-The most notable re-signing of the day was that of defenseman Christian Ehrhoff with the Buffalo Sabres, whose rights the club had acquired from the NY Islanders just one day prior.

Ehrhoff inked a heavily front-loaded ten year, $40 million deal, which will see him make $18 million in the first two seasons of the deal, $4 million per season the next three seasons, $3 million in the seventh year, and $1 million per season in the final three years.

It's deals like that which will give the Sabres not only a cap-friendly hit of between $4-5 million per season, but could also give them enough cap space to take a serious run at UFA center Brad Richards when the UFA market opens on Friday at noon ET.

This is also the kind of deal which has made a mockery of the salary cap, as once again, another general manager exploits a loophole which allows contract to be heavily front-loaded in order to achieve a more manageable cap hit.

Ehrhoff should enjoy this deal, as his could be amongst the last of their kind under this current collective bargaining agreement, as the league will undoubtedly move to close that loophole in the next round of labor talks.

Don't blame the blueliner, by the way, he's only signing what was offered to him. The Sabres better hope however this contract doesn't become a hindrance down the road.

-The Chicago Blackhawks re-sign defenseman Steve Montador to a four year, $11 million contract worth $2.75 million per season.

It's a significant raise for Montador, who earned $1.55 million with the Buffalo Sabres last season. He's long been amongst the most under-rated defensemen in the league, and should provide valuable, experienced depth as a top-four blueliner on the Blackhawks defense.

-The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed left winger Jussi Jokinen to a three-year, $9 million contract, worth $3 million per season.

Jokinen, 28, was tied for fourth on the Hurricanes in scoring with 52 points in 70 games, down slightly from the career best 30-goal, 65-point performance of 2009-10.

He's had his best seasons with the Hurricanes so there's little wonder he wished to remain or that management wanted to retain him. The new salary is a considerable raise over his $1.7 million of this past season.

-The St Louis Blues re-signed center T.J. Oshie to a one-year, $2.35 million contract.

Oshie, 24, had 12 goals and 34 points in 49 games last season, which was shortened by an ankle injury which sidelined him for 31 games. He also attracted a bit of bad late-season publicity when he was suspended for missing a team practice.

This one-year deal indicates the Blues unwillingness to invest long-term in Oshie until he's proven himself a reliable offensive player. He's teased with his ability in up to this point, but this season is time for him to have his long-awaited breakthrough performance.

-The Edmonton Oilers re-signed defenseman Ladislav Smid to a two year contract worth $2.25 million per season.

Smid, 25, was eligible for restricted free agent status on July 1^st. He had ten points with a plus-minus of -10 last season.

The Oilers have been patiently waiting for the 6-3, 226 lb Smid to become the physical defenseman they anticipated when acquiring him as part of the trade which sent Chris Pronger to Anaheim in 2006.

This two year deal will take Smid up to unrestricted free agency, but also gives him a limited period of time to finally emerge as a dominant, stay-at-home blueliner.

-The Colorado Avalanche re-signed 6-5, 234 lb defenseman Ryan O'Byrne to a two-year, $3.6 million contract.

O'Byrne, 26, joined the Avalanche early last season in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens, chalking up ten points and a plus-minus of -7 on a rebuilding Colorado defense. He'll be expected to play more of a physical role over the next two seasons.

-The San Jose Sharks re-signed forward Jamie McGinn to a one-year, $680K contract.

NHL teams continue to flip the negotiating rights of pending UFAs to clubs for conditional draft picks.

Only a day after the NY Islanders acquired the rights of defenseman Christian Ehrhoff from the Vancouver Canucks, they dealt them to the Buffalo Sabres for a conditional draft pick.

Perhaps the possibility of re-signing Ehrhoff was the reason behind their subsequent trade of blueliner Steve Montador to the Chicago Blackhawks for a conditional pick in 2012 or 2013.

Montador, 31, had career highs in points (26) and plus-minus (16), the latter being the best on the Sabres last season.

The Blackhawks were rumored to have interest in Montador prior to the trade deadline in February. They ultimately dealt for Chris Campoli, and the addition of Montador perhaps casts doubt on the Blackhawks efforts to re-sign Campoli, a restricted free agent.

Thre minor signings of note occurred Wednesday evening, as the Pittsburgh Penguins inked winger Arron Asham to a one-year, $775k contract, the Montreal Canadiens signed defenseman Yannick Weber to a two-year, $1.7 million contract worth $850K per season, and the Vancouver Canucks re-upped defenseman Andrew Alberts to a two-year deal worth $1.225 million per season.

Asham played in 44 regular season games last season for the Penguins, missing considerable time due to a concussion, but he stepped up his performance in the playoffs, netting three goals and four points in seven game.

Weber has proven to be a versatile player, who normally plays defense but has also been pressed into service as a checking winger. His big shot is likely to earn him power-play time next season.

Alberts played in 41 games for the Canucks last season plus 9 playoff games. He missed considerable time to injury (shoulder, broken wrist) but has emerged as a steady, physical, stay-at-home depth defenseman.

An NHL career which should've been far greater than it ultimately was has been ended prematurely because of concussion injury.

Paul Kariya, who played for the Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, formally announced his retirement today in an interview with the Toronto Globe and Mail, where he laid blame on his long history of concussion injuries for the end of his career, as well as expressing serious criticism of the NHL's inability to protect its players from head shots leading to injury, and in penalizing those responsible for these type of hits.

It is indeed a sad end to a career in which Kariya was for several years in the late-1990s one of the NHL's top players, but ultimately saw his career go into a slow decline because of his injuries.

Kariya's best years were with the Anaheim then-Mighty Ducks, where he teamed with winger Teemu Selanne to form one of the most feared one-two offensive punches in the league.

In five of those nine seasons spent with the Ducks, Kariya exceeded the 80-point mark five times, including two 100-point-plus seasons (105 in 1995-96,101 in 1998-99) and 99 points in 1996-97. He also exceeded the 40-goal mark three times, including a career-high 52 points in 1995-96.

Considering Kariya notched those numbers during what is considered the NHL's "Dead Puck Era", when uncalled obstruction masquerading as defensive hockey had an adverse impact upon offense, those numbers are all the more impressive.

After one woeful season in Colorado, where injury limited him to 36 points in 51 games, Kariya joined the Predators, where he regained his offensive touch, netting 85 points in 2005-06 and 76 in 2006-07.

Sadly however those would be the last notable offensive years of Kariya's career. He joined the St. Louis Blues as a free agent in 2007, but only posted numbers of 65, 15 and 45 points as injuries continued to take a toll.

Kariya decided to take the entire 2010-11 season off in hopes of recovering from post-concussion symptoms, but though he now feels "great", his doctor advised him against returning to play, as the risk of another concussion was too great.

His concussion problems began in 1997-98, when he was cheapshotted by then-San Jose Sharks defenseman Gary Suter, who crosschecked Kariya in the face. He would miss the remainder of the season, including participating for Canada's Men's Olympic hockey team at the 1998 Winter Games.

He suffered another head injury after being checked by Scott Stevens in Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils. He would however return to the game, and scored a dramatic goal which helped clinch victory and force a Game Seven, which the Ducks would eventually lose to the Devils.

Kariya posted up impressive numbers during his 15 NHL seasons - 402 goals, 587 assists, 989 points, plus 39 points in 46 playoff games. He won the Lady Byng trophy in 1996 and 1997, was a first team All Star in 1996, 1997 and 1999, and a second team All Star in 2000 and 2003. He would also win an Olympic Gold Medal as part of Canada's Men's Hockey Team at the 2002 Games. He should once day become inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Yet one cannot help but wonder how much more Kariya could've accomplished had it not been for the years of concussions, which shortened his career and prevented him from achieving even greater heights.

The Tampa Bay Lightning today announced the re-signing of goaltender Dwayne Roloson to a one-year, $3 million contract.

Roloson, 41, joined the Lightning midway through last season and quickly became a stabilizing force between the pipes, posting an 18-12-4 record with a 2.56 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage with four shutouts for the Bolts.

He also proved his worth during the Lightning's surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final, and became the oldest goaltender in NHL history to backstop a team to the Conference Final.

His new contract is only a $500K raise above what he made last season, making him an affordable, short-term retention.

It remains to be seen if the Lightning will re-sign Mike Smith, who backed up Roloson during the second half and in the playoffs, or opt for a more affordable option.

The Columbus Blue Jackets today acquired the exclusive negotiating rights of defenseman James Wisniewski from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a conditional draft pick in 2012.

Wisniewski, 27, was acquired by the Canadiens midway through last season from the NY Islanders, and quickly became a fan favorite in Montreal for his big shot and gritty play. In 75 games split between the Islanders and Canadiens, Wisniewski netted 10 goals and 51 points.

The Blue Jackets have been in the market for an experienced puck-moving defenseman for over a year, and if they can re-sign Wisniewski, who is eligible for UFA status on July 1st and earned $3.25 million last season, it could resolve that problem nicely for them.

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed one of their promising young forwards today, inking winger David Jones to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

Jones, 26, was due to become a restricted free agent on July 1st. He had a breakthrough performance last season, scoring 27 goals and 45 points in 77 games. Those 27 goals tied him with Matt Duchene for the Avalanche goal-scoring lead.

Injuries had previously slowed Jones' development, as a season-ending knee injury in 2009-10 cut short what had been a promising start, with 16 points in 23 games, but last season he showed few after-effects from that injury. If he can remain healthy, a bright future is ahead of him.

The Anaheim Ducks today announced the retirement of veteran forward Todd Marchant after 18 NHL seasons, all but two of them spent with the Edmonton Oilers and the Ducks.

In 1195 regular season games, Marchant scored 186 goals and 498 points, while in 95 playoff games he scored 13 goals and 34 points.

He won a Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, but perhaps his biggest moment came during Game Seven of the Oilers-Dallas Stars Western Conference Quarterfinal, when Marchant scored the series winner in overtime.

The Florida Panthers have reportedly re-signed versatile forward Tomas Kopecky to a four-year, $12 million contract, worth an average cap hit of $3 million per season.

That's a hefty raise for a player who earned $1.2 million last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he had a career-best 42-point performance. The Panthers acquired the 29-year-old's negotiating rights earlier in the week from the Blackhawks.

The Panthers may have overpaid for Kopecky, but they're also a club needing to spend millions to get over the salary cap minimum of $48.3 million for next season. Paying Kopecky higher than market value accomplishes this.

It remains to be seen however if he'll play up to that salary. Kopecky has been used primarily in checking lines roles, but he does have limited scoring line experience. He could get more opportunities in that role on a rebuilding Panthers team.

After expressing pessimism over the possibility of re-signing winger Chad LaRose, Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford turned around a day later and re-signed him to a two-year, $3.4 million contract, paying him $1.5 million next season and $1.9 million in 2012-13, with an average cap hit of $1.7 million per season.

LaRose, 29, is a popular, energetic checking line winger, who last season matched his career-best in points with 31, and was fourth on the club in hits with 196.

Having re-signed Joni Pitkanen yesterday, the Hurricanes now have only winger Jussi Jokinen and Erik Cole to re-sign, although it appears Cole will be testing the UFA market.

The Buffalo Sabres today announced the re-signing of winger Nathan Gerbe to a three-year deal worth $1.433 million per season, a significant raise over the $850 he earned last season.

Gerbe, 23, earned himself a full-time roster spot with the Sabres last season, netting 31 points in 64 games, and probably would've had more if not for an early season jaw injury which sidelined him for almost ten games.

He was slated to become a restricted free agent and it was unlikely a rival club would've signed him away with an offer sheet, but the Sabres obviously wanted to get him under contract quickly before turning their focus upon other key free agents, as well as perhaps adding to their lineup via the UFA market.

Christian Ehrhoff's tenure with the Vancouver Canucks is over.

Unable to reach an agreement with the defenseman on a new contract, the Canucks today dealt his exclusive negotiating rights to the New York Islanders in exchange for a fourth round picks in the 2012 entry draft.

Ehrhoff, 28, is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1st, giving the Islanders a narrow window of opportunity to re-sign the defenseman, who last season had career bests in assists (36) and points (50), exceeding the forty-plus point mark for the third straight year.

He was also the Canucks leading scorer amongst their defensemen, which probably explains why he earlier in the week spurned a contract offer from the Canucks similar to the multi-year deal (worth $4.6 million per season) they'd signed Kevin Bieksa to on Monday.

Ehrhoff now becomes the most valuable defenseman in this summer's UFA market, unless the Islanders can re-sign him. While the club has the available cap space, needing to get over the mandatory cap floor (set at $48.3 million this coming season), it remains to be seen if they can re-sign him.

It's possible he could command around $5.5 million per season, perhaps more, on the open market.

The Islanders have been rebuilding for several years now around young talent, and Ehrhoff might prefer signing with a team which stands a better chance of being a potential Cup contender in the next couple of years.

Still, if Isles GM Garth Snow could get Ehrhoff under contract, he'd provide a welcome boost to their defense corps.

The Carolina Hurricanes re-signed two potential unrestricted free agents today, inking blue liner Joni Pitkanen to a three-year deal worth $4.5 million per season, and right wing Patrick Dwyer to a two-year contract worth $600K next season and $650K in 2012-13.

Of the two, Pitkanen's is the most notable. For weeks it was anticipated the smooth-skating Finn would be hitting the free agent market. Indeed, until mid-June, Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford sounded resigned to Pitkanen's eventual departure.

But the mood quickly changed following the entry draft weekend, with Rutherford suddenly expressing optimism he could get Pitkanen under contract.

What's interesting is how much money Pitkanen passed up in the free agent market to remain with the Hurricanes. Essentially he's receiving only a slight raise of $500K per season, whereas if he tested the market he probably would've gotten considerably more than that.

It would've been a significant blow to the Hurricanes defense had they lost Pitkanen, who was their best puck-moving defenseman over the past three seasons. In 2010-11 he had 35 points in 72 games, 12 of those coming on the power-play, with a plus-minus of -2.

Dwyer, 27, finally played his first full NHL season in 2010-11, and in 80 games netted 18 points playing on the Hurricanes checking lines.

While successfully keeping their best defenseman and one of their checking forwards in the lineup, it remains to be seen if the Hurricanes can also re-sign wingers Erik Cole, Jussi Jokinen and Chad LaRose.

-The Washington Capitals ensured their best two-way center will remain in the fold for a long time, re-signing Brooks Laich to a six-year, $27 million contract, worth an average cap hit of $4.5 million per season.

Laich, 27, was eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1st, where his all-round would've attracted numerous suitors keen to bolster their depth at center.

In 82 games last season with the Capitals, Laich scored 16 goals and 48 points, with a plus-minus of +14. Highlighting his versatility is he notched 14 of those points on the power-play, three of them short-handed, with three of his goals being game-winners.

The announcement of the signing however has generated considerable criticism, who feel the Capitals overpaid to retain Laich, whose previous contract paid him an average cap hit of just over $2 million per season.

Perhaps he is now overpaid, but if the Capitals hadn't paid him that salary, another club would've had he hit the open market on Friday.

If the Capitals hope to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, they need a strong two-way center like Laich in the lineup.

- The Pittsburgh Penguins today announced the re-signing of one of their versatile forwards, inking left wing Pascal Dupuis to a two-year, $3 million extension, worth an average cap hit of $1.5 million per season.

Dupuis, 32, has been on the Penguins roster for the past three-and-a-half seasons, where he's proven a good fit on their checking lines, as well as on occasion filling in on one of the top two lines when called upon to fill in for injured players.

In 81 games with the Penguins last season, Dupuis had 17 goals and 37 points, with a plus-minus of +16, including a team-leading four short-handed goals and three game-winners.

It's an affordable option for a Penguins team which, despite the $5 million increase in the salary cap for next season, must still juggle its cap space effectively for next season.

- The Tampa Bay Lightning re-signed two potential UFAs today, signing defenseman Marc-Andrew Bergeron to a two-year, $2 million contract, and center Adam Hall to a one-year deal. Financial terms weren't disclosed for Hall.

Bergeron, 30, joined the Lightning late in the regular season as a free agent, and in 23 games had eight points with a plus-minus of -10.

He'd previously played for Lightning head coach Guy Boucher when both were part of the Montreal Canadiens farm team in Hamilton. Boucher obviously has considerable confidence in Bergeron, and his performance evidently also convinced management he was worth keeping on the roster.

Hall, 30, played 82 games for the Lightning as a checking forward, with 7 goals, 18 points and a plus-minus of -12. He also led the club in hits with 152.

His salary last season was $600K, so his new salary isn't likely to be much higher than that.

The Vancouver Canucks made their second player re-signing on Monday, inking pesky checking center Maxim Lapierre to a two-year, $2 million contract.

Lapierre,26, was eligible for restricted free agent status on July 1st. His new deal is a slight raise above the $900K he was earning on his previous deal, though he also gets an extra year.

In 78 games split between the Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens this season, Lapierre had 6 goals and 12 points with a plus-minus of -14 with 80 PIMs, but it was his ability as an agitating checker which made him invaluable to the Canucks late in the season and into the playoffs.

Former Chicago Blackhawks general manager Dale Tallon continues to add players from his old team to his new one in his role as GM of the Florida Panthers, today adding forward Tomas Kopecky from the Blackhawks in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick.

Kopecky, 29, is eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1st and wasn't going to return with the Blackhawks. The Panthers now have his exclusive negotiating rights until that period in order to re-sign him. If they do, they'll part with their seventh rounder in next year's draft. If not, it'll be the one in the 2013 draft.

The versatile Czech forward notched career highs in goals, assists and points last season (15-37-42), but plays primarily on the checking lines. He does come with a strong resume, having begun his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, then moving on to Chicago, where he was part of their Stanley Cup championship team in 2010.

His experience should make him a good addition to the Panthers, provided of course they can get him re-signed. They certainly have the cap space to do so.