So the dust has settled a little bit and we are six days into the 2012 nhl free agent market.  Last week we posted about which NHL team we thought would make the biggest splash with free agency.  Low and behold the team we had at number four on our list, the Minnesota Wild, have actually made the biggest splash in the 2012 NHL free agent market.  Having signed both forward Zach Parise and Dman Ryan Suter to 13 year – $98 million dollar deals no question that the Wild are looking to change their DNA overnight.  These signings just might do that.  For years the Minnesota Wild have been a defense first team, a somewhat boring and frustrating team to watch.  I am actually quite surprised that Dany Heatley accepted a trade there and not to Edmonton.  Regardless the Wild are definitely changing how the west might be won.

After the first week of free agency, let’s take a look at who has made the biggest splash.  Let’s start of by reviewing the five teams that we thought would make some free agency noise.

1. Philadelphia Flyers
2. Edmonton Oilers
3. Detroit Red Wings
4. Minnesota Wild
5. Toronto Maple Leafs

Nearly one week later, here is a look at the teams that have really bolstered their lineups for the upcoming season with free agent signings.

Top 5 NHL Free Agent Movers & Shakers 2012

1. Minnesota Wild – the Northwest division just got a little more exciting with signings by the Wild which include:  Parise, Suter, Zenon Kenopka, Torrey Mitchell, and Justin Falk.
2. Florida Panthers – having signed Filip Kuba, George Parros (2 year deal), Dov Grumet-Morris, Scott Clemmensen and Jean-Francois Jacques.
3. Edmonton Oilers – landed probably the number three prized possession (we will need to see how this pans out) in free agent defenseman Justin Schultz.  The Oilers also re-signed Ryan Smyth, Darcy Hordichuk, Devan Dubnyk, Jeff Petry and Dane Byers.  Who in the heck is Dane Byers?
4. Detroit Red Wings – while missing out on some of the bigger names, the Wings replenished some of their positions by signing: Jonas Gustavsson Signed to a two-year contract, Mikael Samuelsson Signed to a two-year contract, Jordin Tootoo Signed to a three-year contract, Damien Brunner and Marek Tvrdon.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning – a couple of nice signing by the Lightning in Sami Salo, Matt Carle, Matt Taormina and Benoit Pouliot.

There are still some signings to happen, but we weren’t that far off in our predictions on which teams were going to make the biggest splash in the NHL free agent market this summer.