All The NHL Free Agents Who Agreed To Deals While You Were Doing Something Else

Not to interrupt to you in the middle of what you’re doing, but NHL free agency has started, and at a reasonable time of day. It’s highly unlikely that any transaction today will reach the heights of P.K. Subban going to the Predators, but the market is open and there are players to be signed. None of these guys will make as much money as Timofey Mozgov. That’s hockey for you!

Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli used to work for the Bruins, as did Milan Lucic, and now they’re reunited in Edmonton. (What a bleak place to meet an old friend.) Let it slowly sink in that Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall for an unspectacular defenseman to make room for seven goddamn seasons of Lucic.

Roberto Luongo is 37 years old and had offseason hip surgery, so the Panthers needed another goaltender to give him rest. That seems like a prudent move. Though, depending on no-movement clauses, the Panthers could lose a goalie in next year’s expansion draft.

The Bruins get David Backes, the Blues’ former captain. With a five-year contract for a 32-year-old, the team seems fine with taking the remainder of Backes’s prime and the start of his decline.

Troy Brouwer also leaves St. Louis.

David Perron returns.

The St. Louis Blues didn’t retain any of their big pieces, but they did extend Jake Allen. The Blues traded Brian Elliott to Calgary last week, so they’re all in on Allen. The team also signed Carter Hutton to back him up.

Seven years for a 30-year-old! I have no other opinion on this.

Sure, whatever. I can’t do this anymore.