NHL Free Agents 2012: Recapping the Best Signings of Free Agency's First Day

NHL free agency started on Sunday, and there were several teams, such as the Colorado Avalanche, that wasted no time in pursuing players to improve their roster for the 2012-13 season.

Since there aren't many legitimate stars to sign this summer, teams will have to work quickly in order to secure their top targets.

Let's look at the three best signings of free agency's first day.

Dallas Stars: Ray Whitney

The Stars made a great signing on Sunday by adding former Phoenix Coyotes forward Ray Whitney to an already impressive group of forwards in Dallas.

Whitney signed for two years at $4.5 million per season. He scored 77 points last year with 24 goals and 53 assists, and there's no reason to think he cannot reach 70-plus points again on a Stars team with more offensive talent than the Coyotes.

Whitney's ability to improve his points total by 20 from 2010-11 to last year was remarkable. He will bring consistent offensive production and championship experience to a Stars roster that needs another veteran leader.

Colorado Avalanche: P.A. Parenteau

The Avalanche continued to add quality young forwards to their roster with the signing of former New York Islanders winger P.A. Parenteau to a four-year, $16 million contract.

Parenteau scored 53 points two years ago and 67 this past season. He's a quality passer but can score 20-plus goals in a season as well. His ability to play on either the left or right wing will give the Avalanche more versatility in their lineup too.

He's not going to be a superstar talent for the Avalanche, but they didn't have to commit a ton of money or years to sign him.

Parenteau's speed and offensive ability will work well with the other Avalanche forwards, most notably young center Matt Duchene, who could form a very productive duo with the right winger.

Montreal Canadiens: Brandon Prust

The Montreal Canadiens needed to add size and toughness to their roster in free agency and accomplished that in a major way by signing veteran winger Brandon Prust to a four-year, $10 million contract.

Prust is one of the better fourth-line players in hockey, and in addition to bringing size and strength to a forward group in Montreal that desperately needed some truculence, he will be a force on the penalty kill.

He will certainly be someone who takes the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry up another level after it wasn't too exciting last year.

The Canadiens may have overpaid to sign Prust, but they identified a weakness on their team and went out and aggressively pursued a player to address it. That's the way to approach free agency.

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