Fringe Signings (July 9)

The Columbus Blue Jackets signed their last key restricted free agent on Thursday, inking forward Matt Calvert to a new 3-year deal, reportedly worth $6.6 million.  Calvert had a rough 2015, which included a wrist injury and a concussion and reduced his playing time to only 56 regular season games, where he had 13 goals and 23 points on the year.  His scoring rate wasn't too bad, if he had played the entire year, he would have been a pool worthy forward.  The concussion problem does raise a flag, but if he was to play a whole year, he might be a good sleeper pick in 2016.

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed defenseman Brian Dumoulin to a new 2-year, $1.6 million deal on Thursday, which is supposed to be a one-way deal for both years, suggesting that the team has grand plans to have him in the lineup for the 2016 season.  The Penguins have their fair share of cap concerns and given that Dumoulin is now on a sub-million dollar deal, his salary would make for a nice fit on the blueline, even if he works out to only being the seventh defenseman.

There is some indication that he is on the right track for a regular job on the team, so he will be a name to watch through training camp, as we make our way to draft day.

It sounds like 23-year old defender Martin Marincin may get every opportunity to be a regular for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2016 season, as he signed a 1-year, one-way deal, reportedly worth $700,000 on Thursday. The Leafs are nowhere near as cap-strapped as the Penguins, but this will fit really well into the team's rebuild.  Marincin was acquired by the Leafs in the deal that sent prospects and picks to the Oilers in a deal at the Entry Draft.

The Leafs blueline is already filling out, but the sixth job could very well between Marincin and free agent signing Matt Hunwick, when it's all said and done.  Hard to think either will be pool worthy, but Marincin is fringe worthy, if he gets his shot.