Some big names have changed teams in recent days, and perhaps the biggest signed with the only team that made an offer to him.

When the league began, Milan had first pick and went with the awesome potential represented in winger Gabriel Landeskog, a 19-year-old Swedish rookie. But he was a Guerriero for only a few days. The team promptly traded him to Madrid for Dustin Brown and picks that later became Chris Kreider and Trevor Daley.

In eight seasons with the Royals, Landeskog was a top line player from Day One. He scored 30 or more goals in 6 seasons and in his final 2 seasons in Spain, he scored 40 goals. Then, it was a trade to Belfast to join the powerful Giants. He and Erik Karlsson joined Belfast in exchange for six assets. In his first year there, Landeskog raised the team’s fourth EURO Cup after scoring an even 50 goals and 100 points in the regular season. In his 7 seasons in Northern Ireland, he added three more seasons of 40 or more goals and he proved he was nowhere near done last season when he reached his personal best 102 points.

Then came the off season. For a while, it seemed no one wanted, needed or could afford the 34-year-old who ranks 6th all-time in scoring, just 5 points ahead of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is now 33. Earlier today, we learned both men will now be teammates and probably linemates in Germany.

General Manager Guybrush Threepwood and his bevy of gorgeous cheerleaders lured Landeskog to Smurf City with an $8.2 million contract. Nugent-Hopkins resigned with the team for $7.72 million. When they join Vadim Shipachyov, they will be the best line of 33 and 34 years in the league. Even with the two big signings, Threepwood will have about $15 million to get the team two goalies and a sixth defenseman. The Smurfs finished last regular season 6th overall and 20 points behind first-place Copenhagen. They also stormed through the Southern Conference playoffs before losing 4-0 to Helsinki in the Finals.

Fans in Northeastern Germany seemed to have mixed feelings about the signings of Landeskog and Nugent-Hopkins this morning.

Firefighter Felix Finkel of Muncheberg said “They will probably help, but I want to see a little improvement on the cheerleader corps. And maybe a new uniform.” His wife Renate said, “The owners don’t know how hard it is for those girls to move around in those uniforms. And they aren’t even that flattering. Have Threepwood try one on and let’s see how he looks in it.”