Some thoughts on free agency so far

Well the "Free Agent Frenzy" (as TSN markets it) has been on for over 24 hours, and there have been some notable happenings.

For Canucks fans the big news is that Daniel and Henrik Sedin are returning to the fold, at $6.1 million per year for five years. That is considerably lower than what they could have demanded on the open market, and represents a solid commitment to the twins, along with Roberto Luongo (expected to sign a long-term extension soon), as the team's core moving forward. I have already expressed my desire to keep the Sedins in Vancouver, and consequently I am very happy that this deal got done.

The other significant news is the departure of long-serving stalwart Mattias Ohlund to the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he will serve as a mentor to the young Victor Hedman. Ohlund was a rock on the Canucks blueline for 11 seasons, and departs as the franchise's leading scorer amongst defensemen. It was clear for most of the season that the Canucks were not going to retain Ohlund's services, and while it is sad to see him go there is, happily, no ill will on either side. Expect Ohlund to get a rousing ovation from the GM Place faithful next time Tampa comes through town.

In other minor news the club bids farewell to Jason LaBarbera, who filled in solidly during Luongo's injury last season but who deserves a chance to try to win a starting job. Hopefully he gets that chance with the Phoenix Coyotes. The Canucks also signed three depth defensemen in Nolan Baumgartner (who played for their AHL team last year), Lawrence Nycholat (who was lost on the waiver last season) and Matt Pope. None of these six are likely to be in the starting lineup come the Fall, but do provide some useful insurance in case of injury.

Other notable names on the move have included Marian Hossa (Chicago Blackhawks), Marion Gaborik (New York Rangers), Jay Bouwmeester (Calgary Flames), Mike Cammalleri (Montreal Canadiens), Nikolai Khabibulin (Edmonton Oilers), Martin Havlat (Minnesota Wild) and Mike Komisarek (Toronto Maple Leafs).

I'm a little scared by the number of Western Conference teams that look to be much better next year, seeing that as of right now the Canucks have not gotten any better (though, thankfully, not gotten much worse thanks to keeping the Sedins). It remains to be seen if Mike Gillis can acquire defensive depth to replace Ohlund and scoring to complement the Sedins (a Mats Sundin return is not out of the question), or if the latter of these needs can be met internally by Cody Hodgson, Michael Grabner or, unlikely this coming season, Jordan Schroeder.

Meanwhile, in our division Calgary has added Bouwmeester to a defence corps that also includes Dion Phaneuf and Robyn Regehr, although they did lose valuable scoring in Cammalleri. They may again be hamstrung by cap issues and lack of depth, as they have a lot of money invested in a small core of players. Edmonton arguably gets an upgrade in goal, adding Khabibulin to replace the outgoing Dwayne Roloson. Minnesota essentially swaps one incredibly-skilled-but-incredibly-fragile forward for another, losing Gaborik and adding Havlat. Colorado has upgraded somewhat by drafting Matt Duchesne and acquiring Craig Anderson to address their woeful goaltending.

But other teams in the West are looking like they will be much stronger next year. The Detroit Red Wings are consistently a strong team, and that is unlikely to change. The San Jose Sharks are looking to bounce back from a disappointing postseason, and should once again be a dominant team. The Anaheim Ducks will remain a dangerous opponent. The St. Louis Blues, Columbus Blue Jackets and L.A. Kings all have good, young cores and look to move up the standings this year. And Chicago just got that much more deadly with the addition of Hossa.

So, while the regular season is still three months away, it appears as if the West will be a tough conference once again. Here's hoping the Canucks find a few more pieces before then.

Handing Out Some Awards on Day 1 of Free Agency

The “Say What?!” Award: Colorado Avalanche

Andrew Raycroft? Really? The man who was 2-9-5 with a 3.92 GAA last season and who was booed out of Toronto will be going to toe-to-toe for the starting job with Peter Budaj, who was inconsistent enough during the season to give Jose Theodore one more chance to resurrect his career. Which, by the way, paid off fairly handsomely for Theodore today. This signing baffles me. Colorado needs a bona fide keeper to compete in the tough Northwest Division, and unless Raycroft or Budaj steps up in a big way the Avs could be in serious trouble next season. No wonder Joe Sakic is contemplating retirement.

The Shrewd Move Award: New Jersey Devils

Bringing Brian Rolston back to the fold for reasonable money ($20.25 million over 4 years) significantly upgrades the New Jersey forward corps heading into next season. Rolston was one of the most highly-touted UFAs this year: he had his credentials pimped by The Hockey News and was aggressively courted by the Tampa Bay Lightning who traded for exclusive negotiation rights but failed to sign him. With Bobby Holik also returning to the Devils after a lengthy absence, Devils’ fans are likely having visions of a ‘90s renaissance.

The “‘Til Death Do Us Part” Award: Chicago Blackhawks

Brian Campbell is on the books for an average of $7.1 million for the next eight years (ie. 2016 – even the International Olympic Committee doesn’t plan that far ahead). Better hope Campbell works out in the Windy City, and that he’s not a liability at age 37 when his contract finally expires. Then again it looks like the Hawks will be jettisoning Nikolai Khabibulin and his $6.75 million annual salary, assuming they can find a buyer, so perhaps they will look to shop Campbell and his monster contract when he becomes an inconvenience. The question is: by that point, will anyone take him?

The Feel Good Nostalgia Award: Toronto Maple Leafs

Bringing back Curtis Joseph to back up Vesa Toskola, even as the franchise prepares to bid adieu to Mats Sundin, is more than a solid roster move at a reasonable price ($700,000 on a one-year deal) – it is also a great PR move for a Leafs organization that is losing its captain and best player, and has egg on its face after bungling the Bryan McCabe situation. Joseph was one of the most popular Leafs of the last 25 years, and twice led the team into the Eastern Conference Finals. His return is sure to please Leafs fans at least on a nostalgic level, and he should be a valuable veteran presence on a rebuilding Toronto team.