CarterHud

         The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired D Tyson Barrie, F Alex Kerfoot and a 2020 6th round pick from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for F Nazem Kadri, D Calle Rosen and a 2020 3rd round pick. The Avalanche have also retained 50% of Barrie\’s $5.5 million cap hit.

         I absolutely love this trade for the Leafs. I think Kerfoot could potentially be better than Kadri, and Barrie is way better than Rosen. The picks don\’t matter, since the highest one is a third. Kerfoot is an RFA. At the moment, the Leafs free up $2.5 million for RFAs Mitch Marner and Cody Ceci, plus Kerfoot, though once Kerfoot signs the Leafs will actually lose cap space. Barrie is a top pairing defenseman on the right side, something the Leafs desperately need.

        Barrie, soon to be 28, scored 14 goals with 45 assists for 59 points in 78 games for the Avs this past season. In his NHL career, all in Colorado, Barrie has scored 75 goals with 232 assists for 307 points in 484 games.

        Kerfoot, soon to be 25, scored 15 goals with 27 assists for 42 points in 78 games for the Avalanche in 2018-19. In his two year NHL career, both in Colorado, Kerfoot has scored 34 goals with 51 assists for 85 points in 157 games.

        I don\’t know what the Avalanche are doing. Maybe they couldn\’t sign Kerfoot, and Barrie wasn\’t interested in an extension (he\’s a UFA after this next season). But even if that was the case, you could get so much for just Barrie alone, let alone both Barrie and Kerfoot. Rosen is at best a 7th defenseman, and Kadri is a second or third line center, and Colorado just traded a similar player in Carl Soderberg for pretty much nothing. I really don\’t like GM Joe Sakic\’s offseason. He has had so much cap space, and hasn\’t used it well.

        Kadri, 28, scored 16 goals with 28 assists for 44 points in 73 games for the Leafs this past season. In his NHL career, all in Toronto, Kadri has scored 161 goals with 196 assists for 357 points in 561 games.

        Rosen, 25, scored one point, a goal, in four games for the Leafs this season. In his two year NHL career, Rosen has scored a goal and an assist for two points in eight games.

Photo from NBC

         The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed F Gustav Nyqvist to a four year deal worth $22 million, with a $5.5 million cap hit.

         With the Blue Jackets losing Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel to free agency, Nyqvist is a replacement. He is a top six winger that can score. He has scored 20 goals four times in his career, but has never reached 30 goals. He is 30 now, so he isn\’t young. It\’s still a disappointing free agency for them, but at least this signing makes it slightly better.

          Nyqvist, who will be 30 in Opening Night, scored 22 goals with 38 assists for 60 points in 81 games for the Detroit Red Wings and San Jose Sharks this past year. In his NHL career for the Sharks and Red Wings, Nyqvist has scored 131 goals with 175 assists for 306 points in 500 games.

           The Colorado Avalanche have signed F Joonas Donskoi to a three year, $10.5 million deal. Donskoi will carry a cap hit of $3.5 million.

           Donskoi is a good middle six winger that can score some goals. He is coming off a season where he tied his career high in goals and set a career high in points. The Avs have a lot of cap space, and a good righty winger in Donskoi couldn\’t hurt. $3.5 million a year is a little much for a player who has never scored 15 goals with 40 points before.

           Donskoi, 27, scored 14 goals with 23 assists for 37 points in 80 games for the San Jose Sharks this past season. In his NHL career, all for the Sharks, Donskoi has scored 45 goals with 77 assists for 122 points in 283 games.

             The Florida Panthers have signed G Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven year deal worth $70 million, with an AAV of $10 million.

             The Panthers need a goalie. Sam Montembeault is best suited as a backup, Roberto Luongo just retired and James Reimer was traded to Carolina this morning. Bobrovsky is the best goalie on the market, though he comes with a hefty price. Bobrovsky is a two time Vezina winner, though isn\’t young at 30, and the Panthers just drafted goalie Spencer Knight in the first round of the draft, and he could be NHL ready in 2-3 years. Bobrovsky led the NHL with a career high nine shutouts in 2018-19.

             Bobrovsky, 30, had a .913 SV% with a 2.58 GAA in 62 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. In his NHL career for the Blue Jackets and the Philadelphia Flyers, Bobrovsky has a .919 SV% and a 2.46 GAA in 457 games.

Photo from Washington Post

          The Washington Capitals have signed F Richard Panik to a four year deal worth $10 million. Panik will carry a $2.5 million cap hit.

          Panik is a good support winger for the third line, and will replace Brett Connolly on the third line. Connolly is going to Florida. This type of deal is obviously favored by the Capitals. Since the trade deadline, this is the third four years, $10 million deal they\’ve given out. Nick Jensen and Carl Hagelin also got that deal. Over the last three seasons, Panik has scored 50 goals. This past season, Panik averaged 16:37 a game, the most ice time he\’s gotten in his career.

           Panik, 28, scored 14 goals with 19 assists for 33 points in 75 games for the Arizona Coyotes this past season. In his NHL career for the Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning, Panik has scored 75 goals with 84 assists for 159 points in 410 games.