Now that the free agent frenzy has settled down — and a frenzy it was at the opening of the market Friday at noon — it all begs the question: Are any of these teams better than they were?
That especially relates to the Islanders, who despite adding old buddy P.A. Parenteau on a one-year, $1.25 million deal Saturday, still look more different than anytime in the past decade. But better? That’s difficult to assess.
The longest-tenured Islander, Frans Nielsen, left for what seems like a natural habitat with the heady Red Wings. The six-year term for the 32-year-old Dane was prohibitive, but the $5.25 million annual cap hit shouldn’t have been.
The same can be said for former franchise bedrock Kyle Okposo, who inked a seven-year contract with the Sabres, though the $6 million per year would have been fine on a shorter deal.
Those two players are gone, so even more leadership will be required of captain John Tavares. How will the Islanders replace the defensive awareness of Nielsen? How will they replace the passion, grit and offensive creativity of Okposo, even if his production wasn’t top tier?
General manager Garth Snow began his attempt by signing 30-year-old winger Andrew Ladd. His game is not much different from Okposo’s, only from the left wing rather than right. Was Snow so secure in thinking Ryan Strome could assume that top-line role on the right? If so, how is Snow approaching the negotiations with Strome, a restricted free agent? Does he hope the old chemistry between Tavares and the now-33-year-old Parenteau can be rekindled from their two good years together in 2010-11 and 2011-12?
The fact is losing Nielsen and Okposo and adding Ladd and Parenteau is a downgrade, but it does create some roster room for the likes of first-round picks Matthew Barzal, Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang at least to show what they have in training camp or be available for a mid-season call-up if any one is excelling at AHL Bridgeport. But how close those players are to being NHL regulars won’t be known until September.
The decision Snow made that only can be seen as an upgrade is letting Matt Martin walk for a four-year deal with the Maple Leafs worth $2.5 million per. He ostensibly was replaced by 37-year-old gamer Jason Chimera. If you need to know about Chimera, just ask a Rangers fan about the thorn he was in their side during all those playoffs series. The two-year deal at $2.25 million per year — less than Martin — likely is under market value, considering Chimera hasn’t shown any sign of losing a step off his impressive speed.
The summer of signings has just begun, but from here on out, no game-changers are lying around unemployed. Snow could dangle his stockpile of prospects — and who out there wouldn’t want a young defenseman with upside — but the best return might not be until training camp is about to start.
That’s when Snow pulled off his best deals to date, adding Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy just before the start of the 2014-15 season. That changed the nature of his roster, and last season, they won their first playoff round in 23 years.
If he wants that to happen again, more improvements likely will be needed. Snow knows that as well as anyone.
