Free Agent Frenzy Live Blog

Welcome to the Free Agent Frenzy Live Blog. This will be going on from noon to five p.m. so refresh as many times as you want and let the fun begin.

This is Noodles doing the Live Blog this year. We will see if this is as amazing as Macke's from 2009. Man, that was a Canada Day Live Blog.


12:00 - JAMES DUTHIE, YESYESYES!!! And Happy Birthday Canada, duh.

12:01 - Higgins re-signed with the Canucks to a two-year deal. As well as Sami Salo, who received a one-year deal worth 2 million.

12:03 - No Jaromir to Pittsburgh. We can hear all of the 'old-school' fans crying into their Primanti sandwiches.

12:04 - James Wisniewski was signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 6-year contract for $33 million. Daaaaaamn.

12:06 - It's pretty ridiculous to see that they have people outside Brad Richards's agent's office, he probably isn't going to make a decision today at all.

12:08 - Darren Pang said 'Grant Clitsome'. He's a good player and good-looking kid but what a terrible name.

12:11 - TSN handicapped the top seven teams who can get Brad Richards. We're surprised to see that Buffalo's even in there.

12:14 - James Wisniewski is on the telephone...thinks that he can live up to that contract....we will see.

12:17 - TSN starts going through the Canadian teams

12:20 - Basically Ottawa is struggling and will continue to do so until they get some 'game-changers'.

12:23 - The Canadiens are getting old. OLD. They need to get some youth.

12:27 - Brian Burke, oh oops, Pierre McGuire is salivating over the idea of Brad Richards wearing the Maple Leaf.

12:30 - 'Either-Or' with Craig Button and Michael Peca.

12:32 - The Islanders signed 2010 third-round pick Kirill Kabanov.

12:34 - The Red Wings have been busy, re-signing Drew Miller and Patrick Eaves.

12:35 - Andy Greene re-signed with the New Jersey Devils to a four-year extension according to Bob McKenzie.

12:38 - And Brett Connoly signed to an entry-level contract by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

12:41 - Why is no one paying Jaromir Jagr what he wants? Pittsburgh and Detroit are both out. Maybe Montreal?

12:44 - Tampa Bay Lightning signed a Mathieu Garon to a two-year deal worth 2.6 million.

12:47 - Not looking forward to seeing that HD Glasses commercial for the next four hours...waaaahhhh.

12:49 - The Edmonton Oilers signed Ben Eager to a three-year contract worth three million. Toughness, yay!

12:50 - Jamal Mayers signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

12:52 - In one minute, two of our favorite teams signed someone.

12:53 - Duthie said that Ryan Whitney is one of TSN's favorites and he could usurp Paul Bisonnette as the NHL's best Tweeters. Yes!

12:56 - TSN discusses the Western Canadian teams.

12:58 - Jose Theodore was signed by the Panthers to a two-year deal worth $3 million.

1:02 - DEPTH ON DEFENSE! I've heard that like forty times. McGuire said that Vancouver's defense was a tad oversold during the playoffs. No Pierre, it was Luongo that was a tad oversold.

1:06 - The Dallas Stars signed Adam Pardy to a two-year deal.

1:11 - Sean O'Donnell to the Blackhawks! Yay! Sounds like a good signing for one of our favorite teams.

1:13 - Chris Butler signed with the Calgary Flames. We know that LeTude is happy to lose him from the Sabres.

1:20 - Scottie Upshall signed with the Florida Panthers to a four-year deal worth about 14 million. Damn, good job Dale to get to the floor.

1:23 - JAROMIR JAGR GOES TO THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS!!!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

1:25 - Phoenix Coyotes got everyone. Raffi Torres and Mike Smith and Boyd Gordon.

1:34 - The Stars signed Radek Dvorak, Vernon Fiddler and Adam Pardy.

1:35 - Matt D'Agostini re-signed with the St. Louis Blues.

1:43 - The Blackhawks have signed Andrew Brunette, more scoring. Yay.

1:46 - Ed Jovanoski returns to the Florida Panthers for a four-year deal. Still, Dale is wheeling and dealing.

1:50 - I am sweating trying to keep up with this. I am totally hiring someone to help me do this next season. Making lunch while watching and live blogging isn't such a good idea.

1:53 - Marcel Goc and the Florida Panthers agreed to a three-year deal.

1:57 - Flyers sign Andres Lilja to a one-year deal and signed Jakub Voracek to a one-year contract.

1:58 - Almost 30 UFAs signed in two hours. This is too much.

2:03 - Holy shit, Semyon Varlamov was traded to the Avalanche for a first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional pick (based on what the Caps want) in either 2012 or 2013.

2:04 - Now they wanna know what's going on with Tomas Vokoun. Where is he going to go?

2:15 - Things have calmed down a little. Maybe it's a late lunch break? Should have waited to make the sandwich, dammit.

2:23 - More about Brad Richards. There are teams giving presentations to B-Rad. This is completely insane but hilarious. Some even brought the coaching staff. Coaching staff. Wow.

2:25 - Does it seem wrong that Brad Richards could make more than Sidney Crosby? It kinda does, eh? But that's my opinion.

2:26 - I feel delirious right now. This seems like it will never end.

2:31 - Whoops, missed the Jeff Halpern signing with the Capitals.

2:32 - There are rumors on Twitter that Max Talbot has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. That has to be a joke. A freaking joke.

2:33 - Oh my god, it's true. It's true. A five-year deal worth 9 million dollars. Stunned. It's gonna be brutal when the Flyers and the Penguins play each other.

2:37 - Evgeniya has texted me immediately. Immediately. Now I have to talk quite a few Pens fans off the ledge.

2:43 - The Jets have popped their heads out of their hole and signed Derek Meech to a two-year deal.

2:47 - Brian Boucher went to the Carolina Hurricanes for a two-year deal.

2:50 - Pittsburgh's Public Enemy #1 is now on the phone with James Duthie. Somehow Duthie keeps his composure and doesn't call him a 'traitor' like we would have.

2:51 - Does anyone else see the mustache on Mike Johnson's face? Or the shadow? He makes some good points about the Talbot signing but I couldn't hear it through the 'stache growth.

2:53 - Peter Budaj signs with the Canadiens as a backup for Carey Price.

2:56 - TSN shows Brian Burke and Luke Schenn in Kandahar to visit the troops on Canada Day. Both look really good.

3:00 - Mike Rupp has signed with the New York Rangers, a three-year deal. Sad to see his face go but it happens. He's making teh rounds in the Atlantic division.

3:02 - Jiri Tlusty was re-signed by the Carolina Hurricanes. Minimum this season.

3:05 - Mike Commodore signed with the Detroit Red Wings just after being bought out by the Blue Jackets.

3:14 - Steve Sullivan signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a one-year deal. Interesting signing, Mr. Shero.

3:21 - Flyers moves, good ones or too much? Time will tell.

3:22 - The Washington Capitals signed Joel Ward. Booo! He's definitely going to score a hat trick every game against the Penguins.

3:29 - Steve Yzerman is on my television. He's such a silver-fox. And Gino Reda is completely batshit crazy but that's why he's funny.

3:30 - The Canadiens signed Erik Cole to a four-year deal.

3:31 - And the Washington Capitals have signed Roman Hamrlik to a two-year deal for $7 million.

3:32 - The Islanders signed Marty Reasoner to a two-year deal.

3:34 - The Edmonton Oilers signed Darcy Hordichuk and Cam Barker. More interesting signings for Tambellini.

3:40 - James Duthie is small but next to Chris Schultz, holy man. But Schultz next to Panger? Oh wow.

3:41 - Alex Auld signed with the Senators to a one-year deal.

3:42 - According to Duthie, this has become the 'Darren Pang Sideshow'. Yes, yes it has and it is glorious.

3:44 - 41 signings so far, this is intense.

3:45 - The Dallas Stars signed Michael Ryder to a two-year deal and Jake Dowell to a one-year contract.

3:58 - Twitter is reporting that the Panthers have traded for Kris Versteeg. If this is true, I am officially a Panthers fan with Dale Tallon and Verbeauty in Florida. Done deal.

4:00 - It's a done deal. For a second-round 2012 or 2013 pick plus another third-rounder in 2012.

4:01 - Alright, we're into the last hour from TSN. And I am starting to get ready for work. We'll see if things settle down or not. Tomorrow will be a recap of the frenzy because it certainly was today.

4:06 - Benoit Pouliot to the Boston Bruins for 1.1 million for one-year. Going from the Habs to the Bruins in free agency, haha.

4:09 - I don't know if I've become immune to this stuff or I'm just in shock but nothing about free agency really upsets me. Some 'fans' need to calm their tits about the signings/trades. I've been through two husbands leaving me so I'm calm like the Dalai Lama right now.

4:10 - The Oilers traded Kurtis Foster to the Ducks for Andy Sutton.

4:13 - The Sabres are going crazy and signed Ville Leino to a six-year deal worth 27 million. Insane.

4:19 - The Canucks signed Marco Sturm to a one year deal and we love Mike Johnson's analysis of each signing. He's really smart.

4:25 - Alexei Ponikarovsky was signed by the Carolina Hurricanes.

4:33 - Dallas Stars signed Sheldon Souray to a one-year deal. Should be interesting to see what happens there.

4:40 - Nothing so they resort to talking about Brad Richards and the Buffalo situation again. It's okay cause I love Hodge.

4:45 - Jim Vandermeer signed with the San Jose Sharks. Duthie says that this is the 50th signing. Holy wow.

4:50 - Five minutes later and nothing. I think it's a dinner break. Thanks for making it go out with a fizzle instead of a bang, General Managers.

4:54 - I don't know why all of this is happening with Brad Richards. Pretty sure that he's going to either the Rangers (money) or Tampa (winning). Unpopular opinion? Maybe.

4:57 - Holy shit, and Dale Tallon has forgotten to take his medication. Signed Tomas Fleischmann to a four-year deal worth 18 million.

4:58 - Recap of moves.

5:00 - And this is just the beginning...while Gino Reda waits outside the pub for Brad Richards.