume that he wont run
into any injury problems, but its a low-risk contract for the Senators. If
Latendresse is a 20-goal scorer, then hell be a bargain. If not, its the cost of
a make-good contract. DUCKS sign LW BRAD STAUBITZ for two years,
$1.275-millionEnforcer Brad Staubitz will turn 28-years-old later this month and
hes been active in the role, fighting 42 times (www.hockeyfights.com) in 180
games over the last three seasons. Staubitz plays six minutes per game and has
19 points in 215 career games, so hes not adding a lot more than muscle to the
lineup and, when it comes to his role on the Ducks, hes a cheaper option than
George Parros, who moved on to Florida. SHARKS sign RW ADAM BURISH for four
years, $7.2-million29-year-old veteran Adam Burish has been a popular role
player and he is coming off a season in which he tallied a career-high 19 points
with a career-best plus-6 rating in 65 games. Unfortunately for Burish, hes run
into injury problems regularly, missing at least 15 games in each of the last
four seasons, so his rambunctious style can take its toll. Nevertheless, when
hes in the lineup, its easy to see Burish fitting on the Sharks third line,
agitating and doing some work on the penalty kill. His price tag seems a tad
high for that contribution, but role players like Travis Moen and Max Talbot are
in the same annual price range on long-term deals, so its not completely out of
line either. ISLANDERS sign RW BRAD BOYES for one year, $1-millionAfter six
years of providing solid (and better) offensive production, 30-year-old
Brad Boyes struggled in 2011-2012, finishing with a career-low eight goals and
23 points while playing just 13:10 per game. There are no illusions that Boyes
is going to return to scoring 30 or 40 goals, but on a make-good contract, Boyes
could provide complementary offence for the Islanders. At the very least, hes an
insurance policy in case no one else (Ryan Strome? other free agents?) can step
in to provide offence with PA Parenteau departing as a free agent. ISLANDERS
sign D MATT CARKNER for three years, $4.5-millionOne of the games most fearsome
heavyweights, 31-year-old Matt Carkner has been struggling with injuries, most
notably a knee problem that limited him to 29 games in 2011-2012. In 2009-2010,
Carkner played 81 games and was taking a regular turn on the Ottawa blueline,
playing more than 16 minutes per game and dropping the gloves 24 times
(www.hockeyfights.com) over the season. His ice time, games played and
pugilistic activity have decreased since. For the money hes getting, Carkner is
going to get a chance on the third pairing for the Islanders and they can use
the muscle, but its going to require a return to good health and a reversal of
his current career trend for him to be an everyday contributor on the Island.
PANTHERS sign D FILIP KUBA for two years, $8-million35-year-old Filip Kuba
rebounded dramtically in 2011-2012, going from a career-worst minus-26 in
2010-2011 to a career-best plus-26 last season, while playing 23:37 per game,
primarily alongside Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Returning to Florida,
the team that drafted him in the eighth round in 1995, Kuba figures to step into
the spot vacated by Jason Garrison, who signed with Vancouver. Kuba has
experience and should provide enough defensive stability to allow Brian Campbell
to freewheel offensively, but the Panthers are taking a more economical approach
investing in two years of Kuba as opposed to the six years required to keep
Garrison.   RANGERS sign RW ARRON ASHAM for two years, $2-millionA 34-year-old
grinder who has done more fighting in the latter stages of his career,
Arron Asham has dropped the gloves 45 times (www.hockeyfights.com) over the last
four seasons while taking a regular turn on the fourth line in Pittsburgh. One
of the perils of Ashams role is that injuries are starting to catch up to him.
Hes missed 56 games over the last two seasons, so that needs to be considered as
part of the risk for the Rangers, but one that theyre willing to take as they
add some middleweight muscle to offset the loss of Brandon Prust. RANGERS sign
RW ARRON ASHAM for two years, $2-millionA 34-year-old grinder who has done more
fighting in the latter stages of his career, Arron Asham has dropped the gloves
45 times over the last four seasons while taking a regular turn on the fourth
line in Pittsburgh. One of the perils of Ashams role is that injuries are
starting to catch up to him. Hes missed 56 games over the last two seasons, so
that needs to be considered as part of the risk for the Rangers, but one that
theyre willing to take as they add some middleweight muscle to offset the loss
of Brandon Prust. PENGUINS sign LW TANNER GLASS for two years,
$2.2-millionComing off a season in which he played an unprecedented 13:25 per
game as part of the popular GST line in Winnipeg, 28-year-old Tanner Glass moves
to Pittsburgh as an effective replacement for Asham. Glass was a career-worst
minus-12 last season, but he played difficult minutes, facing difficult
competition and starting most of his shifts in the defensive zone (per
www.behindthenet.ca). He should play a similar role for Pittsburgh, though he
could see his ice time reduced on a team as deep and talented up front as the
Penguins. CANADIENS sign D FRANCIS BOUILLON for one year, $1.5-million Short and
stocky 36-year-old Francis Bouillon hasnt been terribly durable, missing 83
games over the last four seasons, but he leaves it all on the ice. In a
third-pair role, Bouillon can add experience and a feisty edge to the Canadiens
blueline but, at this point, probably not much more. BLACKHAWKS sign D
SHELDON BROOKBANK for two years, $2.5-million 31-year-old Sheldon Brookbank is
coming off the most productive season of his career. In 80 games, playing a
career-high 15:36 per game, Brookbank finished with a career-high 14 points and
plus-11 rating. These are modest totals, but he adds toughness in his limited
role. He hits, blocks shots and has 31 fights over the last four seasons,
according to www.hockeyfights.com. If everyone is healthy in Chicago, Brookbank
may be an extra on defence, but he could also be insurance in the event that
Steve Montador isnt ready to return to the lineup. AVALANCHE sign D GREG ZANON
for two years, $4.5-million Being one of the games best shot-blockers has taken
its toll on 32-year-old Greg Zanon, who played a career-low 56 games last
season. After he was acquired from Minnesota by Boston, Zanon played a limited
role, just 15:54 per game (and 13:43 per game in the first round of the
playoffs). In the four seasons prior to last year, however, Zanon finished in
the top seven in blocked shots every year, so he could be an asset in Colorado,
if healthy. Looking at the Avalanche defence corps, Zanon may be in a battle for
ice time, but his salary suggests that the Avs have plans for him to play.
CANADIENS sign RW BRANDON PRUST for four years, $10-million Brandon Prust has
fought his way into an NHL role, scrapping 81 times over the last four seasons,
but hes established that hes more than just a pugilist, playing 12:50 per game
over the last couple seasons. While Prusts offence decreased last season (from
13 goals 29 points in 2010-2011 to five goals, 16 points in 2011-2012), he was a
trusted player for the Rangers, starting nearly twice as many shifts in the
defensive zone (www.behindthenet.ca). In Montreal, Prust adds some fire that has
generally been lacking from the Canadiens lineup and he should play among the
top nine forwards. Given his wage, that has to be the expectation. JETS sign LW
ALEXEI PONIKAROVSKY for one year, $1.8-million 32-year-old Alexei Ponikarovskys
career had been in a downward spiral since he was traded from Toronto in 2010,
going through unimpressive stints with Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Carolina
before a decent finish to the 2011-2012 season with New Jersey, when he finished
with 18 points and a plus-9 rating in 33 games (nine points, plus-8 in 24
playoff games) for the Devils. For the Jets, hes a legitimate third-line forward
who has size and at least a little offensive upside. PANTHERS sign RW
GEORGE PARROS for two years, $1.85-million Its fair to wonder if George Parros
role, as a heavyweight, might be getting phased out since he played only 46
games and his 11 fights (per www.hockeyfights.com) last season was easily his
fewest in an NHL season. Parros has never played more than 6:30 per game, so hes
not suddenly going to be a difference-maker in Florida, but as long as their are
heavyweights that he can drop the gloves with, he has a role to play. PREDATORS
sign G CHRIS MASON for one year, $1.25-million 36-year-old veteran Chris Mason
played 20 games for the Jets last season, his fewest since 2003-2004, but hes a
decent option to be Pekka Rinnes backup in Nashville (where he played 135 games
from 1998-2008) because, well, its not expected to be a heavy workload. Though
Mason finished with an uninspiring .898 save percentage last season, the year
was going relatively well until his last three appearances, when he allowed 11
goals on 72 shots. BLUE JACKETS sign D ADRIAN AUCOIN for one year, $2-million No
longer an offensive threat with a big blast from the point, 39-year-old
Adrian Aucoin nevertheless turned in a solid season for the Phoenix Coyotes,
playing effectively in relatively difficult minutes. While the Columbus blueline
is actually a relative area of strength, having a steady veteran like Aucoin on
hand wont hurt. Maybe he doesnt need to keep playing 20-plus minutes per game,
but Aucoin can add stability to the third pairing. RED WINGS sign LW
DAMIEN BRUNNER 26-year-old Swiss forward Damien Brunner is small, but skilled,
scoring 164 points in 132 Swiss League games over the last three seasons. Its
not an easy transition to make the jump from Switzerland to the NHL, so Brunner
may need time in Grand Rapids, but he does go into next season with at least a
moderate level of intrigue. MAPLE LEAFS sign C JAY MCCLEMENT Jay McClement is a
29-year-old checking centre who played a career-low 13:45 per game for Colorado
last season, yet his 3:06 of shorthanded ice time per game ranked third among
all forwards (behind Maxime Talbot and Tomas Plekanec). Joining a Maple Leafs
team that ranked 28th (77.3%) in penalty-killing last season, McClement has an
obvious focus for his efforts. Not surprisingly, McClement starts the majority
of his shifts in the defensive zone (www.behindthenet.ca) and that should
continue in Toronto. The question is what the Maple Leafs will do to sort out
their logjam at centre. With Tyler Bozak, Mikhail Grabovski, Tim Connolly and
David Steckel on the roster already, someones due to get bumped in order for
Toronto to get McClement into the lineup. DUCKS sign D BRYAN ALLEN for three
years, $10.5-million and D SHELDON SOURAY for three years, $11-million After
dealing veteran D Lubomir Visnovsky to the Islanders, the Ducks were undermanned
on the blueline, so they acted quickly in free agency, adding a pair of veterans
that have size and toughness. 31-year-old Bryan Allen played tough minutes for
Carolina, facing a high level of competition and starting the majority of his
shifts in the defensive zone (www.behindthenet.ca). At 6-foot-5, Allen has size,
toughness and is a reliable defensive presence. Souray, who turns 36 this week,
resurrected his career after a season in the AHL, playing effectively in some
difficult minutes for the Dallas Stars. However, Souray wasnt utilized much in a
power play role—his 1:48 PP time on ice per game ranked fourth among Stars
defencemen—so his point total (21) was modest, but his plus-minus (plus-11)
was his best since his rookie year in 1997-1998. In Anaheim, Sourays size and
toughness will be appreciated, but he may also have more of an opportunity to
unleash his bomb on the power play; despite injuries and a year in the AHL,
since 2003-2004, Souray is tied for sixth among defencemen with 48 power play
goals. Zdeno Chara, Dion Phaneuf and Sergei Gonchar are the only active
defencemen ahead of him. The Ducks now have a solid veteran defence corps to
support Cam Fowler and Luca Sbisa. Allen, Souray, Francois Beauchemin and
Toni Lydman round out a steady, if not necessarily spectacular, group. STARS
sign D AARON ROME for three years, $4.5-million Aaron Rome, 28, has never played
more than 56 games in an NHL season, but has been solid in a depth role for the
last three seasons with Vancouver; solid enough to get a look in a full-time
role with the Stars. Over the last two seasons with Vancouver, Rome has 15
points, a minus-3 rating and 99 penalty minutes while playing 16:28 per game, so
the Stars can expect some physical play as part of their third pairing. RED
WINGS sign RW JORDIN TOOTOO for three years, $5.7-million Despite scoring only
six goals in 77 games, 29-year-old agitator Jordin Tootoo may be coming off his
best NHL season, scoring a career-high 30 points while playing a career-high
13:09 per game. Tootoo also registered a career-high 151 hits last season so
that, combined with 32 fights over the last five seasons (per
www.hockeyfights.com), suggests that Tootoo will be adding a physical dimension
thats been lacking from Detroits bottom six forwards. RED WINGS sign RW
MIKAEL SAMUELSSON for two years, $6-million Returning to the team for which he
scored 67 goals from 2005-2006 to 2008-2009, 35-year-old Mikael Samuelsson has
remained a productive player since departing, scoring 62 goals and 134 points in
203 games with (mostly) Vancouver and Florida. As a secondary offensive
contributor, Samuelsson has been a factor on the power play, notching 42 power
play goals over the last seven seasons. Hes one of 24 NHLers to have at least 40
power play goals and at least a plus-60 rating over that time frame. Back in
Detroit, Samuelsson should replace Jiri Hudler on a the second line, alongside
Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula, an opportunity that should allow him to
remain productive for a couple more seasons. SABRES sign LW/D JOHN SCOTT for one
year, $600,000 6-foot-8 heavyweight John Scott has one goal, five points and 22
fights in 146 career games. He might have more bouts if only there were others
in his weight class (according to www.hockeyfights.com, Scott is undefeated in
his 19 NHL fights, most of which have been lopsided results in his favour, but
the Sabres are looking for muscle to ensure, for example, that no one is taking
liberties with goaltender Ryan Miller. Scott isnt effective (or mobile) enough
to play a regular shift, but its easy to see how a line with Steve Ott,
Patrick Kaleta and Scott could wreak havoc when turned loose. CAPITALS sign RW
JOEY CRABB for one year, $950,000 After years of battling for a spot in the NHL,
29-year-old Joey Crabb earned his first one-way contract after a solid year in a
checking role for Toronto. Crabb has 50 points in 144 career games, playing
13:02 per game, so hes not going to suddenly become an offensive threat with the
Capitals, but its easy to see him in a regular fourth-line role on right wing;
perhaps even third line if Joel Ward doesnt perform better than he did in
2011-2012. CAPITALS sign D JACK HILLEN for one year, $650,000 26-year-old
Jack Hillen played in a reduced role last season with Nashville, logging 14:04
per game in 55 games as a part-time player, following a couple seasons with the
New York Islanders in which he handled more responsibility. In Washington,
Hillen still figures to be an extra but, as an undersized puck-mover, he offers
a different dimension than someone like John Erskine, who is a more physical
presence. COYOTES sign RW CHRIS CONNER for one year, $650,000 28-year-old winger
Chris Conner has played 76 games for Pittsburgh and Detroit over the last three
seasons, struggling to earn a regular spot on the NHL roster of some very good
teams. Conner has 118 points in 127 AHL games over that span as well so, at the
very least, he should be a minor-league asset for the Coyotes, but he could have
a better chance to earn a spot on a Phoenix roster that isnt as talented as the
teams Conner has been with recently. BLUES sign D JEFF WOYWITKA for one year,
$700,000 Claimed off waivers from Montreal at the start of last season,
28-year-old journeyman Jeff Woywitka was a spare part for the New York Rangers,
dressing for only 28 games and playing only 10:25 per game when he did dress.
However, Woywitka didnt embarrass himself in his limited role and provides depth
for a Blues defence that could still lose Carlo Colaiacovo and Kent Huskins in
free agency. COYOTES sign LW STEVE SULLIVAN for one year, $1.85-million plus
bonuses After the Phoenix Coyotes lost 40-year-old leading scorer Ray Whitney to
the Dallas Stars as a free agent, they effectively replaced him with 38-year-old
Steve Sullivan, who scored 48 points for Pittsburgh last season. 21 of Sullivans
48 points came on the power play, so its not reasonable to expect him to be a
dynamic force at even-strength, particularly given the calibre of centres he
will skate with in Phoenix compared to Pittsburgh but, as an economical option
that could provide secondary scoring, Sullivan could be worthwhile. The trouble
for Phoenix could come if Sullivan is required to provide more than that. STARS
sign C JAKE DOWELL for two years, $1.4-million Overlooked because he inked on
the same day as Zach Parise and Ryan Suter (and because hes Jake Dowell), the
27-year-old checker got a two-year deal, with the second-year a guaranteed
one-way deal (according to www.capgeek.com). In 154 career games, Dowell has 33
points and has played 10:20 per game—a limited fourth-line role that he needs
to battle for in Minnesota. Though he played few minutes last season (7:38 per
game), Dowell was at least effective in moving the puck in the right direction,
based on zone starts (48.5%) and finishes (53.3%) as well as his team-leading
Corsi (11.16, all per www.behindthenet.ca). JETS sign G AL MONTOYA for one year,
$601,000 Following a strong showing in 20 games for the New York Islanders in
2010-2011, Al Montoya had a more substantial role last season and the results
werent quite so glowing, as his .893 save percentage ranked 41st among 42
goaltenders that played at least 30 games (only Dwayne Roloson, at .886, was
worse). After the Jets tried, and failed, to lure Jonas Gustavsson into the
backup role behind Ondrej Pavelec, 27-year-old Montoya comes as an inexpensive
option. If he can perform closer to what he did prior to last season (.922 SV%
in 25 GP), Montoya may be good value as the Jets number two between the pipes.
FLYERS sign D BRUNO GERVAIS for two years, $1.65-million A 27-year-old that has
been in a part-time role the last couple seasons with the New York Islanders and
Tampa Bay Lightning, Bruno Gervais did score a career-hih six goals in 50 games
last season, playing a modest 14:15 per game for the Lightning. In Philadelphia,
Gervais will battle for the sixth spot on the defensive depth chart, with his
NHL experience perhaps giving him the edge on prospects Erik Gustafsson and
Marc-Andre Bourdon, while his mobility could put Gervais ahead of Andreas Lilja.
FLYERS sign LW RUSLAN FEDOTENKO for one year, $1.75-million 33-year-old
Ruslan Fedotenko finished with a career-low nine goals and 20 points while
playing a career-low 13:36 per game for the New York Rangers last season, but
that doesnt tell the whole story. According to the advanced stats on
www.behindthenet.ca, Fedotenko also played hard minutes for the Blueshirts,
starting only 36.5% of his shifts in the offensive zone while his quality of
competition faced was among the highest for Rangers forwards. That doesnt
suggest that Fedotenko isnt in decline. At his age, with that production, he
probably is, but it also presents some justification for the Flyers to add a
two-time Stanley Cup winner who will provide solid depth for Philadelphias
forward lines. PENGUINS sign D DYLAN REESE for one year, $600,000 Signed to a
two-way deal, 27-year-old Dylan Reese has played a total of 74 games for the
Islanders over the last three seasons, but has been effective enough in that
limited duty (ie. not in a protected role when he did play for the Isles last
season) to think that he still might be able to take a regular turn in the NHL.
The Penguins have upgraded their defence dramatically, so Pittsburgh-native
Reese may be hard-pressed to beat out top prospects, but hes an interesting
depth addition who just might be able to offer more than he has to this point in
his career. CANUCKS sign D DEREK JOSLIN for one year, $700,000 25-year-old
Derek Joslin struggled in Carolina last season, finishing minus-15 in 44 games
while playing just 10:35 per game (against low quality of competition according
to www.behindthenet.ca). After he was bought out by the Hurricanes, Joslin inked
a one-year, two-way deal with Vancouver that will give him a shot at earning a
depth role on the Canucks blueline. RANGERS sign LW TAYLOR PYATT for two years,
$3.1-million A big winger who isnt fast enough or nasty enough to make the most
of his physical gifts, 30-year-old Taylor Pyatt is nonetheless capable of
playing a third or fourth-line role. He has scored more than 15 goals three
times in his career, but last seasons nine goals and 19 points represented a
decline in production. With the Rangers, Pyatt wont be expected to score a lot,
but he can effectively fill the minutes that were played by Ruslan Fedotenko in
recent seasons. PENGUINS sign C PHILIPPE DUPUIS for one year, $600,000
Shockingly ineffective (zero points in 30 games) in Toronto after signing as a
free agent last summer, 27-year-old Philippe Dupuis will get a fresh look with
the Penguins. Dupuis may not crack the lineup on opening night, but hes a
physical player who played better once demoted to the AHL, so he could deserve
another chance in a checking role if the Penguins have an opening available.  
SABRES sign C KEVIN PORTER for one year 26-year-old Kevin Porter has struggled
to secure a regular NHL role since winning the Hobey Baker award in 2007-2008
while playing at Michigan. He had a bit of a break through in 2010-2011, scoring
14 goals and 25 points in 74 games for Colorado, but finished last season with
seven points in 35 games while playing a career-low 9:11 per game. Porter will
get thrown into the mix of extra forwards trying to crack the lineup in Buffalo,
offering more skill than the likes of Cody McCormick, John Scott and Matt Ellis,
but he could also end up playing at least some of the time in the AHL. LIGHTNING
sign D MATT TAORMINA for one year Undersized 25-year-old blueliner Matt Taormina
split last season between the New Jersey and Albany Devils, putting up seven
points and a plus-6 rating in 30 games for the Devils. Taormina struggled at
times with the Devils last year, but hes worth a speculative play, particularly
for a team like the Lightning that isnt exactly overrun with quality puck-moving
defencemen. The activity to this point on the unrestricted free agent
market still leaves the trade market as a source for major moves, with
Roberto Luongo, Rick Nash, Bobby Ryan and others mentioned as possibilities.
Here are my top remaining unrestricted free agents: Alexander Semin Shane Doan
Teemu Selanne Carlo Colaiacovo Michal Rozsival Andrei Kostitsyn Chris Campoli
Petr Sykora Kyle Wellwood Daniel Winnik Scott Hannan Peter Mueller Scott Cullen
can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook.
Jared Allen Black Jersey . Alejandro Gomez
and Mariano Izco gave Catania a solid halftime lead as Inter was roundly booed
throughout the first period. The game changed in less than 10 second-half
minutes, however, as Diego Forlan helped Inter hit back with the teams first
goal in six games before Diego Milito levelled. Adrian Peterson Official Jersey . —Taylor
Martinez ran for a touchdown and passed for two others while bringing No. http://www.minnesotavikingsgears.com/alan-page-jersey/
. —Danny Duffy thinks hes ready to extend his success at Oakland Coliseum to
the rest of the American League. Antoine Winfield Authentic Jersey . Sandoval,
recovered from a hamstring strain, was 2 for 4 with a double in his third and
final rehab game with Class A San Jose on Sunday. Hes hitting .299 with eight
home runs and 33 RBIs with the parent club. Paul Krause Jersey . The six-time Stanley Cup
champion will take on the 42.2 kilometres Nov. 6 in the city where he captained
the Rangers to their first title in 54 years.CHICAGO—Cleveland Indians
right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez wont pitch again this season because of a sprained
right ankle. Jimenez was examined Monday in Cleveland after having some problems
in his previous two starts. He was 9-17 with a 5.55 ERA. Left-hander
Rafael Perez had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing shoulder Wednesday in
Wilmington, Del. Perez is expected to begin throwing inn two months and recover
in time for spring training. Christian Ponder Camo Jersey. He was 0-1 with
a 3.52 ERA in eight appearances and last pitched April 25. Right-handed pitcher
Roberto Hernandez, bothered by a sprained right ankle, threw 60 pitches during a
four-inning simulated game Wednesday. The Indians will evaluate Hernandez on
Friday before deciding if he can pitch again this season. ’ ’ ’