USA TODAY International Edition
NHL free agency winners, losers
Pavelski signing boosts Stars, a blow to Sharks
Several teams acquired players with superpowers on the first day of the NHL’s free agent signing period, but the Stars landed Captain America.
Joe Pavelski, the player with a superhero nickname, signed a three-year deal worth $21 million with Dallas because he believes the Stars are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
“We wanted to feel the team was close to winning,” Pavelski told NHL Network. “They check off a lot of boxes. It seemed like a perfect fit.”
Realizing their Stanley Cup window is open, Stars general manager Jim Nill dived aggressively into the marketplace and signed Pavelski, right wing Corey Perry and defenseman Andrej Sekera.
Pavelski’s presence on the second lines means the Stars should have a more balanced offensive attack than they had last season, when they ranked 29th in scoring.
Pavelski will be 35 at the beginning of next season, but he scored 38 goals. He remains a dangerous, skilled offensive performer in traffic.
Meanwhile, the Perry signing is a reasonable roll of the dice. He signed for $1.5 million plus bonuses. He still could be capable of scoring 20 goals and playing with fire and grit.
Sekera is a dependable two-way defenseman.
Nill was one of the winners on Monday. Here are other winners and losers early in the free agent signing process.
Winner: Rangers
They won the big prize by signing Artemi Panarin to a seven-year deal worth $81.5 million. The Islanders offered more money, but Panarin wanted to play in Manhattan. The signing of Panarin, coupled with the trade for Jacob Trouba and the drafting of Kaapo Kakko, puts their rebuilding ahead of schedule. The Rangers could still use another proven center, but they could compete for a playoff spot if everything goes well.
Loser: Islanders
Last summer they lost John Tavares, and Lou Lamoriello transformed this team into a playoff team. Now as a playoff team, the Islanders couldn’t persuade Panarin to come aboard. It’s especially difficult to lose him to the rival Rangers.
Winner: Canadiens
It’s about time we had another offer sheet. The Hurricanes on Tuesday matched the one Montreal made Monday to Sebastian Aho, and the hockey world won’t end. The main reason we don’t see offer sheets is that they don’t usually work and are matched quickly. But it’s fun for fans when a team hauls out an offer sheet now and then. These are not bad for the game.
Loser: Sharks
No one wanted to see Pavelski leave San Jose, including Pavelski. He was a fan favorite and a key figure in the Sharks dressing room. He’s known far and wide as an exceptional teammate and leader.
Kevin Allen
Winner: NHL goalies
You can imagine the glee that goalies felt when they heard the Panthers gave Sergei Bobrovsky $10 million a season. He has won two Vezina trophies but doesn’t have a Stanley Cup. Not every goalie will benefit. But this raises the salary bar for the league’s better goalies, such as Washington’s Braden Holtby, who can be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Loser: Fans
At least fans who thought all of the action would be on Monday. Many of the key decisions about where players were headed were reported on social media the night before. The addition of the interview period has simply changed how the process works. The decisions are made the day before and the signing happens on July 1.