Brad Treliving kept hearing the message from agents he talked to at the start of NHL free agency.
“The cap’s going up,” the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager said. “They reminded me the cap was going up.”
The salary cap went up significantly for the first time in several years to $88 million per team, a result of record revenues that sparked a historic day of spending. The biggest winners this year are the players who got to the open market as teams committed over $1 billion in salaries.
Jake Guentzel got the most money of anyone who switched teams: $63 million over seven years from Tampa Bay, which acquired his rights from Carolina to get a head start on signing a top target. But the Lightning cannot be called true winners after letting longtime captain Steven Stamkos walk away to sign a $32 million contract with Nashville days after trading fellow two-time Stanley Cup champion Mikhail Sergachev to Utah.
Stamkos' departure after 16 seasons as the face of a franchise was the most bittersweet element Monday.
“The toughest part is trying to hang on to something that, maybe, isn’t trying to hang on to you,” Stamkos said.
SMASHVILLE: The Predators got better by signing Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, dependable defenseman Brady Skjei and backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood. They also extended franchise goalie Juuse Saros long term as part of what GM Barry Trotz called a “very good day” for the organization he once coached and has returned to try to deliver a championship.
“When you start getting texts from your players saying, ‘I am excited,' I think that really says a lot,” Trotz said. “Players know players, and they know that what we’re trying to do is trying to win. I envision that someday we’re going to have a parade down our Broadway.”
EAST PLAYOFF RACE: The defending champion Florida Panthers will not have an easy path through the Eastern Conference next spring, with the Atlantic Division-rival Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins and Metropolitan's New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals among the teams that got better.
OILERS: After losing to Florida in Game 7 of the final and parting ways with seasoned executive Ken Holland, Edmonton has not missed a beat. The Oilers signed veteran forwards Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner, kept Final standout Mattias Janmark and gave forwards Corey Perry and Connor Brown one-year extensions among nearly a dozen moves.
HURRICANES: As much as newly promoted GM Eric Tulsky might suggest there’s plenty of time between now and the start of training camp to add to the roster, free agency looks like a setback for Carolina. Not even locking up shutdown defenseman Jaccob Slavin to an eight-year contract extension can offset the exodus of talent in Guentzel, Skjei, Brett Pesce and Teuvo Teravainen, with the questionable status still of unsigned restricted free agent Martin Necas.
The Hurricanes replaced what they lost with defenseman Sean Walker and forwards William Carrier, Tyson Jost and Eric Robinson, players who could be useful but don't exactly move the needle for a Stanley Cup contender.
SABRES: GM Kevyn Adams is still having a tough time attracting established talent to Buffalo. After striking out on the trade market at the NHL draft last weekend, Adams came away with signing depth forwards Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Jason Zucker, Sam Lafferty and defensemen Jacob Bryson and Dennis Gilbert, who enjoys a Buffalo homecoming.
Not a good look for a team in the midst of an NHL-worst 13-season playoff drought and one that bought out the remaining three years of Skinner’s contract.
RANGERS: Unable — or unwilling — to trade captain Jacob Trouba and clear cap space, New York turned to the trade market to get a forward, giving up two picks to acquire Reilly Smith from Pittsburgh. The Rangers are not offseason losers yet, but GM Chris Drury has more work to do after his team lost to Florida in the East final.
AP freelance writers Jim Diamond and Denis Gorman contributed.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
FILE - Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz speaks during a news conference at the NHL team's training facility May 7, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. The Predators have signed Steven Stamkos, 2023 playoff MVP Jonathan Marchessault, dependable defenseman Brady Skjei and backup goaltender Scott Wedgewood. They also extended franchise goalie Juuse Saros long term as part of what Trotz called a “very good day” for the organization he once coached from its inception and has returned to try to deliver a championship. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)
FILE - Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos (91) returns to the bench after scoring during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, April 6, 2024. The Nashville Predators made a big splash in the opening minutes of NHL free agency by signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Christian Walker hit a go-ahead homer in the fourth inning and a three-run blast in the ninth — his 16th and 17th career shots at Dodger Stadium — and the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame a rough start to rout Los Angeles 12-4 on Wednesday night.
Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. added two-run homers for Arizona, down 4-1 before Diamondbacks starter Cristian Mena retired a batter in his major league debut.
“A real gutsy performance,” Walker said.
The D-backs were coming off a walkoff loss in the series opener Tuesday.
“This team did not get fazed,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We started chipping away.”
Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández hit back-to-back homers in the first for the NL West-leading Dodgers. After four of their first five batters had hits, they had only two more the rest of the game. Arizona pounded out 16 hits.
Walker went 4 for 5, falling a triple shy of the cycle, with four RBIs and three runs. With two out in the fourth, he sent a 3-2 pitch from Ryan Yarbrough (3-2) to left for a 5-4 lead. Walker hit his 20th homer of the season in the ninth, a two-out shot off Michael Petersen.
“It’s otherworldly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Walker. “He doesn’t give anything away. He’s one of the guys I really enjoy watching play.”
Walker has seven homers in eight games against the Dodgers this season, and his 17 career homers at Dodger Stadium since 2018 are the most among opposing players. He has homered in four straight games in Los Angeles.
“It's a good place to hit, see the ball well,” Walker said. “A big part of it is the lineup and the protection around me in the lineup, it gives me the freedom to take some big swings and try to change the score. It’s helpful coming up with guys on a lot.”
Bryce Jarvis (1-2) got the victory in relief.
Arizona got most of its offense from the bottom of the lineup. Eugenio Suárez, Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo combined for seven hits, including Moreno's homer in the third.
The Dodgers' only hits after the first were a double by Miguel Rojas in the sixth and Freeman's single in the eighth.
Mena allowed a single, walk, back-to-back homers and a single to the first five Dodgers. The 21-year-old right-hander struck out two and walked three in three innings.
“I still have to learn, but that's something important to me — just forget about what just happened and focus on the next inning,” Mena said.
Dodgers rookie Gavin Stone gave up four runs and seven hits in three innings, needing 49 pitches over the first two innings. He struck out three and walked three.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (shoulder) was set to throw a bullpen Thursday.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (6-4, 2.83 ERA) was scheduled to make his second start since coming off the IL in the series finale Thursday against Dodgers RHP Landon Knack (1-1, 2.08).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., left, heads to second after hitting a two-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Yohan Ramirez steps off the mound during the sixth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drops his bat as he heads to first for a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, left, looks back after being tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno as he tried to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, center, is congratulated by Will Smith, left, and Shohei Ohtani, right, after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, right, hits a solo home run as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena, left, and catcher Gabriel Moreno, second from left, watch along with home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Gavin Stone throws to the plate during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, right, attempts to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas before being tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno, left, is congratulated by Geraldo Perdomo, center, and Eugenio Suarez after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo dives for a ball hit for a single by Los Angeles Dodgers' Andy Pages during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, second from left, hits a three-run home run as Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Cristian Mena, left, and catcher Gabriel Moreno, right, watch along with home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, left, is congratulated by Shohei Ohtani after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman, right, is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno as he tried to score from third on the line out by Miguel Rojas during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Lourdes Gurriel Jr., left, and Christian Walker, right, celebrate as Jake McCarthy watches after Gurriel Jr. hit a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker, right, hits a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Michael Petersen, left, watches along with catcher Will Smith and home plate umpire Jordan Baker during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
