NHL Free Agent Rodeo Kicks off with Huge Deals

BOULDER, Colorado -- The NHL's free agent market officially opened at noon E.T. on Tuesday, and several teams were busy snapping up the most coveted commodities on the market.

But perhaps the most sought-after player, Pittsburgh forward Marian Hossa, remains unsigned. Reportedly the Rangers, Oilers and Bruins are interested in acquiring the 29-year-old Slovak's services.

The New York Post has reported that the Bruins are prepared to offer Hossa close to US$100 million over 12 years. Hossa has already rejected a six-year, $45 million offer from the Penguins.

Among the biggest signings were defenseman Brian Campbell's eight-year, $57 million dollar contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks also addressed some of their goaltending woes by signing 32-year-old Cristobal Huet away from the Washington Capitals for $22.5 million over four years.

Tampa Bay made some early noise, trading for the rights to negotiate with Pittsburgh forwards Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts and Minnesota's Brian Rolston before the market opened. They managed to lock up Malone on Monday, signing him for $31.5 million over seven years, while Roberts was signed to a one-year deal.

In addition, the Lightning brought back Vinny Prospal, who had been sent to the Flyers at the trade deadline. They also added another former Penguin, forward Adam Hall, and Phoenix' Radim Vrbata.

Tampa had recently bought out the contract of their former number one goalie, Marc Denis, and they signed long-time Washington backstop Olaf Kolzig to a one-year deal. Kolzig will likely backup Mike Smith next year, who had taken over the top spot from Kari Ramo at the end of the season.

The Lightning were unable, however, to lock up Rolston, who signed a four-year, $20 million deal with the club he broke into the NHL with, the New Jersey Devils.

Many of the Toronto Maple Leafs' castoffs found new homes on July 1. Darcy Tucker and Andrew Raycroft, who had both been bought out by the Leafs, were each signed by the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado was in need of goaltending help after losing starter Jose Theodore to Washington, where he signed for $9 million over two years.

Mats Sundin, meanwhile, was reportedly offered a two-year, $20 million deal from the Vancouver Canucks. The Leafs captain and unrestricted free agent is currently in Europe contemplating whether to return to the NHL or retire.

Other than the reported Hossa offer, the Boston Bruins have yet to make a move so far this offseason, choosing instead to lock up some core players from last season by re-signing defensemen Mark Stuart and Aaron Ward to multi-year deals. Goalie Alex Auld, who filled a key role for Boston last season after backup Manny Fernandez suffered a knee injury, was lost to Ottawa, where he signed for two years. Boston's only other unrestricted free angent, Glen Metropolit, has yet to sign anywhere.

This whole affair looks to just get crazier, so unless the Bruins sign Hossa to a Yashin-like contract, or the Leafs bring Doug Gilmour out of retirement (again), I'm not going to post about the free agent free-for-all anymore.