Since July 1, every day for me has started out the same.

I wake up, I log on to NHL.com.

Then TSN.ca.

Then Sportsnet.ca.

Then Hockeybuzz.com.

This continues throughout the day whenever I get the opportunity.

In today's NHL, with salary cap constraints and perhaps the most parity the league has ever seen, the transactions in the NHL are both abundant and significant.

Of course, with the same teams in the Stanley Cup Finals in consecutive seasons, some might say this parity concept is a myth, but looking at the difference in the rest of the teams that graduated to postseason action between the two seasons supports the argument fully.

That said, let's take a look at which teams have taken the best advantage of the free agency period, and which teams are still left wanting.

Jackpot

Chicago Blackhawks

The 'Golden Goose' this year was Marian Hossa, and as Dale Tallon did last year for D-Man Brian Campbell, he made it rain on the Hos. Wow that was lame but I couldn't resist.

Chicago signed Hossa to a DiPietro-like 12-year deal worth just over $59 million. The reason for these long-term contracts is not just to keep the player in the desired uniform for a lengthy duration; it's to lower the yearly salary cap hit. Hossa's comes in at $5.233 million annually, which many would consider a bargain.

The other two highly sought after free agent wingers this season might be more flashy, but they can't touch Hossa's durability, which also helps explain the decade-plus deal length.

In his 10 year career, Hossa has played 80 games or more six times, and the other four played at least 70.

Marty Havlat, one of the two other free agents and the man Hossa is replacing, hit the 80-game mark for the first time in his seven year NHL career last season.

Marian Gaborik, Hossa's Slovakian International teammate, has also only hit the 80-game plateau once in his eight year NHL career, and last year was his worst showing yet with only 17 appearances.

The Hawks also nabbed another Red Wing in Tomas Kopecky, a grinder who has played a significant role with the trophy rich Detroit.

Chicago also took care of some in-house duties by resigning the second wave of the youth movement in Cam Barker and Kris Versteeg to three-year deals. Both of these players would have been hot commodities on the free agent market, but thankfully for the Hawks, it did not come to that.

Runner-Up

Toronto Maple Leafs

You've gotta give it to him. Brian Burke does what he says he will do.

Brian Burke has started the rebuilding process in Toronto with a fury. As he did in Anaheim, he is strengthening his team from the back out.

Burke locked up coveted defenseman free agent Mike Komisarek from the neighboring province, and then lured former Duck Francios Beauchemin.

Add young Luke Schenn and 29-year-old Jeff Finger to this equation and the Leafs are finally starting to look like they can play some defense.

Burke also stuck to his tough strategy and signed brawler Colton Orr to a four-year deal.

The Leafs somehow managed to lure the Monster, Jonas Gustavsson, from Sweden as a legitimate backup, and perhaps more as he develops, to Vesa Toskala.

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