Wheeler has shown a talent for scoring goals. (AP Photo)
We're in the midst of arbitration season right now. Some teams are taking players to arbitration, while others are signing players to deals in order to avoid it. Here are some of the recent moves.
An arbitrator awarded Blake Wheeler a $2.2 million deal, and the Bruins were more than happy to accept. In his rookie season, Wheeler scored 21 goals and 45 points while posting a staggering plus-36 rating. However, last season there was a bit of a regress, as he only managed 18 goals and 38 points with a minus-4 rating. Still, that's a decent season and so far Wheeler has had a promising start to his NHL career and he isn't quite 24 yet. It's no surprise that the Bruins were willing to accept this deal, and Wheeler could easily be in line for another 20 goal season.
Meanwhile, the Flames decided to avoid arbitration with Ian White, signing him to a deal. White is a good defenseman with offensive skills, as he scored 13 goals and 38 points last season. Some have questioned Calgary's offseason, but this is a smart move. Now, they just need to hope that Jay Bouwmeester earns his contract on that blueline.
The Sharks decided to commit to defenseman Jason Demers after a promising rookie campaign, giving him a two year deal. He had four goals and 17 assists last season, which for a rookie defenseman is a pretty solid total. With Rob Blake retiring, San Jose will need Demers to take a step forward this season.
Andrew Ladd was traded to Atlanta as part of Chicago's cost cutting measures, and he and the Thrashers have also sidestepped arbitration with a $2.35 million deal. Ladd is a good player who scored 49 points two years ago and 38 last year. He's not going to replace Ilya Kovalchuk or anything, but he will definitely help Atlanta's offense. Of course, there big problem has been defense and goaltending, but they've made an effort to fix that this offseason as well.
Lastly, in injury news, Matt Greene will miss three months for the Los Angeles Kings due to shoulder surgery. Greene doesn't score a lot of points (only nine last season) but he is a good defensive defenseman who blocked 126 shots last season and tallied 238 hits. Obviously, since it is late July he has some time before the season begins, but clearly he isn't going to be ready for the start of the season unless he heals surprisingly fast. Sure, the Kings have Drew Doughty, but he can't do everything on defense... or can he?
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