Well, the Avalanche lost center Paul Stastny today to the St. Louis Blues but signed power forward Jarome Iginla to a three-year, $16 million contract.
Iginla, 37, had 30 goals, 31 assists and 47 penalty minutes in 78 games last season with the Boston Bruins, with five goals, two assists and 12 penalty minutes in 12 playoff games.
Iginla, a 6-foot-1, 207-pound right wing, will be paid $5.5 million in each of the next two seasons and $5 million in the third year when he's 40.
He has scored 30 or more goals 12 times in 19 NHL seasons, the first 17 with the Calgary Flames. He has 560 goals, 607 assists and 887 penalty minutes in 1,310 career NHL games.
Iginla also has 37 goals, 31 assists and 98 penalty minutes in 81 playoff games.
Stastny signed a four-year, $28 million deal with St. Louis.
Sorry to see him go. So two Western teams, Dallas and St. Louis, have picked up terrific centers in Jason Spezza and Stastny, respectively.
Well, the Avalanche stuck to its salary "structure" and lost Stastny in the process, but getting Iginla adds some much-needed size to the front line. Calder Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon likely will move back to center, his natural position.
Stastny gets an average raise of $400,000 from the $6.6 million he made with the Avalanche. He did grow up in St. Louis. Dallas, which had been interested in him, was out of the picture after acquiring Spezza from Ottawa.
Stastny will make $6.5 million this coming season, followed by $7 million in each of the following two seasons and $7.5 million in the fourth year. He also has a no-trade contract.
"It was really close, it was a tough decision," Stastny told Sportsnet. "A lot of mixed emotions, a lot of anxiety the last couple days. I was in a good position where teams wanted me, but at the same time I wouldn't wish this position on anyone because it's tough to do.
"You're picking between two great organizations, but in the end I have to look at what's best for me and my family, hockey-wise, and sometimes it's tough to leave one home. But I get to go back to St. Louis. I'm comfortable with the area and I know a bunch of players so it's almost another home for me."
Colorado signed defenseman Nick Holden to a three-year, $4.95 million contract extension that starts in 2015-16. He'll make $1.5 million, $1.65 million and $1.8 million. His salary for this coming season is $600,000, according to capgeek.com.
“Nick was a big part of our defense last season,… executive vice president of hockey operations Joe Sakic said in a statement. “He provided offense from our blue line and played with a lot of confidence as the season moved on. We are pleased that he will continue to be a part of our team.…
Holden, 27, had 10 goals, 15 assists and a plus-12 plus-/minus rating in 54 games after signing as a free agent. He had three goals and one assist in seven playoff games.
Colorado acquired defenseman Brad Stuart, 34, from San Jose in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2016 and a sixth-round pick in 2017.
Stuart, who two years ago put a hit on Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog that resulted in a concussion, is 6-2, 215. He has one year left on a contract that will pay him $3.6 million.
Stuart had three goals and eight assists in 61 games with the Sharks last year. He has 77 goals, 245 assists and 549 penalty minutes in 985 NHL games.
Center/right wing Jesse Winchester, 30, was signed to a two-year, $1.8 million contract. He had nine goals and nine assists in 52 games with the Florida Panthers last season. He's 6-1, 200 pounds. He played parts of five seasons with Ottawa and in 285 career NHL games has 20 goals and 50 assists.
The Avalanche also signed defenseman Bruno Gervais, 29, to a one-year deal. A 6-1, 200-pounder, he had 10 goals, 16 assists and 24 penalty minutes in 59 games with Adirondack in the AHL. He has 16 goals, 71 assists and 182 penalty minutes in 418 NHL games with the New Yorkl Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning and Philadelphia Flyers.
Still not finished, Colorado signed defenseman Zach Redmond, 25, to a two-year, $1.5 million contract. The 6-2, 205-pounder had one goal and two assists in 10 games with the Winnipeg Jets, along with six goals, 18 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 40 games for St. John's in the AHL.