An excerpt from Globesports.com (Tim Wharnsby):

The free-agent playing field has changed since the lockout. In that first year, there was plenty of action, but now, with the NHL is preparing for its fourth year since the entire 2004-05 season was wiped out, a trend has developed. Teams are locking up seven to nine core players to long-term contracts, and then fortifying the lineup with younger talent and one or two free agents. Gone are the days when a team adds more than a pair of high-priced free agents.