The NHL free agent pool grew by two over the weekend, as the Anaheim Ducks announced forwards Jason Blake and Niklas Hagman won’t return to the team next season.
Nothing new at all but Ducks GM Bob Murray confirmed to season-ticket holders today that wingers Jason Blake and Niklas Hagman won’t return.
— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) June 9, 2012
Blake spent two and a half underwhelming seasons in Anaheim after being shipped out of Toronto in January 2010, along with Vesa Toskala, for goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere.
In 45 games with the Ducks last season, the 38-year-old winger scored seven goals and 12 points while missing three months after lacerating a tendon in his arm in October. Blake is in line for a significant pay cut from his five-year, $20 million deal ($4 million cap hit) he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2007-08.
Hagman, who was moved out of Toronto the same day as Blake in a different deal with Calgary for defenceman Dion Phaneuf, spent 63 games with the Ducks in 2011-12 after being claimed off re-entry waivers from the Flames in November. The 32-year-old scored nine goals and 23 points between the Flames and Ducks last season while making $3 million.
