by Aaron Portzline, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH , The Columbus Dispatch

Now that the 2008-09 season has reached the quarter pole, the past summer of NHL free agency is coming into focus -- who wasted money, who spent wisely and who found bargains. (Note: Players who re-signed with their clubs aren't part of this evaluation.)

First, the busts.

1. Wade Redden, D, New York Rangers (six years, $39 million) -- The NHL's highest-paid defenseman (he makes more than Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom) and fourth-highest-paid player overall this season. Ouch.

2. Brian Rolston, RW,

New Jersey (four years,

$20.25 million) -- Few thought it was wise to throw so much term or cash at a 35-year-old. He has played just four games because of an ankle sprain.

3. Sean Avery, C, Dallas (four years, $15.5 million) -- It was hoped that his arrival would wake up a moribund dressing room; instead, he has helped spoil a pretty good scene.

4. Cristobal Huet, G, Chicago (four years, $22.4 million) -- Nikolai Khabibulin has gone from the odd man out to the No. 1 goaltender. Huet is an expensive backup.

Honorable mention: Radim Vrbata, RW, Tampa Bay; Ryan Malone, LW, Tampa Bay; Michael Ryder, RW, Boston; Jeff Finger, D, Toronto; Ruslan Fedotenko, LW, Pittsburgh; Brendan Morrison, C, Anaheim.

Now to the solid signings.

1. Niklas Hagman, RW, Toronto (four years, $12 million) -- Under the radar in Dallas, but he has been one of the Maple Leafs' most solid, energetic players.

2. Andrew Brunette, LW, Minnesota (three years,

$7 million) -- Brunette has helped the Wild stay afloat without injured Marian Gaborik.

3. Marian Hossa, RW, Detroit (1 year, $7.4 million) -- The Wings took a one-year plunge on the top available free agent, and he leads the club in almost every offensive category. The rich get richer.

4. Brian Campbell, D, Chicago (eight years, $56.8 million) -- Man, that's a lot of years and cash. But the marquee player on the market last summer has made an already dangerous blue line even better. He's delivering.

Honorable mention: Mike Commodore, D, Blue Jackets; Mark Streit, D, New York Islanders; Kristian Huselius, LW, Blue Jackets; Ron Hainsey, D, Atlanta; Rob Blake, D, San Jose; Markus Naslund, LW, New York Rangers; Miroslav Satan, RW, Pittsburgh.

And now the rarest of all gems ... free-agency bargains.

1. Pavol Demitra, RW, Vancouver (two years, $8 million) -- Finally, a winger for the Sedin twins. Demitra has looked rejuvenated in a more open offensive system.

2. Teemu Selanne, RW, Anaheim (two years,

$5.25 million) -- Looks young again, leading the NHL in power-play goals (12).

3. Alex Auld, G, Ottawa (two years, $2 million) -- After a terrible stint in Florida, he has been one of the best stoppers in the NHL, with a .926 save percentage.

\ Kardiac Penguins

Remarkable stat from the early part of the season: Pittsburgh is 7-4-0 when trailing heading into the third period.

Like ninth-inning rallies in baseball, third-period comebacks don't happen very often in Hockey . To put it in perspective, the 2007-08 Red Wings -- the best team in Hockey -- won only six times when they trailed entering the third.

"We have the two best players in the world," said Max Talbot, referring to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. "Our goalies have played great, and we never quit.

"Teams are coming at us with their best shot because we went to the Cup final. We keep battling, and when we keep it close we have those two guys to get us over the hump."

Case in point: Wednesday. Trailing 3-1 against the Islanders after two periods, Crosby scored a goal, Malkin followed with a natural hat trick and the Pens took a 5-3 win.

\ Sunday slap shots

Former Blue Jackets captain Luke Richardson has called it quits after a 21-year NHL career. Richardson dressed for only two games with Ottawa this season and cleared waivers last week. He will assume a player-development role with the Senators for the remainder of the season. ... Tampa Bay rookie Steven Stamkos had his first NHL fight on Wednesday, taking on none other than former Blue Jacket Nikolai Zherdev, now with the Rangers. It was the first fight of Zherdev's career, too. Judges called it a draw. ... The Blue Jackets are the only club in the NHL that hasn't won a game after allowing the first goal. ... Buffalo has been shopping winger Maxim Afinogenov and his

$3.5 million contract, but there are no takers. He has no points and a minus-9 rating in his past six games. His solution? "Extra minutes would help," he said. He was serious, too.

aportzline@dispatch.com

Box Story: ONE-TIMERS

First star

The Maple Leafs continue to purge their past. On Monday, Toronto traded two failed first-round picks in center Alex Steen (2002) and defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo (2001) to St. Louis for solid second-liner Lee Stempniak.

\ Penalty box

The Wild will have to carry on without right winger Marian Gaborik for at least a few more weeks. He's not even skating now, as he waits for his trick groin to heal. After missing 18 of the first 20 games, folks in St. Paul have dubbed him Marian Groin-orik. \

Rumor mill

With Brenden Morrow (knee) out for the season, the Stars are trying to coax Brendan Shanahan into a free-agent deal. But he doesn't seem interested in playing in Dallas. ... It seems unthinkable, but there's growing heat on coach Craig MacTavish in Edmonton.

\ Quote of the week

"We do not agree with (the suspension). We think the sentence was excessive, but we will live with it. Every good army needs a couple of criminals." Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi after Kings forward John Zeiler was suspended three games for a hit from behind on Colorado's Adam Foote.

-- Aaron Portzline

aportzline@dispatch.com

Copyright 2008 The Columbus Dispatch All Rights Reserved
	Terms & Conditions     Privacy Copyright © 2009 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.