CarterHud

            The Florida Panthers have signed RW Brett Connolly to a four year deal worth $14 million. Connolly will have a $3.5 million cap hit.

            Connolly was drafted 6th overall in 2010, though he has never lived up to expectations. He posted career high this season, though the Panthers will be his fourth team in nine years. He is a good middle six winger, but he is best suited as a third liner. The Panthers could use a right winger. Mike Hoffman, Evgeni Dadonov and Frank Vatrano can all play on the right side, but they are all lefties. Connolly will be just their second pure right shot winger, behind Colton Sceviour. Connolly\’s upside is that he is as young as it will get for a UFA. That is, except for non-tendered players.

             Connolly, 27, scored 22 goals with 24 assists for 46 points in 81 games for the Washington Capitals this past season. In his NHL career for the Capitals, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning, Connolly has scored 79 goals with 76 assists for 155 points in 427 games.

Photo from ESPN

         The Florida Panthers have signed D Anton Stralman to a three year deal worth $16.5 million. Stralman will carry a $5.5 million cap hit. They have also signed F Noel Acciari to a three year deal worth $5 million, with a $1.67 million cap hit.

         The Panthers don\’t have a great defensive core, and behind Aaron Ekblad on the right side is Mark Pysyk and MacKenzie Weegar, so that\’s why they are signing Stralman. Pysyk could also be traded. Stralman is aging, so the deal isn\’t good. I think that\’s way too much money for Stralman, but with a limited defensive market, he cashes in big.

         Stralman, soon to be 33, scored two goals with 15 assists for 17 points in 47 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning this past season. In his NHL career for the Lightning and New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs, Stralman has scored 47 goals with 195 assists for 242 points in 749 games.

         Acciari is a good fourth liner, and was a big help for the Bruins in their run to the Stanley Cup Final. He can center, and play the wing.

         Acciari, 27, scored six goals with eight assists for 14 points in 72 games for the Boston Bruins this past year. In his NHL career, all in Boston, Acciari has scored 18 goals with 13 assists for 31 points in 180 games.

            The Dallas Stars have signed C/RW Joe Pavelski to a three year, $21 million deal with a $7 million AAV. They have also signed RW Corey Perry and D Andrej Sekera to one year, $1.5 million contracts.

            Pavelski has spent his entire career with the Sharks since they drafted him in the 7th round in 2003. He was their captain, and scored 30 goals five times over 13 seasons. He signs a deal similar to former Sharks teammate Patrick Marleau. The big difference is that Pavelski got $750k a year more than Marleau. Pavelski is aging, but is still a top-notch scorer and a great leader. He can play both center and wing.

            Pavelski, 35, scored 38 goals with 26 assists for 64 points in 75 games for the San Jose Sharks this year. In his NHL career, all in San Jose, Pavelski has scored 355 goals with 406 assists for 761 points in 963 games.

             Perry was bought out by the Ducks, where he has spent his entire NHL career. He won a Rocket Richard trophy when he scored 50 goals in 2010-11. He has scored at least 30 goals six times in his 14 year career, though he has three straight seasons under 20 goals. He will be a good bottom six, gritty winger for the Stars. He had career lows in goals, assists, points and games played this past season.

            Perry, 34, scored six goals with four assists for 10 points in 31 games for the Ducks in 2018-19. In his NHL career, all in Anaheim, Perry has scored 372 goals with 404 assists for 776 points in 988 games.

            Like Perry, Sekera was just bought out by a Pacific Division team, with the Oilers saying goodbye to him. He has dealt with a lot of injuries in his career, especially as of late. The Stars could use a third pairing lefty, as Jamie Oleksiak might be better as a 7th defenseman, and Sekera will play behind Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.

            Sekera, 33, scored four points, all assists, in 24 games for the Edmonton Oilers this past season. In his NHL career for the Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres and Los Angeles Kings, Sekera has scored 45 goals with 191 assists for 236 points in 707 games.

           The Vancouver Canucks have signed D Tyler Myers to a five year contract worth $30 million. Myers will have a cap hit of $6 million.

           The Canucks need one more right-handed defenseman. They already have Chris Tanev and Troy Stetcher, but now they get Myers. $6 million is less than expected. I thought a team, probably Vancouver, would overpay for Myers. Myers is a big defenseman (six foot-eight, 229 pounds), though he has had injury issues in the past. He\’s also a former first round pick and Calder winner.

            Myers, 28, scored nine goals with 22 assists for 31 points in 80 games for the Winnipeg Jets this past season. In his NHL career for the Jets and Buffalo Sabres, Myers has scored 74 goals with 191 assists for 265 points in 635 games.

         The Nashville Predators have signed UFA C Matt Duchene to a seven year deal. The deal is worth $56 million with a cap hit of $8 million.

          Duchene has never been a point per game player, and is coming off a season where he tied his career high total in points. He also scored a career high in goals, and for the second time in his career, scored at least 30 goals in a season. He has scored at least 40 points in all but one of his 10 career seasons, and has put up at least 50 points in seven seasons. Eight million actually is pretty low for Duchene, after Kevin Hayes, a significantly worse player, got a $7 million AAV. But there is no state income tax in Tennessee, so he gets more money than if here were to sign an $8 million AAV contract with a Californian team. The Predators have a lot of centers, but Duchene is definitely the best. Ryan Johansen will probably move to the second line, and Kyle Turris could be traded or play on the wing. Turris and Duchene were traded for each other in the three team blockbuster trade with the Avalanche and Senators in 2017-18 that resulted in the Avalanche getting the fourth overall pick in this past draft.

           Duchene, 28, scored 31 goals with 39 assists for 70 points in 73 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators in 2018-19. In his NHL career for the Blue Jackets, Senators and Colorado Avalanche, Duchene has scored 232 goals with 315 assists for 547 points in 727 games.