Kessel, Maple Leafs free agency day winners

Free agency day didn’t have the wild money tossed around like usual, and trades overshadowed most of the signings. Yet there are still some clear winners and losers from July 1.

WINNERS

Restraint: With the weakest freeagent pool in recent history, NHL general managers kept themselves from overpaying. No contract was longer than six years. Andrej Sekera’s $33 million US with the Oilers was the most money and Mike Green’s $6 million with the Red Wings the highest cap hit. The Battle of Alberta: Edmonton continued its makeover by improving the blue line with Sekera, so the Calgary Flames brought back goaltender Karri Ramo at a reasonable $3.8 million and signed sought-after “utility tool” forward Michael Frolik. The next few seasons of this rivalry should be fun. Phil Kessel: Traded to the Penguins, Kessel doesn’t have to be in the spotlight on a team with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. At a cap hit of $6.8 million, Kessel just has to score 30 — or more — goals and go about his business in Pittsburgh. Toronto Maple Leafs: Getting rid of Kessel, even at 27 in the prime of his career, is a major step forward for the Leafs because it’s the start of their real teardown. Now that Kessel is gone, Tyler Bozak and/ or Joffrey Lupul could be next as management begins to rebuild. Mike Green: Being a third-pairing defenceman with the Capitals was the slap in the face Green said he needed to move on. The only defenceman to score 30 goals in a season in the past 10 years will be a top-four presence for the puckmoving Red Wings under new coach Jeff Blashill.

LOSERS

Vancouver Canucks: Losing is a relative term in this market, but the Canucks embraced the teamin-transition label put on by GM Jim Benning. Getting Brandon Prust for Zack Kassian and a fifthrounder is a downgrade, and replacing Kevin Bieksa with Matt Bartkowski doesn’t make them better. Ottawa Senators: Unable to get a top-six winger, the Senators also lost a nice player in Erik Condra, who signed a three-year deal with the Lightning. Eric O’Dell is a nice depth signing, but Condra’s departure leaves a hole in Ottawa’s forward ranks. Winnipeg Jets: Bringing Alexander Burmistrov back from the KHL on a two-year deal softened the blow of losing Michael Frolik to the Calgary Flames, but that’s still a bit of an unknown. Drew Stafford returned, which is a plus, but Frolik’s absence will hurt more than anyone realizes.