Free agents: Predators hire Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault

THE Predators Nashville stole the show at the opening of the National Hockey League (NHL) free agent market by acquiring two Stanley Cup champions, forwards Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.

Stamkos, who spent his entire career in Tampa Bay, confirmed on the airwaves of TSN having signed a four-year, $32 million pact.

He was possibly the most coveted free agent in the NHL after he was unable to reach an agreement with the organization with which he won the Stanley Cup twice.

years”,”text”:”Thank you Tampa Bay. I don’t have the words yet, but I wanted to tell you that my family and I are grateful for the 16 years”}}”>Thank you Tampa Bay. I don’t have the words yet, but I wanted to tell you that my family and I are grateful for the 16 yearswrote the ex-captain on the social network X.

In 79 games last season with the Lightning of Tampa Bay, Stamkos scored 40 goals and collected 41 assists for 81 points. He added 5 goals and 1 assist for 6 points in 5 playoff games.

THE Predators didn’t stop there. They also got their hands on forward Jonathan Marchessault. Winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2023, Marchessault will earn $27.5 million, or an annual average of $5.5 million, according to a person familiar with the negotiations contacted by theAssociated Press.

Marchessault leaves Vegas having had an original member of the Nevada roster since 2017, helping them reach the Finals twice and win the Stanley Cup in 2023.

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Jonathan Marchessault will meet Steven Stamkos in Nashville. The two played together in Tampa Bay during the Quebecer’s short stint with the Lightning. (Archive photo)

Photo : Getty Images / Bruce Bennett

THE Pres would also have signed the defender Brady Skei for seven years and $49 million, according to another source from the American agency.

However, the team has not yet announced any of these hires.

THE Panthers retain Reinhart, but lose Montour

THE Panthers Florida have lost their defender Brandon Montour for the benefit of Kraken of Seattle. A few hours earlier, the Stanley Cup champions had managed to retain their ace scorer Sam Reinhart for the next eight years.

Brandon Montour agreed on the terms of a seven-year contract with the Seattle franchise. He will receive a salary of just under $50 million. After a respectable start to his career between Anaheim and Buffalo, Brandon Montour exploded offensively when he joined the Panthersthree years ago, notably collecting 73 points during the 2022-2023 season.

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A few days after lifting the Cup, Brandon Montour leaves the Panthers for the Kraken. Sam Reinhart (13) has chosen to remain in Florida. (File photo)

Photo : Associated Press / Wilfredo Lee

More recently, he has helped the Panthers to win the playoff championship with a harvest of 11 points in 24 games.

THE Panthers awarded the striker an eight-year contract Sam ReinhartThe winner of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final will pocket $69 million.

Still in Florida, this time on the side of Lightning Tampa Bay general manager Julien BriseBois has beaten other teams to the punch by having exclusive negotiations with the forward. Jake Guentzel. He then gave him a seven-year contract worth $63 million.

The Lightning had traded a third-round pick to the Hurricanes of Carolina to obtain negotiating rights with Guentzel. He collected 30 goals and 77 points in 67 games last season, with the Penguins of Pittsburgh and the Hurricanes.

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Jake Guentzel finished last season in Carolina after a few years with the Pittsburgh Penguins. (Archive photo)

Photo : USA Today Sports/Reuters / James Guillory

Barré-Boulet in Montreal, Duclair finds Roy

True to his reconstruction process, the general manager of the Canadiens Kent Hughes has been discreet at the opening of the free agent market. For the moment, it has only gotten its hands on Quebec forward Alex Barré-Boulet.

The Montmagny native is 27 years old. Aside from a short stay in Seattle, he has spent the majority of his professional career in the organization of the Lightningwith whom he scored 9 points in 36 games last season.

The agreement that binds Barré-Boulet to the Canadiens is for one season and one part. If he does not manage to make his place in Martin St-Louis’s formation, he will be demoted to the farm club of the Rocket from Laval.

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Alex Barré-Boulet has 18 points in 68 NHL games. (File photo)

Photo : Associated Press / Chris O’Meara

Furthermore, when Patrick Roy was general manager and head coach of the Quebec Remparts, he convinced Anthony Duclair to join his team for the start of the 2011-2012 season.

More than a decade later, Duclair chose Monday to partner for a period of four seasons with Islanders from New York, the dealership that Patrick Roy has been running since January.

For Duclair, it is an opportunity to offer himself stability, he who has dragged his bundle to the four corners of the NHL since the start of his professional career. He played, in order, with the Rangers of New York, the late Arizona Coyotes, the Blackhawks from Chicago, them Blue Jackets Columbus, the Ottawa Senators, the Panthers from Florida, the Sharks of San José and the Lightning of Tampa Bay.

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Anthony Duclair will be on his ninth NHL team. (File photo)

Photo : Getty Images / Harry How

His good friend Jonathan Drouin has decided to stay one more year with the Colorado Avalanche, the club that allowed him to relaunch his career after difficult years with the Montreal Canadiens.

Another Quebec forward drafted during the 2013 auction, Anthony Mantha, is heading to Calgary. The former Val d’Or Foreurs signed a one-season contract.

Four players commute between Boston and Vancouver

THE Canucks Vancouver have hired two players from Bruins of Boston, who responded by doing the same thing.

THE Canucks first took out the checkbook to appropriate the services of Jake DeBrusk for a period of seven years, with an average salary of $5.5 million. The 27-year-old striker has played his entire career with Bruins. He scored 138 goals, and added 128 assists, in 465 games.

Still from Boston, Vancouver added support player to its ranks Danton Heinen.

On the other hand, the Bruins have bet on two of the most coveted players, Swedish center Elias Lindholm and Russian defender Nikita Zadorov, who would have accepted $30 million over six years.

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Western Canadian native Jake DeBrusk is moving closer to home. (File photo)

Photo : AP / Mark Zaleski

The former scorer of the Montreal Canadiens, Tyler Toffoliis headed to San Jose, where the Sharks have offered him $24 million for the next four campaigns.

THE Blackhawks Chicago have made a number of signings to surround their young core of players. Veterans Tyler BertuzziTeuvo Teravainen, Pat Maroon et Craig Smith will continue their careers in the Windy City.

Several signings in Toronto and Ottawa

THE Maple Leafs Toronto prioritized their defense Monday morning by offering a contract renewal to the goaltender. Joseph Woll for a period of three years. He will receive an average salary of $3.66 million.

The 25-year-old played 25 games in Toronto last season, winning 12 of them. In the playoffs, he posted a record of two wins and no losses in his appearances against the Bruins of Boston.

The Director General Brad Treliving also convinced the 34-year-old defender Chris Tanev to continue his career in the Ontario metropolis. He has signed a six-year contract, where he will earn an average salary of $4.5 million.

For Tanev, this is a return to Canadian soil. He spent the vast majority of his career in Vancouver and Calgary before finishing last season with the Stars from Dallas.

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Defensive-minded defenseman Chris Tanev has signed a six-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is 34 years old. (File photo)

Photo : Associated Press / Tony Gutierrez

Their Ontario rivals, the Ottawa Senators, were also active on Monday. They first traded defenseman Jakob Chychrun to the Washington Capitals in return for another defenseman, Nick Jensenand a third-round pick in 2026.

The Director General Steve Staios also hired three free agents, namely David Perron, Michael Amadio et Noah Gregor.