Quick-hit analysis of important NHL signings and trades completed Monday, July 1, updating live as each transaction rolls in.
Signing: Devils add Wayne Simmonds (1 year, $5 million)
Analysis: New Jersey GM Ray Shero is keeping the good times rolling. A week after selecting Jack Hughes with the No. 1 pick and trading for PK Subban, Shero has reeled in another quality player to his rising squad. Simmonds, a 30-year-old net-front winger - who's not quite the same player he used to be but is still effective - will be motivated to prove the hockey world wrong after a mediocre 2018-19 season. In that respect, the one-year deal is harmless for the Devils; if it doesn't work out for the player, the team, or both, you neatly part ways. The money isn't outrageous, either. Smart signing all around.
Signing: Blue Jackets get Gustav Nyquist (4 years, $22 million)
Analysis: Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen famously went all-in on 2018-19, and today, he pays for it. Artemi Panarin and Matt Duchene are officially gone, and Nyquist won't replace the offense the team lost. Though, as a serial 40-to-60-point winger, the former Shark will contribute something of substance. The 29-year-old's annual salary ($5.5 million) is far from an overpay, so this is an OK kickback for losing two headliners.
Signing: Sharks lock up Timo Meier (4 years, $24 million)
Analysis: With Pavelski coming off the books ahead of a small bump in the salary cap, Sharks GM Doug Wilson could afford a nice extension for RFA Meier. The Swiss power forward is a key part of the present and future core in San Jose, and there's little doubt he'll earn every cent of the $6 million he's now owed through the 2022-23 season. Meier, 22, had a breakout campaign last year - producing 81 points in 98 total games - but is projected to take yet another step in 2019-20. Solid work here to avoid a potential offer sheet.
Signing: Stars grab Joe Pavelski (3 years, $21 million)
Analysis: Dallas GM Jim Nill won the Pavelski bidding war, and the deal is totally justifiable as a $7-million annual cap hit and medium-term commitment. Pavelski is turning 35 in July, so having him on board for two seasons would've been ideal. The longtime Shark had plenty of leverage, however, so that's why it stretched to three and his age-38 campaign. Pavelski adds an extra layer of offense to the Stars, who already had Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, Roope Hintz, and, as of Monday, Corey Perry. It's crystal clear the organization is ready to push its chips to the middle of the table and go all-in for a Stanley Cup.
Signing: Panthers bring in Sergei Bobrovsky (7 years, $70 million)
Analysis: Bob is taking his talents to South Beach. The biggest name on the UFA goalie market is joining a Panthers squad that struck out on Columbus buddy Artemi Panarin. Bobrovsky, a 31-year-old two-time Vezina Trophy winner, is now the second-highest-paid goalie in the world, with his $10 million in annual earnings trailing only Carey Price by $500,000. This deal looks alright in the short term, especially as the Cats push for the playoffs in 2019-20, but it may be an albatross by the time Years 5, 6, and 7 arrive. On the flip side, the length of the contract could work out fine because elite prospect Spencer Knight should be climbing the pro ranks over the next few years. Transitioning from Bobrovsky to Knight toward the end of the deal would be ideal for Florida. That giant cap hit might give the club problems, though.
Signing: Stars nab Corey Perry (1 year, $1.5 million)
Analysis: He may be 34 years old and a step or two slower than his former self, but Perry is a reclamation project worth betting on. And why not at that term and money? The Stars, a team constantly looking for secondary scoring, are bringing in a former Hart Trophy winner, Stanley Cup champion, and Olympic gold medalist. Perry's incentivized to produce, too, with his new contract topped up by $1.75 million in performance bonuses. It remains to be seen where Perry will slot into Dallas' lineup, though the right wing on Roope Hintz's second line could be a place to start.
Signing: Predators score Matt Duchene (7 years, $56 million)
Analysis: Everything's copacetic in Nashville. The Predators and Duchene get what they want: the team acquires the UFA market's top center for only $8 million per season and the player finds a long-term home. Duchene, 28, had many suitors - including the Canadiens, his favorite team as a kid - but chose a city he loves, an excellent tax situation, and a pretty good roster. The Predators underachieved last year, losing in the first round, and sorely lacked a creative playmaker like Duchene. And while PK Subban and his $9-million cap hit had to be sacrificed, GM David Poile must be smiling from ear to ear.
Signing: Penguins ink Brandon Tanev (6 years, $21 million)
Analysis: Raising eyebrows league-wide, Tanev's cashing in with this agreement with the Penguins. Two days after Jim Rutherford traded Phil Kessel to Arizona, the GM gives a hefty package to Tanev, a depth forward who kills penalties and registered 29 points last season with the Jets. Tanev's 27 years old and the contract runs through the 2024-25 season. Both the length and the $3.5-million annual cap hit seem a little high for someone who'll play down the lineup.
Signing: Rangers land Artemi Panarin (7 years, $81.5 million)
Analysis: After adding Kaapo Kakko, Adam Fox, and Jacob Trouba earlier this offseason, the Rangers have inked the biggest name of the 2019 UFA class. Panarin is a dynamic game-breaker worth every penny of the $11.642 million he'll earn annually in New York. He's now the highest-paid winger in the league. A strong connection to Rangers president John Davidson, who held the same position with the Blue Jackets for the entirety of Panarin's time in Columbus, certainly didn't hurt, and skating under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and living in the Big Apple are healthy bonuses. The final contenders for Panarin were reportedly the Islanders, Panthers, and Blue Jackets.
Signing: Maple Leafs tap Jason Spezza (1 year, $700,000)
Analysis: Toronto native Spezza is coming home for around the league minimum. It's a low-risk move by the Leafs, who now have their fourth-line center and a 58 percent faceoff guy. If he can stay healthy and is used properly, Spezza can be a nice depth piece, even if his play has dropped off dramatically since his prime years with the Senators. It would also make sense if the 36-year-old finds a spot on the second power-play unit.
Signing: Wild snag Mats Zuccarello (5 years, $30 million)
Analysis: Zuccarello, a highly sought-after second-tier UFA forward, is headed to Minnesota by way of the Dallas Stars. In a vacuum, signing Zuccarello is a tremendous move by Wild GM Paul Fenton. They need offensive catalysts. However, the term - five years, which will bring the Norwegian to his age-37 season - is a bit rich, especially considering Minnesota is already one of the oldest teams in the league. There's a lot to love about Zuccarello, a feisty top-six winger with finishing ability, but this contract reeks of future remorse.
Signing: Blue Jackets re-sign Ryan Murray (2 years, $9.2 million)
Analysis: As unrestricted free agents leave Columbus en masse, GM Jarmo Kekalainen locks one of the club's RFAs into a two-year pact. Murray, a 25-year-old who's battled injuries since being selected second overall in the 2012 draft, will make $4.6 million in 2019-20 and 2020-21. He had arbitration rights. Next on the list is blue-liner Zach Werenski, who should be a more difficult negotiation given the star-studded RFA market.
Trade: Rangers ship Jimmy Vesey to Sabres for 3rd-rounder in 2021
Analysis: New York Rangers GM Jeff Gorton continues to throw players overboard in the name of rebuilding. Vesey, a 30-point winger with one season remaining on a two-year, $4.55-million deal, is once again a member of the Buffalo Sabres. Three summers ago, as Vesey was set to become a free agent, the Sabres sent a third-round pick to the Nashville Predators for the Harvard standout's rights. Buffalo, then under GM Tim Murray, was unable to sign Vesey, who eventually found a fit with the Rangers. It's come full circle, with current Sabres GM Jason Botterill sending a third to New York halfway through Vesey's second contract. The 26-year-old will likely slot into Buffalo's middle-six forward group.
Signing: Blue Jackets re-up Joonas Korpisalo (1 year, $1.15 million)
Analysis: With longtime Columbus Blue Jackets starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky expected to leave for the Florida Panthers via free agency, Korpisalo nets a show-me deal. The 25-year-old has a .907 save percentage in 90 career NHL games and will share the Jackets' netminding duties with prospect Elvis Merzlikins in 2019-20. Both are set to become restricted free agents next summer. This signing is a small but necessary piece of business as the organization embarks upon the post-Bobrovsky era.
Trade: Maple Leafs send Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Brown, and Michael Carcone to Senators for Cody Ceci, Ben Harpur, Aaron Luchuk, 3rd-rounder in 2020
Analysis: Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas made out well in a deal centered around dumping a poor contract (Zaitsev's $4.5 million annually for five years). Brown - who's tough to lose as a sweetener - would have ideally stayed in Toronto, but shipping his $2.1-million cap hit to the Ottawa Senators clears up even more space. The return - two potential third-pairing blueliners in Ceci and Harpur, a minor-league forward in Luchuk, and a mid-round pick - is decent, all things considered. The pick helps offset Brown's departure. From the Sens' perspective, it's not the sexiest move by GM Pierre Dorion, considering the two core pieces, Zaitsev and Ceci, aren't drastically different players and the one going to Ottawa is signed through 2023-24. Coach DJ Smith knows Zaitsev and Brown from his time behind the Leafs bench, which should bode well for proper usage and deployment with the Senators.
John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.
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