Signings and Trades pre-FA Frenzy

Monday, June 30th

- Boston re-signs F Petteri Nokelainen to a 2-year, 1.7 M contract.

- Buffalo re-signs F Paul Gaustad to a 4-year, 9.2 M contract.

- Detroit re-signs D Andreas Lilja to a 2-year contract.

- Florida re-signs F Rotislav Olesz to a 6-year, 18.75 M contract.

- San Jose signs F Jody Shelley to a a 2-year contract.

Sunday, June 29th

- Colorado signs D Adam Foote to a 2-year, 6 M contract and D John-Michael Liles to a 4-year, 16 M contract.

- Edmonton trades F Jarret Stoll and D Matt Greene to Los Angeles for D Lubomir Visnovsky.

- Minnesota trades F Brian Rolston to Tampa Bay for a conditional 3rd round pick in the 2010 entry draft.

- Tampa Bay signs F Ryan Malone to a 7-year, 31.5 M contract and F Gary Roberts to a 1-year contract.

Avalanche signs Forsberg

Peter Forsberg averaged 24 goals, 58 assists and 64 games with the Avalanche

This move comes as quite a surprise.

The Colorado Avalanche have signed center Peter Forsberg to a 1-year contract worth US$5 M prorated, the equivalent to US$1 M. This signing is quite surprising due to the team, the Avalanche, which has not been rumored to be interested in Foppa as much as the Flyers, Wings..., and due to the fact that Forsberg told the Press, a week ago, that he did not feel confident enough in the healing of his foot to return to the NHL this season.

Forsberg played for the Avs from 1994, when they were known as the Québec Nordiques, until 2004, leaving to join the Flyers and then Predators. He had his only 82-game season with the Avalanche during the 1995-96 season.

Day 1: Winners and Losers

Losers:

1)BUF: With the loss of Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, the Buffalo Sabres are definately the day's biggest loser. Overconfident they would re-sign their top 2 forwards for "hometown discounts", Sabres GM Darcy Regier overestimated both forwards' loyalty towards the club, by not offering them contracts until 2 days before they became unrestricted free-agents. Drury and Briere both signed with Eastern Conference teams, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.

2)NYI: Jason Blake and Ryan Smyth seemed like quite the pair of left wingers any team could want, but the New York Inslanders had them both for the end of the 2006/07 season. They made the playoffs, but fell to the Buffalo Sabres in the 1st round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Fast forward to yesterday, when two of their most prized possessions fell into ennemy hands, as Blake signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team "committed to winning", and Smyth signed with the Colorado Avalanche, leaving the 1st line left winger position on the Islanders' roster wide open. The Islanders lost much more than 2 players, but a great leader, ready to do anything to win, and a gritty and selfish, but in a good way, forward with a desire to do whatever it takes. They also lost 30-year old defenceman Tom Poti, one of the best offensive defencemen in the league last season, and big center Viktor Kozlov to the Washington Capitals. These losses leave their top 2 offensive lines heavily depleated.

Winners:

1)NYR: Adding Chris Drury and Scott Gomez was a fantastic job by Rangers' GM Glenn Sather. Nobody expected that a single team would add them both, but the Rangers did. These 2 major acquisitions turn the Rangers into an immediate cup contender, with one of the best offenses in the NHL.

2)COL: When Joe Sakic re-signed in April, who knew the Avalanche would be adding Ryan Smyth at the same time, as the 19-year NHL veteran played a major part in bringing the Banff, Alberta native to Colorado. Sakic must of also played a part in bringing Canadian defenceman Scott Hannan to the Avalache. With these additions, the Colorado Avalanche have a better defensive and offensive team, filled with plenty of grit and body presence. The Avalanche is officially back as one of the top power houses in the West.