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The Boston Bruins added almost 3,200 games worth of experience to their roster, while millions of dollars changed hands in more than 100 deals on ‘Free Agent Frenzy’ in the National Hockey League.
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As to who won the day, that’s hard to judge for a few months until the regular season and depends how teams play catch-up in coming weeks.
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But several faces were in new places by early Saturday evening, many teams happy with their haul, others getting criticized for lack of action in a year where cap space was sparse.
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GOALIES
The biggest moves Saturday involved stoppers who stayed put, starting with Tristan Jarry given a five-year extension with a $5.375 million (US) AAV by new Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas.
But the New York Islanders’ Lou Lamoriello beat that figure of his one-time protégé Dubas, inking Ilya Sorokin for eight years at $8.25 million, then adding back-up Semyon Varlamov for four years,
Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta reached the noon bell as UFAs, but both quickly re-upped with the Carolina Hurricanes, Andersen two years at $3.4 million, the latter for a year at $1.5 million.
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Still to be determined is what the Winnipeg Jets do with Connor Hellebuyck, though GM Kevin Cheveldayoff insists he’s comfortable going into the season without an extension for his Vezina winner.
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Joonas Korpisalo has now been thrust into the Battle of Ontario, a five-year $20 million deal with Ottawa that should address its long-standing goaltending issues, taking heat off of Anton Forsberg.
Jonathan Quick, who was the No. 3 to Adin Hill in Vegas’s Stanley Cup run, will now be Igor Shesterkin’s back-up with the Rangers.
DEFENCE
Veteran blueliners are always highly sought when the market opens and Dmitri Orlov headlined Saturday as he joined the ‘Canes for two years at $15.5 million.
Ryan Graves moved from the New Jersey Devils to Pittsburgh, six years for $27 million in a nice pick-up for Dubas. Radko Gudas takes his beard and his belligerence from the Florida Panthers to the Anaheim Ducks, three years at $4 million.
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As mentioned, the Bruins veered to veterans, starting with replacing some of Orlov’s minutes with Boston College grad Kevin Shattenkirk who took a modest $1 million deal.
Toronto gains Klingberg and Reaves, but many Leafs leave
Depth scoring, defence corps upgrades on Treliving’s Leafs to-do list
Toronto gains Klingberg and Reaves, but many Leafs leave
Detroit also added experience on its back end, Shayne Gostisbehere for  $4.15 million via the ‘Canes and Justin Holl, who’d been a whipping boy in Toronto, heads down the 401 to take a handsome three-year $10.2 million package. Dmitri Kulikov exited Pittsburgh for the Panthers for a million, likely about the same price that Oliver Ekman-Larsson took in Florida after the Canucks bought him out.
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An unusually long structured deal was seven years for Islanders’ Scott Mayfield at $24.5 million.
FORWARDS
Alex Killorn was a good soldier for a long time in Tampa Bay and the two time Cup winner cashed in big with the Ducks, four years worth $25 million.
New Predators GM Barry Trotz continues to reshape his team, adding Ryan O’Reilly from the Leafs after he left 2019 Cup champion St. Louis at the last trade deadline. That came in at $18 million for four years.
Matt Duchene didn’t mope too long about getting bought out by Nashville, as he was snapped up by the Dallas Stars. Also on the buyout bounce-back was former Winnipeg captain Blake Wheeler, given a year with the New York Rangers at $800,000.
Jonathan Drouin, a one-time Halifax junior teammate of Nathan MacKinnon before the latter rose to superstar status, is now reunited on a one-year deal in Colorado.
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It was known Milan Lucic was coming back to Boston after eight seasons away. He’s looking at a potential $1.5 million, including $500,000 in bonuses, while the B’s also added power play specialist James van Riemsdyk for $1 million.
Left winger J.T. Compher struck it rich in a move to Detroit, after 52 points in 82 games with the Avalanche, five years for $25.5 million.
Michael Bunting, whose impact was slipping in Toronto after playing on its first line, landed in Carolina for three years at $13.5 million. Another fellow Leaf, centre/winger Alex Kerfoot went back to the Western Conference with the Coyotes, getting two seasons at $7 million.
Lars Eller is on the move for the third time in as many years, joining Pittsburgh for two years at just under $5 million.
And Pierre Engvall of the Isles got an elongated deal of similar length to Mayfield’s at a $3 million AAV.
lhornby@postmedia.com
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