Free-agent frenzy (or goofiness?)

Well . . . it's past midnight here in the Pacific time zone and one can only assume that the NHL's GMs have put away their phones for the night.
Amazing. Simply amazing. Isn't this the league that was crying wolf not all that long ago? Didn't have enough money to afford to pay players to play against the Little Sisters of the Poor. So we'll shut down and not play until the players learn that we don't have the money to pay them those big ugly salaries.
Well . . . I have been able to find salary figures for 23 of the unrestricted free agents who signed Sunday and the total is $339.725 million . . . In American dollars, of course. . . . It works out to 81 years for $339.725 million, or an average of $4.1 million a season.
This doesn't include Michael Nylander, who appears to have signed with the Oilers; Radek Dvorak (two years, Florida); Petr Sykora (two years, Pittsburgh); Shawn Thornton (Boston); or, Dick Tarnstrom (one year, Edmonton).
Nor does it include the contract extension given to Joe Thornton (three years, $21.6 million) by San Jose, or the extension that is in the works for Jarome Iginla. Various outlets have reported that it's close and that it will be worth at least $7 million a season.
I don't know about you, but I'm thinking those owners sure taught the players a lesson with that lockout.
And what do you do if you're a fan of the Edmonton Oilers? You just knew that the Oilers were going to re-sign Ryan Smyth, didn't you? Whoops! He's off to Colorado for $31.25 million over five years. Which means more games against the Oilers than when he was with the Islanders.
Not only that . . . but you lost Jason Smith, a heart-and-soul guy, and Joffrey Lupul, whom the Oilers absolutely had to get back from Anaheim in the Pronger deal. And you got back Joni Pitkanen and Geoff Sanderson. Oh, and Dickie Tarnstrom came back after a year in the Swiss league. And, yes, you signed Michael Nylander.
If you're an Oilers fan, please don't go near any bridges. At least not until you see what else GM Kevin Lowe has up his sleeve.
On second thought . . .
Geez, Louise, it wasn't that long when Daniel Briere was bouncing around like a used basketball. From Springfield to Phoenix to Springfield to Las Vegas (yikes! Las Vegas) to Springfield to Phoenix . . . And now, with his 30th birthday on the horizon, he's worth $52 million over eight years?
I don't know. I'm confused. And I'm going to bed. Maybe the fog will lift by morning. Then again, maybe not. After all, Sheldon Souray still is available.