Back from the long weekend

I am going to have some quick hits from the first few days of Free Agency:

- I like the Montador signing for the Sabres. They needed more grit and "compete" and while Montador isn't the biggest and baddest guy out there, he is an Adam Mair-like blue collar guy that gives you everything he has. Add in the reasonable contract and I am happy with the deal.

- The Rangers find a taker for one bad deal (Gomez) and they hand out another (Gaborik). Do they have to have a few bad contracts at any given time?

- IF the Sabres get Biron, who can Darcy dump Lalime on?

- This makes the Mike Zigomanis fax machine blunder look like nothing. I'd love to see Barker and Versteeg in Buffalo, but I doubt it happens if they hit the market.

- I don't know what was more interesting, Pronger to Philly, Ryan Smyth to LA, or Hossa to Chicago. I have a feeling that the Hossa deal means that Campbell and Huet might be getting move out of the Windy City in the next 15 months.....

- THN's Sam McCraig has his best deals of FA so far. I like Craig Anderson in goal, but I'd go with Adrian Aucoin and Kent Huskins on defense, and Ian Laperriere, Chad LaRose, and Mike Knuble up front. You can get those six guys for less than the Sedin twins will make this year in Vancouver.

- I'm laughing at the Alexei Kovalev to the Sabres rumor, but am intrigued by the Derek Morris to the Sabres talk. The Sabres have had an interest in Morris over the years and would add another RH shot to the blueline.

- I love how NHL GMs almost never learn from past mistakes. I know Brian Gionta is a local guy and he had some good chemistry with Scott Gomez, but $5 million per year for a guy with declining numbers and had 20 goals and 60 points last year?