Hurricanes and Rangers turn their divisional rivalry into free-agency signing frenzy
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Hockey Writer
The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes aren’t limiting their Metropolitan Division rivalry to just the ice.
On Saturday, the teams were locked in a contract signing frenzy to see who could land the most players in free agency.
The Hurricanes not only retained their starting goalie tandem of Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen and re-signed speedy forward Jesper Fast, they also made one of the bigger early splashes by signing free agent defenseman Dmitry Orlov to a two-year, $15.5 million contract.
Not to be outdone, Rangers GM Chris Drury countered with a flurry of moves, highlighted by signing forwards Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino and Tyler Pitlick, and two-time Stanley Cup champion goalie Jonathan Quick, who’s coming off backing up when Vegas won it all. The additions come with the team standing to lose Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko to free agency.
In the meantime, Barry Trotz opened his tenure as Predators general manager with a major move by signing one of the game’s top two-way forwards, Ryan O’Reilly, to a four-year, $18 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The Predators also signed winger Gustav Nyquist to a $6.37 million, two-year contract, according to a second person with knowledge of that deal.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the contracts.
O’Reilly, who closed last season with Toronto and was the playoff MVP for the Stanley Cup-wining Blues in 2019, arrives in Music City after the Predators began purging high-priced veterans. They bought out the remainder of Matt Duchene’s contract and traded Ryan Johansen to Colorado.
Nashville also signed veteran defenseman Luke Schenn to a three-year, $8.25 million contract.
For a free-agent class considered thin entering the day, many NHL GMs were quick out of the gate to fill their biggest needs.
The Buffalo Sabres upgraded their blue line by signing former Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton to a three-year, $9.99 million contact and former Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson to a one-year, $3.25 million deal. The Sabres are also bringing back forward Tyson Jost — whom they claimed off of waivers last season — by signing him to a one-year, $2 million contract.
Duchene didn’t last long in free agency. The 32-year-old center signed a deal for next season worth $3 million, according to a person with knowledge of the signing. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
At a time most teams have little room under the salary cap, which nudged up by $1 million to $83.5 million, the Senators made the richest deal of the day so far. Ottawa shored up its goaltending by signing Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year, $20 million contract.
The Washington Capitals, looking to get back into the playoffs after their eight-year run ended, went bargain shopping by signing winger Max Pacioretty to a $2 million contract for next season that has $2 million in possible incentives. Pacioretty is coming off tearing his right Achilles tendon twice in the past year.
Leave it to the Hurricanes and Rangers — two teams that have finished no worse than third in the Metropolitan standings the past two years, and each made an Eastern Conference final appearance over the same span — to grab most of the early headlines.
In Carolina, Orlov joins the ’Canes after spending his first 10 seasons in Washington. He’s a reliable, two-way defenseman who can play a physical game with offensive potential.
The Hurricanes goalie tandem, which shared the William M. Jennings Trophy in 2022 for allowing the fewest goals, returns for at least one more year. Raanta signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract before free agency began, and Andersen followed with a two-year, $6.8 million deal.
The 31-year-old Fast, a reliable and speedy forward, returns for a fourth season in Carolina after signing a a two-year contract worth $4.8 million.
“Jesper is an extremely hard worker on both ends of the ice, and his consistency has played a key role in our success over the past three seasons,” general manager Don Waddell said. “He is the kind of person and player that every team is looking for, and we are thrilled to have him back.”
In the Big Apple, the Rangers signed Wheeler to a one-year deal worth $800,000 plus another $300,000 in incentives a day after the former Jets captain was placed on unconditional waivers by Winnipeg for the purpose to have the remainder of his contract bought out. Wheeler is a 13-year NHL veteran, who has topped 20 goals seven times.
Quick signed a one-year, $825,000 deal that includes $100,000 in incentives with New York, where the 16-year NHL veteran is expected to serve as a backup to Igor Shesterkin.
Elsewhere:
— The Boston Bruins brought back 2011 Cup winner Milan Lucic.
— The Toronto Maple Leafs added muscle by signing forward Ryan Reaves to a three-year, $4.05 million contract, according to another person with knowledge of the deal.
— The New Jersey Devils did some internal business bringing back Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian after deciding not to tender either forward a qualifying offer. McLeod got $1.4 million for next season and Bastian $2.7 million over two years.
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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno and AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.
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