Big bucks are spent on top defensemen

Top-tier defensemen signed for top dollars Thursday in the first hours of NHL free agency, but goaltenders took a worse beating than the stock market.

Power-play quarterback Sergei Gonchar moved from Pittsburgh to Ottawa for a three-year, $16.5-million deal, but the Penguins recouped by signing Paul Martin for five years and $25 million and up-and-comer Zbynek Michalek for five years and $20 million. New Jersey, after losing Martin, signed Henrik Tallinder away from Buffalo for four years and $13.5 million and added rugged Anton Volchenkov for six years and $25.5 million.

Buffalo also lost steady Toni Lydman, unwilling to match the Ducks’ three-year, $9-million offer.

In another key move, standout Dan Hamhuis landed in Vancouver for $27 million over six years. The Canucks also added gritty center Manny Malhotra, lured away from San Jose for $7.5 million over three years.

As for goaltenders, the Sharks decided not to re-sign Evgeni Nabokov and replaced him with Antero Niittymaki for $4 million over two years. Montreal signed Alex Auld for one year and $1 million, Atlanta signed Chris Mason for two years and $3.4 million, the New York Rangers signed Martin Biron as a backup for two years and $1.75 million, New Jersey signed Johan Hedberg for one year and $1.5 million to back up Martin Brodeur and Tampa Bay signed Dan Ellis for two years and $3 million.

Phoenix, on a strict budget, signed left wing Ray Whitney for $6 million over two years and kept defenseman Derek Morris for $11 million over four years.

Aside from pricey left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, who is being pursued by the Kings, prominent players still available include Nabokov and fellow goalies Marty Turco and Jose Theodore, defenseman Pavel Kubina, center Matthew Lombardi and winger Alexander Frolov.

The Chicago Blackhawks, meanwhile, have lost about a third of their roster after losing free-agent forward Adam Burish to Dallas and trading winger Andrew Ladd to Atlanta for defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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