Well, you can never have enough NHL-ready defensemen (given inevitable injury), and it’s best if they don’t count much against your cap.  I look at both of these signings and say, “Martin Skoula” anyone?

Posted by docciavelli from Bethesda, MD on 07/05/11 at 08:52 PM ET

Well with Despres playing in WB/S these 2 D men signing perks up my interest, Why would be My big ? is a Lower D man going somewhere ?

Posted by Evilpens on 07/05/11 at 09:06 PM ET

These are the AHL/NHL they have signed so far on D:

Brooks Orpik   Kris Letang
Paul Martin                 Zbynek Michalek
Matt Niskanen   Deryk Engelland
Ben Lovejoy

Brian Strait                 Robert Bortuzzo
Simon Depres   Alexandre Picard  
Boris Valabik   Philip Samuelsson
Carl Sneep                 Alex Grant

Depth, depth, depth. The Penguins used I think 11 different defenseman last season, the Canucks used 14.

They have cap space and Niskanen showed positives in his game last season, he’s young. In the last 2 or 3 playoff games he stepped up on the powerplay and actually made things happen when he was used (of course this is relative to how bad the powerplay was).

Posted by NathanBC on 07/05/11 at 09:15 PM ET

is a Lower D man going somewhere ?

Niskanen may be avaiable now.

Posted by Lindas1st from New England on 07/06/11 at 12:06 AM ET

Nathan has it.  The player most affected by this probably isn’t Niskanen but Alex Grant instead.  If WBS signs even one defenseman to an AHL contract then it’s going to get very crowded which would most likely leave Grant in Wheeling for another year.

Posted by JBM on 07/06/11 at 04:05 AM ET