Free agents in the NHL | The day in summary

It was Christmas for hockey fans on Wednesday as the free agent market opened up in the NHL. If the day turned out to be rather quiet in Montreal, it was fairly busy elsewhere on the Bettman circuit. Look at the main signatures.

Katherine Harvey Pinard
The Press

The Ottawa Senators will be taken seriously next season. After acquiring Alex DeBrincat last week and goaltender Cam Talbot on Tuesday, general manager Pierre Dorion got his hands on one of the biggest offensive names in Claude Giroux on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old Franco-Ontarian signed a 3-year, $19.5 million agreement (annual average of $6.5 million). Giroux totaled 65 points in 75 games with the Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers last season, adding 8 points in 10 playoff games.

It’s a bit of a homecoming for him, who played his junior hockey with the Gatineau Olympiques, where he was a hit. He is from the French-speaking hamlet of Hearst, in northern Ontario.

The forward admitted in an interview with TSN that Dorion’s trades over the past few days “didn’t hurt, that’s for sure, but the chance to play at home was very exciting.”

“I like the character of this team and I just think I’m going to fit in there,” he added, adding that he wouldn’t have signed with the Senators if he didn’t believe in them. chances of winning the Stanley Cup.

Claude Giroux totals 923 points in 1018 games and 16 seasons in the Bettman circuit. He has yet to lift the big trophy.

GAudrey in Columbus

Everyone wondered where Johnny Gaudreau, third leading scorer on the Bettman circuit in 2021-2022, would continue his career. The 29-year-old forward, who has spent the past eight seasons with the Calgary Flames, decided on Tuesday to test the free agent market for family reasons, he who is originally from New Jersey.

It was finally with the Blue Jackets that he agreed on Wednesday night. The terms of the contract had not been revealed on Wednesday evening, but according to what is circulating, it would amount to more than 9 million for 7 seasons.

The Guardians Waltz

There was also movement among the goalkeepers. Particularly in Washington and Toronto.

Jack Campbell, whose career came back to life in Toronto in 2019, signed a 5-year, $25 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The Michigan native therefore goes from a well-stocked team offensively with problems in front of the net to… a well-stocked team offensively with problems in front of the net.

To replace him, the Maple Leafs grabbed Ilya Samsonov, to whom the Capitals had not submitted a qualifying offer. He agreed to a one-year, $1.8 million deal. Can he lead the Toronto team further than the first round of the playoffs? Only the future will tell.

For their part, the Capitals, who had traded Vitek Vanecek to the New Jersey Devils last week, found themselves with little experience in net – Quebecer Zachary Fucale, who totaled four games in the big club, being the next on the list.

But general manager Brian MacLellan quickly solved the problem by first acquiring Darcy Kuemper, who just won top honors with the Colorado Avalanche. He signed a contract for 5 years and 26 million.

“It’s a group of veterans who know how to win. That’s what I was looking for, ”commented Kuemper by videoconference on Wednesday.

MacLellan then signed a three-year, $3.3 million deal to former Habs Charlie Lindgren. Which, obviously, still makes Fucale the No. 3 goaltender in Washington.

Big day in Detroit

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman, who stocked up on veterans on Wednesday.

Yzerman first offered Quebec striker David Perron a 2-year, $9.5 million contract, before signing with defender Ben Chiarot for 4 years, $19 million.

That’s not all ; Andrew Copp has also agreed to a deal with the Red Wings. These amount to 5 years and 28 million.

This will be the sixth team for David Perron since the start of his career in 2007. The 34-year-old amassed 57 points in 67 games last season.

As for Chiarot, it will be a third team in less than a year. The 31-year-old defender started last season with the Canadiens, before being traded to the Florida Panthers a few days before the trade deadline.

The Wings also offered a two-year, $2.5 million a year contract to Dominik Kubalik. The latter, despite a season of 15 goals and 17 assists in 78 games with the Chicago Blackhawks, had not received a qualifying offer.

Lehkonen in Colorado to stay

When you play with a champion team, why not make the fun last? Artturi Lehkonen has signed a five-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. He will earn an average of $4.5 million a year until 2027.

The former Canadian, traded at the trade deadline, did very well in the playoffs, scoring 14 points including 8 goals.

“Artturi has integrated well into our team and has been instrumental in our road to the title,” said Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland.

A few players who still had a year left on their contract also went to the bank on Wednesday. In Tampa Bay, Mikhail Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli and Erik Cernak have all agreed to extend their contracts for eight seasons. Same thing for Robert Thomas with the St. Louis Blues.

Several players have not yet found takers on the market. This is particularly the case of John Klingberg, Nazem Kadri and PK Subban.

With the collaboration of Jean-François Téotonio and Guillaume Lefrançois, The Press