All in all, it was a very busy day across the NHL.
The Tampa Bay Lightning underwent a changing of the guard, saying goodbye to Steven Stamkos, the greatest player in franchise history, as they reloaded by signing Jake Guentzel. Stamkos, meanwhile, heads north to Nashville where the Predators made a splash by inking the future Hall of Famer and former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault.
Another team that had a big day was the Bruins, signing a handful of players, most notably Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov.
Relive the live blog and tracker below to see how the first few hours of NHL free agency unfolded Monday.
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3:25 p.m.: The action has very much quieted down in the last hour or two, so we’ll get caught up on some details.
In the craziness of the first hour, we missed the details for Steven Stamkos’ deal with the Nashville Predators. It’s a pretty good one for a 34-year-old with a lot of miles under his belt.
Another veteran, Corey Perry, is reportedly returning to Edmonton.
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1:32 p.m.: The Bruins are adding another former first-round pick. Boston has signed winger Max Jones, the team announced Monday afternoon.
The 26-year-old is a bottom-six winger who scored five goals and added 10 assists last season with Anaheim. It’s a two-year deal, according to his agency.
1:25 p.m.: Chandler Stephenson is one of the most underrated players in the NHL, but he’s about to paid what he’s worth. According to reports, the center is leaving Vegas to sign a long-term deal with the Seattle Kraken.
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1:13 p.m.: Following up on another player who is now an ex-Bruin, Matt Grzelcyk is on his way to Pittsburgh.
Also, getting caught up on a move from earlier as it pertains to the Bruins, veteran defenseman Derek Forbort will join Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen in Vancouver.
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12:35 p.m.: The Bruins added Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm, a pair of former Canucks. A pair of now-former Bruins, meanwhile, are off to Vancouver. The Canucks have signed both Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen.
12:11 p.m.: The Bruins are making a couple of big splashes.
12:05 p.m.: The Maple Leafs are, once again, making defense a priority. Stanley Cup champion Oliver Ekman-Larsson is on his way to Toronto, according to reports.
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That comes after Toronto also inked veteran blueliner Chris Tanev to a six-year deal worth $4.5 million per season earlier in the day.
12:03 p.m.: It’s hard to believe, but Steven Stamkos’ run in Tampa Bay is officially over, per the Lightning legend himself.
11:59 a.m.: As everyone waits for the clock to hit noon ET, we’ve got a big trade between Ottawa and Washington.
11:53 a.m.: Apparently $24 million is enough for Tyler Toffoli to want to be part of a major rebuilding effort in San Jose. He’ll join the Sharks, according to multiple reports.
11:47 a.m.: It’s shaping up to be a big day in Smashville.
11:25 a.m.: The Bruins have some cap space they presumably want to burn ahead of the upcoming season, and they might already have their wish list filled out.
10:50 a.m.: The Nashville Predators sound like they’re ready to make a splash or two — or three.
10:45 a.m.: Matt Grzelcyk might be putting on the black and gold next season, albeit in a slightly different hue. There’s increasing chatter the veteran defenseman could be on his way out of Boston to join the Pittsburgh Penguins.
9:39 a.m.: Sounds like the Devils are a team to watch in the Steven Stamkos sweepstakes, according to insider and former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes.
9:04 a.m.: When the Lightning acquired the rights to free-agent-to-be Jake Guentzel for a third-round pick, it was pretty clear Tampa Bay was serious about signing the winger. They took advantage of that early signing window, officially inking Guentzel to a seven-year, $63 million contract.
Gotta think this also closes the door on a Steven Stamkos return.
8:40 a.m.: Some interesting Steven Stamkos insight from long-time NHL insider Bob McKenzie, who has come out of pseudo retirement for some free agency work.
8:15 a.m.: Sam Reinhart just had the ideal walk year. The former No. 2 pick just scored a career-high 57 goals and then added 10 more on the way to winning a Stanley Cup with the Panthers. Florida had until midnight Sunday night to exclusively negotiate an extension, and they were able to beat the buzzer.
Reinhart and the Cats came to terms on an eight-year, $69 million extension, according to multiple reports. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press was one of the first with the details.
8 a.m.: Not entirely sure how this is possible so early in the day, but it appears Tyler Bertuzzi already has a new home. His stay in Toronto was a quick one-year detour, as he reportedly has a long-term contract in hand with the Chicago Blackhawks, according to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.
7:30 a.m. ET: Monday is a huge day in the NHL, as it’s not just Canada Day, but it’s also the start of the league year and open of free agency.
The market opens Monday at noon ET, as unrestricted free agents officially will be able to pick their new home.
It’s a top-heavy market for teams hoping to add offense up front with a handful of star centers and wingers available. The biggest name is probably future Hall of Fame center Steven Stamkos, who might be on his way out of Tampa Bay after 16 legendary seasons. Also on that list of stars is Jake Guentzel, who could shake loose after the aforementioned Lightning acquired his rights this past weekend, and former Conn Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault, who is coming off a well-time career-high 42 goals. Teams looking for a two-way forward could instead opt for Elias Lindholm, who is expected to receive a big deal of his own.
Locally, the Bruins have a few UFAs of their own, including winger Jake DeBrusk. Bruins general manager Don Sweeney admitted at the NHL draft that DeBrusk will test the market. The same is also likely for hometown boy Matt Grzelcyk.
We’ll be following all the latest news, rumors and analysis all day, so keep it right here to stay in the loop.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
