The Nashville Predators made a huge splash when free agency opened Monday by signing Stanley Cup champion forwards and Jonathan Marchessault in a series of moves topping $100 million that made Smashville the center of attention on a record-setting, billion-dollar day across the NHL.
Stamkos left Tampa Bay after 16 seasons, two Cup titles and two additional trips to the final to sign a four year, $32 million contract with Nashville.
B次元官网网址淏y no means did I ever envision that a day like today would happen, but it did,B次元官网网址� Stamkos said. B次元官网网址淚t was definitely a bitter pill to swallow when it really started to materialize that it wasnB次元官网网址檛 going to work in Tampa.B次元官网网址�
Stamkos turned to the Predators, made his decision and got a call from Marchessault asking if he was signing with them too, worried it was one or the other. B次元官网网址淗e said, B次元官网网址楴o Stammer, IB次元官网网址檓 coming, too,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Stamkos recalled.
Marchessault got $27.5 million for the next five seasons less than 13 months since honors in leading Vegas to its first championship. The two will have company: Defenseman Brady Skjei signed with Nashville for seven years and $49 million, and Scott Wedgewood came in at $3 million for two years to back up .
called it B次元官网网址渁 massive day for the future of our organization.B次元官网网址� The Predators at $111.5 million became the first team to surpass $100 million committed to new players in free agency since the Florida Panthers five years ago started building toward last week.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 huge because itB次元官网网址檚 a statement, I think, for the rest of the league,B次元官网网址� Trotz said. B次元官网网址淭hese players see what weB次元官网网址檙e doing with our franchise. We have lots to offer, and weB次元官网网址檙e very determined to win. WeB次元官网网址檙e committed to that.B次元官网网址�
Marchessault was an original member of the expansion Golden Knights in 2017 and helped them reach the final twice and last year. He is coming off scoring a career-high 42 goals and, like Stamkos, was one of his teamB次元官网网址檚 most recognizable faces.
Big money deals
On the first day of free agency, teams committed a record $1.12 billion in contracts as more than 100 players changed teams. The total B次元官网网址� the most ever spent in any single day of free agency, according to CapFriendly B次元官网网址� is a direct result of the salary cap jumping to $88 million per team, the first big increase since before the pandemic.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of cash,B次元官网网址� Toronto GM Brad Treliving said. B次元官网网址淭here were some really good players available. You saw teams be aggressive, and lots of players changed teams.B次元官网网址�
signed a $63 million, seven-year contract with Tampa Bay after from Carolina over the weekend, opting to pay him big money at age 30 rather than Stamkos at 34.
B次元官网网址淭hings just didnB次元官网网址檛 work out in Carolina, and then I heard Tampa might be trading for my rights, so obviously I got really excited because everyone hears how good of a team and good of a spot this is,B次元官网网址� said Guentzel, who will count $9 million against the cap through 2031. B次元官网网址淭he pedigree behind Tampa Bay, the winning culture B次元官网网址� just a lot of high-end players that really make it intriguing to come to Tampa.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址� Fresh off helping Florida win the Stanley Cup, defenseman Brandon Montour signed a $50 million, seven-year contract with Seattle, and the Kraken added former Golden Knights center and B次元官网网址�23 champion Chandler Stephenson for $43.75 million over the same length of time. The PanthersB次元官网网址� exodus included Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz to Toronto, Ryan Lomberg to Calgary and Kevin Stenlund to Utah.
B次元官网网址� Vancouver signed former Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk for $38.5 million over seven years.
B次元官网网址� Boston signed center Elias Lindholm to a seven-year contract worth $54.25 million and gave defenseman Nikita Zadorov $30 million for the next six seasons.
B次元官网网址� New Jersey continued to build a playoff-worthy roster, signing a pair of defensemen, Brett Pesce for six-years and $33 million and Brenden Dillon for three years and $12 million, and forward Stefan Noesen for three years and $8.25 million.
B次元官网网址� San Jose signed forwards Tyler Toffoli for $24 million over four years and Alexander Wennberg for two years and $10 million.
B次元官网网址� Toronto signed defenseman Chris Tanev to a six-year contract worth $27 million after acquiring his rights from Dallas.
B次元官网网址� The Stars kept Matt Duchene for another season for $3 million and also signed defensemen Ilya Lyubushkin for $9.75 million over three years and Matt Dumba for $7.5 million over two years.
B次元官网网址� Los Angeles signed former Oilers winger Warren Foegele for $10.5 million over three years and gave rugged defenseman Joel Edmundson four years and $15.4 million.
B次元官网网址� Columbus signed center Sean Monahan to a five-year contract for $27.5 million.
Running it back
B次元官网网址� Hours after a rainy rally celebrating their Stanley Cup title, the Panthers beat the midnight buzzer to re-sign Sam Reinhart to an , an annual cap hit of $8.625 million for a player coming off a 57-goal regular season.
B次元官网网址� Jordan Martinook re-signed with the Hurricanes on a three-year deal worth $9.15 million.
B次元官网网址� Edmonton, which lost to the Panthers in seven games in the Cup final, re-signed depth forwards Corey Perry and Connor Brown for next season. Perry, the only player in NHL history to reach the final with five different organizations, got $1.4 million including incentives, while Brown, who in the seven-game series against Florida, signed for $1 million. The Oilers replaced Foegele with Viktor Arvidsson, giving him $8 million over two years, and also added Jeff Skinner on a one-year $3 million agreement.
Busy teams
Chicago and Washington were among the busiest teams.
forwards Tyler Bertuzzi (four years, $22 million), Teuvo Teravainen (three years, $16.2 million), Craig Smith (one year, $1 million), defenseman Alec Martinez (one year, $4 million) and goaltender Laurent Brossoit (two years, $6.6 million).
The Capitals, beyond , continued their roster overhaul by signing defenseman Matt Roy to a six-year contract worth $34.5 million and forwards Brandon Duhaime (two years, $3.7 million) and Taylor Raddysh (one year, $1 million).
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