While they haven't played a minute of college hockey yet, incoming Penn State freshmen Eamon McAdam and Mike Williamson already have bright futures as they were both selected in the 2013 NHL Draft held on Sunday.

Eamon McAdam - Round 3, Pick 70 (New York Islanders)

McAdam becomes the first Penn State player to be drafted into the NHL while associated with the university as the Nittany Lions have taken on two transfers that have already been drafted into the league. He is originally from Perkasie, PA and I believe I saw something that said former BSD writer Kyle Martin used to coach his youth league team years back. He has since turned into one of the top goaltending prospects in the country while playing for Waterloo of the USHL, going 17-9-3 during the 2012-13 campaign. He is still expected to be Penn State's starter when the 2013 season opens up in October.

Islanders blog Lighthouse Hockey coverage

Thank You Terry's take

Mike Williamson - Round 6, Pick 175 (Vancouver Canucks)

Wiliamson will also start his Penn State journey this coming fall after spending time in the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the Spruce Grove Saints. In 2012-13, he put up 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) from the blue line.

Canucks blog Nucks Misconduct coverage

Thank You Terry's take

13 current or future @B1GHockey players taken in #nhldraft. Michigan led with 5, Minn. had 4, while Penn State and Wisconsin each had 2.

— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) July 1, 2013

Not too shabby, huh?

Both players will have their rights held by their respective NHL teams for four years, meaning they can finish out their careers as Nittany Lions before going to their professional teams. Depending on their development, especially that of McAdam's, they could decide to head to the league before their graduation. Whatever the case, good luck to both Eamon and Mike as they suit up in the Blue and White this upcoming year!

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The Vancouver Canucks have placed defenseman Keith Ballard on waivers, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN on Monday afternoon.

Ballard has been mentioned as a potential candidate for a compliance buyout. Given the declining nature of the salary cap to $64.3 million in the 2013-14 season, all teams have been given the option of using two compliances buyouts to clear two contracts from their books. This option also aids clubs looking to shed contracts that violate the cap benefit recapture clause, which punishes front- or back-loaded deals under the new collective bargaining agreement.

However, McKenzie notes that Ballard has been placed on conventional waivers, not unconditional waivers, which are required to administer a player a compliance buyout.

Ballard is entering the fourth year of a six-year, $25.2 million contract that carries an annual average value of $4.2 million against the salary cap. The Canucks have $60 million allocated to 16 players next season, according to capgeek.com.

More in the NHL:

Follow @SBNationNHL

• Full 2013 Draft coverage

• The complete draft order

• Photos: Chicago’s Stanley Cup parade

• The best of our hockey network

I'll say this for the Canucks: after years of predictable behavior, they've suddenly become great at surprises. Of course that can be good and bad.

Let's punch out the four big items staring us in the face after yesterday.

1. Ginger Bricks to New Jersey

I didn't think the Canucks would bite on John Tortorella behind the bench and the almighty invisible hand of Aquilini helped seal that deal. If that wasn't enough, the refreshing bite of lime following that tequila shot was moving Cory Schneider to jump into the top ten of the 2013 draft. Those waiting to bury a knife into Gillis had all they could possibly ask for.

Gillis lost some karma points with some of his quotes ("this was all part of the plan") yesterday that even the most ardent Canucks supporters shouldn't be believing. The situation was as plain as day: lose Roberto Luongo for nothing (or worse yet take on a DiPietro contract and buy that out instead) or move Schneider for the best deal on the table. That deal was, reportedly, from Edmonton where Gillis could have had a much more favorable return but ran the risk of watching Schneider slam the door on his own squad multiple times a year. That left the Devils.

Starting with that first round loss to the Kings, Gillis played a dangerous game with Luongo at a time when the goalie landscape and CBA were changing around him. Again, no one should be letting him off the hook for that. That it came to this conclusion is frustrating, but at the same time to suggest the Canucks are worse now than they were a day ago isn't fair either:

Acquiring an elite player for nothing more than the cost of a draft pick is life changing for NHL teams. Rightly or wrongly, teams are able to command awfully high prices for those draft picks. There’s no guarantee but they seem to treat the possibility as being enough to command a high price. It is, I think, defensible to do so.

It’s easy to say that Vancouver should have got more because of what Washington was able to get from Colorado in exchange for Semyon Varlamov but, frankly, that was an insane deal the moment that it was made. I don’t think it’s all that sensible to judge a deal based on the highest price:value deal you can think of.

.........

All of that said, the Canucks seem to me to be a stronger team now than they were two days ago. They acquired a really good prospect in exchange for a slight reduction in the ability of their goaltending, given that only one goalie can play at a time. The price seems reasonable to me, given the way in which NHL teams have historically valued the possibility of striking gold in the draft. If the return seems to be something that helps in the future rather than now, well, that’s kind of been the way that the Canucks are operated. If you tend to think that a consistently well run team will win a Cup eventually, as I do, it’s hard to be too critical of that, even if you kind of look at the clock and wonder how much longer a Cup contender can be built around the Sedins.

Is this the best of a bad situation? Sure feels like it, but no one knows that answer yet. For now I'll settle for keeping my eyes peeled towards the Tri-State area, first at the kids in Utica and then in Jersey where hopefully Schneider can frustrate Vigneault on a regular basis.

2. Goalie Problems 2.0

Until we see Luongo roll right on up to a podium at Rogers and proclaim he's a proud Canuck again (or at least lies through his teeth and makes it remotely convincing), I'd hold off on thinking the crease conundrum is over. On the one hand this is what Luongo, in theory, wanted: being an unquestioned number one goalie with a shot at the Cup. On the other hand, he's been dicked around by this management for so long - and has been nothing short of an all-star in taking it all in with grace and humor - that if he gave Aquilini the Stone Cold salute and demanded a trade or buy-out, could you truly blame him? At least, for a change, Luongo has the power to make the brass sweat a bit.

Should he return, it's worth remembering that despite all the ups and downs and free floating 140 character hate out there the Canucks will be icing a verygood goalie.

Another upside to keeping Luongo is the cost certainty involved. In a few years Schneider should rightfully command a $5.5-6 million dollar contract. Keeping Luongo under wraps for the foreseeable future stabilizes the crease financially, especially if the cap (as rumors suggested yesterday) jumps to nearly $80 million. His contract may be untradeable, but it's also a known known to build around.

Then, of course, there's the vacant back-up role. Eddie Lack makes the most sense, but making him battle it out with Joe Cannata and Joacim Eriksson is the better way to go. Even with Luongo and Schneider Gillis was right in stashing some strong goalie prospects in the pipeline. Who develops into the next Schneider is a good sub-plot in all of this (unless you're Luongo in which case it's best to ignore it entirely).

3. The Cupboard Isn't Bare Anymore

Heading into the draft anyone could have looked at the Canucks depth chart and surmised it was pretty bleak, especially at LW and down the middle. I goofed on the Twitter yesterday about how not long ago we could cite Cody Hogdson, Cory Schneider and Jordan Schroeder as reasons to be excited about the future. Before yesterday those deck chairs were rearranged in favor of Nicklas Jensen, Frank Corrado and Brendan Gaunce. But now joining those guys are Bo Horvatdown the middle and Hunter Shinkarukon left wing.

It's rare indeed when the Canucks farm looks all around promising and Gillis took a giant step in that direction. That's not even including what may come of Cole Cassels or Jordan Subban in addition to bubble guys like the aforementioned Schroeder, Kellan Lain, Yann Sauve and - deeper down the list - Adam Polášek, Joseph Labate and Patrick McNally. When you consider the Sedins are heading quickly towards the dreaded 35 years old, it's a relief to know the roots for the next generation are there.

Considering some horrific draft years still lingering in the back of our minds (hello 2002!) it's a pleasure to see days like yesterday, especially if Torts can develop some of these guys quickly and strongly at the NHL level.

4. Free Agency!!1

Gillis is back at it this Friday when free agency begins. Even today's minor moves - Dale Weisein, Keith Ballardout - help the bigger picture (for Ballard of course that comes in the name of cap relief). The Canucks still have plenty to do offensively where there are some gaping holes and defensively if Andrew Alberts should return as the reserve depth on the blueline. In addition we have Chris Tanev who could be RFA'd by Friday unless Gillis gets him qualified or under wraps before then. [Update: he's been qualified, extension still in the works]

I'm not too concerned about the defense; I would be amazed if Gillis doesn't make retaining Tanev a priority. The biggest question is who replaces Derek Roy as the checking center. He could promote from within, but I'd prefer to see Gillis make a shrewd move on the open market to make sure whoever slots in between Higgins and Hansen is a strong enough player so the third line doesn't become a rotating door of despair again. If you assume the Sedins and Burrows/Kassian will lead the charge again followed by Booth/Kesler/whomever then the top six is set. If that third line implodes once again, I don't see how Vancouver will keep up over 82 games with teams like LA and SJ much less go deep in the playoffs.

Some of the other notables - Mason Raymond, Manny Malhotra, Steve Pinizzotto - are expected to hit the market and leave town. Malhotra alone should be given keys to the city on his way out. Raymond deserves a fresh start, but his time up here. Maxim Lapierre is a toss up as well; I'd love to see him back but wouldn't be shocked if he's offered a better deal shortly after free agency begins. I'm not jazzed about Sestito as a fourth line option (ditto Weise), but I'm doing my best to remember there's a new sheriff in town and maybe Torts can cease the endless parade to the box that's become synonymous with Vigneault-style hockey.

Good morning Wilderness, and a happy holiday hump-day edition of The Walk. That is of course if your fortunate enough to have both Thursday and Friday off from your respective jobs. Before we get into the nitty-gritty of your daily links, I must ask, how was your first full day of retirement Nathan and Bryan? I suspect you miss us already and are regretting your decision! No take backs! I must admit is is a bit weird to peak at your profiles and only see 'Member' under your HW membership. Remember to send us postcards from the exotic locales you visit, maybe even a humorous T-shirt!

At any rate, with Nathan and Bryan gone we got our first taste of what life would be like when users come out from under the bridge. If you missed out on the fireworks last night you can hop into the El Nino post and relive the drama. Bear in mind this is not to say we don't appreciate the page views, or the dissenting opinions that a forum like ours provides to the fan base. Just a friendly reminder folks, try to keep it civil. We can disagree about just about anything, but when personal attacks start flying we are treading on sketchy ground. Always remember, Be excellent to each other!

In today's links we have a buyout that makes the Mark Parrish buyout look like a short walk on the beach, we will finally learn the fate of the Phoenix (Seattle?) Coyotes at some point today, and Tim Thomas pokes his head out of his bunker. If he saw his shadow that will be 6 more weeks of army surplus rations along with duck and cover drills. Enjoy Wilderness!

Wild News

Dealing just starting for Wild GM | StarTribune.com
There are two things we have learned about Chuck Fletcher since he became the Wild’s general manager four years ago: 1, He is not afraid to make bold moves; and 2, He has no problem dealing fan favorites.

Wild depth chart | StarTribune.com

Tending the Fields

The 10 most awkward 2013 NHL Draft rookie photographs | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports

I think Gustav Olofsson has earned himself a nickname already thanks to the folks at Puck Daddy.

Solar Bears re-sign third-leading scorer - OrlandoSentinel.com
C.J. Severyn, who finished second on the Orlando Solar Bears with 22 goals last season, was one of three forwards to agree to terms with the ECHL team Monday.

Off the Trail

The long UFA contracts everybody signed four years ago don’t look good in retrospect | Backhand Shelf
A look into the world of salary cap circumvention.

Rick DiPietro getting Islanders buyout, $1.5 million through 2029 | Puck Daddy
Over the last five seasons, injuries held DiPietro to just 50 games in goal.

Daylong negotiations move NHL closer to sending its players to 2014 Sochi Olympics | StarTribune.com
While a deal hasn't been reached yet between the NHL, the union and the International Ice Hockey Federation, to send the league's players to Sochi, a long meeting Monday pushed the sides much closer to an agreement.

Top pick MacKinnon eager to help turn around Avalanche | TSN
Much like Crosby eight years ago, MacKinnon will be counted on to turn around a franchise, one that finished last in the Western Conference in 2012-13 and missed the playoffs for a third straight season.

Flyers acquire F Newbury from Flyers for D Syvret | TSN
Wait, the Flyers acquire Newbury from.... the Flyers? Headline fail TSN. Warning: If they have an editor on staff, this may get fixed, but its Canada and they wouldn't want to offend the person who originally posted it.

Coyotes' ownership saga finally coming to a head | TSN
A vote against the lease agreement means the Coyotes are almost certainly headed out of town for good.

Canucks put Ballard on regular waivers | ProHockeyTalk
The fact that he’s not on $100 unconditional waivers is an important distinction because he needs to clear unconditional waivers before he can be bought out.

Tim Thomas exploring NHL return as free agent; Flyers likely destination? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Thomas will be an unrestricted free agent on July 5, which means he rockets to the top of a crowded field of goaltending options for teams in need of a short-term solution.

Brodeur shocked, but happy with Schneider trade | ProHockeyTalk
"I’m not going to play forever. I think it’s great that I’m going to be able to play with him. I’m definitely going to try to push him and get my ice time as much as I can while I’m still able to play. Definitely, he’s the future of the organization."

Coyotes News

Phoenix Coyotes Draft: Talent Beyond Round One - Five For Howling
The Coyotes selected five players after the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The Desert Dogs brought in three centers, a goalie and a defenseman.

Coyotes Re-Sign Smith to Six-Year Contract - Phoenix Coyotes - News
The Coyotes on Monday re-signed goaltender Mike Smith to a six-year contract.

2013 NHL Draft: Phoenix Coyotes selection Max Domi hopes to do whatever it takes - Five For Howling
With the 12th overall selection in the 2013 NHL Draft, the Phoenix Coyotes selected Max Domi of the London Knights (OHL). He is the son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi. The younger Domi is more of a scoring threat and less into fighting.

News From Around the Hockey World

Islanders to buyout Rick DiPietro | ProHockeyTalk
The Islanders take advantage of the two weeks per year that DiPietro is not injured.

Tim Thomas will attempt return to NHL following one-year absence - ESPN New York
I am on pins and needles.

NHL draft grades: Winners, losers from a surprisingly slow 2013 Draft - SBNation.com
Let's take a look at some of the big winners and losers from Sunday's festivities.

Rangers and Flyers swap minor leaguers | ProHockeyTalk
Depth goes a long way.

Three’s a charm: Canucks draft youngest Subban brother | ProHockeyTalk
Another Subban brother was drafted, the second in 2 years.

Chiarelli says Seguin needs to ‘become more of a professional’ | ProHockeyTalk
The Bruins expect more from Seguin.

The Final Howl

Mike Ribeiro’s wife ‘pissed beyond belief’ over Capitals’ decision not to sign him | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Someone clearly likes Washington D.C.

In Bruins and near-Bruins news:

• Now the conjecture begins- why did Nathan Horton REALLY want to pull up skates? (And do read the comments) [Boston.com]
• His departure leaves Peter Chiarelli in a bit of a pickle. [BostonHerald]
• Tim Thomas ' agent is exploring options for his client to return to the NHL. [WindsorStar]
• Enjoy this gallery of 10 defining moments for the Boston Bruins this season. [NESN]
• Meet draftee Peter Cehlarik. [CSNNE]
• Ryan Fitzgerald is a second-generation Bruins draftee. [ESPN]
• Cam Neely would like to reprise his role as Seabass in the Dumb and Dumber sequel. And Milan Lucic may also be cast. (With video gallery) [NESN]

And elsewhere in the NHL and beyond:

• Reports: Islanders to buy out Rick DiPietro. [TheHockeyNews]
• More goalie news briefs regarding Martin Brodeur, Anthony Brodeur, Sergei Bobrovsky, Tim Thomas. [TooManyMenOnTheSite]
• And Mike Smith has been re-signed by the Phoenix Coyotes. [FoxSports]
• The Perfect Storm: Rangers vs. Canucks this preseason! [NYPost]
• Eliotte Friedman has 30 delightful thoughts to share. [CBCSports]
• This news list has the scoop on the Coyotes' newest deadline, Roberto Luongo having to reconnect with Vancouver, Ryan Miller, Kris Letang, Stephen Weiss, Daniel Alfredsson, and more. [SportsIllustrated]
• Enjoy this gif involving Patrick Sharp and a tetherball... [25Stanley]

With Keith Ballardclearing waivers and heading towards a buy-out, it's still murky how the Canucks will sign seven players with close to $8 million in remaining cap space. Ballard's departure solves one problem on the blueline (and an obvious one financially); Chris Tanev's new deal is the next (he received a QO earlier today). Tanev has a some leverage and I can imagine Gilman is hoping the negotiations - if nothing else - play into the "take less for the greater good" mentality that has benefited Vancouver at times in the past. Regardless the youngster is en route to a new deal, perhaps as low as 2.5 per but probably closer to $3.5-4 per. Of course July 5th could roll around and someone could toss him an offer sheet that puts an entirely different spin on this.

On the same day the Ballard era ended, Vancouver qualifiedDale Weise at $676,500 and are close to a new deal as well. Despite my best wishes to the contrary and any training camp standouts, it appears Weise will join Tom Sestito as the fourth line wingers heading into camp. With the cap crunch, this isn't surprising. Neither are the rumblings that Mason Raymond and Maxim Lapierre are almost surely gone as well. The trend up front is tilting towards trimming the fat on vets and let rookies battle for the slots. Besides trying to move David Booth is pointless and third-liner Jannik Hansen - as one of the paltry few forwards without a NTC - likely won't fetch a considerable return. On a related note: Hansen is a God and not allowed to leave anyway. I read that somewhere, don't question it.

If you accept the assumption above that a rookie is likely heading towards the 4LC if not the 3LC as well, that leaves some holes on offensive depth as well as defense (Ballard and Andrew Alberts notably, though it's generally assumed Frank Corrado is ready for prime-time on the third pairing). Tanev's deal could torpedo much of the financial flexibility the team has. On the one hand that means Gillis stays on course, spends to the cap, flushes out the ranks with rookies and low-level signings and prays no significant injuries lay ahead for his core players because that never, ever happens. It also introduces a horrific alternative: moving Alexander Edler.

(It should be noted here the Twitter machine kicked around the idea of keeping Edler and moving Kevin Bieksa instead. Losing Juice stings a bit less than Edler, but we'd still be looking at losing a guy with the third most TOI for blueliners, one of two right-handed shots - three if you count Corrado - and another guy who can be plug-and-played in almost any situation. Plus that's a hell of a loss in the "stiffer" department. I digress....)

Trading Edler isn't a novel idea, it was the worst kept secret on Sunday for very similar reasons that Cory Schneider is calling Newark home now: you're strapped for cash and rather than lose an asset for nothing, make a move which yields the most significant return to upgrade your team. Edler drives the bus on defense, gobbles up tough assignments, receives ample special teams assignments and - at 27 years old - is widely agreed to be their best defenseman. Sedins aside (and hey, they're old now) Edler is the most valuable player on the team if you get him on the block; his return should be considerable, certainly enough to grab an equally talented asset or two in return. This explains Sunday's rumors of Edler on the move: just as with Schneider, Gillis had to listen. Now that Edler's NTC has kicked in, it's even harder if indeed Gillis elects to go this route.

I hate the idea of losing a 20+ minute guy in the prime of his career who sniffed at 50 points a year ago. I hate the idea that by moving him we run the risk (albeit small, but it's there) of getting hosed on the deal. I hate the idea losing Edler and Schneider may be tossed under the excuse of "the reality of the new CBA" when what it really signals - besides turning a blind eye at mistakes from Gillis and his band of merry men - is that Vancouver is in much more of a rebuild mode than we thought. But if Edler and Schneider deals now - combined with promising draft days like we saw this weekend - pave the road for consistently strong seasons ahead with the Vancouver Canucks 2.0, is that a price worth paying? Hope for the best and pray for a better tomorrow? That's a horribly tough sell in a market not known for its patience.

Then there's the worst case scenario of all: they move Edler and the piece(s) in return - for whatever reason - don't pan out. Every team runs this risk once you gamble with core assets, but you'll excuse Vancouver fans who are a bit more weary of those pesky dark clouds which seemingly never leave our horizon. Tin foil hates = on!

This is why being an blogging armchair GM rules since I have no answer. I certainly have my preference - which is keeping Edler, focus on a reasonable deal for Tanev and adjust - if need be - later into the season - but I rarely get what I want.

Standard Regular Season Stats

Advanced Regular Season Stats (5 on 5)

Standard Playoff Stats

Advanced Playoff Stats (5 on 5)

Pat Foley called him Mr. Overtime during the Blackhawks Rally in Grant Park on Friday and I assume he was grinning under all that facial hair. For some reason Brent Seabrook didn’t shave his playoff beard after winning the Stanley Cup. Maybe he likes how it looks, but it was a hot day and I can’t imagine he was very comfortable. After his introduction he walked over and took his place beside his teammates. He didn’t step up to the podium and address the mass of people who assembled to celebrate another Cup win. It’s not surprising he didn’t make a speech; Seabs is normally not too outspoken in public. However, according to Coach Q and his teammates, he is very vocal in the locker room and on the ice. Seabrook is an experienced player who constantly strives to not only better his game, but the game of his teammates, and even though he doesn’t wear an A on his sweater, he continuously displays a unique leadership style.

Seabrook had a roller coaster of a season but in his typical fashion pulled out huge plays when needed and played a major role, on and off the ice, in the Blackhawks acquiring their second Stanley Cup in four years. He had a sluggish regular season and didn’t look nearly as ready to play as some others after the lockout was finally over. In February he took what looked like an excruciating painful puck to the groin area during a game against the Kings, and missed the next game versus the Canucks with a lower body injury. He bounced back a lot quicker than expected (and way quicker than any basketball player would have). February was over all a pretty bad month for Seabs. He not only took that awful shot to the groin but a few days earlier, while attempting to block a pass during a game against Anaheim he ended up sending the puck past Crawford and into the Hawks net, the Ducks wound up winning that game 3 to 2 in a shootout. Seabrook tallied a total of 8 goals and 12 assists in the regular season playing 47 games.

Coach Q ended up separating Seabrook from his long time defensive partner, Duncan Keith in late March and paired Seabs with Nick Leddy. Seabs and Dunc would not be reunited until May during the playoffs in the Detroit series. Coach Q showed his displeasure with Seabs’ lack luster play at the start of that series and cut Seab’s ice time, a lot. Seabrook averaged 21:59 during the regular season, but was on the ice for only 17:07 and 12:03 in games 3 and 4 of the Detroit series. At first trying to say it was a strategy for line match-ups, Q eventually admitted it was basically a time out for Seabs and said decisions were "usually" performance based. After their reunion Seabs seemed to get recharged in Game 5. In that game, Seabs had some great hits and passes. He put the puck on goal 7 times and earned his first point of the playoffs with a secondary assist for Shaw’s power play goal in the second period.

He scored the game winning, overtime goal in game 7 against Detroit to clinch the conference semi-finals, which was a perfect time to end his 7 game goal drought. He would come up again huge tying the Boston series at 2 with another game winning goal in overtime of game 4 of the Cup Final; both colossal goals for his confidence and the team. He totaled only 3 goals and 1 assist in the playoffs, but two of those goals were two of the biggest of the post season.

Seabrook, with 8 years in the NHL, also helped his teammates when they seemed to get off track. Media reports relate that he had a conversation with Jonathan Toews in a hotel lobby during his 10 game goal drought. Seabs told him to quit listening to people who said it was OK for him to not score goals because he was doing everything else right. Seabrook told Toews, it was not OK and the team needed him to score goals. And in Game 4, Toews delivered. In the prior series, when Towes was getting hammered with penalties during game 4, Seabs also gave Toews some advice. He followed Toews into the penalty box after the captain took his third penalty, hit him on the back and told him to relax and get himself together because the team needed him to be better.

Overall Seabrook didn't deliver the constant performance defensively or offensively we would expect, however, true to form he was there when the Blackhawks needed him the most, with big plays and excellent moral support and guidance.

Final Grade : B+

Nashville has traditionally been known for having more talent on the blueline and in goal over the years, and that was before the team traded Martin Erat away a few months ago, or placed Sergei Kostitsyn on unconditional waivers. Along with those two out of the way, the coming departure of Hal Gill frees up more financial room for the Predators to wade into the thick of the bidding for this summer's free agent crop.

The following forwards could make fine additions to the Nashville lineup...

David Clarkson

#23 / Right Wing / New Jersey Devils

Height: 6-1

Weight: 200

Born: Mar 31, 1984

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $2.6 million

Fancy Stats from Behind The Net

Clarkson's an interesting case - he has taken his game to another level in the last two seasons, and drives pucks to the net with abandon. Even though he takes quite a few penalties, he actually draws more from his opponents, which is a nice bonus. He will surely command top dollar, but might well be worth it.

Nathan Horton

#18 / Right Wing / Boston Bruins

Height: 6-2

Weight: 229

Born: May 29, 1985

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $4 million

A power forward with chronic shoulder issues and a history of concussions? I know Horton has had two strong playoffs in a row, boasts excellent possession metrics as seen in the table above and is a six-time 20 goal scorer, but there is tremendous danger in extending him a long-term contract. His shoulder may well pop out of joint as he reaches to sign the darned thing.

It's hard to ignore his history of impressive performance, however. Remember, that "Corsi Rel" column shows that player's Corsi metrics compared to how his team fares when he's on the bench. Boston is generally a strong team in that area, so Horton's consistently positive results there stand out even more. If health & durability issues can be addressed to Nashville's satisfaction, Horton could fit right in.

Stephen Weiss

#9 / Center / Florida Panthers

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Apr 03, 1983

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $3.1 million

Weiss wouldn't make the most thrilling of additions at center, but a lineup of Fisher-Weiss-Legwand-Gaustad would at least boast excellent depth. If the Preds wanted to go three lines deep with decent offensive talent as opposed to loading up a "top line", Weiss could help make that happen.

Derek Roy

#15 / Center / Vancouver Canucks

Height: 5-9

Weight: 184

Born: May 04, 1983

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $4 million

Much like Weiss, Roy wouldn't blow our doors off in terms of adding a star player, but he does boast a pretty solid two-way game, and draws penalties well. I'd take him over Weiss, personally.

Jaromir Jagr

#68 / Right Wing / Boston Bruins

Height: 6-3

Weight: 240

Born: Feb 15, 1972

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $4.5 million

Sooooo dreamy... But forget about it, Jagr's not coming here.

Clarke MacArthur

#16 / Left Wing / Toronto Maple Leafs

Height: 6-0

Weight: 191

Born: Apr 06, 1985

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $3.2 million

Now here's an interesting prospect - he hit the 20-goal mark in each of the last two full NHL seasons, and has established himself as a strong driver of Shots For & Against.

Michael Ryder

#73 / Right Wing / Montreal Canadiens

Height: 6-0

Weight: 198

Born: Mar 31, 1980

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $3.5 million

He's a 3-time 30 goal scorer who was near that pace again in this shortened season - while not a great force at puck possession, he could provide a solid 1-2 scoring punch on the right wing with Patric Hornqvist.

Ryane Clowe

#29 / Left Wing / New York Rangers

Height: 6-2

Weight: 225

Born: Sep 30, 1982

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $3.6 million

Once in a radio interview Barry Trotz was asked which player around the league most exemplified "Predator hockey", and his answer was Ryane Clowe. After a criminally cold-shooting season, he may become a classic "buy low" opportunity who could add beef & scoring from the right wing.

Viktor Stalberg

#25 / Right Wing / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 209

Born: Jan 17, 1986

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $875,000

While not a leading player in the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup championship, Stalberg is an extremely interesting winger. Much as with Horton above, he has been one of the better puck-possession guys on a consistently excellent team across multiple years. If you check over at HockeyAnalysis.com, you'll see that over the last three seasons with the Blackhawks, all the top guys put up better results with Stalberg than without him.

John Tortorella has chosen his assistant / associate coaches: Mike Sullivan and Glen Gulutzan. There are intriguing storylines that goes with the new hires. Mike Sullivan will handle the special teams I would assume, as he did just that with Tortorella in New York for four years and in Tampa Bay for one. It is believed that Sullivan is even more hardcore, or abrasive at times than Tortorella is. According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post (yea yea I know: no love there between Brooks and Torts):

If Tortorella truly does intend to become a new man, then bringing Mike Sullivan to Vancouver with him as assistant coach isn’t likely to help the transformation process.

Truth is that Sullivan, who only reinforces Tortorella’s us-against-the-world mentality, had alienated more Rangers by the end than the head coach.

Don't read too much into that, by the way. Not yet. What Brooks says is what happens at the end of a coach's life span with a team.

Much of the media had said that the best cooler head to be Tortorella's sidekick was Craig Ramsay. Well, Tortorella may have that in the other new assistant coach Glen Gulutzan. Gulutzan is mild-mannered and laid back. This is probably like a poodle hanging out with two Dobermans. Gulutzan was initially looking for work as a head coach this off season, (and was even interviewed by the Canucks reportedly) but there were no takers. I'm not going to sit here and shit talk Tortorella and Sullivan for their antics. The Canucks need a push and they are going to get it. That's all that matters.

A bit about the two new guys:

MIKE SULLIVAN

Mike Sullivan played several years in the NHL as primarily a checking, defensive energy forward:

Did I say "defensive"? Yes, folks the Canucks' defence was a major problem last season. It won't be for long.

I think Sullivan played a lot like Jannik Hansen does now.

He began his career as a coach for the Providence Bruins in 2002-03 and after an amazing season there was quickly promoted as head coach of the Boston Bruins the following season. The Bruins won their division in 2003-04 but lost to the Canadiens in the first round. Then the lockout happened. Then Sullivan had a lousy year with B's in 2005-06 and was canned at the end of the season as the Bruins missed the playoffs.

So began his career as an assistant coach. In May of 2007 John Tortorella took him in out of the rain and chose him as assistant coach of the Lightning. That was a short tenure. Both Tortorella and Sullivan were reunited again with the Rangers in July 2009. And that's where they both were until this summer.

Sullivan video:

Don't mess with Sully.

Both Tortorella and Sullivan were born in Massachusetts.

GLEN GULUTZAN

Glen Gulutzan was born in Manitoba, thankfully. Too much America going on there for a minute. Gulutzan played pro hockey as a center from 1986 - 2003. He never played in the NHL. After he retired from playing he quickly became the head coach of the ECHL's Las Vegas Wranglers. Under Gulutzan the Wranglers set an ECHL record with three consecutive 100 point-plus seasons. He coached there for 6 seasons and then coached the AHL's Texas Stars for two seasons. He got a massive promotion after the Dallas Stars fired Marc Crawford, becoming Dallas' new head coach in June 2011. That didn't go so well. He had a 64-57-9 record in his first tenure as an NHL coach and the Stars missed the playoffs both seasons. Barely.

When he was hired as the Stars' head coach he described his coaching style as:

"The way I describe my philosophy is that I'd like to be a two-way hockey club," Gulutzan said. "The best way to describe my style is just a hard, two-way game that has some tempo. I think that's today's hockey."

Gulutzan is described as a "good teacher". He worked very well with the Stars' kids. Jason Botchford mentioned tonight:

He is known as a player’s coach, but he has three things he has called “non-negotiable items” for his teams.
They are being hard to play against, having a good defensive structure and having fun.

DEFENCE! I know..here come the "oh damn it! Defensive hockey is so boring.. yadda yadda." Well, look at how far the Canucks' up-tempo style that Gillis was preaching got them.

Some say he was canned this season due in large part to Joe Nieuwendyk's incompetency as a general manager. Quite possible. But who cares? He's still a young guy (41) for a coach and I am sure has learned a lot over these past 2 years as a coach in Dallas. So, I assume Gulutzan is handling the defence? There's that word again! DEFENCE.

The Canucks are going to play better defensively. My wish has come true. The Canucks are gonna get the Red Foreman foot up their ass if they suck. Another wish come true. GILLIS RESET, baby! Now, we know that Tortorella and Sullivan are more aggressive in their approach. Now check out the demeanor of Gulutzan:

Seems like a composed, kind man, doesn't he? He's the balance in the Force. He will be that Craig Ramsay type that I mentioned earlier.

This is for vancitydan:

Tortorella, Sullivan and Gulutzan will call the shots from the Canucks bench next season. Interesting, Torts added another assistant.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 3, 2013

So what do you think of the new bosses? Impending madness? Improved play? Stoked? Concerned? Let us know in the comments section.

Youth will be served. You can pretty much bank on it. Unless the Canucks move a player like Alexander Edler, who has a no-trade clause, they are stuck at, according to Brad Ziemer of the Vancouver Sun:

Ballard's compliance buyout, which will be completed on Thursday, frees up $4.2 million of cap space for the Canucks. But that only leaves Vancouver with $7.497 million of cap space with seven roster spots left to fill to complete its 23-man roster.

A 23-player roster is the maximum under CBA rules. Would the Canucks opt to go with less players on the final roster?

Perhaps not.

If that's the case, then Chris Tanev's new contract, and who know what he will make...makes life even more complicated for the Canucks under the new lower salary cap ($64.3 million.) With that in mind, you can see why Mike Gillis preached "going with youth". You can see why the new coaching staff is good at dealing with younger players and bringing them in. The "restart" that Mike Gillis preached after last season's end all seems to be coming to fruition. The aged core of the team is what it is (and really it's not that bad, except for the limitability of their no trade clauses). But youth will be served. There is no choice. The salary cap of the Canucks allows no other method. This is not necessarily a bad thing. You can see the injection of such younger players in so many other successful teams. Time for the Canucks to get on board. Personally, I like it. The new coaching staff will guide the new youth movement.

But just so you know....given the Canucks' cap restrictions....if you expect a major free agent signing by Mike Gillis on Friday, you will most likely be disappointed. The Canucks have no cap space to dive into the big names available in the free agent market unless a trade happens to shed more cap money. I expect minor signings that will not excite most Canucks fans. But they don't understand the salary cap restrictions that the Canucks are under. There is a reason why the Canucks are not reportedly interested in the big-named UFA's out there.

This is why I would have preferred Alex Edler traded away. We don't need so much dollars tied into the defence for starters and secondly, I would love to flog a defenceman for help up front.

Are there other options out there? I don't see it.

How about Alexandre Mallet for 4th line center?

The Minnesota Wild continued their tradition of July 4^th signings today, inking defenseman Keith Ballard to a two year deal. Ballard was bought out by the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week.

Make sure to check out Brigid22's article about why Ballard would be a good fit on the Minnesota blue line here.

According to Russo and capgeek, the terms of Ballard's deal are as follows: two years for 3 million, a total cap hit of 1.5 million a year. This leaves plenty of money for the Wild to sign Jared Spurgeon to a new contract.

This also sets up the Wild with a pretty solid blueline. The projected lines for the start of the season are

Ryan Suter - Jonas Brodin

Marco Scandella - Jared Spurgeon

Clayton Stoner-Ballard

Nate Prosser

Everyone likes to hate on Stoner, but he plays well on limited minutes, and will be a decent guy for the 3^rd pair.

Ballard is coming off a rough year with the Canucks, much like Tom Gilbert for the Wild. This trade is basically getting a guy who had a huge price tag but not a lot of production for a much cheaper price.

Wild fans will also be happy to learn that Ballard is not only grew up in Minnesota, but he also is a former Gopher. The Wild are well on their way of pokemon-ing all prodigal sons. Gotta catch em all, gotta catch em all...

Vancouver hits free agency already looking like a different team in many areas.

Former #1 goalie Cory Schneider is gone. Former doghouse occupant Keith Ballard has dashed off to Minnesota. Familiar faces of the old guard - Mason Raymond, Maxim Lapierre and Manny Malhotra - are hitting the road. Pet projects like Derek Roy, Steve Pinizzotto and Cam Barker (!) are following them out the door (though Pinizzotto and the Canucks are gone, so exhale). All of which leaves some big holes as the league enters the silly season:

D. Sedin / H. Sedin / Kassian
Booth / Kesler / Burrows
Higgins / ??? / Hansen
Sestito / ??? / Weise

Hamuis / Bieksa
Edler / Garrison
??? / ???

Luongo / ???

As many know a lot of these holes will be filled with prospects from Utica and potentially other leagues. Weise, for one, is still working on a new deal but chances are he's headed for the 4th line again. Frank Corrado can safely be penciled in to the third pairing and Chris Tanev is waiting on his new deal before he can be tossed in. Eddie Lack is the back-up unless he stumbles in camp. 3LC and 4LC could be reserved for Jordan Schroeder, Brendan Gaunce or Kellan Lain if Gillis gets blocked out from his targeted UFA's.

Right out of the gate Gillis needs to get Tanev wrapped up so (a) no one can swoop in and drop an offer sheet bomb and (b) the team can move forward with other needs. Alex Edler could still be moved, but his NMC makes it much harder.

$7,497,222 left in cap space won't leave Gillis much to work with up front. If he's looking for veteran help up front it may come in the form of plug and play guys like Matt Hendricks, Matt Cullen, Boyd Gordon or a number of other under-the-radar targets. Despite the temptation it's best not to get your hopes for the David Clarkson, Mikhail Grabovski or Valtteri Filppula's of the world. Instead, just hope they all end up out East.

List Of Free Agents

WESTERN CONFERENCE

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Canucks Free Agents

Unrestricted:Andrew Alberts, Cam Barker, Guillaume Desbiens, Andrew Ebbett, Andrew Gordon, Derek Joslin, Maxim Lapierre, Manny Malhotra, Steve Pinizzotto, Prab Rai, Mason Raymond, Derek Roy, Stefan Schneider, Jim Vandermeer.

Restricted:Darren Archibald, Kellan Lain, Anton Rodin, Yann Sauve, Jordan Schroeder, Bill Sweatt, Chris Tanev, Dale Weise (Canucks are reported close to signing Weise).

Canucks Rumors, Links, Twitter Shit, And A Classic Luongo Video

Jeff Angus from Dobber Hockey gave Canucks.com a list of players that make sense for the Canucks. Here is one example:

Boyd Gordon

Key Number: 57.3

Gordon is one of the best faceoff men in hockey (as evidenced by his 2013 success rate of 57.3%). He is a different player than Lapierre – less physical, not an agitator – but arguably a more effective one. The Canucks tried to trade for him at the trade deadline, and there will be several contending teams looking to acquire his services come July 5th.

Likelihood of Signing: High

Gordon would be an instant upgrade to Vancouver’s forward group. He would take a lot of defensive pressure away from Henrik and Kesler, and he would give the team an ace faceoff man, something they have really been missing after shutting down Manny Malhotra. A Gordon signing wouldn’t generate a ton of media attention or fanfare, but it would be exactly what the team needs.

From The Province:

Blum still loves the area, still comes back and trains here in the off-season. On Thursday, when asked about free agency, he talked about it being a "fresh start," and said that his agent, Edmonton-based Gerry Johannson, had heard from a "few" teams.

Blum admitted the Canucks were one of them, and he was openly keen on the idea of being based back in B.C. again.

"I would love it," Blum said. "It’s like my second home.

"It would be a good transition for me. There would be a lot of familiar faces around town."

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Vancouver+Giant+Blum+makes+sense+Canucks/8618258/story.html#ixzz2Y9GSx3eG

Have been told that there are four teams of note which Iginla considers landing spots. #Rangers#Penguins#Kings#Canucks

— Andrew Walker (@fan960walker) July 3, 2013

Alrighty then.

From The Fourth Period:

Teams are still speaking to Vancouver about Edler, such as Detroit, Tampa Bay, Montreal and Carolina, but it's unclear if anything is imminent.

The Canucks want to add a young center to man their third line. If they deal Edler, they'd want a young defenseman as part of a package in return.

I still think that is a possibility.

On his ass, on the other side of a blue line. RT @SocialAssassin2: Where is Mason Raymond gonna land?

— BrowntoBure (@BrowntoBure) July 5, 2013

HAHAHA.

Oh Lou...

The madness starts at 9:00 AM PST...or earlier.

Come for the depth signings, stay for the cursing. This is your opening day free agency thread.

The NHL Free Agency period officially begins today at 12:00PM EST as thirty NHL General Manager will vie to make subtle -- or in some cases desperate -- acquisitions in hopes that they can bring their clubs closer to a date with the Stanley Cup next June.

For the Winnipeg Jets, their main focus during the free agency period will be to lock up Alexander Burmistrov, Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little and Zach Bogosian to long-term deals as the quartet of young guns will be instrumental building blocks for Kevin Cheveldayoff's roster going forward.

Having said that, the Jets are still a team with its share of deficiencies, namely a glaring lack of scoring depth outside of Andrew Ladd and Evander Kane. With their blue-line more or less set for the start of the 2013-14 season, we decided to take a look at a list of modestly priced players that could fit into a second or third line role with the Jets.

The following forwards would compliment Winnipeg's line-up quite well:

Brad Boyes

#24 / Right Wing / New York Islanders

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 17, 1982

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $1 million

The Skinny: Brad Boyes has carved himself a nice career for a hockey player that's been a part of six franchises over the past decade. Though he reaped the benefits of playing alongside John Tavares for stretches last season, Boyes' body of work shows him to be a reliable contributor who fits in well on Winnipeg's second line and secondary power play unit. With Kyle Wellwood now off the books, Boyes would be a logical replacement.

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 17.5%

Damien Brunner

#24 / Right Wing / Detroit Red Wings

Height: 5-11

Weight: 184

Born: Mar 09, 1986

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $1.35 miilion

The Skinny: Damien Brunner came into the NHL last season as a highly touted skill forward out of Sweden. However, unlike Fabian Brunstrom before him, Brunner actually lived up to the hype. In his first season in North America, he posted twenty six points as a member of Detroit's third line. His twelve goals ranked third on the Red Wings, just short of Pavel Datsyuk (15) and Johan Franzen (13). Much like Boyes, Brunner offers a skill upgrade for Winnipeg to slot into their top six if necessary.

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 8.8%

Clarke MacArthur

#16 / Left Wing / Toronto Maple Leafs

Height: 6-0

Weight: 191

Born: Apr 06, 1985

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $3.25 million

The Skinny: Clarke MacArthur brings with him a blend of size, speed and skill which would compliment Claude Noel's coaching philosophy quite well. Despite being benched on-and-off throughout the 2013 regular season and playoffs, MacArthur is another sizeable upgrade to the depleted depth here in Winnipeg as he can play left wing, right wing or centre. Any trepidation toward MacArthur may be caused by his inflated cap hit which, at $3.25MM, is a tad high for the talent he possesses. All things considered, he's still a valuable signing.

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 0.0% signed with the Ottawa Senators 2-years $3.25MM AAV

Viktor Stalberg

#25 / Right Wing / Chicago Blackhawks

Height: 6-3

Weight: 209

Born: Jan 17, 1986

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $875,000

The Skinny: Viktor Stalberg is fresh off his first Stanley Cup Championship and is due for an ample raise on top of the $875K he presently earns. Stalberg is another speedy yet gritty player who fits Winnipeg's system well and would likely be another second or third line tweener. The interesting rub with Stalberg is twofold: Firstly, Stalberg does have history with Kevin Cheveldayoff dating back to the 2010-11 season when both were employed by the Blackhawks. Secondly, the Jets recently acquired the services of Stalberg's former teammate, Michael Frolik, who could help sway the Swede into calling Winnipeg home.

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 0.0% signed with the Nashville Predators 4-years $3MM AAV

Stephen Weiss

#9 / Center / Florida Panthers

Height: 5-11

Weight: 190

Born: Apr 03, 1983

Cap Hit: $3.1 million

The Skinny: This may be more of a reach than anything but Stephen Weiss is one of if not the best two-way centres in this summer's free agency class. His face-off winning percentage has been north of 50% each of the last four years and though the numbers aren't overly impressive, Weiss instantly becomes Winnipeg's best centre and would facilitate the possibility of moving Bryan Little back to a more natural wing position. Having said that, Weiss will be a highly coveted commodity around the NHL which will drive up his price-tag on the open market. The odds of him landing in Winnipeg are slim.

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 0.0% signed with the Detroit Red Wings 5-years $4.9MM AAV

Mikhail Grabovski

#84 / Center / Toronto Maple Leafs

Height: 5-11

Weight: 183

Born: Jan 31, 1984

2012-2013 Cap Hit: $5.5 million

BONUS FAN TARGET: We sent out a request via Twitter last night for our followers to vote on one player they wanted to target in this summer's free agency and an overwhelming segment of you voted for Mikhail Grabovski. It's evident that Grabovski is the most skilled player on our target list and he will likely be a coveted commodity for many General Managers looking to infuse skill into their roster. The Russian-born centre has done a remarkable job in carrying the play throughout his career, registering incredible Corsi Rel numbers in three of the past four seasons. Grabovski feasibly fits into a first or second centre role here and, like Weiss, provides more flexibility for Claude Noel. His salary may dip slightly after a sub-par 2013 regular season, but will it be enough for the Jets to make a considerable offer?

Odds of signing in Winnipeg: 0.1%

Below we have listed some of high-priced free agents set to hit the market and potential market bargains heading into the free agency period. If by chance a player you covet was missed, feel free to share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments section.

High-Priced Free Agent Buys

Potential Free Agent Bargains

Just reported on the Twitter:

Yannick Weber signs 1 way deal/ Vancouver 650K #TSN

— Aaron Ward (@aaronward_nhl) July 5, 2013

Yannick Weber

#68 / Montreal Canadiens

Height: 5-11

Weight: 193

Born: Sep 23, 1988

Although last year's stats are depressing, he did play 60 games the season before with the Habs, as well as 32 games with Geneve-Servette HC during the lockout.

This is finally the kind of signing we've been expecting, considering Vancouver's cap situation.

***********

Update: From EOTP:

It will be interesting to see if another team takes a shot with Weber, who has put up 32 points in 115 NHL games while playing very limited minutes. He could be a cheap option for someone's powerplay and, at 25, there's still a bit of room for him to improve overall as a defenseman.

Can he play Top-6 minutes? It's tough to know, but there were times over the last few years where Weber did not look out of place. Good luck to him in the future.

In his best season with the Habs, he lead their blueline in OZone% at evens and his 2.76 PP TOI would have been second only to Alex Edler last season. He saw some very soft minutes in 2012 as well, so a sheltered third pairing option is likely. Look for Vancouver to try out his right handed shot on the PP. Low risk / high reward type pick on a one-way deal is about as good as it's going to get for Vancouver right now.

You're gonna love who Weber scored his first NHL goal against:

Oh look! Another one:

Here's another signing for everyone to digest: the Canucks have recruited centre Brad Richardson.

Brad Richardson's AAV in VAN is $1.15M on a 2 year deal.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 5, 2013

Once again, MG is getting some lower-money deals to fit our cap situation.

Brad Richardson

#15 / Forward / Los Angeles Kings

Height: 6-0

Weight: 197

Born: Feb 04, 1985

Upon first reading this news, I thought that this was the same guy Rypien beat up in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, but I stand corrected. Still, Brad has been with the Kings for a few years now, including the year they won the Cup.

Zanstorm note:

"I've played LW and RW, I'm most comfortable with Centre." - Brad Richardson

— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) July 5, 2013

"I felt most comfortable with #Vancouver. They made me feel like they really wanted me." - Richardson

— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) July 5, 2013

"We've got great goaltending, D, forwards. I want to win." - Brad Richardson

— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) July 5, 2013

Speaking of winning:

Mike Gillis on the Richardson signing and the madness that was Free Agency Day 1:

How about we see lots of this:

I tried to write the recap in the same order that we learned of the signings and trades from Twitter and television today. Read on for my move-by-move recap of the day:

• Worst moves: New Jersey - Ryane Clowe, Toronto - All, Nashville - Eric Nystrom, Calgary - All, Chicago - Nikolai Khabibulin, Phoenix - Mike Ribeiro, Columbus - Nathan Horton, Monreal - George Parros, New York Islanders - Evgeni Nabokov
  
• Best moves: New Jersey - Michael Ryder, New York Rangers - All, New York Islanders - Pierre Marc Bouchard & Travis Hamonic, Philadelphia - Ray Emery, Edmonton - Jason LaBarbera, Detroit - Daniel Alfredsson, Carolina - Anton Khudobin
  

Good morning Wilderness. Dan (WIMinnesotaWildFan) is enjoying some of the finest shoreline northern Wisconsin has to offer at the moment, and with that a less than desirable internet connection. Now besides the lack of wonderful interwebs, his view may very well be much better than today's picture which I snapped from the 24th floor at my sisters apartment in downtown St. Paul.It's okay to be a little jealous, I certainly am. Not to fret though, a little bonus Noogie coming your way this morning!

Now as the sub-headline suggests, I am not very fond of one Matt Cooke. I mean we are talking close to Todd Bertuzzi levels of despise for this individual. The guy has a well-earned reputation for a very, VERY dirty style of play, if you need a reminder of this a simple search on YouTube will suffice as a reminder. I can literally not put into words the lack of hockey respect I have for this individual. His hit on Marc Savard of the Boston Bruins was especially atrocious, not simply for the fact Savard's head was clearly the target, but for just how nonchalant Cooke was about it.

Having said that, I will attempt to put a positive spin on this guy, even as every ounce of me wretches at the fact he will be wearing Iron-Range Red for at least the next 3 years. The guy was a part of a Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins squad in 2008-2009. Cooke, as a part of Team Canada helped bring a gold medal for the Canadian squad in the 2004 World Championships. Cooke is also very involved in off the ice charities, including The Cooke Family Foundation of Hope, an organization he and his wife still maintain in Vancouver despite the fact he no longer plays for the Canucks.

Besides Matt Cooke, nothing from day one of the 2013 NHL free agency season came as a surprise for Minnesota Wild fans. Matt Cullen was not even offered a contract as GMCF did not want to insult him with a low-ball offer, Keith Ballard was signed and Devin Setoguchi was traded to the Winnipeg Jets for a 2nd round pick in next years draft. While Setoguchi's departure was not something anyone expected, it comes as no surprise all the same. Pierre-Marc Bouchard also signed with the New York Islanders which was only a surprise for me as far as the destination goes. I mostly figured he would be heading North of the border to a Canadian team.

It was a crazier day than many of us anticipated, but from here on out I'm going to let the links do the talking now.

Wild News

Wild notes: Ballard gets $3 million, Spurgeon $8 million | StarTribune.com
Hope Ballard has some stuff left in the tank. Welcome home old friend!

It's exit Setoguchi, enter an antagonist in Cooke | StarTribune.com
After just 2 short seasons with the Wild, Seto finds himself playing for what could be our closest rival after realignment.

Chart: Matt Cooke's career controversies | StarTribune.com
Just in case you needed a run-down of some of the Matt Cooke highlights.

Max Lapierre, Matt Cooke and despising your team’s new free agent signing | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Not sure I will ever come to like Matt Cooke in a Wild Sweater.

Wild GM defends Cooke signing: ‘He’s really evolved’ | ProHockeyTalk
If you have to spin the fact you signed a goon already, perhaps you made a bad choice. I have to believe Fletcher saw this reaction coming.

Off the Trail

Boston Bruins finally win the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Can Boston fans accept Iggy into the family after being burned so bad before?

Bobby Ryan traded to Ottawa Senators by Anaheim; who wins the deal? | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Ryan will take his talents North of the border next season.

Tyler Seguin’s mom says Boston media ‘making up stories’ after Dallas trade | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Momma bear ain't happy!

David Clarkson gets 7-year deal with Toronto; Leafs re-sign divisive Tyler Bozak | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Toronto fans, I'd like to say I feel sorry for you .... but I don't.

Ryane Clowe, three goal scorer, signs with Devils for five years, $24.25 million | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Ryane Clowe scored just three goals last season. That's just one more goal than extraneous vowels in his name.

Ray Emery back to Flyers; Evgeni Nabokov re-signs with Islanders | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
So, welcome home I guess?

‘Canes sign ex-Bruins backup Khudobin: one year, $800k | ProHockeyTalk
Wait a second, Cam Ward is still starting in Carolina? I guess ex-Wild prospect Anton Khudobin will have to backup the aged net minder.

Rangers ink Benoit Pouliot to one-year, $1.3M pact | ProHockeyTalk
Well looky what the cat dragged in ...

Preds stay busy, sign Cullen: two years, $7 million | ProHockeyTalk
In my favorite tweet of the day, one Pred's fan said 'You took our guy, now we got your hometown boy!' I'm paraphrasing this, but man.... they sure showed us. Good luck in Nashville Cullen! You surely will be missed.

Isles sign Bouchard: one year, $2 million | ProHockeyTalk
Keep your head up PMB, wish nothing but the best for your in New York!

Nashville Predators News

Trotz wants opponents to pay metaphorical ‘entertainment tax’ - Nashville Predators Examiner
Naturally the Preds were pleased with yesterday's turn of events. I'm still banging my head against the wall trying to figure out why they're paying Eric Nystrom $2.5 million for four years, though.

Then again, maybe it was due to Nystrom's prowess on social media. Here's a Vine video he posted to Twitter yesterday (click the icon in the upper left for the audio):

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Jarome Iginla to the Boston Bruins - for real this time - Stanley Cup of Chowder
This is just too rich. But for real if I wake up tomorrow and the Iginla thing didn't happen...

Report: Tyler Seguin Guarded During Playoffs To Prevent His Partying-Deadspin
The Boston Bruins finally pulled the trigger on trading Tyler Seguin on Thursday, shipping him out—along with Rich Peverley and Ryan Button—to the Dallas Stars for Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow.

Canucks sign right-handed defenceman named Weber; unfortunately, it’s Yannick - Pass It To Bulis
Too bad, so sad, Vancouver.

2013 NHL Free Agency: Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Nathan Horton to 7 Year Deal - The Cannon
I wonder how many other teams were willing to go 7 years on a guy with this kind of injury history. Still, a nice pickup for the Blue Jackets.

Phoenix Coyotes sign Mike Ribeiro - Five For Howling
They're hoping that Ribeiro's history playing under Dave Tippet in Dallas will pay off in the desert.

Wild trades Devin Setoguchi, signs Matt Cooke | StarTribune.com
As if you needed another reason to boo when Minny comes to town...

Senators acquire forward Bobby Ryan from Ducks - Silver Seven
Yes, they lost Daniel Alfredsson to Detroit (home for aging Swedes), but GM Bryan Murray scored a major coup by trading for Anaheim's Bobby Ryan.

Leafs Sign Clarkson - Pension Plan Puppets
Toronto landed Dave Clarkson... for seven years.

New Jersey Devils Spend Big for Sign Ryane Clowe: 5 Yrs., $24.25 Million - In Lou We Trust
The Devils landed a power forward coming off a cold-shooting season... will he rebound?

Hotdog-Eating Champ Joey Chestnut: 'My Body Is Just Pretty Much at Its Limit' - The Hollywood Reporter
The competitive eater -- who devoured a record 69 hotdogs in 10 minutes -- tells THR about his recovery after the July 4 event.

Were Any Long-Term NHL Contracts a Good Idea? - Grantland

Thanks to Roberto Luongo, Vincent Lecavalier, Ilya Bryzgalov, and Rick DiPietro, the past week of NHL transactions will probably be remembered as the end of an era.

Gillis on Luongo: ‘Either play or don’t play’ | ProHockeyTalk

And if he doesn't?

Anaheim : Saku Koivu - C, Jakob Silfverberg - RW, Stefan Noesen - RW, Sens' first rounder in 2011

• Losing Ryan is brutal, and if they don't get Selanne to come back, this will be a difficult summer for fans. Murray did okay with what he had - Silfverberg has a scorer's touch and should score 20 goals this season. The Ducks are trying to ditch Jonas Hiller to help fill in, but with Ryan Miller out there as well, the return is going to be small.
  

Boston : Jarome Iginla - RW

• Iginla is a short-term replacement for Horton, and doesn't appreciably alter their roster for his salary. The Bruins need defense, just like everyone else.
  

Calgary : Karri Ramo - G , Kris Russell - D

• The Flames are lucky the Leafs decided yesterday was a crazy day, because this is a joke. Jay Feaster pays a below-average goaltender $2.9 million and traded for a defensemen he could have had for free last week via waivers.
  

Carolina : Anton Khudobin - G , Mike Komisarek - D

• Carolina's moves were tied up in Jordan Staal and Alex Semin's new contracts, but I can't help but mention how the Hurricanes spent just $1.5 million to sign a backup goaltender and a 7th defenseman. Jim Rutherford has some cap room left, and could still trade Tuomo Ruutu, but sticking to small moves to strengthen the bottom of the roster is a luxury he can afford this off-season.

Chicago : Nikolai Khabibulin - G , Michal Handzus - F , Michal Rozsival - D

• The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, so they should get a pass for a short while, but the Khabibulin contract is awful, and Stan Bowman is betting on a pair of ancient legs with Handzus.
  

Colorado : David Van Der Gulik - , Andre Benoit - D

• I really like the Benoit signing. It's nothing major, but given the budget and how little defense the Avalanche had last season, it was a smart move. It seems like Joe Sakic will move Paul Stastny eventually and he still needs defense.
  

Columbus : Nathan Horton - F

• Every time I look at the Blue Jackets roster, I think "how are they ever going to get rid of that Wisniewski deal?" Now I have something new to look at. If Nathan Horton stays healthy for the next seven years, this is a marvelous signing. If Nathan Horton had a chance at staying healthy for the next seven years, he would have signed a contract elsewhere.
  

Dallas : Dan Ellis - G

• Dallas went crazy on the eve of the draft, landing Tyler Seguin and Shawn Horcoff for very little and now Jim Nill has to find some defense. He especially needs a right-hander who can defend odd-man rushes. If he doesn't find one, he turns the Stars' hopes over to a bunch of 20-year olds to save his defense. Tom Gilbert fits this roster perfectly.
  

Detroit : Stephen Weiss - C , Daniel Alfredsson - F

• Detroit never dies. The NHL gifts the Red Wings a move to the the junior loop, and Ken Holland lands two of the top forwards available yesterday. The top 9 in Detroit looks like it's in great hands, but the defense looks shaky and Holland forgot to buy out Samuelsson and Bertuzzi to clear the cap space to stabilize the team.
  

Edmonton : Ryan Hamilton - LW , Andrew Ference - D , Boyd Gordon - F , Jason Labarbera - G , Jesse Joensuu - F

• The Oilers filled desperate needs in goal and and centre and missed on Andrew Ference. Craig MacTavish now needs one of Anton Belov or Andrew Ference to play top 4 minutes. Edmonton still needs another centre and could use a strong bottom-end forward a la Daniel Winnik.
  

Florida : Shawn Matthias - F , Mike Mottau - D , Joey Crabb - F

• The Panthers' roster is bizarre. Dale Tallon is relying on scads of teenagers and barely 20-somethings to drive play in Sunrise, but it's a tall order, even for Jonathan Huberdeau and Alexander Barkov.
  

Los Angeles : Jeff Schultz - D, Keaton Ellerby - D

• They lost Scuderi, and signed Schultz. It's a downgrade, but the Kings don't have a ton of cap space and Dean Lombardi has to sign his RFAs.
  

Minnesota : Matt Cooke - LW , Jared Spurgeon - D

• Devin Setoguchi is better than Matt Cooke, and the Wild overpaid Matt Cooke. Chuck Fletcher is stuck in cap hell, his own creation, and his second move to get out of it was yet another failure.
  

Montreal : George Parros - F

• Marc Bergevin has been excellent in his time with the Canadiens, but this is awful. It's bad enough that other teams sign goons to multi-year deals, but to trade assets for one? Terrible.
  

Nashville : Matt Hendricks - LW , Matt Cullen - C , Eric Nystrom - LW , Viktor Stalberg - F

• The four-year deals for Hendricks and Nystrom are bad. But then David Poile turns around and signs strong deals for Stalberg and Cullen. The Preds are already jam-packed with bottom end talent up front, the four year deals are inexplicable.
  

New Jersey : Rostislav Olesz - C , Michael Ryder - RW , Ryane Clowe - F

• I have Ryder down as one of the best deals of the day and Clowe as one of the worst. Olesz gives the Devils a chance at a reclamation project, but what was Lou Lamoriello thinking with the Clowe contract?
  

NY East: Evgeni Nabokov - G , Peter Regin - F , Pierre-Marc Bouchard - F , Travis Hamonic - D

• Garth Snow had a brilliant day, except for that Nabokov contract. The writers here have admired snow for awhile now and the rebound bet on Regin shows why. But the Hamonic deal is one that the Islanders should trumpet far and wide. Snow is already getting value out of that deal. Snow's achilles' heel is goaltender and the Nabokov contract exposes that, again. But the Islanders have cap space, so if Snow can land another solid goaltender, the move is excusable.
  

New York : Aaron Johnson - D , Benoit Pouliot - LW , Dominic Moore - F

• This is not the Glen Sather we've all come to know and love. The Rangers are normally "in on" every player, wildly throwing money around and embarrassing their smart fans. Maybe all of the RFA contracts are hanging over his head, but Sather grabbed depth left and right and strengthened his lineup with actual NHL players for peanuts.
  

Ottawa : Clarke MacArthur - F , Bobby Ryan - F

• Outstanding day for Bryan Murray. After Daniel Alfredsson told him ownership was too cheap to win, Murray salvaged the day with one of the best signings of the day in MacArthur. Then he traded Silvferberg and non-roster things for Ryan, who should go nuts on a line with Jason Spezza.
  

Philadelphia : Ray Emery - G , Yann Danis - G

• Paul Holmgren's sane side showed up yesterday and he signed one of the best contracts of the day with Emery and plugged the AHL goaltending (and NHL third string) hold with Yann Danis. Holmgren may have saved the Flyers with Emery.
  

Phoenix : Lauri Korpikoski - F , Kyle Chipchura - F, Thomas Greiss - G , Mike Ribeiro - F , Michael Stone - D

• The Coyotes are throwing money around like they aren't losing money for the BoG and City of Glendale. The Greiss deal is excellent, and Don Maloney kept Korpikoski and Chipchura which keeps the bottom of the roster in competent hands, but blowing so much money on a fading Ribeiro hamstrings the owner of the team in Seattle.
  

Pittsburgh : Craig Adams - C , Rob Scuderi - D

• Ray Shero brings an older and run-down Rob Scuderi back, though he may have more luck in the little sister conference, but Orpik and Scuderi are redundant. Neither are capable of playing tough comp, neither move the puck on their own and both are too expensive for the bottom pairing. I wouldn't be surprised to see Orpik move in the next week and give the Penguins some room to add a more versatile defender.
  

San Jose : Tyler Kennedy - F , Scott Hannan - D

• Martin Havlat's pelvic floor killed Doug Wilson's off-season. The Sharks have no cap room and Havlat was a perfect buyout candidate. Still, if Hannan is around to play on the bottom pairing, and Kennedy improves the bottom six, the Sharks will be okay.
  

St. Louis : Maxim Lapierre - C , Alexandre Bolduc - C , Mark Mancari - RW , Keith Aucoin - F

• St. Louis still has Chris Stewart and Alex Pietrangelo to sign, so free agency was nothing more than nibbling at the edges until Pietrangelo's huge deal is done. They did manage to sign noted idiot Max Lapierre, so they have that going for them. The Oilers are slobbering for forward size and St. Louis doesn't really need Chris Stewart, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Hemsky + 1st for Stewart.
  

Tampa Bay : Valtteri Filppula - LW

• Tampa is now running low on cap space and could use a couple of players to strengthen the bottom of the roster. So naturally, signing Filppula makes sense? Filppula depends on his linemates, so he should hope Stamkos likes him. Steve Yzerman needs to make a trade to give the Lightning some room to breathe and Ryan Malone sticks out like a sore thumb as a trade candidate, especially given the Oilers' drooling mouths. Malone and a pick for Magnus Paajarvi?
  

Toronto : T.J. Brennan - D , Jonathan Bernier - G , Tyler Bozak - F , David Clarkson - F

• Honestly, Toronto's day looks like an HF Boards reader got into some cocaine and was granted control of the Leafs' personnel department. Dave Nonis made a complete mess of a team that did have a couple of nice building blocks. And the Leafs don't have any defense. Aaron Ekblad will make a great Leaf at age 18.
  

Vancouver : Yannick Weber - D , Brad Richardson - RW

• Mike Gillis has no cap space to work with considering his needs, but upgraded from Lapierre to Richardson and added a 7th defender in Yannick Weber. The Canucks need another defender, two legit forwards, David Booth to come back and the Sedins to duplicate one of their best seasons ever. No worries.
  

Winnipeg : Devin Setoguchi - F

• Winnipeg has cap space and could be in a position to make more of these types of deals. Kevin Chevladayoff just has to sit tight and wait for his colleagues to cringe, then swoop in and grab the players the Jets need to be competitive.
  

Did well for themselves: Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers,

One more move needed: Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins,

Not much to judge: Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets

Jekyll & Hyde: Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils,

Tough day: Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning

Clown Shoes: Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs