The Blackhawks, for the second straight year, made—at least arguably—the biggest impact at the start of the free agent signing period. They lured winger Marian Hossa away from the Detroit Red Wings with a 12-year $62.8 million contract—the biggest in franchise history.

A year earlier, the Hawks signed defenseman Brian Campbell (eight years for $56.8 million) and goaltender Cristobal Huet (four years at $22.5 million) when free agency opened.

Hossa will take the spot of Martin Havlat, who couldn't come to a contract agreement with general manager Dale Tallon and signed with the Minnesota Wild instead. Hossa has been more durable than Havlat; that was a big reason that Tallon went after him.]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:21:43 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,sportsxchange:20080101:nhl,article,teamreports-2009-nhl-chi:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13jb9jb2t/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Puck-Daddy-s-2009-Free-Agent-Frenzy-Report-Card?urn=nhl,174674 Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:11:06 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174674:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13jqvk35t/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Wings-exodus-continues-as-Samuelsson-leaves-for?urn=nhl,174635 The salary cap-induced exodus from the Detroit Red Wings continues, as winger Mikael Samuelsson leaves for a... Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:59:30 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174635:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13bfbdkeu/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/rumors/post/Madden-believes-Blackhawks-have-chance-to-win-Cu?urn=nhl,174584 Now a former New Jersey Devil, forward John Madden could have accepted longer and richer offers to play... Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:43:16 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_rumors-174584:1 The Chicago Blackhawks signed John Madden on Thursday, adding a veteran center who has spent his entire 10-year career with the New Jersey Devils. The 36-year-old Madden signed a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed. Madden helped the Devils make the playoffs the last nine seasons, including Stanley Cup titles in 2000 and 2003. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:55:39 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-blackhawks-madden:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13ij1ka6o/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Hossa-Aftermath-Smart-Hawks-and-how-Havlat-Kin?urn=nhl,174377 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:16:17 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174377:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13k2o0s5c/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Intriguing-omissions-on-Team-Canada-s-summer-cam?urn=nhl,174369 As this point, your heart just goes out to Steven Stamkos. The No. 1 overall pick in 2008 for the Tampa Bay... Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:55:27 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174369:1 Just when the slowing global economy figured to put a crimp in spending for NHL free agents, Marian Hossa hit the open market again. And instead of taking a discount on a one-year deal to take a shot at a Stanley Cup title, Hossa cashed in a megadeal with the up-and-coming Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:05:04 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,ap:20050301:nhl,article,ap-freeagent-rdp:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13imdpsan/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Bitter-split-Havlat-leaves-Chicago-for-Wild-pr?urn=nhl,174242 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:43:46 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174242:1 http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/nhl/SIG=13jtbrael/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Rangers-sign-Gaborik-to-five-year-blockbuster-D?urn=nhl,174209 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:19:51 PDT nhl urn:newsml:sports.yahoo,yhoo:20050301:nhl,article,yhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-174209:1 AP

The Chicago Blackhawks dipped deep into the NHL free-agent market by signing star forward Marian Hossa away from the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday with a 12-year, $62.8 million contract. Hossa, who surprisingly took a one-year deal with the defending champion Red Wings last summer, cashed in this time.