NHL Free Agency News: Updates on Svatos, Kennedy, more

*One of the more intriguing wingers left on the free agent market is 28 year old forward Marek Svatos, formerly of the Colorado Avalanche.

The 5-10, 185-pound right winger scored 32 goals in 2005-2006 and added 26 goals in 2007-2008.

Svatos though has regressed tremendously in the past two years at both ends of the ice after suffering a torn ACL in 2008.

Svatos scored just 7 goals and 11 points last season, playing a fourth line role late in the season. He was also a minus-13 in 09-10 and has a combined minus-20 plus/minus rating since the 2008-2009 season.

With free agency now into day 35, Svatos is finding it extremely to difficult to land a one-way contract.

"Nothing firm yet, " Rich Evans the agent for Svatos told Inside Pittsburgh Sports this afternoon when asked if Svatos was mulling any one-way offers.

Like many European players, Svatos has drawn legitimate interest from the KHL but for the time being, is looking to stay in the NHL.

Finding the right situation and fit is pivotal to Svatos as he looks to resurrect his NHL career. As training camps near, Svatos could emerge as an intriguing player for a team looking to add a winger at a low price who has goal scoring ability.

Some inside the industry see the Pittsburgh Penguins as a perfect fit. Those inside the organization ruled out any chance of the Penguins offering a Svatos a one-way contract but a team source says Svatos name has come up in scouting meetings this summer.

The Penguins showing a willingness to offer a two-way contract or training camp invite can't be ruled out but nothing is imminent at this time nor have they expressed interest yet.

*The Blackhawks continued their cap-mandated dis assembly this week, letting go of playoff goaltender Antti Niemi and bringing in veteran Marty Turco. Niemi’s 2.75m arbitration settlement made things tough for the Blackhawks, who had let go of their cup-winning netminder to bring in Turco at 1.3m for one year. Turco is a lifetime 2.31/.911 goaltender with a 262-154-26 lifetime record. The stick in Chicago’s gears remains backup goaltender Cristobal Huet and his 5.625m cap hit.

Huet will be demoted to the AHL or loaned to a European team in the coming weeks.

In other news, the Blackhawks today announced that the team has signed forwards Evan Brophey, Nathan Davis and Hugh Jessiman, defenceman Jassen Cullimore, and goaltender Hannu Toivonen.

*Future hall of famer Mike Modano signed with hometown Detroit yesterday. Modano signed a one year deal and will center Detroit’s third line.

*Second overall pick Tyler Seguin signed a three-year entry level deal with the Boston Bruins that is in the ballpark of first-overall Taylor Hall’s deal (900,000 annually, incentives up to 3.75m total). Seguin is the product of the Phil Kessel-to-Toronto deal.

*24 year old forward Tim Kennedy has drawn immediate interest league wide since being waived outright by the Buffalo Sabres and is likely to sign by next week.