Flyers sign Hartnell and Timmonen...already?!

The title should really be: "Flyers acquire Hartnell and Timmonen for Flyers"

Our buddy and faithful hockey insider over at TSN, Bob McKenzie, is reporting that the Flyers have signed defenceman Kimmo Timmonen and forward Scott Hartnell to multi-year contracts.
That is, of course, after the Flyers dealt the first round pick Nashville gave to them for Peter Forsberg, in exchange for two unisigned UFA's, Kimmo Timmonen and Scott Hartnell.

Both were expected to be hot commodities on the open market.

The terms of the deals?

Hartnell, who was scheduled to become a free agent on July 1, signed with Flyers on a 6-year, $25.2 million deal for a cap hit of $4.2 million per year.

The Flyers also agreed to terms with Timonen on a 6-year, $37.8 million contract for an annual cap hit of $6.3 million.

Someone bring me some painkillers...did I just read right?
Scott Hartnell and $4.2 million in the same sentence, in this universe?

Oh God, that is huge overpayement for a guy that ammassed 39 points last year, 22 of them being goals. I understand the hype around him, but $4.2 million, at this point in this career is really overdoing it.

Now, back to the main topic: FLYERS SIGN HARTNELL AND TIMMONEN, ALREADY?!

The Philadelphia Flyers have dipped into the free agent market a little early, thanks to the Nashville Predators.
Because of Nashville's uncertain ownership future and an expected tight budget in the coming year, sources tell TSN the Predators arranged with the Flyers to give them exclusive negotiating rights to two coveted free agents — defenceman Kimmo Timonen and forward Scott Hartnell.
Sources tell TSN the Flyers have now signed both Hartnell and Timonen to long-term contracts.

Wow, wow, wow, totally unreal.

At first, I thought this wasn't allowed, that you couldn't do this, but then I just realized that you can.

Not trying to say that this is bad, but it goes against everything that free-agency means, and how it works.

I just don't get how the NHL, really, can allow a team to do this, to trade for an impending UFA and sign him, that's just trying to get to the UFA pool early...hmmm, come to think of it, if the Habs can't sign Sheldon Souray, they should trade him to a team that really wants him right away, since this kind of activity is apparently allowed!

Still, legal or not, top talent shouldn't be allowed to be taken away by any other team before July 1st, and as a result, this is going to make more than a few GM's lose their tops.

--BBR