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, who turned 37 today -- happy birthday! -- 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.
The future Hockey Hall of Famer also has 37 goals, 31 assists and 98 penalty minutes in 81 playoff games.
"My family and I are very excited to be a part of the Avalanche," Iginla said in an interview with Sportsnet. "But it was tough leaving Boston, such a great organization and city and a great group of guys. But it's definitely a different day, free agency day."
The Bruins were up against it salary cap-wise and might not have been able to offer Iginla more than a one-year contract, which wouldn't have been enough to keep him.
"I feel great, I love hockey, I want to play for more than just this year," he said. "Even if we were able to fit in this year, it would have been even harder next year with the guys that are up and the young stars that they have. It wasn't really an option."
Iginla said it was "definitely important" to go to a team capable of winning. The Avalanche surprised plenty of people by going from 29th in the NHL standings two years ago to first place in the Central Division under first-year coach Patrick Roy and executive director of hockey operations Joe Sakic.
“We are excited about Jarome Iginla becoming a member of the Avalanche,… Sakic said in a statement. “Jarome’s track record speaks for itself. He is one of the top goal scorers of all time, as well as a great leader. His addition will bolster our offense.…
Iginla and Sakic were teammates on the 2002 Canadian Olympic team that won the gold medal in Salt Lake City. "It's hard to pick which team is going to win, but you want to be on a contender and I think at this stage of my career that is very important," Iginla said. "I know Boston has a great shot, they're a great team and they work very hard and they'll be right back there with a great shot again, and I realize that.
"Colorado to me is a young, dynamic team. Playing against them, they have great speed, the young guys that they have -- (Matt) Duchene, (Ryan) O'Reilly, (Gabriel) Landeskog, (Nathan) MacKinnon -- they're just so dynamic and they're just getting better. They had a great year last year. I think they just get better and better.
"Being able to get term there and some stability for my family, but also being able to be part of it and have a chance as they grow ... I think they can contend and just get better and better. I'm really excited about it."
Iginla is looking forward to playing for Roy, the Jack Adams Award winner as NHL Coach of the Year.
"I know Patrick is very intense," Iginla said. "He's a winner, he's won everywhere and his intensity, it rubs off on the team. In talking to guys they love that. I did talk to Joe and did get a chance to play with him over the years and what a great guy he is. Playing against Patrick and his reputation as a winner and a fiery guy ... I played with (Alex Tanguay) for a number of years (in Calgary) and he's a friend of mine. I really respect his opinions and I enjoyed playing with him. So all those things definitely went into it. I love the way they play.
"The Avalanche were probably ahead of the curve in terms of what people expected, the rebuilding and stuff, and they have great leadership too. I'll just go in and you're learning on the way. You learn from the guys and you also try to share some things if you have that opportunity."
*****
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 today 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 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.
“Nick was a big part of our defense last season,… 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 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.
Defenseman Zach Redmond signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract. Redmond, 25, is 6-2 and 205 pounds. He had one goal and two assists in 10 games with the Winnipeg Jets, with six goals, 18 assists and 26 penalty minutes in 40 games with St. John's in the AHL. The Avalanche still has to re-sign O'Reilly -- the team is taking him to arbitration --and restricted free agent defensemen Tyson Barrie and Stefan Elliott.
Forward Brad Malone left to sign a two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
And the New York Rangers signed defenseman Matt Hunwick to a one-year, $600,000 deal.