You can't blame him too much for taking a deal that averages $3.4 million per year. I doubt that Shero was even able to come within a million per year of that number. This was his one shot at a big time payday for someone who was making $750,000 per year. I was hoping that his phone discussions with Ryan Malone regretting the decision to take the money in Tampa over staying in Pittsburgh for less might sway him in our direction, but the fact that he already has the ring now perhaps made it easier for him to go, with a lifetime of financial security for his family now in the bank.

With Scuderi and Gill gone, I'm hoping that we now turn our attention to the crop of free agent defensemen out there. I wonder what kind of money former Anaheim blueliner Francois Beauchemin is looking for?

[url]http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=433333[/url]

Kings add Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Scuderi
Thursday, 07.02.2009 / 4:34 PM / NHL.com

Rob Scuderi became the latest defenseman to take his Stanley Cup ring and move along to a new challenge, as the Los Angeles Kings agreed Thursday to a four-year contract with the 30-year-old veteran. The Kings did not release salary figures, but TSN reports the deal will be worth $13.6 million.

Scuderi has played 300 regular-season and 49 playoff games in his career, all with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He collected one goal and 15 assists in 81 regular-season games and one goal and four assists in 24 postseason games this past season as the Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games for their first Stanley Cup in 17 years.

"After I just won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins I was hoping to stay with Pittsburgh," Scuderi told the Kings' Web site. "But after taking a look at the Kings roster and some of the young talent they have, Los Angeles was one of my top choices. And I’m very confident in my choice that we can move ahead and become a better team."

The 30-year-old went through free agency for the first time.

"It was a little bit crazy," he said. "I’ve never been through it myself, so it was definitely an eye-opening experience. Offers come in and go and you think you may have one, but then it’s off the table.

"But I was impressed with the way L.A. handled it. They were interested from the start and stayed with it and I enjoyed them because they felt I would fit well into their system and what they’re trying to do., I'm happy with my decision.

Scuderi was the second Pittsburgh defenseman in two days to sign elsewhere. Hal Gill, a shutdown defender for the Penguins in the same mold as Scuderi, signed a two-year deal with Montreal on Wednesday, the first day of the free-agent signing period.