The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Elvis Merzlikins to a five-year deal worth $5.4 million per season.
Merzlikins, 27, was set to be a UFA after this season. He went 8-12-5 with a 2.77 GAA and a 0.916 SV% in 28 games with the Blue Jackets last season.
It remains to be seen how the Blue Jackets will approach the situation with Joonas Korpisalo, their other goalie who is also scheduled to be a UFA after the 2021-22 season.
The Islanders have signed defenseman Zdeno Chara to a one-year deal.
Chara, 44, played last season with the Capitals after a long stint with the Bruins.
Chara started his career with the Islanders before then-GM Mike Milbury traded him along with the second overall pick (Jason Spezza) to Ottawa for Alexei Yashin in 2001.
The Flames have signed center Brad Richardson to a one-year deal worth $800,000.
Richardson, 36, played in Nashville last season registering a goal and 3 assists in 17 games.
Joel Farabee and the Flyers have agreed on a six-year contract worth $5 million per season.
The deal buys the Flyers one of Farabee’s potential UFA seasons.
Farabee, 21, had 20 goals and 18 assists in 55 games for the Flyers last season.
The Blues have re-signed Colton Parayko to an eight-year extension worth $6.5 million per season.
Parayko, 28, has one season left on his current deal at a cap hit of $5.5 million. He had a rough, injury-filled season in 2020-21, but the Blues are banking on a bounceback.
Kevin Kurz of the Athletic reports that Tomas Hertl is disgruntled with how the Sharks failed to reign in Evander Kane’s behavior last season, and that he might prefer to play elsewhere if things don’t change.
Hertl, 27, has one year left on his contract at an AAV of $5.625 million, after which he can be a UFA.
Hertl has publicly expressed a desire to remain in San Jose.
Jack Eichel could have neck surgery soon, according to TSN’s Shawn Simpson.
He doesn’t clarify if he would be going through the fusion surgery, which the Sabres prefer, or the disc replacement surgery, as is Eichel’s preference.
Talks have quieted about any potential trade materializing.
Arthur Staple of the Athletic reports that Casey Cizikas’ deal with the Islanders is for six seasons at around $2.5 million per season.
Cizikas–along with Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac and Zach Parise–was believed to be informally signed by the Islanders, though terms had not been released.