NHL free-agent free-for-all continues

A day after a free-agent feeding frenzy, NHL teams lined up to spend more money Wednesday

The Nashville Predators signed veteran centre Olli Jokinen in their latest attempt to boost an offence that has lacked punch in recent seasons.

Jokinen, 35, had 18 goals and 25 assists in 82 games this season for the Winnipeg Jets. He signed a oneyear deal worth $2.5 million.

“Olli Jokinen is a proven veteran centre who will provide us with size, leadership and offensive ability in the tough Central Division and Western Conference,” Predators general manager David Poile said Wednesday.

The Predators ranked 19th in the league with 2.61 goals per game last season and missed the playoffs for a second straight year. After the season, the Predators fired Barry Trotz — the only coach in franchise history — and replaced him with Peter Laviolette.

The Predators acquired forward James Neal in a Friday trade that sent forwards Patric Hornqvist and Nick Spaling to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Neal had 27 goals and 34 assists in 59 games this season, which marked the sixth straight year he scored at least 20 goals.

Now they’ve added a veteran presence in Jokinen, who has 317 goals and 423 assists in 1,169 career regular-season games that have taken him all over the NHL.

The Pittsburgh Penguins added some grit to their forward lines on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with veteran Steve Downie. The deal is reported to be worth $1 million for one season. Downie played in 62 games last season with Colorado and Philadelphia, totalling four goals and 24 points with 106 penalty minutes.

The New York Islanders made a big splash on the second day of free agency, signing centre Mikhail Grabovski and former Toronto Maple Leafs teammate Nikolai Kulemin.

Grabovski received a $20-million, four-year contract, while Kulemin got $16.75 million over four years.

Grabovski, who most recently played for the Washington Capitals after being bought out by the Leafs, could slot in as New York’s secondline centre behind John Tavares.

Kulemin leaves the Leafs after recording 84 goals and 111 assists in 424 games over six seasons.

The San Jose Sharks have signed free-agent forward John Scott to a one-year, $700,000 contract.

The addition of Scott on Wednesday gives the Sharks another enforcer after re-signing Mike Brown to a $2.4-million, two-year contract last month.