On the same morning Vancouver lost depth center Andrew Ebbett to the Penguins, they replaced him with another vagabond. Let's meet Mike Santorelli.

Mike Santorelli

#15 / Winnipeg Jets

Height: 6-0

Weight: 189

Born: Dec 14, 1985

Described as a skilled but undersized playmaker, Santorelli was drafted by the Predators 178th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, that same draft where Cam Barker somehow went third and some chump named Cory Schneider was taken at 26th by your fair Canucks. In 208 games with Nashville, Florida and Winnipeg, Santorelli's gone 33-26-59 with a beautiful -52.

His best season by far was 2010-2011 in Florida when he played the full 82 games, had the highest TOI/60 (12.22) and best Corsi Rel QoC (0.731) of his career en route to 40 points (20-21). More importantly and as PITB pointed out, he was centering David Booth at the time. That's worth noting considering Jason Botchford's hunch yesterday that Kassian will start with the Sedins, Burrows will re-unite with Kesler and Higgins on the second line with Booth shifting to the third line where, presumably, Santorelli gets a shot at calling home.

In his short time on the Jets he seemed to gel well with Burmistrov and Tangradi on the third line which drove the play well but didn't contribute much offensively (sound familiar?). Here's Arctic Ice Hockey's take on the right-handed center they only saw for 10 games last season:

Santorelli is an interesting case. Only one season did he post legitimate middle-6 P/60, which was also the only season where he had a normal On-Ice SH% but also a negative Corsi. While Santorelli is an inconsistent scorer he can also contribute to wins by winning draws and scoring in shoot-outs.

Seems like a decent - if not horribly streaky but, hey, this is Vancouver we're talking about - gamble for the bottom six no matter where he lands. If he does end up centering Booth maybe there's a way to reignite the chemistry they had a few seasons ago which could push the team back to the promised land of three scoring lines. Failing that he's another brick in the wall as GMMG continues to flush out the ranks with low-level signings.

On the heels of trading for the services of Devin Setoguchi, the Winnipeg Jets have gently dipped their toes into the 2013 Free Agent market, inking a trio of AHLers to new contracts.

Andrew Gordon, John Albert and Jerome Samson will all become Jets' property for the 2013-14 season. Terms of the signings have yet to be disclosed.

Gordon was originally a Washington Capitals pick, selected 197th in the 2004 Draft. Twice has he posted 20+ goal seasons at the AHL level while once tallying 37 times in the 2009-10 season. The 27 year old has played fifty-five career games in the NHL, posting a modest 7 points in those contests. His most recent stint was last season where he went scoreless in six games with the Vancouver Canucks.

Albert has spent his last two campaigns with the St. John's IceCaps, scoring 32 points in 88 games during that span. Last year he was a frequent scratch, dressing in only 24 games.

Samson, like Gordon, is another addition who has proven to be a quality scorer at the AHL level. In his six years in the league, he has topped the 20 goal plateau five times. In 2009-10, he tied Gordon's production with 37 goals of his own. Samson too has had NHL experience, earning 46 games with the Carolina Hurricanes in which he amassed 9 points.

While it's unlikely any of the players signed today will be relied upon at the NHL level, the signings of Gordon and Samson will add a scoring punch to a roster that totalled a -42 goal differential last season.

What's interesting is that Gordon (Halifax, NS) and Samson (Greenfield Park, QC) are both Eastern Canadians and perhaps the allure of playing close to home was what clinched their signings. In any event, with Jason King on his way out, it will be good for fans to have some "local talent" to cheer for.

The Winnipeg Jets continued to make additions to the 2013-14 version of their roster today, once again taking to Free Agency and inking defenseman Adam Pardy to a one-year, $600K contract as reported by TSN Insider Darren Dreger.

Originally drafted by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round in 2004, Pardy spent last season with the Buffalo Sabres. Pardy previously spent the 2011-2012 season with the Dallas Stars, and from 2008-2011 with the Calgary Flames. Last season in Buffalo, Pardy averaged 16:30 in ice time, generally playing third pairing minutes and performing adequately in that role (to the tune of a +5.3 Corsi Relative). He recorded 4 points in 17 games.

Adam Pardy

#27 / Defense / Winnipeg Jets

Height: 6-4

Weight: 220

Born: March 29, 1984

While Pardy's not an option to slot into the top four, he brings defensive depth, size, and toughness to Winnipeg's lineup. He has generally performed adequately in sheltered minutes, which is likely to match his deployment this season. Prone to penalties earlier in his career, Pardy has improved in that area over the last few seasons. He plays the left side, a position that was lacking in depth, and the price was certainly right at $600K for one year of service.

With Tobias Enstrom, Grant Clitsome, Mark Stuart, and now Adam Pardy under contract, this may signal Ron Hainsey's departure as the unrestricted free agent will be looking to land one last big contract on the open market. In related news, the Vancouver Canucks have agreed to terms with former Winnipeg Jets forward Mike Santorelli, signing him to a one-year contract.

Let us know how you feel about the signing in the comments section below!

Read more Jets:

• Winnipeg Jets acquire Devin Setoguchi
• Winnipeg Jets sign trio of AHLers to new deals
• NHL Free Agency 2013: Forwards the Winnipeg Jets should target
• Winnipeg Jets' re-sign defenceman Grant Clitsome to three-year $6.2MM extension
• Winnipeg Jets announce 2013 Development Camp details
• Google Hangout: Thoughts on the Winnipeg Jets at the 2013 NHL Draft
• Recapping the Draft: Winnipeg Jets build prospect pool with ten selections in 2013 NHL Draft

The Blues have been stockpiling on centers, filling a clear positional need. Unfortunately for some, it's not with the players that they feel the Blues need. Many fans don't seem to think that Derek Roy fits the Blues' mold. The problem is he does. Too well.

The Blues have signed Roy to a one-year deal worth $4 million. It's one of general manager Doug Armstrong's trademarked "let's see what happens" contract, and that's appropriate with Roy. He has 168 goals and 287 assists in 591 games played. He is not a bad player. Unfortunately for Roy, the past few seasons have not been good for him. Last year, splitting time between the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks, Roy had just seven goals and 21 assists in 42 games. Thank goodness that new contract is a million and a half less than the last year of his previous one, eh?

He hasn't had a bang up season since 2009-2010 where he scored 26 goals and 43 assists. In 2007-2008 he scored 31 goals. So, basically, looking at his stats, he's your typical Blues first or second line player and center, with a face off percentage of just under 50%.

Nothing exciting, but there's your second line center for next season, gang. It's a big signing and the status quo all rolled up into one. Hopefully he'll help develop some plays, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

At least he's got a positive attitude:

Proud to part of the St Louis Blues organization Excited to get started #longlivethenote

— Derek Roy (@Roy9ner) July 6, 2013

Jesse Spector's assessment of the Blues' game plan is interesting: "annoy you until you do something dumb." More often than not it winds up being "try to annoy you until they do something dumb," so maybe the addition of Roy and Maxim Lapierre will actually help out. They're super annoying and occasionally effective.

To learn more about our newest Blue, Nucks Misconduct has a great primer sheet on Roy. I'm pretty sure it would read exactly like what I would right but funnier, and I'm currently eating dinner, so there you go.

Vancouver has picked up left winger Pascal Pelletier, a player with such a compelling record of hockey success that the mothership goofed his press release. Hey, it's Sunday, we should all be resting and outside anyway.

Pelletier is an undrafted winger who started out in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League before moving to the ECHL's Louisiana IceGators. Following that he jumped to the AHL's Providence Bruins en route to landing his first NHL contract with the Bruins in 2006. He made his NHL debut in January 2008 and played a largely forgettable six games with Boston on a line with David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka. That summer Boston moved him to Chicago in exchange for (largely forgettable) Martin St. Pierre. Pelletier went on to play 71 games for the Rockford IceHogs (29-26-55) before another short - and yes largely forgettable - stint at the NHL level, playing alongside noted Vancouver BFF Dustin Byfuglien and Kris Versteeg. Pelletier than signed on with Columbus and then was traded to the Blues, but never punched through to the NHL level again and left for Europe in 2010. He's been playing - and served as captain - for the SCL Tigers of the Swiss League; in 130 games he notched 50 goals and 59 assists.

A career AHLer, he's destined for the Utica Comets and a depth reserve option for if - sorry when - the injuries start rolling in for Vancouver.

For fun, here's former Canuck Lee Goren and Pelletier exchanging pleasantries.

The Nashville Predators have inked four former collegians this weekend. General Manager Dave Poile, a Northeastern alum, added Vermont alum Viktor Stalberg, St. Cloud alums Matt Cullen and Matt Hendricks and Michigan alum Eric Nystrom. Stalberg, a leftwing who was part of the Stanley Cup champion winning Chicago Blackhawks signed for $12M over four years. The Predators also inked former UMass-Lowell goaltender Carter Hutton to a two-way deal.

Former Michigan defenseman Mike Komisarek has signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. The former Toronto Maple Leafs blue liner reportedly signed a one-year contract worth $700,000.

Former Wisconsin rightwing Jack Skille has signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, leaving the Florida Panthers behind.

The Dallas Stars have inked former Carolina Hurricanes and Nebraska-Omaha goaltender Dan Ellis to a two-year contract worth $1.8M.

Former Miami Redhawks leftwing Ryan Jones has re-signed with the Edmonto Oilers.

Minnesota Golden Gophers alum Keith Ballard signed with the Minnesota Wild after being bought out by the Vancouver Canucks. The defenseman will reportedly make $3M over two years.

Princeton alum and NHL tough guy George Parros was signed by the Montreal Canadiens. The former Tigers rightwing was signed by Montreal after having played for the Florida Panthers this season. He won a Stanley Cup in Anaheim earlier in his career.

Former Harvard center Dominic Moore has moved from the San Jose Sharks to the New York Rangers.

The Philadelphia Flyers have re-signed former Michigan State rightwing Adam Hall to a one-year contract worth $600,000.

Former NCAA Champion Rob Scuderi has left the Los Angeles Kings to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The former BC Eagles defender signed a four-year contract worth $13.5M.

The Penguins also re-signed former Harvard rightwing Craig Adams to a two-year contract worth $1.4M.

Former Norwich University star Keith Aucoin left the New York Islanders to sign with the St. Louis Blues.

The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed former Denver Pioneers center Tyler Bozak to a five-year contract worth $21M. The deal is by far the most lucrative signed by an NCAA alum this offseason.

Former Northern Michigan center Mike Santorelli is going back home. The Vancouver, BC native signed with the hometown Canucks after playing with the Winnipeg Jets this past season.

Speaking of the Jets, Winnipeg signed former Michigan Wolverines goaltender Al Montoya to a one-year contract worth $601,000.

The Boston Bruins signed a couple of college hockey alums who split time this past season between the Phoenix Coyotes and their AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine. Former Dartmouth rightwing Nick Johnson and former Alaska-Fairbanks goaltender Chad Johnson both went from the Coyotes organization to the Bruins.

NHL veteran and former Hobey Baker Award winner Mike Mottau has signed a two-year deal with the Florida Panthers. The Boston College grad spent time between the San Antonio Rampage and Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League this season.

Two recent college grads were involved in a trade Saturday. The Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks exchanged a couple of former NCAA defensemen. Kyle Bigos (Merrimack) was shipped to San Jose in exchange for Lee Moffie (Michigan).

Information in this report came from NHL teams' releases and the USA Today Free Agency Tracker.

Jeff Cox covers hockey for SBNation. Follow him on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.

Whether Alex Edler would remain a part of the Vancouver organization was a big story at the draft, namely because his NMC hadn't kicked in yet. During the start of free agency, it remained a card on the table for Gillis to move his young defender to free up some cap space, but would obviously have to get him to waive the NMC to do so.

Reports from Sweden's Mittmedia AB this morning - and picked up by ltz.se - suggest Edler is happy to remain in Vancouver. Some translation goofs are included below, apologies beforehand:

Östersund guy wrote a six-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks worth SEK 195 million which kicked in on July 3 this year. The contract has a clause that says Alexander Edler may not be threaded away. But it has nevertheless continued to rumors that he will change clubs address (which is possible if Edler himself agrees). Clubs like the Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens have been interested in the Vancouver slope. Montreal and Detroit will also have budat on Jämtlander.

- But I will remain in Vancouver. I know there have been some rumors about other clubs. But I do not know what they are worth, he says.

How does it feel to stay in Vancouver?

- It feels really good. I like it in Vancouver and the idea has always been that I'll be left behind, he says.

Alexander Edler go back to Canada in August to include being with the team's camp. Then he also hit Canucks newly appointed coach, John Tortorella, former New York Rangers.

- I do not know much about him. But sometimes this kind of change can be good. Everyone is tense and excited for the next season, he says.

So that answers that...or at least until he's on the receiving end of Red Bull-induced Tortorella rant and runs screaming for his mother.

I'd like to use this opportunity to table a potential 2013-14 Vancouver Canucks slogan: "Everyone is tense." Run with it!

Boston Bruins

Ryan Fitzgerald, F, Boston College

Garnet Hathaway, F, Brown

Matt Lindblad, F, Dartmouth

Casey Bailey, F, Penn State

Colton Hargrove, F, Western Michigan

Brian Ferlin, F, Cornell

Chris Casto, D, Minnesota-Duluth

Matthew Grzelcyk, D, Boston University

Matt Benning, D, Northeastern

Robbie O'Gara, D, Yale

Wiley Sherman, D, Harvard

Derek Docken, D, Alaska-Anchorage

Zane Gothberg, G, North Dakota

Philadelphia Flyers

Kyle Flanagan, F, St. Lawrence

Mark Alt, D, Minnesota

Shayne Gotisbehere, D, Union

Nick Luukko, D, Vermont

Eamonn McDermott, D, Colorado College

Terrance Amorosa, D, Holderness Prep (Uncommitted)

Carsen Chubak, G, Niagara

Reece Willcox, D, Cornell

Cal Heeter, G, Ohio State

Merrick Madsen, G, Harvard

Ryan McKay, G, Miami

Matt Skoff, G, Penn State

Toronto Maple Leafs

Tony Cameranesi, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Teddy Doherty, D, Boston College

Kevin Goumas, F, New Hampshire

Eric Knodel, D, New Hampshire

Dennis Robertson, D, Brown

Dominic Toninato, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Montreal Canadiens

Mac Bennett, D, Michigan

Michael Cichy, F, Western Michigan

Michael Condon, G, Princeton

Matt Grassi, D, Michigan State

Mark MacMillan, F, North Dakota

Frank Simonelli, D, Wisconsin

Brady Shaw, F, Vermont

Josiah Didier, D, Denver

Michael McCarron, F, Western Michigan

Greg Pateryn, D, Michigan

Colin Sullivan, D, Boston College

Steve Quailer, F, Northeastern

Dustin Walsh, F, Dartmouth

Tampa Bay Lightning

Colin Campbell, F, Lake Superior

Brian Hart, F, Harvard

Cody Kuynk, F, Alaska-Fairbanks

James Mullin, F, Miami

Carl Nielsen, F, Michigan Tech

Brendan O'Donnell, F, North Dakota

Matthew Peca, F, Quinnipiac

Drew Olson, D, Minnesota-Duluth

Adam Wilcox, G, Minnesota

Florida Panthers

Nick Bjugstad, F, Minnesota

Michael Downing, F, Michigan

Connor Brickley, F, Vermont

Rocco Grimaldi, F, North Dakota

Matt Buckles, F, Cornell

Wade Megan, F, Boston University

Tony Turgeon, F, Nebraska-Omaha

Joe Basaraba, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Corey Trivino, F, Boston University

Drew Shore, F, Denver

Zach Hyman, F, Michigan

Dan Kolenda, F, Niagara

Michael Matheson, D, Boston College

Ian McCoshen, D, Boston College

George Hughes, D, St. Lawrence

Ben Gallacher, D, UMass (Ohio State transfer)

Eddie Witchow, D, Wisconsin

R.J. Boyd, D, Michigan State

Sam Brittain, G, Denver

Evan Cowley, G, Denver

Winnipeg Jets

Andrew Copp, F, Michigan

Mike Zalewski, F, Rensselaer

Mark Cooper, F, Bowling Green

Tanner Lane, F, Nebraska-Omaha

Matt Bailey, F, Alaska-Anchorage

Austin Czarnik, F, Miami

Luke Eibler, D, Northern Michigan (Northeastern transfer)

Michael Young, D, Nebraska-Omaha

David Johnstone, F, Michigan Tech

Tucker Poolman, D, North Dakota

Brenan Serville, D, Michigan

Zach Loesch, D, Lake Superior

Matt White, F, Nebraska-Omaha

Peter Stoykewych, D, Colorado College

Dylan Margonari, F, Minnesota State-Mankato

Kevin Czuczman, D, Lake Superior

Jacob Trouba, D, Michigan

Connor Hellebuyck, G, UMass-Lowell

Charlie Lindgren, G, St. Cloud

Josh Pitt, F, Western Michigan

Tyler Sikura, F, Dartmouth

Jason Kasdorf, G, Rensselaer

Jamie Phillips, G, Michigan Tech

Juho Olkinuora, G, Denver

Ottawa Senators

Branden Komm, G, Bentley

Andrew Hammond, G, Bowling Green

Tim Boyle, D, Union

Mike Sdao, D, Princeton

Justin DaSilva, D, Ohio State

Jack Berger, F, Princeton

Jeff Costello, F, Notre Dame

Chris Wideman, D, Miami

Ryan Dzingel, F, Ohio State

Max McCormick, F, Ohio State

Buddy Robinson, F, Lake Superior

Quentin Shore, F, Denver

Chris Leblanc, F, Merrimack

Robbie Baillargeon, F, Boston University

Cole Schneider, F, UConn

Derek Grant, F, Michigan State

Edmonton Oilers

Joey LaLeggia, D, Denver

Dillon Simpson, D, North Dakota

Ben Lindemulder, D, Univ. of Alberta (Transferred from NMU)

Aidan Muir, F, Western Michigan

Evan Campbell, F, UMass-Lowell

John McCarron, F, Cornell

Jujhar Khaira, F, Michigan Tech

Jake Baker, D, Northern Michigan

Andrew Miller, F, Yale

Connor Jones, F, Quinnipiac

Lee Moffie, D, Michigan

Bryce Van Brabant, F, Quinnipiac

Kenny Morrison, D, Western Michigan

Kellen Jones, F, Quinnipiac

Chicago Blackhawks

Cohen Adair, F, Northern Michigan

Chris Calnan, F, Boston College

Grayson Downing, F, New Hampshire

Quinn Gould, F, Merrimack

John Hayden, F, Yale

Matt Lorito, F, Brown

Kevin Hayes, F, Boston College

Chris McCarthy, F, Vermont

Tim O'Brien, F, Dartmouth

Milos Bubela, F, Rensselaer

Pat Mullane, F, Boston College

Garrett Thompson, F, Ferris State

Tyler Motte, F, Michigan

Anthony Louis, F, Miami

Vincent Hinostroza, F, Notre Dame

Jake Chelios, D, Michigan State

Luke Curadi, D, Rensselaer

Kirill Gotovets, D, Cornell

Justin Holl, D, Minnesota

Luke Curadi, D, Rensselaer

Sam Jardine, D, Ohio State

Stephen Johns, D, Notre Dame

Guy Leboeuf, D, Rensselaer

Zach Loesch, D, Lake Superior

Nick Mattson, D, North Dakota

Michael Paliotta, D, Vermont

Dan Weissenhofer, D, Air Force

Nolan Zajac, D, Denver

Matt O'Connor, G, Boston University

Matt Tomkins, G, Ohio State

Garrett Thompson, F, Ferris State

Detroit Red Wings

Luke Glendening, F, Michigan

David Pope, F, Nebraska-Omaha

Michael Babcock, F, Merrimack

Dean Chelios, F, Michigan State

Ty Loney, F, Denver

Dominik Shine, F, Northern Michigan

Nick Jensen, D, St. Cloud

Dane Walters, F, Western Michigan

Trevor Hamilton, D, Miami

James De Haas, D, Clarkson

Columbus Blue Jackets

Seth Ambroz, F, Minnesota

Sean Collins, F, Ohio State

TJ Tynan, F, UMass-Amherst

Trent Vogelhuber, F, Miami

Jeremy Langlois, F, Quinnipiac

Thomas Larkin, D, Colgate

Jake Hansen, F, Minnesota

Mike Reilly, D, Minnesota

Will Weber, D, Miami

Martin Ouellette, G, Maine

Peter Quenneville, F, Quinnipiac

Washington Capitals

Riley Barber, F, Miami

Travis Boyd, F, Minnesota

Garrett Haar, D, Western Michigan

Blake Heinrich, D, Minnesota-Duluth

Caleb Herbert, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Patrick Koudys, D, Penn State (transferred from RPI)

Brian Pinho, F, Providence

Zach Sanford, F, Boston College

Nate Schmidt, D, Minnesota

Patrick Wey, D, Boston College

Sam Anas, F, Quinnipiac

Clarke Saunders, G, North Dakota

Pittsburgh Penguins

Brian Dumoulin, D, Boston College

Eric Hartzell, G, Quinnipiac

Scott Wilson, F, UMass-Lowell

Blaine Byron, F, Maine

Nashville Predators

Chase Balisy, F, Western Michigan

Zach Budish, F, Minnesota

Sebastian Geoffrion, F, Alabama-Huntsville

Joe Pendenza, F, UMass-Lowell

Ludwig Karlsson, F, Northeastern

Wade Murphy, F, North Dakota

Jimmy Vesey, F, Harvard

Anthony Bitetto, D, Northeastern

Garrett Noonan, D, Boston University

Teemu Kivihalme, D, Colorado College

Zach Stepan, F, Minnesota State-Mankato

Minnesota Wild

Adam Brace, F, Robert Morris

Mike Collins, F, Merrimack

Adam Gilmour, F, Boston College

Erik Haula, F, Minnesota

Avery Peterson, F, Grand Rapids (Minn.) HS (Uncommitted)

Mike Boivin, D, Colorado College

Gustav Olofsson, D, Colorado College

Nick Seeler, D, Nebraska-Omaha

John Draeger, D, Michigan State

Matt Nelson, D, Princeton

Nolan De Jong, D, Michigan

Carson Soucy, D, Minnesota-Duluth

Tony Capobianco, G, Canisius

Steve Michalek, G, Harvard

Los Angeles Kings

Johnny Brodzinski, F, St. Cloud

Nic Dowd, F, St. Cloud

Nick Shore, F, Denver

Brian O'Neill, F, Yale

Michael Mersch, F, Wisconsin

Joel Lowry, F, Cornell

Derek Forbort, D, North Dakota

Paul LaDue, D, North Dakota

Kevin Gravel, D, St. Cloud

San Jose Sharks

Mark Cooper, F, Bowling Green

Chris Crane, F, Ohio State

Cody Ferriero, F, Northeastern

Max Gaede, F, Minnesota State-Mankato

Brent Harris, F, Connecticut

Eriah Hayes, F, Minnesota State-Mankato

Sean Kuraly, F, Ohio State

Rylan Schwartz, F, Colorado College

Tommy O'Regan, F, Harvard

Danny O'Regan, F, Boston University

Travis Oleksuk, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Matt Nieto, F, Boston University

Brodie Reid, F, Northeastern

Reed Seckel, F, Northern Michigan

Sebastian Stalberg, F, Vermont

Brian Ward, F, Dartmouth/St. Lawrence

Jake Jackson, F, Michigan Tech

Kyle Bigos, D, Merrimack

Isaac MacLeod, D, Boston College

Cliff Watson, D, Sioux City Musketeers (de-committed from Ohio State)

Matt Tennyson, D, Western Michigan

Joakim Ryan, D, Cornell

Zach Palmquist, D, Minnesota State-Mankato

Gage Ausmus, D, North Dakota (de-committed from Denver)

Troy Grosenick, G, Union

Steve Racine, G, Michigan

Phoenix Coyotes

Connor Clifton, D, Quinnipiac

Jedd Soleway, F, Wisconsin

Rhett Holland, D, Michigan State

Zach Larraza, F, Denver

Hunter Fejes, F, Colorado College

Dallas Stars

Thomas Aldworth, F, Providence

Curtis McKenzie, F, Miami

Jacob Fallon, F, Vermont

Devin Shore, F, Maine

Will White, F, Northwood Prep (uncommitted)

Greg Johnson, D, Williams College

Dmitry Sinitsyn, D, UMass-Lowell

JB Baum, D, Dallas Stars U16 (uncommitted)

John Keeney, G, Alaska-Fairbanks

Cab Morris, G, Dartmouth

Buffalo Sabres

Tyler Gjurich, F, Maine

Brad Navin, F, Wisconsin

J.T. Compher, F, Michigan

Sean Malone, F, Havard

Anthony Florentino, D, Providence

Alex Iafallo, F, Minnesota-Duluth

Calvin Petersen, G, Notre Dame

Connor Hurley, F, Notre Dame

Christian Isaackson, F, Minnesota

Judd Peterson, F, St. Cloud

Tim Schaller, F, Providence

Andrew Black, F, Colgate

Connor Knapp, G, Miami

Kevin Czuczman, D, Lake Superior

Chad Ruhwedel, D, UMass-Lowell

Jake McCabe, D, Wisconsin

Calgary Flames

Corban Knight, F, North Dakota

Ben Hanowski, F, St. Cloud

Johnny Gaudreau, F, Boston College

Matt DeBlouw, F, Michigan State

Drew McKenzie, D, Vermont

Dan O'Donoghue, D, Mercyhurst

Noel Acciari, F, Providence

David Eddy, F, St. Cloud

Brody Hoffman, G, Vermont

Curtis Leonard, D, Rensselaer

Kenny Agostino, F, Yale

Bill Arnold, F, Boston College

Josh Jooris, F, Union

Mark Jankowski, F, Providence

Jon Gillies, G, Providence

John Gilmour, D, Providence

Bryce Van Brabant, F, Quinnipiac

John Ramage, D, Wisconsin

Tim Harrison, D, Colgate

New York Islanders

Anders Lee, F, Notre Dame

Brock Nelson, F, North Dakota

Scott Mayfield, D, Denver

Eamon McAdam, G, Penn State

Stephon Williams, G, Minnesota State-Mankato

Taylor Cammarata, F, Minnesota

Trevor Moore, F, Denver

Evan Rodrigues, F, Boston University

Doyle Somerby, D, Boston University

Cason Hohmann, F, Boston University

Ben Rosen, F, Boston University

Colton Beck, F, Alaska-Fairbanks

Jason Clark, F, Wisconsin

Branden Gracel, F, UMass-Amherst

Joe Diamond, F, Maine

Greg Miller, F, Cornell

Nick Sorkin, F, New Hampshire

Matt Tabrum, F, Denver

Riley Wetmore, F, UMass-Lowell

Mike Daluisen, D, Quinnipiac

Mike Keenan, D, Dartmouth

Bennett Schneider, D, Hamilton College

Bradley Nunn, D, SUNY-Fredonia

James Mazza, D, Youngstown Phantoms (Uncommitted)

Ken Reiter, G, Minnesota-Duluth

Josh Holmstrom, F, UMass-Lowell

Joel Rumpel, G, Wisconsin

New York Rangers

Brady Skjei, D, Minnesota

Patrick Brown, F, Boston College

Kyle Jean, F, Lake Superior

Teddy Doherty, D, Boston College

Eric Robinson, F, Dartmouth

Conor Allen, D, UMass-Amherst

Adam Schmidt, F, Holy Cross

Ryan Faragher, G, St. Cloud

Eric Levine, G, Robert Morris

Jeff Malcolm, G, Yale

Adam Tambellini, F, North Dakota

Carter Rowney, F, North Dakota

Matt Neal, F, Rensselaer

Steven Fogarty, F, Notre Dame

Anaheim Ducks

Kyle Novak, F, Western Michigan

Grant Besse, F, Wisconsin

Kevin Lind, D, Notre Dame

Nic Kerdiles, F, Wisconsin

Kevin Roy, F, Northeastern

Steve Whitney, F, Boston College

Keaton Thompson, D, North Dakota

Antoine Laganiere, F, Yale

Chris Wagner, F, Colgate

Jaycob Megna, D, Nebraska-Omaha

Josh Manson, D, Northeastern

Brian Cooper, D, Nebraska-Omaha

Vancouver Canucks

Joe Cannata, G, Merrimack

Sam Marotta, G, Merrimack

Ben Hutton, D, Maine

Wesley Myron, F, Boston University

Joseph Labate, F, Wisconsin

Cory Kane, F, Ferris State

Andrew Gladiuk, F, Bentley

Mike Borkowski, F, Colgate

Matthew Beattie, F, Yale

Paul Geiger, D, Clarkson

Kevin Lough, D, Colgate

Michael Quinn, D, Alaska-Fairbanks

Mike Williamson, D, Penn State

New Jersey Devils

Zach Tolkinen, D, Quinnipiac

Jeff Cox covers hockey for SBNation. Follow Jeff on twitter @JeffCoxSBNation.

The first year eligible potential Hockey Hall of Fame inductees came out recently, and there are a lot of familiar names. Specifically, a lot of Pacific division former players.

Paul Kariya, Rob Blake, Scott Niedermayer, Mathieu Schneider, Bryan Smolinski, Darryl Sydor, Alexi Zhitnik, and Sergei Zubov.

There's also a lot of known shitheads. Such as

Rob Blake, Chris Chelios, Kirk Maltby, Rob Blake, Brad May, Keith Tkachuk, Rob Blake, Darcy Tucker, Brendan Witt, and, former King, Rob Blake.

In fact, there are 25 former skaters that are first year eligible, with the list being right here.

However, there are only two goalies. One of them is Roman Turek (lololol). The other...

That's right kids, the one and only, Dan Cloutier!

Cloutier has an extensive resume of being in fights, getting hurt, and being beat by slap shots from halfway down the rink.

Dan Cloutier was also instrumental in the Los Angeles KingsStanley Cup winning season by being a fucking awful goalie and letting the Kings stock up on high end draft picks. I guess you could say he was responsible for Drew Doughty, Slava Voynov, Wayne Simmonds (subsequently Mike Richards), and mi único Alec Martinez.

Okay, a few things to note:

1. 6-0. Against Nashville.
2. He speared Hartnell first.
3. That's two potential Hall of Fame guys out there getting worked over by Nashville with Cloutier and Shitstain Blake.
4. Haha Brian Willsie.
5. Hahahahahahaha Barry Brust.
6. Scott Hartnell probably deserved it, really.

Let's break down some Cloutier stats and comparable active netminders, shall we....

• 139 wins to 142 losses, good for a 49.5% winning percentage
  • Comparable to Nikolai Khabulin, Steve Mason, and Ondrej Pavelec.
• 15 shutouts in 351 games played, a shutout every 23.4 games
  • Again comparable to Ondrej Pavelec, but to be fair Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward just narrowly top Cloutier.
• An 89.9% career save percentage
  • Fine company with Jonas Gustavsson and Curtis McElhinney.
• A slim 2.77 career goals against average, and a record year with the Kings with his GAA at 3.98
  
  • Khabulin and Ward have similar career numbers, as does every no-name backup goaltender (except Ondrej Pavelec, who is even worse).
    
  • Since 2006 when Cloutier debuted with L.A., in a single season, no goalie with over 20 games played has topped Cloutier's mark of 3.98 GAA. He's a real record holder.

Well.

If I was Winnipeg, I'd really be looking for a new goalie. And, yes, Cam Ward won you a Cup, Carolina. But holy shit, does he suck.

In a historical sense, goaltenders that were as statically atrocious as Cloutier and stayed in the league as laughably long as he did include Garth Snow, Kevin Weekes, and Marc Denis. One person that does top Cloutier in awfulness (and games played) though:

Thank you Jesus for this gift.

Anyways, what's Dan Cloutier been up to lately?

You can go home again even if you’re the butt of jokes. Former Canucks goalie Dan Cloutier was hired by the team to be their new goaltending consultant.

Knowing that their proverbial window may be closing, it's good to see the Canucks commit to the rebuild from the back out. I can think of no one better than Dan Cloutier to make sure your goaltending tanks.. He has my vote for the Hall of Fame, but as a "builder". The Lightning won a Cup shortly after his stint in Tampa. Vancouver was a perennial contender (except that they are a Canadian franchise doomed to fall short) once moving on past Cloutier. And again, the Kings won four short years AD (after Dan). The man is a hero.

God bless you Dan Cloutier.

Yesterday, I wrote about the trade that sent Kyle Bigos to the Sharks in exchange for the rights to defenseman Lee Moffie. Moffie hasn't actually signed a contract with the Oilers yet (the Oilers have exclusive negotiating rights until August 15th), but another college graduate has.

Brad Hunt played four years with Bemidji State University from 2008-09 to 2011-12, helping the team to an appearance in the Frozen Four during an impressive freshman season that saw him score 32 points in 37 games. He performed at a similar level in 2009-10, but was less successful offensively in his last two seasons when Bemidji State's schedule got substantially more difficult after joining the WCHA: during his first two seasons, Hunt scored 0.88 points per game compared to 0.62 over his last two.

But even in those last two seasons, Hunt was highly regarded as a college player. Before the 2010-11 season Chris Dilks of Western College Hockey Blog identified Hunt as the strongest component of a weak Bemidji State defense:

The Beavers return a spectacular offensive defenseman in junior Brad Hunt, a power play specialist with a cannon for a shot, who should have a great year. The concern is how the defensemen in the lower pairings will hold up....

Prior to the start of the 2011-12 season, Dilks was impressed enough with Hunt that he chose him as one of two defensemen on his ballot for the pre-season WCHA All-Star Team even though he projected Bemidji State to finish last in the Conference (they actually finished 9th out of 12 teams). Still, at 5'9'' and under 190 pounds, Hunt was going to be in tough to get an NHL contract straight out of college even if he was a dominant at that level; very good simply wasn't going to be good enough.

And so it was that immediately after Bemidji State's season ended in 2011-12 that Hunt signed with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, appearing in fourteen regular season games and five playoff games for then head coach Craig MacTavish. In those nineteen games, Hunt scored nine points, including four in the five playoff games, earning him a contract with the Wolves for 2012-13, and perhaps more importantly for his long-term career prospects, a residence in MacTavish's long-term memory.

With the NHL lockout on at the start of the 2012-13 season, competition for ice time was fierce. Chris Tanev would be an NHL regular later that season, but began the year with Chicago, and with several other Canuck prospects on the team, Hunt was going to be in tough. He played in just two of the team's first six games before convincing the coach that he belonged as an everyday player, and he would go on to lead the Wolves defense in points and points per game with 33 in 65 games. Fifteen of those points came on the power play, so he was certainly getting offensive opportunities, but he also delivered.

Once the season ended, it seems that the Canucks weren't interested in giving Hunt a two-way deal, which gave the Oilers an opportunity to swoop in and offer Hunt a two-year entry-level contract. He'll turn twenty-five this August, so he's definitely an older prospect and is likely going to be counted on to provide a veteran presence on Oklahoma City's blueline despite the fact that he was technically an AHL rookie last season. I would be surprised to see him get any NHL action in 2013-14, but he'll almost certainly gobble up a lot of the power play time in OKC and relegate one Oiler prospect to the press-box or ECHL to start the year.

There once was a time that the Canucks have two sets of brothers on their team: those Sedins guys and the Sweatt brothers, Lee and Bill. Lee went undrafted and after some stints in the KHL and Austria league he signed on with the Canucks in the spring of 2010. A few months later brother Bill - selected 37th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2007 Entry Draft which I note mainly because P.K. Subban was selected six spots later and the entire league dodged a bullet there since the last thing the Hawks need are more defensemen - would sign on with the Canucks as well. Both brothers ended up playing under Claude Noel for the Manitoba Moose the next season, the first time a pair of brothers played for now defunct AHL franchise. Lee would suit up for the Canucks three times that year, score one goal and then ended up in Ottawa for about a week before abruptly retiring.

Bill, however, hung in there. He played for the 71 games for the Chicago Wolves in 2011-2012 (16G, 18A) before his first call-up to the Canucks in late 2011 as a replacement for Victor Oreskovich. He's appear in two games before being sent back to the Wolves. This past year was much the same: 66 games played for the Wolves (15G, 21A) before being recalled by the Canucks - along with Nicklas Jensen - in late March of this year. He'd appear in one game - a losing effort to the San Jose Sharks, imagine that! - before being sent back to Chicago.

An RFA heading into this summer, it was tough to see how Sweatt would amount to anything more than a pure depth option, even for a club with the its door wide open for younger players next season. So it's not surprising that - glove tap Cam Davie on the Twitter - the speedy winger rejected his qualifying offer and is taking his talents overseas to Brynäs IF of the SHL (formerly the SEL, or Elitserien, which as a Vancouver fan you know quite well by now). Hope you enjoyed yesterday's horribly translated Swedish because he comes some more:

It feels very good to Bill Sweatt is now ready for us in the coming season, says Brynäsgatan Sports Director Mike Sundlöv. We have had a good handle on Bill through various contacts we have there, and Anton Rodin has played with him for two years so we know what type of player he is and what strengths he has. He has an amazing skating which we hope he will be able to utilize even more on a larger rink.

Bill Sweatt (183/81) was born in 1988 and comes from Elburn, IL, USA. He played college hockey in the U.S. and as a junior, he was involved in many national internationals, both in the United States U17, J18 and J20-law. Season 05/06, he took gold in the JVM for J18, and where he was also named the tournament's best forward. The season after he was involved and took bronze in the JVM for J20. He was a top junior, and 2007, he was drafted by the Chicago Black Hawkes in the second round, as the 38th player. After college, season 10/11, he went to the AHL, and the Manitoba Moose where he played one season. The past two seasons, he has continued to play in the AHL, but then the Chicago Wolves with Anton Rodin.

Bill Sweatt is a player with good attitude and character whose main strength is his skating. He's the right age, and just at the beginning of his career, he wants something more, and he wants to continue to develop.

- Bill is a very skilled skaters, and more of a power player than a playmaker, says Inge Hammarstrom, Brynäsgatan recruitment group. He brings a lot of speed to the game, and he has a great capacity for work. He's a really good guy with a good character, and who is well liked by his teammates for his attitude and work capability. Bill was about to break into the Vancouver several times, and have always been on the brink, but Vancouver has had such a good team the last few years, so he has not really succeeded. I am sure he will do really well on a big rink, he's a very good skater.

Interesting to see Rodin's name dropped as he's played in the Brynäs organization for four seasons before last year's 36 pt campaign with the Wolves. He's set to join Sweatt in Brynäs this upcoming season as well.

For those disturbed by this crushing blow to the shared genetic pool of the franchise, there's always the outside chance the Westerholms - remember them? - will pan out in the not too distant future. Both are currently playing with the BIK Karlskoga of the HockeyAllsvenskan which, if you were so curious, is where Justin Poggehas been hiding.

Best of luck Bill. Happy Tuesday.

It appears fourth line right winger Dale Weise is electing to have a tense discussion with Canucks management and a neutral third party over in Toronto about his financial status:

Just passed 5k followers. Thx to all. Here's bonus tidbit: Agent for #Canucks RFA Dale Weise says will be filing for salary arb. #humbled

— Jim Jamieson (@JamiesonCanucks) July 9, 2013

This should ring familiar. Weise elected to take the team to arbitration last year too and settled with the team a few days before the meeting on a one year / one way deal for $615,000. Weise was recently qualified for $676,500 and last week there were rumors of a new deal in the works.

Pure speculation, but perhaps Vancouver backed away from the number Weise's camp while waiting out the first days of free agency and, more importantly, the Chris Tanev contract situation. If so this move is largely procedural and fits in with upholding Weise's rights.

Digging deeper into the actual arbitration process shows it's largely a game of comparables based on rudimentary statistics (for a much deeper dive, check out this Jeff Angus post on a mock arbitration process from last month). No one is confusing Weise to be on the verge of becoming a bonafide power forward so big money or long terms aren't expected. I'm curious what effect seeing linemate Tom Sestito - an older player with half as many career games under his belt commanding a two-year deal worth $750,000 - had on this process. Not precisely a direct comparison (Sestito was a UFA), but Weise probably has enough on his side to move closer to the $700,000 mark.

There's no reason to assume the difference in expectations between both sides is substantial. Unless it is, or unless Mike Gillis really is pinching those pennies loonies until the Tanev situation is settled, it's likely the two sides will settle before their arbitration date next month.

Red Wings News

Detroit Red Wings Salary Cap Update: Estimating Brendan Smith’s Deal | DSS
I still don't see how Holland could possible fit Cleary on this team.

The All-Time 'Gave Up Too Soon' NHL Team - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

Great article about some of the biggest "giveaways" in hockey.

Red Wings' Helm brings comeback bid to Traverse City " Traverse City Record-Eagle

"No setbacks today for Darren Helm." - Don't jinx it.

The Left Wing Lock" Making the Grade: Nick Jensen Excited About Jump to the Pro Ranks

Well, I am excited about him making the jump too.

Agitator role is embraced at Red Wings development camp | The Detroit News

See Bertuzzi, Tyler.

Detroit Red Wings' defense prospects ready to join Griffins next season | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Can't wait to see what Sproul is capable of.

NHL News

NHL Alternate Logos - Imgur
Via Puck Daddy. This is so dumb that it's actually funny.

NHL to set specific guidelines for next year’s free-agent interview period | ProHockeyTalk
It made the first day of free agency a lot more interesting to say the least.

What's In A Name? The Switch to The Arizona Coyotes - Five For Howling
They make a good point on the marketing. The team should make a lot more money with the new merchandise and potential "excitement" around the team.

Florida Panthers: Why Barkov Was a Better Pick Than Jones | The Hockey Writers
Only time will tell who is better.

Tuukka Rask contract: Bruins goalie signs 8-year deal to remain in Boston - SBNation.com
Making him tied with Pekka Rinne for the highest cap hit - for goaltenders - in the league ($7 million).

Caps re-sign Alzner: four years, $11.2 million | ProHockeyTalk
One of the few RFA's that I would have liked in the Winged Wheel.

Rangers keep restricted free agent forward Carl Hagelin and defenceman Justin Falk - The Hockey News

Great contract for a guy like Hagelin.

David Perron traded to Edmonton Oilers for Magnus Paajarvi, pick | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
Good trade for Oilers. Meh trade for St. Louis.

Caps GM doesn’t expect Kuznetsov until late next season, if not 2014-15 | ProHockeyTalk
If I was that guy, why would I want to go to the NHL? He is already making $5 million per year and he isn't even 22 yet.

Twenty-one NHL free agents file for salary arbitration | TSN

Including Brendan Smith.

Canucks, Senators to meet in Heritage Classic, as NHL finally announces sixth outdoor game | Puck Daddy - Yahoo! Sports
We all know now why Alfie wanted to leave Ottawa.

Devils re-sign Zidlicky to one-year, $3M deal | ProHockeyTalk

Good deal for both New Jersey and Zidlicky.

Let's Go Red Wings!

Nashville Predators News

Nashville Predators' Filip Forsberg bracing for full NHL season | The Tennessean

I'm "bracing" for this season, too.

Is Shea Weber Still a Possibility for Philadelphia Flyers?-The Hockey Writers

They're trying to make my head explode. Obviously.

Three Minutes With: Predators Chief Amateur Scout Jeff Kealty - Section 303

If we're sticking with the number thing, shouldn't it be 303 minutes? It would require more interview prep, but still.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Why the media (and everyone else) should keep their shoes off the team logo in the dressing room | Backhand Shelf

Whenever "The Media" is for something, it makes me take a good, long look at the opposite opinion. Not sports-specific.

The All-Time 'Gave Up Too Soon' NHL Team - Grantland

Tyler Seguin is joining an elite group.

Blues Trade David Perron To Edmonton Oilers for Magnus Paajarvi And A Second Round Pick - St. Louis Game Time

"If you think 25 points in 48 games sounds like A LOT of points, yooouu might be a Predators fan"-Potential Jeff Foxworthy Predators joke.

Jagr's Agent Confirms Hurricanes "On The List" - Canes Country

It must be a really long list.

2012-13 Fight of the Year - hockeyfights.com

Big Ern is leading the pack.

Canucks, Senators to meet in Heritage Classic, as NHL finally announces sixth outdoor game | Puck Daddy

Prediction: In 5 years, every game will be played outdoors.

NHL to set specific guidelines for next year’s free-agent interview period | ProHockeyTalk

Teams and players will figure out a way to get around those, too.

8 Insane Sports Moments That Somehow Aren't Already Movies But Should Be-Buzzfeed

I think they missed one.

• In the beginning, the lockout ended, and we rejoiced. Then our teams hit the ice, and, for some of us, the rejoicing was over.
• For others, it wasn't so bad. The Chicago Blackhawks began the season with a historic win streak that apparently rescued small children from a burning building, a bunch of people from drowning in the lake, and all of the kittens stuck in all of the trees in the state of Illinois.
• P.K. Subban began the season by sitting out a few games and then signing a criminally cheap contract with the Canadiens (not your team), which included a clause entitled "How The Organization Will Pay Dearly For This In July 2014."
• Ryan O'Reilly also famously sat out the beginning of the season, and then signed a contract with the Avalanche, which included a clause entitled "How The Organization Just Saved Jay Feaster's Ass From Itself."
• The Washington Capitals started the season depressingly/miserably/soul-crushingly, which appears to have been a character-building experience for Washington Capitals fans. Those of you who have ever made half a joke about the Capitals will know what I'm talking about.
• Meanwhile, somewhere in New Jersey, Daniel Briere's oldest son opened a kitchen cupboard to get a cereal bowl and was almost crushed by all the Class that fell out of it.
• In Detroit, the Red Wings embarked on the Post-Lidstrom Era, which means, they, uh, were there, kind of.
• The Nashville Predators embarked on the Bunch Of Injuries To Key Players Era, which brought out the Ottawa Senators' competitive streak.
• The Florida Panthers were not to be outdone, and immediately began suffering injuries to all of their key players, all of their replacement level players, three quarters of the staff, and anyone living within 25 miles of their BB&T Center.
• In Washington, the Captials eventually recovered, in part due to Alexander Ovechkin being so awesome that he played on both wings at the same time, which is probably how this happened.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup in April.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets almost made the playoffs, but unfortunately, against the hopes of every human being outside the state of Minnesota, the last remaining spot in the Western Conference was won by the Minnesota Wild. THIS IS WHY NOBODY LIKES YOU, MINNESOTA WILD.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs made the playoffs for the first time in 9 years, which was a beautiful moment for Leafs fans, MLSE, the CBC, TSN, and all of their sponsors. The Leafs then took one of the best teams in the NHL to seven games, but the hockey gods proceeded to bind their arms and legs together in the final minutes of Game 7.
• The New York Islanders also made the playoffs after a relatively long drought and became the official bandwagon team of the 2013 NHL playoffs.
• The San Jose Sharks swept the Vancouver Canucks and played an absolutely stellar series against the reigning Cup champs, taking the Kings to seven games, because Patrick Marleau is a useless bum.
• The Wings went up 3-1 on the Hawks as Jonathan Toews turned into a petulant child. Tantrum City. Then he stopped being a baby and the Requisite Playoff Adversity was Overcome.
• In the East, a bunch of dumb, boring shit happened, yada yada yada, the Bruins won the conference.
• The Stanley Cup Finals were glorious, which is often what happens when you put the best teams together, and also I was vindicated because I've been terrified of the Bruins since the beginning of the season but every time I said they were practically unstoppable some Habs fan would argue with me that the Bruins weren't even that good and maybe we shouldn't have underestimated them because holy crap and also I was right.
• Patrice Bergeron played with a million injuries, culminating in a collapsed lung, and now every player is going to think doing this is okay because Bergy did it, and he's got heart, and everybody respects Bergy, and it's the playoffs... until somebody dies.
• The elevator to the press box at TD Garden is really slow.
• The Blackhawks beat Boston, and in doing so did not save hockey, or any children trapped in a burning building, or anybody drowning in the lake, or any kittens in trees.
• They saved humanity.
• The End.
• Well, not really, because then a whole bunch of other stuff happened.
• Such as the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, in which the Colorado Avalanche took Halifax Moosehead Nathan MacKinnon with their first pick, after telling everybody who would listen that they would be taking Nathan MacKinnon with the first pick, which resulted in everybody being surprised that they actually took Nathan MacKinnon with the first pick.
• Mike Gillis concluded his year-long mismanagement of his goaltending situation by mismanaging his relationship with his remaining goaltender.
• Before the draft, Philadelphia and the surrounding areas had declared a state of emergency after being overrun with Daniel Briere's Class, so Paul Holmgren did the only thing he knows how to do and threw money at the problem in the hopes that it would go away. He followed that up by ending the Ilya Bryzgalov Era in Philly. In a related story, none of Danny Briere's Class ever accidentally dripped onto Flyers beat writers.
• The Leafs decided to do things a little differently, and threw money at the solution to go away instead, following that up with the most predictable signings in the history of the universe.
• The Bruins threw their problem away, to Dallas, who maybe hope to hide the problem in their new jersey redesign, which will grow on you, I promise. Boston got Loui Eriksson in return, which further proves my theory that the devil owns Peter Chiarelli's soul.
• Speaking of the Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk retired from the NHL, which sucks for those of us who enjoyed his work, but more so for Jeremy Roenick, who isn't taking it so well.
• Speaking of turning your back, Daniel Alfredsson left Ottawa, and their fans are devastated, which means Andrew Berkshire isn't going to be even a tiny bit nice to them during this difficult time. Alfie is not going to win a Cup with Detroit.
• Speaking of traitors, Jarome Iginla went back to the hat and asked to be sorted again, to Slytherin House.
• Speaking of Slytherin House, as of this writing, Montreal is in on Jaromir Jagr, again, according to his agent. Hahahahahaha.
• If I missed your team or something that happened to it, it's probably because I don't care.

tl;dnr version: the Chicago Blackhawks saved humanity.

The Kings knocked out the first of what will likely amount to five restricted free agent deals by signing Jake Muzzin earlier today. Kyle Clifford, Alec Martinez, Trevor Lewis, and Jordan Nolan remain unsigned. The latter three filed for arbitration on Wednesday. While arbitration can be tumultuous for some (see: Michael Cammalleri), Jake Muzzin proves that filing for arbitration ultimately means very little. Usually it just means that the player has no issue staying with his team. While Dean Lombardi has a pretty short history with arbitration as general manager of the Kings, one doesn't expect many hiccups with the last three arbitration-eligible free agents.

Los Angeles Kings

• In addition to signing Muzzin, the Kings signed forwards Maxim Kitsyn and Brian O'Neill. Kitsyn signed a three year entry level contract, while O'Neill re-signed for just one season. O'Neill spent last season with Manchester, where he accrued 3 goals and 12 assists in 49 games. Kitsyn has yet to play professional hockey in North America and he spent last season in Russia. Russia guru Dmitry Chesnokov reported that Kitsyn would like to play in LA. Here'sKitsyn's reviewby Hockey's Future.
• Jon Rosen has interviews from the prospect camp with Derek Forbort and Valentin Zykov.
• While it seemed like a longshot to begin with, Dustin Penner is likely taking his talents elsewhere next season. We touched on the unlikelihood of him coming back yesterday (and John Hoven did before us). Penner remains a competent possession player that is likely to outperform his point totals as a King.
• Dean Lombardi spoke with John Hoven yesterday about having too many defenseman. I think the most interesting takeaway from that is the following quote from Dean: "Let’s see if Schultz can get back on that plus-50 season, make Keaton better, get Marty back on track and Muzz, just keep getting better. So, we have multiple options there depending on how they grasp ‘I gotta get better.’" Interesting to see him reference +/- for one. However, far more intriguing to me is the little bit about Alec Martinez. Maybe not all hope is lost for him as a King? The link also contains an update/non-update on Willie Mitchell.

Around the League

• The Edmonton Oilers added to an already talented forward pool by acquiring David Perron yesterday. Edmonton sent Magnus Paajarvi and a second round pick to St. Louis in exchange for Perron. You should remember Perron for repeatedly running into Jonathan Quick in the first round of this season's playoffs. Also for being a generally solid hockey player. We get to see him more this year. Fun, yeah? [via Copper & Blue]
• Mike Gillis, GM of the Vancouver Canucks, has every intention of meeting with Roberto Luongo at some point. No, really you guys. He totally is going to hash things out with his star goalie at some point. He pinky swore. [via NHL.com]
• Matt Duchene appears close to an extension with the Avalanche. Alternatively, he's about to be traded. Who knows!? #daterjinx [via Adrian Dater]
• Here's some fallout from the Kovalchuk retirement. [In Lou We Trust] [Player Quotes via Fire & Ice]
  

That's about it. Not too much going on around the hockey world right now. However, several solid players remain in free agency and that should provide something to pay attention to for the next two months. Wait, two whole months? UNTIL PRE-SEASON?

Nashville Predators News

Smashville 24/7 - Watson focused on trying to make Preds

He should be there, but who knows? The roster is pretty full as of right now.

Nashville Predators goalie prospect Magnus Hellberg adjusts to new style | The Tennessean

"(Coach) Barry Trotz has a saying: They're ready when they're ready." How long did he work on that one?

Three Minutes With: Preds prospect Teemu Kivihalme - Section 303

I think the Obviously virus might be spreading!

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Five best and worst off-seasons - The Hockey News

We made the list!

Special Teams Part II: What Drives Power Play and Penalty Kill Success? - Fear The Fin

For those who like numbers and graphs and such.

Tom Powers: Wild's best offseason acquisition was attitude - TwinCities.com

Attitude...Grit's ugly cousin.

Thomas Vanek and the Buffalo Sabres ‘suffering’ | Puck Daddy

Nobody will give up multiple players and picks for a guy they could lose next summer.

NHL rumour roundup: Grabovski, Ducks a fit? - Sportsnet.ca

Does anyone really believe Jagr is going to Carolina?

The Canucks Soap Opera Continues-The Hockey Writers

ICYMI: John Tortorella comes with "baggage".

Life is full of unpleasantness. You work until you die, all while struggling to find any happiness, and then you are forgotten and lost to time. But there are a few nice things along the way that God has bestowed upon us. Tasty burgers, alcohol, me (ladies), and SyFy channel movies. Specifically, the shark ones. Sharktopus, Swamp Shark, Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, and the list goes on. However, Sharknado may have been the greatest social commentary regarding the new Pacific(?) division of the NHL and shark related disasters.

This gif, seen above, elaborates on the struggle of man. One must face all their darkest fears and overcome them only to then experience rebirth from the womb of challenges conquered and vanquished. Blood that is shed is necessary in life, and ferocity is often required. Typically with chainsaws.

So why you may wonder why it's sunny out during a hurricane, or how a shark can eat metal and jump, that's not important. So ignore the CGI and stock footage from the 1990s, and reflect.

Here's a who's-who breakdown

The main guy

Naturally, the Kings relate quite easily to the hero of the film. They are confident, yet not arrogant, and are capable of just about anything. For example

They just want order brought back, which includes them being awesome, and everyone else acknowledging that. The main guy (Fin, I think?) is a pro surfer or something, owns a bar/restaurant on a pier, and has ladies flock to him. Sounds like a winner to me. They never give up, win, and chainsaw through sharks.

Quote to live by: "Chainsaws. Nice."

Sharks

The Sharks are obviously the Sharks. They are a menace to society, specifically in southern California, and are universally despised.

Try as they might in the movie, they are ultimately defeated, much like in crunch time with the Sharks we all have come to know. They do manage to take a few people down with them however, such as Bobby (or was it Chris?) in the movie and Jarret Stoll.

Quote to live by: "Rawr I'm a shark"

The waitress chick

This gal's name was "Nova". It was incredibly stupid, which fit perfectly, because she was a fucking idiot also. Turns out, she changed her name to Nova, and her original name was Genuine. You should all know by now, this female is the Ducks. Sorry, I know it was a softball setup, but hey.

She tries to be helpful, isn't, and is then eaten by a shark in midair after falling out of a helicopter. She can't even steal the guy from 90210 back from Tara Reid, and get's stuck with his loser son instead. Who are subsequently both saved by the chainsaw wielding father of the year. So don't let the brief moments of badassery fool you. She sucks, the Ducks suck, but at least she was in a bikini. Thanks for nothing, Teemu.

Quote to live by: "They took my grandfather, and now I really HATE sharks"

That Australian guy

You knew this guy was going to die from the moment you saw him. He was foreign and the best friend. He was attacked once and owed his life to the main character. He was the comic foil. His beard also magically disappeared and reappeared between scenes. So the Vancouver Canucks are this dude.

You may look at the Canucks and think, "I don't know, they may make it this time," but face it. They're toast. They always were. No matter the setup, the best friend/Canadian team never makes it. They are usually annoying, in the way, whiny, and frankly you are glad when they are gone. They typically also go out in astonishing fashion, and Sharknado doesn't disappoint with the Aussie getting a tornado thrown shark attached to his leg before being whipped off the hood of his stolen Hummer by a gust of wind, shark still attached.

Quote to live by: "It's that time of the month"***Side note - This was a joke made right after a guy was devoured by a shark in front of his family, and then regarding how much blood was in the water. Yes. The guy made a period joke. He was awesome, unlike the Canucks. Fuck you Brad Richardson!***

Some old dude

I really just kind of felt bad for this guy. Not the character, but the actual actor. The guy seemed to be at the end of his career and wanted a paycheck fast. So he took the role of old, perverted drunk and was killed 30 minutes into the movie saving a dog. It would have been a pretty powerful scene if his last words weren't so damn ridiculous, or if he hadn't had ran towards the sharks instead of back to the car. Just one of those mistakes I guess. The Flames lock this spot down. They are a joke at this point, will die dishonorably (and hilariously), and will be quickly forgotten. The "drunk" aspect is covered by Jay Feaster, and the "perverted" part by T.J. Galiardi for his weird Calgary fetish.

Quote to die by: "Oh man! Ow!" (Seriously, that's what he yells as he is ripped apart by sharks)

The new husband/douche

I honestly can't remember this guy's name. Carl? Connor? Colin? It's not important. What is important is that he is bothersome and is quickly killed due to his own stupidity. The Oilers are stupid. The end.

Quote to live by: "What's all the ruckus?"***Side note - I really, really want to have this quote be my ringtone. It is the whitest sounding delivery I have ever heard, and who the hell says "ruckus" anymore? It was the greatest introduction a character could have asked for before being killed less than two minutes later.***

Tara Reid

There is nothing redeeming about Tara Reid, and despite all odds, she isn't dead. Naturally, the Tara Reid of the Pacific is the Arizona Coyotes. In Sharknado, Tara Reid is whiny, obnoxious, and worst of all, alive through the movie. The Coyotes are quite possibly likely to be a playoff team for a while since all of western Canada is awful. It's a sad world we live in. For whatever reason, the powers that be keep Reid and the Coyotes around. Probably just as a reminder to everyone else how awful shit could be potentially if they aren't careful.

Seriously though, she does absolutely nothing during the entire movie. They can't even flaunt her around as hot anymore. Everyone would just be better served if she just moved to Seattle.

Quote to live by:

Never change, Shane Doan.

Hope still is for #nhl to announce scheds Wed., but Olympic agreement must happen first. Could be busy day: Oly, div names, scheds #mnwild

— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) July 16, 2013

Yep, it's starting.

Some of us have been wondering when the schedule could come out for the regular season and such. Well, there's the answer. NHL.com has already revealed that the Rangers will be visiting the Canucks on September 26th for a preseason game, obviously playing up the Torts vs AV hype. The Bruins have also revealed their own preseason schedule, which features a game versus the Jetshosted by the city of Saskatoon. The Panthers have also released theirs, although we're not involved. (Keep in mind, the more teams that release their schedules early, the more we can piece ours together.)

We'll obviously keep you guys covered when (or if) the NHL reveals a ton of stuff tomorrow. Since the Sochi Olympics would probably cause a 2-week break in NHL action in February (like in 2010), the regular season schedule cannot be finalized until all the agreements are in place. As Russo mentioned, the schedule release will likely be accompanied by the names for the 4 new conferences. (Yeah, remember that? The Northwest Division is no more!)

A few other tidbits to carry us over until the bigger news breaks:

• The NHLPA released all the arbitration dates. Dale Weise and the Canucks are scheduled for July 31st. (NHLPA)
• The Jets have finalized deals with Patrice Cormier and Eric Tangradi. (Arctic Ice Hockey)
• Ben Kuzma tweeted the following: "UFA centre Manny Malhotra admits he may have to accept a PTO and "prove myself again" as second-tier free agent market slows to a crawl." (Twitter)
• The Canucks finished off their prospects camp last week. (Canucks Report, photo gallery)

Feel free to add more tidbits and links into the comments, we'll update this post (or make another story) when big stuff happens.

Yesterday, Sarah went through a few more reasons to sign in Boston as a FA. Sure, Chiarelli said he's done for the month but he also said we got Iginla and that never happe- oh. Well. Maybe he's done for the month as of a few months from now, though. Anyways, if there are any FAs considering offers from multiple teams and Boston is one of them, and you're a good player, here are a few reasons not to sign elsewhere:

• Anaheim Ducks - Have to play with contact high during home games when Snoop Dogg is in the hizzouse, nephew! Church!
• Buffalo Sabres - Well, it's buffalo. Lots of good hockey players from there, because they want to get out and there's nothing to do. The only reason the Sabres aren't the most sad-sack organization in town is that the Bills still exist.
• Calgary Flames - Your locker room was underwater over the summer, and the team might still stink more than it.
• Carolina Hurricanes - You're nobody during football season.
• Chicago Blackhawks - Just won the cup so make sure you're signed for more than 2 years if you want a chance of winning it all.
• Colorado Avalanche - Won't get any local endorsement deals as Peyton Manning has exclusive rights to the state at this point.
• Columbus Blue Jackets - Will probably make a little more. A the Ohio State football player will probably steal your girlfriend.
• Dallas Stars - If you sign short-term, you'll end up somewhere else by the end of the year. Have to battle Tyler Seguin for a roster spot.
• Detroit Red Wings - Mommas, don't let your kids grow up to sell Amway...
• Edmonton Oilers - "They have a big mall, though!" is the Edmonton Tourism Board's slogan.
• Florida Panthers - Sometimes your team president flies to Vegas for lunch. If you like getting yelled at by retired Canadian fans, sign right up!
• Los Angeles Kings - Team-building activities include "coke weekend in Las Vegas" and "Pancake Breakfast" so if that's your bag, I guess that's alright.
• Minnesota Wild - No cap space to sign you or anyone else after the Parise/Suter signings.
• Montreal Canadiens - Parlez-vous français?
• Nashville Predators - If you like the spotlight, see employment elsewhere unless you are Seth Jones. Hope you like country music.
• New Jersey Devils - What did Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise know that you don't?
• New York Islanders - They say that free agents stick around after signing there. Do you really want to meet Long Island mobsters?
• New York Rangers - You will never, ever, ever, ever win a "best dressed" award while Lundqvist is around.
• Ottawa Senators - Your neighbors will be very good at things like petitioning Canadian congress. Which is cool, I guess.
• Philadelphia Flyers - Will be traded before your NTC kicks in.
• Phoenix Coyotes - The only state that holds onto the old Soviet refrain, "Papers please, comrade!"
• Pittsburgh Penguins - Hope you don't need to catch a cab, ever.
• San Jose Sharks - Window is closing (closed?). Can get a great deal at Fry's on that video card you've been looking for. Traffic sucks.
• St. Louis Blues - Cheapskate owner keeps trying to make it work near the cap floor.
• Tampa Bay Lightning - Team doesn't like funny faces. Paying Vinny Prospal to not play there. Relying on Ben Bishop to provide solid goaltending and he's not facing college players anymore.
• Toronto Maple Leafs - Phil Kessel is probably leaving after this year, leaving a core that includes Tyler Bozak and David Clarkson.
• Vancouver Canucks - Play for John Tortorella. Go ahead, ask him why that's bad. This interview is OVER!
• Washington Capitals - Will be late to practice often, stuck behind motorcades.
• Winnipeg Jets - Have to live in Winnipeg. God help you if you're not white and/or not from North America.

As you can see, all of those cities and teams suck and nobody should play for them.