NHL – NHL Free Agency update
The salary cap squeeze is the big topic concerning free agency negotiations during the 2010 NHL offseason. While there are some big names out there on the market, it is going to be the teams who are willing and have the money to spend that are going to land the players.
NHL training camps open in about a month and at the current time there are about 75 unrestricted free agents that are out there. The salary cap that was implemented a couple years ago by Commissioner Gary Bettman was aimed at leveling the playing field but it is still the big name players who will do their best to get what they want. With the cap system, GM’s have to know how to play their cards and they have to do it right.
The biggest deal by far over the offseason was the 17 year deal by Ilya Kovalchuk by the New Jersey Devils. That deal is still waiting approval by the league. Alexander Frolov was signed this week by the New York Rangers and Alexei Ponikarvsky inked a deal with the L.A. Kings. Goalies have been the big talk of the free agent offseason with both Marty Turco and Jose Theodore still available.
Still, with the cap system in place, the big name players are going to get their market value and this is the big factor when it comes to free agency this year.