Todd Bertuzzi left Hockeytown and headed west to Tinseltown, agreeing to terms Monday night on a two-year, $8 million deal with the Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks.
He was the highest-profile player to switch teams Monday, which featured a lot of the activity for the second day of free agency, albeit lacking the big names.
Bertuzzi split an injury-plagued season with the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings, who acquired him at the trade deadline. Because of a herniated disc in his back, the right winger played only 15 regular-season games, recording three goals and eight assists. He saw more action in the postseason, playing 16 games and producing three goals and four assists.
The best remaining center came off the board earlier in the day when Michael Nylander left the New York Rangers – who stocked up on the position Sunday – and came to terms on a four-year, $19.5 million contract with the Washington Capitals.
If Nylander can set up Alexander Ovechkin the way he did former Rangers teammate Jaromir Jagr, the Capitals will be quite pleased. Playing on Jagr’s line last season with the Rangers, Nylander posted career highs of 26 goals and 83 points and turned that into a lucrative contract with the Capitals.
The Montreal Canadiens shook off the disappointment of not landing Daniel Briere or fellow forward Ryan Smyth on Sunday and reached deals with center Bryan Smolinski and former Calgary Flames defenseman Roman Hamrlik.
Smolinski, who split time with the Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks last season, agreed to a one-year contract worth $2 million. Hamrlik got a four-year, $22 million deal.
Trying to keep up with their successful neighbors in Anaheim, the Los Angeles Kings made a flurry of moves.
Los Angeles agreed to terms with center Michal Handzus on a four-year, $16 million contract; forward Ladislav Nagy on a one-year deal worth $3.75 million; defenseman Tom Preissing on a four-year, $11 million contract; and forward Kyle Calder on a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
“I think today we’re a better hockey team,” Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said. “We got some good hockey players.”
In other moves:
Owen Nolan left the Phoenix Coyotes for a one-year deal worth $1.75 million with the Flames.
The Pittsburgh Penguins added veteran help to their stable of young stars, signing forward Petr Sykora and defenseman Darryl Sydor to two-year, $5 million contracts.
Robert Lang agreed to a two-year contract worth $8 million with Chicago.
The Atlanta Thrashers signed former Avalanche defenseman Ken Klee to a two-year, $2.5 million deal.
Jed Ortmeyer, the only NHL player from Nebraska, left the Rangers for a two-year, $1.5 million deal with the Nashville Predators. But New York re-signed defenseman Jason Strudwick for next season at $500,000.
Bates Battaglia stayed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, signing a two-year contract for $1.3 million.
