2010 NHL free agency: Ducks sign defenseman Andy Sutton for two years

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Cooke (24) and Ottawa Senators’ Andy Sutton look for the puck in the goal crease during the first period of a first-round NHL playoff hockey game in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 14, 2010.(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

After the Anaheim Ducks traded James Wisniewski to the New York Islanders last week, a lot of questions were stirred up about the lack of physicality on the Ducks blue line for next year. Consider those questions answered today with the announcement from the Ducks that they’ve signed defenseman, and noted questioner of experts, Andy Sutton to a two-year contract. Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register chips in with the details.

Sutton’s total deal is worth $4.25 million. He will make $2 million this season and $2.25 million in 2011-12. The Ducks have confirmed the signing and their salary cap hit will be $2,125,000.

Obviously the monetary difference on Sutton’s deal and what they settled on with Wisniewski are kind of a big deal. Wisniewski signed for $3.25 million and Sutton will be making a million dollars more than that over two years rather than the one year Wisniewski signed for. Sutton provides a dose of physicality and better experience for a blue line corps that desperately needed it. Toni Lydman and Lubomir Visnovsky don’t exactly strike fear into opposing forwards from a physical standpoint. The snarl the Ducks lose in Wisniewski is reintroduced with Sutton and he’ll help protect everyone on the ice. Just don’t make the mistake of telling him something as if you’re expert.