Daily Dose: Teemu Returns; Karlsson, Harding, Helm Re-sign with Teams

        Today was a busy day in the NHL. The league was buzzing with rumors, player re-signings, and anticipation of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and free agency. Red Wings forward Darren Helm re-signed with Detroit, signing a four year, $8,500,000 contract. This is a great move by Red Wings general manager Ken Holland, as Helm is a key depth player for the Red Wings. He is a fast, physical player who is not afraid to do the dirty work in order for his team to succeed. Helm was a member of the 2008 Stanley Cup champion and 2009 runner-up Red Wing teams, so he has a lot of playoff experience at the young age of 25. Look for Helm to be an important player for the Red Wings for the next four years, as he continues to evolve as a hockey player.
        Later on in the day, goaltender Josh Harding re-signed with the Minnesota Wild for three years, making $5,700,000 over that period. Harding, who currently serves as the backup goaltender to Niklas Backstrom, is now an important part of the future of the Minnesota Wild. He has been the backup for several years, but he has clearly grown into a goaltender that can handle a starting job. I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see Harding gradually play more games for the Wild as time goes on, as they want him to eventually take over the starting job. With this new contract that Harding has, that process can start to begin.
        Perhaps the biggest re-signing of the day was Erik Karlsson re-signing with the Ottawa Senators on a seven year, $45,500,000 contract. Fans in Ottawa are breathing a sigh of relief, as they now know Karlsson will be a Senator for a long time. Karlsson had a sensational breakout season, leading defensemen in scoring by a mile, and is a nominee for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the best defenseman during the regular season. Karlsson is young, so we know he is only going to get better. Whether he wins the Norris Trophy this year or not, he is going to win that award many times in his career. Now fans in Ottawa have the pleasure of watching him do that in a Senators jersey. 
        While Senators fans are celebrating Karlsson's re-signing, hockey fans everywhere are celebrating the news that Teemu Selanne will return with the Anaheim Ducks next season. Nothing was officially announced yet, but several reports are confirming this. The "Finnish Flash" is one of the all-time greats, and I, along with the rest of the hockey world, am looking forward to having the privilege of seeing him play for at least one more year.

Where Will They Go?: Rick Nash

        Before the 2012 Trade Deadline this season, rumors began to swarm around Columbus Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash, as he had reportedly asked to be out of Columbus. Nash has six years left on his $7,800,000 per year contract with Columbus, as well a a no-movement clause. Teams like the New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Philadelphia Flyers emerged as the front-runners in acquiring Nash. It was a really exciting time for hockey fans, until we heard from Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson that Nash would not be dealt, if at all, until the NHL Entry Draft. Well, the draft is rapidly approaching, and so is a Rick Nash trade. In my opinion, Nash will be dealt to the San Jose Sharks. 
        Both the Blue Jackets and the Sharks are desperate to turn things around for their clubs. The Blue Jackets, who finished last in the league by miles, clearly need to start from scratch and rebuild their franchise. By trading the centerpiece of the failing franchise, Columbus can truly begin to start over. Along with trading Nash, Columbus has the second overall pick in this year's draft, which will allow them to possibly find a future face of the franchise. This trade would also work for Rick Nash, as he is in the prime of his career and has never won a playoff game. 
         That can all change for Nash if he were sent to the Sharks, as the Sharks are a team that is built for making the playoffs. The Sharks are a team that can make the playoffs without much difficulty, but going for into the playoffs has been a challenge for the Sharks for quite some time. In acquiring Rick Nash, the Sharks will be able to take their team the next step in becoming an elite team in the NHL. While the Sharks will get a great player in Nash, they will have to pay a hefty price. I expect center Joe Pavelski, goalie Antti Niemi, and a draft pick or two to be sent to Columbus in exchange for Nash. What ever the price is, it is almost certainly worth it for the San Jose Sharks, because time is running out with their group, as the players are starting to get older. At this point, it's now or never for the Sharks.

Where Will They Go?: Ryan Suter

        Like Zach Parise, Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter is one of the biggest free agents of the last five years. He is certainly the best defenseman available this offseason, and it is believed that he will test the free agency market. There are many teams who are looking to sign Suter, but he has reportedly made a very short list of teams that he wants to sign with. 
        I believe Suter will sign with the Detroit Red Wings. It's a perfect match. With legendary defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom now retired, Detroit is looking to fill a monumental hole in Detroit's defense. Now, Ryan Suter is no Nicklas Lidstrom, but he is an elite defenseman in the National Hockey League. Suter, like Lidstrom is an offensive defenseman with great intelligence on the ice. Suter would be inserted into Lidstrom's former slot on the Red Wings  depth chart, which would make the transition from Lidstrom's retirement much easier for the Red Wings. 
        Detroit is the perfect destination for Ryan Suter. because Suter is in the prime of his career, and he wants to go to a winning franchise. There are only a few teams in the NHL that have a bigger winning tradition than the Detroit Red Wings, especially throughout the last twenty years. With Suter, the Wings will be able to keep their winning tradition alive for many years to come. Other teams will go after Suter, but Suter wants to win championships. Detroit has the money to sign Suter to that long term contract that he desires, which is why I think that come July 1st, Ryan Suter will wear the winged wheel.

Where Will They Go?: Zach Parise

        For the entire season, speculation on where New Jersey Devils captain Zach Parise would play in the 2012-13 NHL season became a followed storyline. Parise, arguably the most sought-after free agent of the last five years, has many options. He can return to his home state of Minnesota and play for the Wild, play for the always dominant Detroit Red Wings, or even stay in New Jersey, and continue to lead them. It's safe to say that almost all 30 NHL teams are in on the Zach Parise sweepstakes; that's what makes this situation so compelling.
        In my opinion, Parise is going to stay put in New Jersey, even with their current financial issues. The Devils, who reportedly signed on with an investor that will bring them out of debt, along with making approximately $30 million during the playoffs, are possibly on their way out of debt. That will make it possible for New Jersey to keep Parise, who has indicated that he wants to remain a Devil. During the Devils' locker clean out day, Parise told reporters several times that he wants to stay in New Jersey, and even saying "no way" when asked about signing with the New York Rangers.
        Saying that would hurt Parise if he wanted to leave, as it would hurt his choice of teams to sign with. Why would he hurt his credibility with other teams if he wanted to leave? He wouldn't, no soon-to-be free agent would say that. Signing Parise is a top priority for New Jersey, and staying in New Jersey is a top priority for Parise. It's a match made in heaven for the two sides, so it makes no sense for Parise to sign anywhere but with New Jersey.

Where Will They Go?: Brandon Prust

        Yesterday, rumors began swirling around the social media world, saying that the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to sign current Rangers forward Brandon Prust in the off-season. I can see Prust fitting in on the Penguins very nicely, as the Penguins are looking for  role players who can score important goals. While Prust is a good fit for the Penguins, he is an even better fit for the Rangers, which is why I think he will re-sign with the Rangers this offseason. The main reason why I see Prust re-signing with the Rangers is coach John Tortorella. When the Rangers acquired Prust in a trade a few seasons ago, he was thought to be only used as a fighter for the Rangers. Over time, Tortorella helped Prust mold his game into more than just a fighter. Prust is a player that can throw a big hit to motivate his team, and he has also scored goals in very important situations for the Rangers. His value has increased a lot more, and that's because of the way the Rangers play.

        Prust, who made $800,000 this season, should expect a contract that pays him at least $1,000,000 next season, as his value has clearly increased. That will be wherever he signs, whether it's with Pittsburgh, the Rangers, or anywhere else. Brandon Prust was a key member of the Rangers this season, and they would love to bring him back next season. Where do you think Prust will sign?

A Look at the 2012 Stanley Cup Champions, the LA Kings

        The wait is over in Los Angeles! The Kings defeated the New Jersey Devils in 6-1, in Game 6, to win the Stanley Cup. This is the Kings' first championship in their 45 year history. The Kings have been dominant  all playoffs long, going 16-4, defeating the top three seeded teams on the Western Conference (Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and Phoenix Coyotes), as well as the New Jersey Devils, who made a remarkable playoff run of their own. It was no surprise to see Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick win the Conn Smythe Trophy, as the most valuable player during the playoffs. The Vezina Trophy finalist was phenomenal during the regular season and playoffs, and at times, we wondered if he was human, based on his super-hero-like performances. This was a team that almost didn't make the playoffs, and when they did, people expected them to lose easily in the first round.
        Earlier this season, when things weren't going as planned in Los Angeles, the Kings fired then coach Terry Murray, and brought in Darryl Sutter. Sutter clearly found a way to motivate this team, as they have only been getting better and better since he took over as head coach. Another key factor in the Kings' success was the play of captain Dustin Brown. Brown led the way all playoffs long, making some big hits and scoring some key goals for the Kings. He is the perfect example of what a gritty hockey player is. He's willing to sacrifice everything to be successful. Players like Dustin Brown are what makes hockey so great. The Kings put on a great show for hockey fans, and it is sad to see the season end.
        All in all, the Kings finished off their Cinderella story tonight, capping off another fantastic NHL hockey season. Another season is on the horizon. New questions are waiting to be answered. Will the Kings have it in them to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, or will the Stanley Cup hangover take over? With either question, we'll know the reason why: because it's the Cup.

Why the Brad Stuart Trade was Great for Both Sides

        Yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings traded soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Brad Stuart's negotiating rights to the San Jose Sharks for forward Andrew Murray and a conditional 2012 7th round draft pick. This move benefits both sides, as Brad Stuart wanted to go to San Jose to be with his family, who currently resides there. This will be Stuart's second stint with the Sharks. Detroit knew Stuart would not re-sign with them on July 1st, so they wanted to get something in return for the loss of Stuart. That is a very smart move by Detroit general manager Ken Holland, as he found a way to get something, in a conditional 2012 seventh round pick and Andrew Murray, in losing a great two-way defenseman in Brad Stuart. The loss of Stuart also frees up some salary cap space, which the Red Wings could use to go after free agents like Ryan Suter, Alexander Semin, and Zach Parise in the offseason. 
        The addition of Brad Stuart is huge for the San Jose Sharks, as it adds another solid defenseman to its already depth-filled defensive core. With the likes of Dan Boyle, Brent Burns, Douglas Murray, Marc-Edouard Vlassic, and now Brad Stuart, the San Jose Sharks now have a defensive core that has the potential to win championships. Look for the Sharks to be a force to be reckoned with next season, and it all starts with their dominant defensemen. This move also benefits Brad Stuart, as he wanted to go back to San Jose in order to be closer to his family. Now he has that, along with being apart of a great organization in the San Jose Sharks, which has the potential to be successful in this league.