Free Agency - Day 1

So what went down today for the Pens in the free agent market? Here's a summary from the Trib. The short version:

Dupuis - 3 years - $4.2 million
Eaton - 2 years - $2.0 million
Godard - 3 years - no dollar amount given

I like the signing of Dupuis and Eaton. Both are good players and both are at good dollar amounts. If Eaton can stay healthy for an entire season, he's a steal at $1.0 million per year. Dupuis at $1.4 isn't bad either.

The only question I have is that the Pens now have 7 NHL defensemen, with Alex Goligoski possibly ready to join the big club. That's before mentioning Brooks Orpik, but I think the Eaton signing may signal the end for Brooks in Pittsburgh.

The Godard signing probably means that there will be no Georges Laraque either - you can't have two right wings that play 5:00 per night, and that's what Godard is. I suppose you could put him in Wilkes-Barre, but you wouldn't think that would happen - he played 74 games in the NHL last year for Calgary.

Adam Hall signed in Tampa for bargain basement dollars - 3 yrs, $1.8 million. Not sure why he didn't resign here. Maybe Ray Shero didn't make him an offer, and maybe he wanted to play more...

The only one I'm really curious about is Ty Conklin. I know the Pens have Sabourin, but Conk signed with Detroit for only $750,000. Granted it was just for one year, but Sabu is only signed for one more year. For that money, you could buy out Sabu and put Conk back in the second spot. Maybe he figures there's a better chance of Chris Oldgood breaking down in Detroit...

No signing yet for Hossa or Jagr. Things will be interesting, that's for sure.