NHL free agency recap: A team-by-team look at a $1 billion offseason

NHL free agency produced a flurry of activity, with 186 new contracts signed since the market opened at noon ET on Wednesday, totaling roughly $1 billion in value. One notable transaction saw the Carolina Hurricanes trade for defenceman John Carlson's rights in hopes of signing him, but Carlson ultimately chose to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning instead. This spending spree came despite what analysts described as one of the weakest free agent classes in the salary cap era.