CarterHud

Photo from NY Post

         The New York Rangers have signed F Artemi Panarin to a seven year deal. Panarin will get $81.2 million with a $11.6 million AAV.

         Panarin is the best free agent available. He gets a huge deal, but he is worth it. The Rangers have accelerated their rebuild by a lot this year by getting Panarin, Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko and Adam Fox. He is a point per game player, and had many suitors. They got him for less money than the Islanders and Blue Jackets were reportedly offering.

          Panarin, 27, scored 28 goals with 59 assists for 82 points in 82 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets this past season. In his NHL career for the Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks, Panarin has scored 116 goals and 204 assists for 320 points in 322 games.

Photo from ESPN

       The Calgary Flames have signed goalie Cam Talbot to a one year, $2.75 million deal.

       The Flames need a goalie to be the 1A or 1B to David Rittich, and Jon Gillies won\’t be the answer. Talbot has posted good numbers for the rival Oilers, but is coming off the worst season of his career. If Talbot had had a good season, then he could have gotten a 2-3 year deal in the $4 million range. But his awful season gives him a one year deal. For Talbot, this could be about opportunity. Not many teams would give him a chance to start. Rittich could start more than Talbot, but 40 games would be a win for him, especially if he has a good year, then hits free agency again.

        Talbot, 31, had a .892 SV% and a 3.40 GAA in 35 games for the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers in 2018-19. In his NHL career for the Flyers, Oilers and New York Rangers, Talbot has a .915 SV% and a 2.60 GAA in 288 games.

          The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed F Brandon Tanev to a six year deal worth $21 million. Tanev will carry a $3.5 million cap hit.

           This is a major overpay. The AAV is fine, but the term is way too much. No one thought Tanev would get six years, but it appears that Pittsburgh was very high on him. He is a third liner, but is very gritty and scored this past season. Pittsburgh definitely had the highest offer. Six years is big for a player that has never scored 30 points.

            Tanev, 27, scored 14 goals with 15 assists for 29 points in 80 games for the Winnipeg Jets this past season. In his NHL career, all in Winnipeg, Tanev has scored 24 goals with 27 assists for 51 points in 195 games.

         The Minnesota Wild have signed F Mats Zuccarello to a five year deal for around $30 million, with an AAV just over $6 million. They have also signed F Ryan Hartman to a two year deal at aroung $4 million with an AAV of $1.9 million.

          The Wild have just nine forwards until these deals, and Jason Zucker could be on the way out of Minnesota. Zuccarello is a good second line winger, though the Stars, who acquired him at the trade deadline, were only willing to go four years, though Zuccarello wanted five years. The Wild gave it to him. Zuccarello could replace Zucker on the top line, or if Zucker isn\’t traded, he\’ll be a good second liner for the Wild. They lack wingers, so these signings help a lot. Hartman was acquired by the Flyers at the trade deadline, but traded to the Stars last week as an RFA. In a surprise move, the Stars didn\’t tender Hartman a contract, making him a UFA. He is a bottom six winger, something Minnesota lacks.

          Zuccarello, who will be 32 when the season starts, scored 12 goals with 28 assists for 40 points in 48 games for the Dallas Stars and New York Rangers in 2018-19. In his NHL career for those two teams, he has scored 114 goals with 241 assists for 355 points in 511 games.

          Hartman, 24, scored 12 goals with 14 assists for 26 points in 83 games for the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators this season. In his NHL career for the Flyers, Predators and Chicago Blackhawks, Hartman has scored 42 goals with 47 assists for 89 points in 245 games.

       The Buffalo Sabres have acquired F Jimmy Vesey from the New York Rangers for a 2021 3rd round draft pick.

       The Rangers are looking to save cap space for Artemi Panarin or another big free agent. Vesey is a UFA after next year. When you are desperate, you don\’t get much value. The Rangers could have gotten much more for Vesey, but since it\’s a July 1st trade, and not a draft deal, they get less value.

       The Sabres have always been interested in Vesey. When he was in college, Buffalo acquired Vesey\’s rights from the Predators. Vesey ended up becoming a UFA after college and signed with the Rangers. The Sabres finally get Vesey, and don\’t give up much. It\’s a third round pick in two drafts.

        Vesey, 26, scored 17 goals with 18 assists for 35 points in 81 games for the Rangers this past season. In his NHL career, all in New York, Vesey has scored 50 goals with 40 assists for 90 points in 240 games.