NHL News

"Not only is Pavel Kubina unlikely to be traded, but Cliff Fletcher is talking him up as a possible captain if Mats Sundin departs. With an Aug. 15 window to shop Kubina rapidly closing, the Maple Leafs' general manager yesterday listed the chance of dealing the $5-million US defenceman as "less than 50%." "Any trade involving Pavel would have to be very advantageous for the Leafs," Fletcher said. "I thought he played well last season (after an awful start to Kubina's four-year $20-million deal) and I know (new coach) Ron Wilson liked him a lot. Plus, it's very quiet right now for trades." Wilson was in favour of a deadline deal last February to send Kubina to his San Jose Sharks, which the ..."

"At least one player the Predators considered signing is no longer an option. Forward Jan Hlavac has chosen to sign with Linkoping of the Swedish elite league instead of returning to Nashville, his agent said Wednesday. Agent Ritchie Winter said the Predators did make Hlavac a one-year offer, but for less money than what the veteran forward had hoped for after posting 13 points in 18 games with Nashville following his arrival from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline. Winter said Hlavac was looking for a contract in the neighborhood of $1 million, but the team never offered more than the average of the recent two-year extension given to Jerred Smithson - about $740,000. "It was hard for us to ..."

"Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey announced the signing of free-agent defenceman Chad Anderson to a one-year, two-way contract yesterday. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Anderson, 26, spent the 2007-08 season with the American Hockey League's Philadelphia Phantoms. In 55 regular-season games, the 6-foot-4, 217-pounder had two goals and 11 assists, to go along with 35 penalty minutes. From 2003 to 2007, the Minnesota native played in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association or the Unversity of Alaska and was a three-time WCHA All-Academic selection."

"Coach Ron Wilson began looking at the Maple Leafs' first line centre hole yesterday, with a big question mark where No. 13 used to be. "When I find out for sure about Mats Sundin, then I'll worry about life with or without him," said Wilson, in town for summer meetings with general manager Cliff Fletcher. "Cliff and I just roughed out some lines, but a lot can change between now and Sept. 19 (when training camp opens)." Sundin remains non-commital about playing or retiring, with agent J.P. Barry saying in recent days that the captain's indecision could be a hint he's not coming back. Refusing to get into specific candidates, Wilson said Sundin's winger Nik Antropov would be among "lots of ..."

"Panthers general manager Jacques Martin said Tuesday afternoon that he doesn't expect suspended winger Chad Kilger to play for Florida this season. The Panthers acquired Kilger, 32, for a third-round pick at the trade deadline in February. Despite that Kilger's Toronto Maple Leafs were staying in Fort Lauderdale at the time, Kilger never reported to the Panthers. Initially, Florida allowed him to return to Canada because of family issues; Kilger was later suspended from the team without pay after failing to join the team. Kilger is scheduled to make $700,000 this season, but since he is suspended, Florida will not be required to pay Kilger unless he changes his mind and reports to camp. ..."

"I'm starting to wonder if somebody slapped a bunch of "Kick Me" signs on the backs of the Predators when they weren't looking. Last summer, the franchise was on the auction block. A couple of months ago, word surfaced that a prominent co-owner is a bankrupt fraud. And now the Preds are in an international tug-o-war for their best young forward, Alexander Radulov. A-Rad apparently is under contract with both the Predators and a team in his native Russia. If possession is nine-tenths of international law, this doesn't look good for the Preds. Radulov's skates are stuck in Russian ice. He doesn't seem inclined to leave. This is a blast from the past. There's something remarkably Cold War-ish ..."

"Peter Forsberg scored a hat trick! Keep in mind that it was in an exhibition game. Nonetheless, Forsberg's team, which includes several Swedish NHL stars, beat Luleo, a Swedish elite-level team, 11-4, on Tuesday. It was Forsberg's first time playing since the Avs were eliminated by Detroit in the second round of the playoffs in April. "He moved around without any problem, and he looked pretty fresh," Swedish national coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Forsberg, 35, said last month he did not expect to be able to play in the NHL until Christmas at the earliest because of lingering foot problems. But Forsberg's physician, Dr. Bertil Romanus, told the Swedish ..."

"Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced Wednesday the signing of free-agent defenseman Chad Anderson to a one-year, two-way contract (2008-09). As per club policy, financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Anderson, 26, spent the 2007-08 season with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms. In 55 regular-season games, the 6-foot-4, 217-pound blueliner amassed 13 points (two goals, 11 assists), served 35 penalty minutes and finished second on the team with a plus-11 rating. From 2003 to 2007, the Chisago, Minnesota, native played in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) for the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. In four seasons with the Seawolves, Anderson compiled 49 ..."

"The Washington Capitals have signed center David Steckel to a one-year contract extension for the 2009-10 season, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Steckel was already under contract with the Capitals for the upcoming season and would have been an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of 2008-09. Steckel, 26, completed his fourth professional season and first full NHL campaign in 2007-08. A 6’5”, 222-pound native of Westbend, Wisc., Steckel averaged 13:33 of ice time in 67 games, leading the team and finishing seventh in the NHL with a 56.3% faceoff percentage. Steckel ..."

"Sean Avery almost had a gleam in his eye at the thought: The newest Dallas Stars forward was now on the same team with fellow physical players such as Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott. "It'll probably bring my fighting majors down since I always ended up fighting one of those guys," Avery said with a grin on Wednesday morning, when he met with the Dallas media for the first time. "It's going to be tough for other teams to play against us." Avery donned his jersey for the cameras Wednesday morning, part of his busy 48-hour schedule in the Metroplex that included throwing out the first pitch at Wednesday night's New York Yankees-Texas Rangers game. Still, he's peeking at the season like everyone ..."

"Predators prospect defenseman Robert Dietrich has been suspended for three months by the German elite hockey league for repeated failures to provide required location information for out-of-competition drug testing. Dietrich was one of four German national team players suspended on Tuesday. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it's uncertain whether Dietrich's suspension will apply in North America. A sixth-round draft pick in 2007, Dietrich is scheduled to participate in training camp next month and would most likely begin the season in Milwaukee of the American Hockey League. ``There's no simple answer,'' Daly said by e-mail. ``It's not automatic. We would have to look at all the ..."

"San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed left wing Ryane Clowe to a one-year contract. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Clowe, 25, was limited to 15 games during the regular season due to a knee injury he suffered in Columbus on Oct. 29. He returned to the lineup with only four games remaining and recorded eight points (three goals, five assists). In the 2008 playoffs, Clowe finished tied for the team’s goal scoring lead (five) and his nine points ranked second on the squad. Clowe completed his first full NHL season in 2006-07 posting 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 58 games. Among League ..."

"If Cristobal Huet is as adept at stopping pucks as he is downplaying a goaltending controversy, the Blackhawks will be in good shape for the upcoming season. The Hawks introduced Huet, who signed a four-year, $22.5 million free-agent contract July 1, at a news conference at the United Center on Monday. Huet joins Nikolai Khabibulin in a goaltending tandem that will earn more than $12 million combined next season and said he is looking forward to battling for ice time during the 2008-09 campaign before taking over the No. 1 job the following season when Khabibulin's contract expires. "We're going to push each other to play and to compete," Huet said. "It's going to benefit the team. He's ..."

"The International Ice Hockey Federation plans to determine the status of Predators forward Alexander Radulov by mid-August, an IIHF spokesman said Monday. Radulov signed a three-year deal with Salavat Yulaev Ufa of Russia's Continental Hockey League (KHL) last month despite having one more year left on his Nashville contract. The IIHF condemned the signing at the time, informing the KHL that signing a player already under contract was in blatant contradiction to a verbal agreement recently reached between by the NHL and KHL - one in which both sides agreed not to poach players under contract. The KHL has since countered by saying Radulov's Russian contract was finalized prior to that ..."

"Washington Capitals captain Chris Clark said he expects to participate fully when training camp begins next month after missing almost all of last season with a groin tendon injury. Clark said he's encouraged by his progress in recent weeks, which he has spent skating with Calgary Flames center Craig Conroy and a handful of college players near his home in Upstate New York. "The last couple of weeks I've been skating pretty hard," Clark said. "I've been doing everything, other than contact and real game situations. I've been skating, passing and shooting." Clark has also been racking up frequent flyer miles this summer while traveling to visit Rick Celebrini, a Vancouver-based physiologist ..."

"Icebergs, some bigger than the world's largest cruise ships, meander silently by the harbor here in late spring and early summer. Michael Ryder grew up in a fishing town to the north, Bonavista, roughly a four-hour drive, depending on the ploddings of the too-frequent interlopers with large antlers that have a way of fascinating visitors and ticking off the locals. "Moose," grumbled Ryder, the newest Bruin, who returns to his beloved province for a few weeks every summer. "They cause so many accidents. Can't kill enough of 'em." Ryder, 28, will travel south to Boston next week, checking out places to live after signing on with the Bruins as an unrestricted free agent July 1, getting a $12 ..."

"After leading the NHL in fighting penalties last season, Jared Boll and his sore right hand needed a summer break. This wasn't what he had in mind. The Blue Jackets winger said he suffered a broken right hand last week while playing pickup hockey in Toronto. Boll said he was hit in the glove by a puck that was shot from the point. "It was kind of what happened to (Dan) Fritsche at the end of last season," Boll said yesterday as he arrived in Columbus with a cast on the hand. "The doctor said it was a clean break. It didn't even require surgery." It's not uncommon for NHL players to be involved in summer pickup games to help stay in shape. Boll expects the injury to be healed within six ..."

"The Penguins and local and state officials will break ground next week on the $290 million arena. Gov. Ed Rendell broke the news during an appearance in Pittsburgh to announcement the award of money for bridge repairs and other economic development projects. The ground breaking will take place at 11 a.m. August 14 at the arena site bordered by Fifth Avenue, Washington Place and Centre Avenue. Mr. Rendell is expected to attend, along with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Penguins and other public officials. The Penguins are hoping to begin construction in earnest by fall and expect to have the facility completed in time for the start of the 2010-2011 ..."

"When the Nashville Predators open training camp in September the coaching staff knows it will have at least a couple of challenges to deal with. First, coach Barry Trotz and his staff have to convince the team that there wasn't a need to go outside the organization for a major signing. In fact, for the most part, the team that hits the ice for the 2008-2009 season will be around for a long time. "We're locked in with a lot of these players, those from 20-to-27, for four to five years," Trotz said. "We will make changes as we see fit, but at this time we felt like our money was better spent with the players that were already here." Trotz warns that the veterans should not be too complacent. ..."

"Defenseman Zach Bogosian, the third pick overall in the 2008 draft, is one of five Thrashers prospects expected to play Tuesday when candidates for the U.S. team in the 2009 World Junior Championship take on teams from Sweden and Finland at Lake Placid, N.Y. The U.S. roster of under-20 players also includes forwards John Albert (sixth-round pick in 2007) and Vinny Saponari (fourth-round pick this year). The Swedish roster includes Nicklas Lasu (fifth round, 2008) and the Finnish roster includes Niclas Lucenius (fourth round, 2007). More info is available here. The World Juniors are Dec. 26-Jan. 5 at Ottawa. On other subjects: -The Thrashers still have a couple of players to sign (including ..."

"A year ago, there were doubts as to whether they would make the team. Both had talent. Both were high-end draft picks. And both were considered the future of the franchise. But after impressive rookie campaigns, Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner are now considered integral parts of the Edmonton Oilers lineup heading into this season. Expectations will be high as they attempt to avoid the dreaded sophomore jinx. "A lot of the sophomore jinx has to do with guys forgetting how hard they worked to get here going into their rookie year," said Gagner. "All of us that are going to be sophomore's this year know how hard we have to work. We have worked hard this summer trying to make sure it doesn't ..."

"The Predators have agreed to terms with forward Triston Grant, who had been acquired by the organization in a June trade with Philadelphia. Grant, 24, joins Nashville on a one-year, two-way contract that will be worth $475,000 if he plays on the NHL level and $50,000 on the American Hockey League level. The 6-1, 215-pound Grant will compete for the team's enforcer role this season, after notching a combined 37 points and 570 penalty minutes over the past three AHL seasons. Grant produced AHL career highs in goals (10), assists (11) and points (21) in 2007-08."