Well, it's summer, a slow time for hockey fans, mostly because the ice melts, so there's no hockey. However, this is when front office's are most active. They gotta sign players, make deals, and see whose available. The entry draft is in the summer. You gotta see what rookies you want to sign. BTW, did anybody notice, if you watched the entry draft, that Bob Mackenzie made picks in The Hockey News, and then on draft day, "speculated," going against his own predictions and prediciting what every team would do every time? And did you notice how now GMs punch their picks into the computer? Can you say hacking? Anyways, let's see what's happened in the world of free agency this summer.
The first signing was cheapshot artist and Canadian killer, Gary Suter. Suter, notorious for first hitting Wayne Gretzky from behind into the boards in the finals of the 1991 Canada Cup, and then cross-checking Paul Kariya in the head after Kariya scored, just a couple of weeks before the Nagano games, was signed by San Jose hours after free aggency started. He is the beginning of another rebuilding process for the San Jose Sharks. San Jose is working on building their defence unit. They acquired Suter, 2-time Stanley Cup champ Bob Rouse from Detroit, and they traded their #2 pick to Nashville so they could take Regina defenceman Brad Stuart 3rd overall, letting David Legwand go 2nd. On forward, they picked up former Maple Leaf Mike Craig to help on right wing. Craig spent the last season in Kansas City of the IHL, and hope to make a comeback with the rebuilding Sharks. Stuart should join next year.
Los Angeles so far has only taken Steve Duchesne, an offensive-defenceman who adds scoring punch to the blueline, and is a great compliment for superstar defenceman and 1998 Norris Trophy winner Rob Blake. Doug Bodger was brought in in a trade, and makes this defence corp, with some great young talent, a group to watch out for.
July 3rd was the best day for free agents yet. Dallas signed Brett Hull, Chicago signed Doug Gilmour and Toronto resigned Todd Warriner. Poor Toronto. Mike Modano might have someone great to be a playmaker for. Modano's a playmaker and Hull is a sniper, so this should be a 1-2 punch reminiscent of Wayne Gretzky setting up Jari Kurri. The previous day, Dallas resigned former Selke trophy winner Guy Carbonneau and defenceman Craig Ludwig. Since then they acquired rising star Aaron Gavey. Hull signed a 3 year deal worth $18,000,000.
