Which Big Spenders Improved the Most at the Start of 2013 NHL Free Agency?

In terms of cumulative cap hit, a dozen NHL teams have spent at least $5 million on new personnel through the first two-plus days of free agency (complete list of signings here via NHL.com).

While the big spending has been relatively even between next year’s Eastern and Western Conference tenants, the bigger splashes for the better are occurring out west. That is where multiple franchises, each of them long itching to take a stride forward, have all made multiple moves to upgrade the areas that need it most.

Leaving out all re-signings between a player and his most recent team as well as all trades, here are the three most improved NHL teams after the opening weekend of the 2013 free-agency spree.

Unless otherwise indicated, all statistics and salary information for this report were found via CapGeek.com.

Edmonton Oilers

Rather than stand pat and wait for their team to mature, the Edmonton Oilers actively matured themselves through some of their early free-agent signings. Those same acquisitions have given them at least some of the defensive proficiency they will need to complement their offense-heavy youth movement if the team is to progress sooner rather than later.

As the roster reads right now, defenseman Andrew Ference joins heart-and-soul forward Ryan Smyth as the Oilers’ only other skater older than 30. Center Boyd Gordon is now one of three forwards and five total skaters who are either 29 or 30 years of age.

The Hockey News sums up Gordon as a “versatile defensive forward” and a “solid face-off man.” Ference is coming off a six-year stint in Boston, in which time the Bruins went from perennial playoff no-shows to two-time playoff finalists, and he at times served as an alternate captain.

For the leadership and polish they promise to bring to the team’s own zone, Ference and Gordon will cost Edmonton a well-spent aggregate cap hit of $6.25 million.

The Oilers spent another $1 million on goaltender Jason LaBarbera, who figures to succeed Nikolai Khabibulin in the role of Devan Dubnyk’s backup. At age 33, LaBarbera should have a little more to bring when needed than the fading, 40-year-old Khabibulin.

Nashville Predators

A lack of an ultra-radiant first-line scorer need not trip up the Nashville Predators, provided all four lines are generating chances consistently and combining for a balanced collective output.

With a combined cap hit of $10.85 million for next season, four new free-agent pick-ups have the means to ensure that. Two of those four acquisitions, Matt Cullen and Viktor Stalberg, bring some enticing common threads in that they have each won a Stanley Cup and have renown for their speed and versatility.

In addition, Cullen can join alternate captains Mike Fisher and David Legwand in lending the Preds another layer of exemplary veteran presence. That, in turn, should aid in the development of rising rookies Filip Forsberg and Austin Watson.

Joining Cullen and Stalberg―who are, at worst, third-line caliber forwards―are Eric Nystrom and Matt Hendricks, both of whom are capable of sparking the fourth line.

Naturally, consistent health and/or an improved start-to-finish performance for the likes of Patric Hornqvist, Craig Smith and Colin Wilson are all a must for Nashville. A full-length, 82-game translation of Fisher and Legwand’s 2012-13 run is desirable as well.

But in terms of transactions, the front office has done exactly what it needs to ensure the Predators have the requisite offensive depth to return promptly to playoff contention after last year's setback.

St. Louis Blues

As their depth chart from The Hockey News reads in the wake of their weekend acquisitions, the St. Louis Blues have these five centers in descending order: David Backes, Patrik Berglund, Derek Roy, Maxim Lapierre and Keith Aucoin.

Through seven and five years on the team, respectively, Backes and Berglund have long established themselves as an appreciable top-six tandem at the pivot position. Now, for a combined cap hit of $5.275 million in 2013-14, the Blues have added suitable depth centers to complement that tandem.

After an injury-shortened 2010-11 campaign and a down year in the production department in 2011-12, Roy bounced back last season with Dallas and Vancouver. He should, at the very least, be a slightly above-average third-line center who will help the Blues come in more formidable, productive droves.

Over his two start-to-finish seasons with Vancouver, fellow ex-Canuck Lapierre posted numbers (9-10-19 in 2011-12 and 4-6-10 in 48 games this past season) that speak to irreproachable fourth-line productivity.

But in the event of a tangible or intangible slump for Lapierre, the veteran Aucoin ought to be hungry to step in and take a test himself. The 34-year-old has recently seized his moments with the Capitals and Islanders en route to regular roles in their 2012 and 2013 playoff runs.