It turns out that this year's first day of free agency was pretty frenzied unlike the trade deadline and last year's free agent opening day. At one point there were nearly 50 signings for contracts totaling over $200 million. There were a number of minor signings and plenty of major ones as well, including the Rangers getting the most prized player available in Brad Richards, but I'm going to focus on just two teams. The first will of course be the Avs, the second will be my girlfriend team, the Florida Panthers.
I suppose I should first explain what a girlfriend team is though. The term is regularly used on the Puck Podcast and refers to a team that isn't your #1 team (or your "wife team") but rather a team that you watch for a season just to broaden your horizons and see something beyond your primary team. Now there are certain rules to having a girlfriend team. The most important is that they can't be from the same conference and definitely not from the same division as you "wife" team. Now I'm not sure if you can follow the same team for more than one season, I may have to ask, but right now I don't know that I will follow the Panthers for more than a season but it certainly is possible. Also, you can not "divorce your wife team" unless they move such as Atlanta recently has. Otherwise you should follow them through thick and thin for life.
Now with that out of the way, let's start with my coming season's girlfriend team, the Florida Panthers. For a team that lost its #1 goalie in free agency, and a team that has missed the playoffs for 10-12 straight years now, the club made a statement that they were tired of losing and looking to make it back into the playoffs this coming season. While I would have liked to have seen them re-sign Tomas Vokoun after the Avs didn't sign him, it wasn't likely he went anywhere but a contender so his signing in Washington for a small dollar amount wasn't a surprise. To bridge the gap and have a veteran guy in net while waiting for the future in Jacob Markstrom, and he does appear to be a guy that should be great going forward, the team signed Jose Theodore. While I'm not a fan of Theodore after his days in Colorado he should do well for them and Markstrom should get plenty of playing time and have a chance to take the starting role.
On the backend the Panthers definitely got a bit tougher as well. First they traded for Brian Campbell who while overpaid is still a good guy to have on the backend. Then they signed Ed Jovanowksi who will be a good veteran guy that will add some stability as well. Adding those two to a blueline that has youngsters Kulikov and Gudbrandson will definitely bolster the defense.
Up front the forwards have become completely overhauled. After moving out a number of forwards these past two seasons, the Panthers brought in a couple of lines worth of forwards, both in trades and in free agency. To add to the likes of Stephan Weiss and David Booth, they brought in top six guys Versteeg, Upshall, Fleischmann (who I would have liked to have seen re-signed by Colorado but not at the contract Florida gave him), and Kopecky along with other guys that will be on the roster such as Bergenheim, Goc, and Bradley. That's 7 new guys right there for their 12 forward positions leaving little room for any rookies. How all these new guys mesh together could determine how this team finishes this season as that is a lot of names coming together for the first time. Of the rookies I don't see any of them making the team now, but it will be interesting to see if guys like Huberdeau, this year's 3rd overall pick, and Howden and Bjugstad make pushes for roster spots out of camp as well though as I said roster spots will be limited.
Now compared to Florida's numerous moves, the Avalanche were much less busy. Three of those moves were decent moves and will add to the team. First, signing Jan Hejda will add another big, defensive defenseman to the team and the defense is starting to look much bigger and tougher. I still wonder about offense from the blueline, especially on the power play, given the move to bigger guys who are more defensive minded but the team should definitely be tougher on the backend. The signing of Chuck Kobasew I'm not sold on even now. He may improve the bottom lines and the penalty kill, likely what he is being brought in for, and could get spot duty on the top lines during injuries and has in years past been able to score at times. Should be no question he is being brought in as a bottom 6 guy with an emphasis on penalty killing so I can't be upset with the move, I just hope our PK improves. The last of the "minor" move was bringing in JS Giguere to be a backup goalie. He is certainly capable and has won a Stanley Cup and also a playoff MVP. He's a big guy who will be a very good backup for the team.
The biggest move for the team though, and certainly the most controversial, was the trade for Semyon Varlamov. Now while I love the team trying to address the need in goal and looking to get someone young, they in many opinions overpaid. They gave up a first round pick, which in 2 of the last 3 years has been in the top 3, and a 2nd round pick. That is way too much for a guy that was threatening to leave for Russia and wasn't going to return to Washington anyway. For that price they likely could have got an established guy, or one of the best prospects out there. No doubt Varly has talent and potential but thus far between not having proven anything and having injury issues to boot giving up a 1st and 2nd is just too much. Now if the Avalanche have got their goalie of the next 5 or more years, or if they become a playoff team and those picks are closer to the 20s than to the 2nd, then the trade works out and becomes one that is good. However if the Avs finish with another top 5 pick, or even top 10, if Varly gets injured and doesn't play more than 25 games, if he loses his starting job ... then the Avalanche lose this deal and gave up way, way too much.
Going into free agency I felt that the Avalanche could use a top 4 defenseman, which they got in Hejda but they gave up Liles as well so I still feel they are missing a top 4 guy but now that guy is an offensive D, not a defensive one. Perhaps Elliot or Barrie will step up in camp and grab a spot or perhaps Quincey grabs that spot and plays like he began with the Avs. I also felt they could use some scoring wings or depth guys, something they didn't address. We'll see if the team can stay healthy next season and how the current wings play, minus Flash and with Mueller's status still unknown. It was also known that the Avs needed a pair of goalies, and that they addressed though at a high price. If it pays off our not is yet to be seen. So needing a defenseman they moved one out and brought another in of a different type, needing a scoring wing or depth guy they have brought in no one to this point, but needing goalies they now have two guys, both with talent but also a history of injuries. I think the team is slightly better just because of the goalie signings, however there are still areas of weakness on the team.
Next season will tell the story on the Avalanche's big move. Everyone in the hockey world is criticizing this move and will be laughing about it much like the Toronto/Boston move which gave Boston two top-10 picks. Only time will tell if it works out for the Avs or not and many a critical Avs eye, including mine, will be watching hoping for the best. I'll certainly be rooting on Varly and the Avs and hope that management is proven to have made a great move.
It was certainly a busy day on Free Agent Friday, and both teams I'll be following next year will look different next season, the Avs with two new goalies and the Panthers with a completely remade team. Now there will be many weeks before camps open and it is going to be a long wait, but before we know it hockey season will be here once again. I can't wait to start following the Panthers, and I can't wait to see the Avalanche once again ... and that all starts for real with Peter Forsberg's jersey retirement prior to dropping the puck against the hated Detroit Red Wings on October 8th in Denver.
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