Nearly two weeks into the NHL’s UFA pool and the depth is getting shallower.

The biggest free agent signing of note over the past several days was that of former Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Williams, who after several days of speculation out of Ottawa had him signing with the Senators (“Done Deal” according to some internet sites) would up inking a one-year, $2.2 million contract with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Williams, 27, is coming off an injury-shortened season which saw him net 13 goals and 36 points in 43 games (four of those goals game-winners), leading the Blackhawks in power-play ice time until a sports hernia sidelined him for 35 games.

This is a good signing for a Thrashers team thin on offense heading into next season. He can play center or right wing and it’s possible he might be placed on the same line as star left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, especially on the powerplay.

In a move suggesting a trade is in the offing the Anaheim Ducks signed former Florida Panthers defenseman Steve Montador to a one-year, $800K contract.

Montador, 28, had a career year with the Panthers last season, with 23 points in 73 games and plus-minus of +1.

The Ducks are expected to dump some salary to free up valuable cap space before the start of next season with Mathieu Schneider and his $5.75 million contract for next season considered the likely candidate and Montador filling his spot on the Ducks blueline.

Tampa Bay Lightning ownership continue to load up at forward, re-signing veteran center Chris Gratton to  a one-year contract.

With seventeen forwards currently on the roster (including 2008 first overall pick Steve Stamkos) it believed the Bolts will soon shop one or two forwards for some much needed veteran depth on their blueline.

Frequently suggested trade candidates include Jussi Jokinen and Michel Ouellet.

The Toronto Maple Leafs addressed a need for more toughness, acquiring checker Ryan Hollweg from the NY Rangers for a fifth rounder in 2009.

Hollweg’s aggressive style should make him a good fit on the Leafs fourth line.

Chris Gratton is returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the third time in his career.

The Lightning acquired Gratton on Wednesday from the Florida Panthers in exchange for an optional second round pick in 2007 or 2008 (Florida’s choice).

TSN.ca reported Lightning GM Jay Feaster said he saw Gratton as “the ideal third-line center for our hockey club”, adding he’d pursued the big center for some time, even trying to land him at the trade deadline in February.

Gratton began his career with the Bolts, having been drafted third overall by them in 1993, and has bounced amongst the Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, back to the Lightning, to the Buffalo Sabres, Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers.

Gratton’s salary is an affordable $1.5 million, and as Feaster suggests he’ll be a good fit on the Lightning’s third line, but his salary nudges the Bolts payroll to almost $36 million, and the team still has 9 more players to sign to fill their roster for next season.

Ownership has suggested the Lightning’s payroll might be higher than last season’s $42.5 million, but even if it were to go up to $46 million, that might still be a bit of a cap crimp for the Bolts, and might fuel speculation that the Lightning aren’t done dealing this off-season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally got team captain Mats Sundin re-signed to a new contract, albeit one shorter than anticipated.

Sundin’s new deal is for one year at $5.5 million, with an “no-move” clause, meaning he cannot be traded, waived or demoted without his concurrence.

The one year deal was at Sundin’s insistence, giving him flexibility should he decide his skills are no longer up to par thus not saddling the Leafs with a longer deal.

It’s also raised a darker suggestion, that if Sundin’s skills are fine but the Leafs aren’t a playoff contender by next season’s deadline, it gives him the out he needs to seek a trade, or failing that, to walk away at the end of next season as an unrestricted free agent.

It remains to be seen how this season pans out for Sundin and the Leafs, but you can bet the rumormongers will be watching closely for any sign of potential discontent.

Good news for Detroit Red Wings fans today, as GM Ken Holland announced goalie Dominik Hasek has confirmed he will return with the Wings for another season.

That’s effectively take the Wings out of the market for a goaltender this summer, although it seems it was never in doubt that Hasek would return. He’s a good fit with the Wings, and everyone from management to the coaching staff to the players expressed the hope he’d return next season.

Of course the price won’t be as cheap as last season’s bargain-basement $750,000, but it’s probably not going to be outrageously expensive. The betting here is a $2 million base salary with bonus clauses of an extra $2 million, the main one likely to be games-played.