NHL Free Agents: The Big Tickets

Here are the most expensive contracts signed when the 2009 NHL free agent market opened on Wednesday:

Marian Hossa to Chicago: 12 years averaging $5.23 million per year.
The Blackhawks will have a formidable attack in 2009-10. Too bad their goalie is Cristobal Huet. And big salary cap trouble looms a year or two down the road.

Marian Gaborik to the Rangers: 5 years averaging $7.5 million per year.
Gaborik gets the money they used to spend on Scott Gomez. His ongoing injury troubles, sure to continue, give general manager Glen Sather the perfect excuse when the team underachieves again.

Brian Gionta to Montreal: 5 years averaging $5 million per year.
Like Scott Gomez, acquired by the Canadians on Tuesday, Gionta is a small, expensive forward whose scoring numbers have been trending in the wrong direction for the last couple of years.

Mike Cammalleri to Montreal: 5 years averaging $6 million per year.
We've all heard how the "new NHL" allows little skilled guys to thrive. The Canadiens better hope so. Cammalleri, Gionta and Gomez are all under six feet-200 pounds.

Henrik and Daniel Sedin stay in Vancouver: 5 years averaging $6.1 million each per year.
Without them, the Canucks might have been the NHL's lowest-scoring team next season. Because they come as a package and as linemates, the twins are a better investment than two random strangers with similar track records.

Mattias Ohlund to Tampa Bay: 7 years averaging $3.75 million per year.
The NHL's train-wreck franchise is now a train wreck with a decent defenseman. They'll probably trade him by Christmas.