Free agency 'candy store' set to reopen
The Detroit Red Wings have their third Stanley Cup in six years and a big hole left by the retirement of goalie Dominik Hasek.
But they'll fill it just the way they took care of their needs last offseason -- through unrestricted free agency.
The NHL's summer spending spree begins Monday, with a few of the richest teams throwing around cash like Monopoly money, while others hope to get lucky at the high-priced bargain bin.
"The candy store opens, and you don't know who's going in to buy," St. Louis Blues general manager Larry Pleau said.
But actually you do. The Red Wings are sure to spend big to sign a replacement for Hasek, and the Dallas Stars are opening the vault after missing the playoffs last season.
Although teams supposedly can't talk to players until Monday, winger Tony Amonte is all but assured of leaving Chicago for Dallas, and the Stars will also likely sign either Boston winger Bill Guerin or New Jersey center Bobby Holik.
Before the NHL draft last weekend, Chicago owner Bill Wirtz charged that Dallas had already struck deals for Amonte and Guerin. But Guerin might end up with Pleau in St. Louis.
Either way, the players won't come cheap. The highest-profile free agents are hoping for $7 million to $10 million a season.
"Some people buy Cadillacs," Vancouver general manager Brian Burke said. "We shop for SUVs."
Depending on how much they want to spend, the Red Wings have their pick of potential replacements for Hasek.
At the head of the line is Toronto's Curtis Joseph, who wants a four-year deal at close to $36 million.
But Detroit could go with another Canadian Olympic goalie, Ed Belfour. He wore out his welcome in Dallas and was traded to Nashville on Saturday but will still be an unrestricted free agent on Monday.
Also available as unrestricted free agents are U.S. Olympic goalie Mike Richter of the New York Rangers and Boston's Byron Dafoe.
If Joseph bolts, Toronto -- always active in free agency -- could turn to Belfour, Richter or Dafoe as a replacement.
Last summer, Detroit spent big in the offseason, and it paid off. The Reds Wings traded for Hasek, who was too expensive for Buffalo, and signed high-scoring wingers Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille as unrestricted free agents.
In addition to Guerin, Amonte and Holik, the top unrestricted free agent forwards are Teemu Selanne and Theo Fleury, both with San Jose at the moment. The Sharks acquired the rights to Fleury from the Rangers last week but aren't likely to re-sign him. He could end up in Phoenix.
One player who won't be available is Carolina's Ron Francis. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract extension with the Hurricanes on Saturday.
Although the Atlanta Thrashers would love to sign Holik, the rugged center has repeatedly said he will only sign with a Stanley Cup contender. That isn't the Thrashers, who are trying to improve on the worst record in the NHL.
Atlanta general manager Don Waddell, who acquired wingers Shawn McEachern and Slava Kozlov in trades, now turns to free agency to add a badly needed veteran defenseman.
The Thrashers' targets include Igor Kravchuk of Calgary, Richard Smehlik of Buffalo, Frantisek Kucera of Washington and Philippe Boucher of Los Angeles.
While bidding on unrestricted free agents will be brisk, teams are unwilling to give up multiple first-round picks for restricted free agents. That's why Montreal goalie Jose Theodore and Calgary winger Jarome Iginla -- who finished one-two in the closest race ever for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player -- are almost assured of staying put.
But a busy summer officially begins for the NHL on Monday.
The Detroit Red Wings have their third Stanley Cup in six years and a big hole left by the retirement of goalie Dominik Hasek.
But they'll fill it just the way they took care of their needs last offseason -- through unrestricted free agency.
The NHL's summer spending spree begins Monday, with a few of the richest teams throwing around cash like Monopoly money, while others hope to get lucky at the high-priced bargain bin.
"The candy store opens, and you don't know who's going in to buy," St. Louis Blues general manager Larry Pleau said.
But actually you do. The Red Wings are sure to spend big to sign a replacement for Hasek, and the Dallas Stars are opening the vault after missing the playoffs last season.
Although teams supposedly can't talk to players until Monday, winger Tony Amonte is all but assured of leaving Chicago for Dallas, and the Stars will also likely sign either Boston winger Bill Guerin or New Jersey center Bobby Holik.
Before the NHL draft last weekend, Chicago owner Bill Wirtz charged that Dallas had already struck deals for Amonte and Guerin. But Guerin might end up with Pleau in St. Louis.
Either way, the players won't come cheap. The highest-profile free agents are hoping for $7 million to $10 million a season.
"Some people buy Cadillacs," Vancouver general manager Brian Burke said. "We shop for SUVs."
Depending on how much they want to spend, the Red Wings have their pick of potential replacements for Hasek.
At the head of the line is Toronto's Curtis Joseph, who wants a four-year deal at close to $36 million.
But Detroit could go with another Canadian Olympic goalie, Ed Belfour. He wore out his welcome in Dallas and was traded to Nashville on Saturday but will still be an unrestricted free agent on Monday.
Also available as unrestricted free agents are U.S. Olympic goalie Mike Richter of the New York Rangers and Boston's Byron Dafoe.
If Joseph bolts, Toronto -- always active in free agency -- could turn to Belfour, Richter or Dafoe as a replacement.
Last summer, Detroit spent big in the offseason, and it paid off. The Reds Wings traded for Hasek, who was too expensive for Buffalo, and signed high-scoring wingers Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille as unrestricted free agents.
In addition to Guerin, Amonte and Holik, the top unrestricted free agent forwards are Teemu Selanne and Theo Fleury, both with San Jose at the moment. The Sharks acquired the rights to Fleury from the Rangers last week but aren't likely to re-sign him. He could end up in Phoenix.
One player who won't be available is Carolina's Ron Francis. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract extension with the Hurricanes on Saturday.
Although the Atlanta Thrashers would love to sign Holik, the rugged center has repeatedly said he will only sign with a Stanley Cup contender. That isn't the Thrashers, who are trying to improve on the worst record in the NHL.
Atlanta general manager Don Waddell, who acquired wingers Shawn McEachern and Slava Kozlov in trades, now turns to free agency to add a badly needed veteran defenseman.
The Thrashers' targets include Igor Kravchuk of Calgary, Richard Smehlik of Buffalo, Frantisek Kucera of Washington and Philippe Boucher of Los Angeles.
While bidding on unrestricted free agents will be brisk, teams are unwilling to give up multiple first-round picks for restricted free agents. That's why Montreal goalie Jose Theodore and Calgary winger Jarome Iginla -- who finished one-two in the closest race ever for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player -- are almost assured of staying put.
But a busy summer officially begins for the NHL on Monday.
