Hossa, who surprisingly took a one-year deal with the defending champion Red Wings last summer, cashed in this time.
The four-time All-Star has played on the Stanley Cup runner-up the last two seasons - while with the Penguins he lost to the Red Wings and this year with Detroit, he fell to Pittsburgh in the rematch.
By adding Hossa, it was apparent the Blackhawks wouldn’t re-sign leading scorer Martin Havlat, who quickly agreed to a six-year, $30 million deal with the Minnesota Wild.
Rangers score Gaborik
The Rangers are already spending the money saved when
Scott Gomez was traded Tuesday to the Canadiens, handing it over to flashy forward
Marian Gaborik in a five-year deal worth $7.5 million per season.
New York made its usual splash in the market last night by signing Gaborik, who scored a career-high 42 goals in the 2007-08 season with the Wild. He was limited to 17 games last season because of injuries.
Canadiens keep it up
The Canadiens were busy again, signing wingers
Mike Cammalleri and
Brian Gionta and defensemen
Jaroslav Spacek and
Hal Gill.
One day after acquiring Gomez, the Canadiens signed Cammalleri to a five-year, $30-million contract, Gionta to a five-year, $25 million deal, Spacek to a three-year deal worth $11.5 million, and Gill - fresh off a Cup title with the Penguins - for two years and $4.5 million.
Komisarek a new Leaf
Mike Komisarek is about to see the other side of hockey’s oldest rivalry. The 27-year-old free agent defenseman signed a five-year, $22.5-million deal to join the Maple Leafs after spending his entire NHL career with the Canadiens . . .
Daniel and
Henrik Sedin agreed to five-year contract extensions with the Canucks less than an hour before the start of free agency. Vancouver gave the identical twins matching $30.5 million deals, keeping them with the team that drafted them second and third overall in 1999 . . . Defenseman
Pavel Kubina was dealt by the Leafs to Atlanta along with forward
Tim Stapleton for defenseman
Garnet Exelby and forward
Colin Stuart . . . Ducks captain
Scott Niedermayer is staying in Anaheim after signing a one-year deal worth $6 million plus bonuses . . . Defenseman
Mattias Ohlund, who spent the last 11 seasons with the Canucks, signed a seven-year deal worth $24.5 million with Tampa Bay . . . Edmonton signed goalie
Nikolai Khabibulin to a four-year, 15-million deal. He’ll replace
Dwayne Roloson, who signed a two-year, $5 million contract earlier in the day with the Islanders . . . The Capitals addressed their need for a scoring winger, signing right wing
Mike Knuble to a two-year deal worth $5.6 million . . . The Hurricanes are keeping
Erik Cole, agreeing to a two-year deal with the physical forward. Cole will make $2.8 million next season and $3 million in 2010-11 . . . Checking center
John Madden agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with the Blackhawks . . . The Blues, seeking to add goaltending depth, signed
Ty Conklin . . . The Panthers agreed to a six-year contract extension with
David Booth, shortly after the forward became a restricted free agent. The Panthers also signed goalie
Scott Clemmensen, a standout for the Devils last season, to a three-year pact . . . The Rangers signed enforcer
Donald Brashear right after losing tough guy
Colton Orr to the Leafs.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.
