Antoine Vermette, C
2 years, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Ottawa)
GP  G   A   Pts  PIM
81   24  29  53   51

Jaroslav Modry, D
2 years, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Philadelphia & Los Angeles)
GP G   A  Pts PIM
80   1   8    9    50

Pascal Leclaire, G
3 years, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Columbus)
GP   W    L  OTL  GAA   SV%
54    24   17   6      2.25    .919

Valtteri Filppula, C
5 years, $15 million
2007-08 Season (With Detroit)
GP G A Pts PIM
78 19 17 36 28

The Red Wings lock up another valuable piece to their puzzle. Filppula is expected to become a very solid second line, playmaking centre. He is pretty close to that now, so locking him up for $3 million per season might become a bargain very quickly. He was headed for arbitration, but signing him long term rules out any possibility of that happening this year or at any point in his career. Filppula might not score tons of goals, but he’ll set his share of them up and like all Red Wing forwards, plays a very sound two-way game. He’s another in a long line of late Red Wing draft picks to become valuable additions to the team in the Motor City.

Fredrik Sjostrom, RW
1 year, $840,000
2007-08 Season (With Phoenix & NY Rangers)
GP    G    A    Pts   PIM
69    12    9    21    22

Jay Bouwmeester, D
1 year, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Florida)
GP G A Pts PIM
82 15 22 37 72

The Panthers and Bouwmeester have come to terms on a one year deal, avoiding an arbitration hearing that was set for tomorrow. It’s not the long term deal the Panthers were hoping for, but they still have all of this coming season to negotiate with Bouwmeester before he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Bouwmeester is one of the best skating defenceman you will ever see and with his size is capable of being a shutdown blueliner. He isn’t extremely physical, but he’s a very sound positional defenceman who rarely makes mistakes. He isn’t quite a Norris Trophy level defenceman yet, but he seems to be just on the cusp of taking the next step. If he doesn’t sign a long term deal with the Panthers this season, he could be in for a huge raise next summer.

Shaone Morrisonn, D
1 year, $1.975 million
2007-08 Season (With Washington)
GP    G    A    Pts    PIM
76     1     9     10     63

Pierre-Marc Bouchard, C
5 years, $20.4 million
2007-08 Season (With Minnesota)
GP    G    A    Pts    PIM
81     13   50    63     34

According to a report out of Minnesota, the Wild have come to terms with Bouchard on a long term deal, avoiding arbitration.  Bouchard is a highly skilled forward who can play either wing or centre. His production has increased nearly every year over 5 seasons that he’s played in the NHL. He broke the 60 point plateau last year and might become a point a game player this coming year. He is small, but skilled and creative. It’s a solid long term investment, locking Bouchard up to a long term deal at a pretty standard price.

Mike York, C
1 year, financial terms undisclosed
2007-08 Season (With Phoenix)
GP    G    A    Pts    PIM
63     6     8     14     4

The Jackets sign the Michigan native in the hopes that he can turn around his career with another change of scenery. York was a reliable 50 point man for a number of seasons, but seems to have completely fallen off the map the past two seasons in Long Island, Philadelphia and Phoenix. He doesn’t have much size, but is a good skater with some playmaking ability. He was a number two centre for several years, but recent history certainly wouldn’t indicate that he’s anywhere near that level.

Marek Svatos, RW
2 years, $4.1 million
2007-08 Season (With Colorado)
GP  G   A  Pts PIM
62  26  11  37   32

The Avs avoid arbitration with the highly skilled winger from Slovakia. Svatos can certainly put the puck in the net, his 75 goals in 193 career NHL games are proof, but he hasn’t played in more than 66 games in any season to this point. His isn’t blessed with great size and has a history of shoulder problems. Svatos will become a more important part of the core in Colorado in the coming years and his health is vital to his success.