DEVELOPING: Richards Chooses Rangers

((HT: Sportsnet Radio FAN590))

Brad Richards has decided to sign a nine-year, $58.5-million contract with the New York Rangers. The contract will be a front-loaded deal, with Richards making $50 million in the first five years in New York.

A lot of pundits that the HQ watches and/or listens to thought that the Rangers wold, in fact, swoop in at the last minute, come up with the biggest deal, and grab him away from Toronto, LA, and everyone else...

And they did...

More when we know more...

DEVELOPING: NHL Free Agent Frenzy 2011

((HT: NHL on TSN))

We have had a busier day here this year than last, and the biggest fish on the board is still there- and Brad Richards could be there all weekend long if he chooses.

Newport Sports in suburban Toronto has been the center of the hockey universe with Richards holding court...

Gord Miller and Darren Dreger discuss who could be holding the trump card...


The tally at the close of business hours is 51 players and US$225-million has changed hands so far...

The highlights:

Buffalo signs Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino (6 years for US$27M)
Montreal gets Erik Cole away from Carolina (4 for 18)
Edmonton gets angrier picking up Andy Sutton in a trade from Anaheim and signing Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk
Colorado trades for Simeon Varlamov (2 for 5.5M)
Washington gets Cam Ward (4 for 12), Roman Hamrlik (2 for 7), and Jeff Halpern
Phoenix signs Raffi Torres (2 for 3.5) and goalie Mike Smith
Philadelphia signs max Talbot and Jaromir Jagr (1 for 3.3)
Dallas picked up Michael Ryder for 2 years...

Florida spent all this money and was still under the basement for the salary cap:
Tomas Fleischmann (4 for 18), Eddie Jovanovski (4 for 16.5), Scottie Upshall (4 for 14), Jose Theodore (2 for 1.5), and traded for Kris Versteeg for draft picks...

More when we know more...