NHL News: Pro Sports Daily

Kings reach agreement on four-year deal with Scuderi

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July 3

Miami Herald

"The Los Angeles Kings have reached an agreement on a four-year contract with former Penguins blueliner Rob Scuderi. Scuderi was a key cog in helping Pittsburgh claim its third Stanley Cup title in team history last season. The 30-year-old native of Long Island posted a goal and 15 assists in 81 games during the regular season with a plus-23 rating. He stepped up his play in 24 postseason tilts, tallying a goal and five points with a plus-five rating and made a key play with an impromptu save from his knees while in the crease with time winding down in Game 6, allowing the Pens to come away with a 2-1 win. A fifth-round selection by Pittsburgh in the 1998 draft, the Boston College product ..."

Panthers sign defensemen Jordan Leopold and Clay Wilson

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July 3

Miami Herald

"The Panthers added two defensemen to their depleted blue line Thursday by signing veteran Jordan Leopold to a one-year deal worth $1.75 million and Clay Wilson, who has played a total of 14 NHL games over the past two seasons with Columbus and Atlanta, to a two-year deal. Florida acquired the negotiating rights to Leopold on Saturday in the Jay Bouwmeester trade with Calgary, but couldn't get Leopold to sign before he became a free agent Wednesday. On Thursday, after noticing Leopold hadn't signed with another team, acting general manager Randy Sexton sent Leopold's agent an e-mail and got negotiations cranked up again. ''Sometimes these things take longer than you would hope. There was ..."

LaRose re-signs with Hurricanes

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July 3

CBC Sports

"The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up another free agent forward, re-signing Chad LaRose to a two-year deal. LaRose will make $1.5 million US next season and $1.9 million US in 2010-11, the Hurricanes announced Thursday. The club earlier re-signed free agents Eric Cole and Jussi Jokinen to two-year deals. LaRose, 27, put up career-high numbers last season with 81 games played, 19 goals and 31 points. He matched his career-high assists at 12. "Chad has grown into a key player for our franchise," president and general manager Jim Rutherford said in a statement. "He had his best year last season and is an important penalty killer and popular player in our locker room and with our fans." A ..."

Chicago Blackhawks sign Marian Hossa

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July 2

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Blackhawks confirmed they have signed Marian Hossa, the veteran forward who scored 40 goals for the Detroit Red Wings last season. Canada's TSN reported that Hossa signed a 12-year contract that will pay him $5.2 million per season. The Hawks also signed Red Wings free agent Tomas Kopecky, a 27-year-old center, to a two-year contract. A year ago, Hossa signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Red Wings because he felt playing for Detroit would give him his best chance at winning a Stanley Cup. He had spent the previous season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had lost to Detroit in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. The Penguins thwarted Hossa by beating the Wings in this year's ..."

Heatley refuses to budge

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July 2

Ottawa Citizen

"Wednesday might have been the most frustrating day in Bryan Murray's long National Hockey League career, but he was hoping it would at least end with Dany Heatley getting fitted for an Edmonton Oilers jersey. The Ottawa Senators general manager spent all of Canada Day waiting to hear if Heatley would agree to waive his no-trade clause and accept a proposed deal to the Oilers. Several members of the Oilers management team, including general manager Steve Tambellini, president Kevin Lowe, and new head coach Pat Quinn, flew to Kelowna, B.C., where Heatley has a summer home, to sell the 28-year-old left-winger on a move to the Alberta capital. However, they had no such luck. Heatley's agents ..."

In a Day of Deals, the Rangers Swoop in on Gaborik

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July 2

New York Times

"Amid a frenzy of activity marking the start of the N.H.L. free agency period Wednesday, the Rangers made off with one of the biggest prizes, signing the free agent right wing Marian Gaborik to a five-year, $37.5 million deal. Gaborik, the last original member of the Minnesota Wild, scored 13 goals in 17 games last season after returning from hip surgery. In 502 games with the Wild, Gaborik had 219 goals and 218 assists. Five of those goals and one assist came in a game against the Rangers in 2007. He was the first N.H.L. player to score five goals in a game in 11 years. Gaborik returned from his injury last season in a game at Madison Square Garden in March. "He was dangerous every time he ..."

Havlat signs with Wild, takes parting shot at Hawks

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July 2

Chicago Tribune

"The Blackhawks and Martin Havlat couldn't reach a contract agreement and both sides have moved on -- albeit maybe not so amicably. Instead of re-signing Havlat, the Hawks made a deal with star winger Marian Hossa on a 12-year, $62.8 million contract while Havlat collected a six-year, $30 million deal from the Minnesota Wild. Also leaving the Hawks were veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin (Edmonton), center Sammy Pahlsson (Columbus) and defenseman Matt Walker (Tampa Bay). Havlat, who led the Hawks in scoring last season with 29 goals and 48 assists, may not be leaving on the best terms, as indicated by several tweets late Wednesday. "Excited to be in Minny where I was welcomed and ..."

Scott Niedermayer re-signs with Ducks

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July 2

Orange County Register

"While fans and media members alike might have become at least a bit antsy when he remained an unrestricted free agent for some three hours Wednesday, Ducks captain Scott Niedermayer said there was never any thought of going anywhere else. And shortly after noon, official word came that Niedermayer had signed a one-year contract worth $6 million, plus potential bonuses based on team performance. "I think that was just more sort of the process," Niedermayer said, explaining the time frame of the deal in a conference call from his off-season home in British Columbia. "Sort of an agreement had been there for a while. There was never any real consideration about having today come. I wasn't ..."

Leafs sign Grabovski

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July 2

Toronto Sun

"The Maple Leafs signed centre Mikhail Grabovski to a three-year contract today. Grabovski, 25, played 78 games for Toronto last season, registering 48 points on 20 goals and 28 assists, along with 92 penalty minutes. In his first full NHL season, Grabovski ranked third among all league rookies in assists and points. He led the Leafs with a 16.1% shooting percentage, and was second on the team in penalty minutes and power play goals. He represented Belarus at the 2009 World Championships in Switzerland, averaging 27:23 of ice time and leading the team with three goals, six assists and nine points in seven games. The Leafs acquired Grabovski on July 3, 2008, from the Montreal Canadiens in ..."

Recchi re-signs with Bruins

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July 2

Boston Globe

"According to TSN, Mark Recchi has re-signed with the Bruins, agreeing to a one-year, $1 million contract. Recchi scored 10 goals and six assists in 18 games with the Bruins last season after arriving from Tampa Bay along with a 2010 second-round pick for Matt Lashoff and Martins Karsums. In the playoffs, Recchi scored three goals and three assists in 11 games. Recchi was suffering from a kidney stone but didn't miss a match."

Thrashers Sign Free Agent Forward Antropov

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July 2

TSN.ca

"The Nik Antropov experiment in New York is over, as the veteran forward has signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the Atlanta Thrashers. The 29-year-old saw his nine-year tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs end at the trade deadline earlier this year, when the club sent him to the New York Rangers in exchange for a second round draft pick in 2009 as well as a conditional draft pick in 2010. Antropov had seven goals and six assists in 18 games with the Rangers. He also set career-highs on the year with 28 goals and 59 points in 81 games."

Canes signs Cole; LaRose probably gone

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July 2

Raleigh News & Observer

"Erik Cole's flirtation with free agency proved to be brief. Cole officially went on the NHL's open market as an unrestricted free agent at noon Wednesday. Less than four hours later, the power forward signed a new, two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes that pays him $2.8 million next season and $3 million in the 2010-11 season. But while the Canes quickly were able to reach an agreement with Cole, general manager Jim Rutherford said Wednesday night that unrestricted free-agent forward Chad LaRose likely would sign with another team. Rutherford said he had been in discussions with LaRose's agent, Patrick Morris, throughout the day. At one point Wednesday afternoon, there was ..."

John Madden signs one-year, $2.75 million deal with Chicago Blackhawks

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July 2

Trenton Times

"When John Madden signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, it capped a day in which the Devils lost several familiar veterans. In addition to Madden, the Devils saw right winger Brian Gionta sign with the Montreal Canadiens, left winger Mike Rupp join the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and goalie Scott Clemmensen sign with the Florida Panthers. It all happened Wednesday on the first day of NHL free agency. "They're obviously going in a different direction," Madden told me Wednesday night. The Devils, he said, never made him an offer."

Busy day as Florida Panthers re-sign David Booth, get goalie

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July 2

Miami Herald

"On a frenetic first day of free agency, the Florida Panthers made a flurry of moves Wednesday, adding a new defensemen and goaltender and re-signing winger David Booth. The Panthers signed ex-New Jersey Devils goaltender Scott Clemmensen to replace Craig Anderson, who agreed to terms with Colorado. Florida also added former Nashville defenseman Ville Koistinen after failing to reach an agreement with Jordan Leopold, who was acquired in the trade for Jay Bouwmeester. Booth, 24, signed a six-year, $25 million deal, barely eclipsing the six-year, $24 million contract signed by Nathan Horton last summer. Booth, who had 31 goals and 29 assists last season, had been a restricted free agent and ..."

Familiar names, new faces among Canada's invitees

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July 2

NHL.com

"To play for Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, you will have to be skilled, fast, gritty and well-balanced. Men's National Team Executive Director Steve Yzerman thinks he has found the 46 Canadian players that best fit the bill. The hard part will be cutting the All-Star list in half. Hockey Canada on Thursday released its list of 46 players representing 24 NHL teams who have been invited to attend Canada's National Men's Team orientation camp, which runs from Aug. 24-27 in Calgary. Five goaltenders, 16 defensemen and 25 forwards made the cut. "I think hockey sense is important, skating ability is important, competitiveness, versatility and guys that are responsible players," ..."

Opening offer a disappointment for Nash

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July 2

Columbus Dispatch

"It didn't take long for the Blue Jackets' contract negotiations with captain Rick Nash to take a contentious turn. After meeting with his agent, Joe Resnick, Nash told The Dispatch last night that the initial offer from Jackets general manager Scott Howson fell short of what he had in mind. Nash watched yesterday's free-agent spending spree, with NHL teams continuing to shower elite players with huge contracts, and said he expected more from the Blue Jackets. "There were tons of teams throwing some pretty big money around," Nash said. "If this doesn't get done, I'm sure I won't have a problem getting signed by somebody next summer." Neither Howson nor Nash revealed details of the proposal, ..."

Thorburn deal is done

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July 2

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"As expected the Thrashers have re-signed Chris Thorburn to a multi-year deal. It will be announced a little later and I fill you in on the details, but wanted you folks to know first. Help me out with what's next for the Thrashers."

Burke flexes muscles

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July 2

Toronto Star

"The Maple Leafs had better have a pretty good penalty killing unit next season. They're going to need one with the tough, take-no-prisoners kind of players GM Brian Burke picked up yesterday in defencemen Mike Komisarek and Garnet Exelby and enforcer-winger Colton Orr. Combined, they've played 963 games, accumulated only 22 goals but have 1,556 penalty minutes. Indeed, on a day when offensive stars like twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Marian Hossa and Mike Cammalleri were making big-money deals, the Leafs opted to go after players who exude pugnacity – exactly the type Burke talked about when he started his reign with the club. "It was apparent from the time Brian Burke took the job, he ..."

Isles Address Backup Plan

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July 2

New York Post

"The Islanders insist Rick DiPietro is progressing well and will be skating in August, as he usually does, but they clearly aren't taking any chances. Less than a week after picking goalies in the second and third rounds of the NHL Draft, the Isles signed Dwayne Roloson to a two-year deal worth $5 million on the first day of free agency. The former Oiler, who will be 40 this season, fills a gaping hole the Isles had a year ago, when DiPietro was limited to five games after two surgeries to his left knee and they were forced to use Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis. Roloson said the two have known each other since DiPietro entered the league and he anticipates a "friendly competition" between ..."

Laperriere signs 3-year deal with Flyers

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July 2

Denver Post

"Former Avalanche winger Ian Laperriere, one of the most popular players in team history, on Wednesday signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers. Laperriere, an unrestricted free agent, agreed to a three-year contract worth $3.5 million. NHL sources said the Avs offered Laperriere, 35, a one-year contract at less than the $1.15 million he made last season, an offer that was quickly rejected last week. The NHL's free-agent signing period started Wednesday. "I'm very happy," Laperriere said. In four seasons in Colorado, Laperriere scored 40 goals and recorded 72 assists. He had seven goals, 12 assists and 163 penalty minutes last season, when he was an alternate captain on the ..."

Radulov won't return to Nashville for the coming season

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July 2

Nashville City Paper

"Alexander Radulov will not return to the Nashville Predators for the 2009-10 season. General manager David Poile said despite the efforts of the team and the National Hockey League — not to mention what he believes are the players wishes — the 2004 first-round draft choice will remain in Russia's Continental Hockey League (KHL) for another year. "I talked to Jay Grossman, (Radulov's) agent, a few times (Wednesday), Poile said. "… He's not coming back." Radulov had one season remaining on his contract with the Predators when he signed with the upstart KHL last summer. The decision further strained relations between the NHL and the Russian hockey federation, which have no transfer agreement ..."

Bruins begin free agency by signing Begin

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July 2

Boston Globe

"A year ago yesterday, the Bruins plucked a discarded Canadien off the free agent market. They were rewarded by Michael Ryder, who pumped in 27 goals, nearly double what he had scored the season before. Yesterday, general manager Peter Chiarelli went back to the same well, albeit for a different kind of player. Steve Begin, punted out of Montreal in February, became the latest former Canadien to cross enemy lines and join the other side of the rivalry. The gritty 31-year-old forward agreed to a one-year, $850,000 contract to bring his surly services to Boston and his former coach. "He listens to the players and he knows how to play you and how to use you,'' Begin said of Claude Julien, his ..."

Devils Lose Gionta, Madden

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July 2

New York Post

"Four of their heroes left Newark yesterday, one defenseman remained, and no one else joined up. Better Devils days better be coming, soon, because this was another July 1 stinker. Team-record goal-scorer Brian Gionta signed a five-year, $25 million deal with Montreal. Their only Selke Trophy winner, John Madden, left for Chicago for a one-year, $2.75M contract. Scott Clemmensen, who helped save New Jersey's season when Martin Brodeur went for elbow surgery, signed for three years with Florida. Mike Rupp, the scorer of the 2003 Cup-winning goal, signed for two years with the Stanley Cup champion Penguins. General manager Lou Lamoriello failed to make any splash on the first day of NHL-Mart ..."

Rangers Have Cap Room To Make More Moves

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July 2

New York Post

"A glimpse at the Rangers' cap situation heading into a Day 2 of the free agent market that general manager Glen Sather all but promised would feature more activity from his team following yesterday's blockbuster signing of Marian Gaborik: Counting goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Steve Valiquette; defensemen Wade Redden, Michal Rozsival, Dan Girardi, Marc Staal and Matt Gilroy; wingers Sean Avery, Chris Higgins (QO), Nikolai Zherdev (QO), Ryan Callahan (QO), Donald Brasher and Lauri Korpikoski (QO); and centers Chris Drury, Brandon Dubinsky, Artem Anisimov and Br ian Boyle, the Rangers are in at approximately $42 million. With the cap established at $56.8 million, the Blueshirts ..."