Horton agrees to record deal with Panthers
June 21st, 2007
Sunrise, FL (Sports Network) - The Florida Panthers announced on Thursday that they have agreed to terms on a franchise-record six-year contract with forward Nathan Horton.
According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, quoting Canada's TSN, the deal is worth $24 million.
Horton finished second on the team with career-highs in goals (31), and points (62), game-winning goals (3), and plus-minus (+15).
The 22-year-old was taken with the third overall pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Panthers, and has scored 73 goals with 131 points in 208 games, all with Florida.
The Welland, Ontario native played in 55 games during his rookie season in 2003-04. He netted 14 goals and eight assists, and became the youngest player in NHL history to score on a penalty shot against Philadelphia on January 8 of that season.
Prior to Horton's signing, the Panthers' longest-termed contracts were five- year deals given to one-time forward Pavel Bure in 1999 and current defenseman Bryan Allen last week.
Anaheim locks up Giguere with multi-year extension
June 21st, 2007
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks signed goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere to a multi-year contract extension on Thursday. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The 30-year-old Giguere posted a 36-10-8 record and 2.26 goals-against average this past regular season. His 36 victories set a new franchise record for Anaheim while his 10 regulation losses were the fewest in the league of any goaltender to play in at least 50 games.
"J.S. Giguere has been an instrumental part of this franchise for the last six years," said Ducks executive vice president/general manager Brian Burke. "We view him as one of the top goaltenders in the NHL today, one with tremendous character and competitive fire, traits we value greatly in this organization."
During Anaheim's Stanley Cup championship run, Giguere was sensational, recording a 1.97 GAA and .922 save percentage in 13 wins.
"I'm very excited to be staying with the Ducks," said Giguere. "Orange County has been a great place for my family over the last six years, and we are grateful to the entire organization for the opportunity to stay here."
A native of Montreal, Quebec, Giguere was acquired by the Ducks from the Calgary Flames in 2000.
Maple Leafs sign Colaiacovo to extension
June 21st, 2007
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs signed defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo to a three-year contract extension on Thursday.
Colaiacovo, who was scheduled to become a restricted free agent, played in 48 games this past season scoring eight goals to go along with nine assists.
"Carlo made real strides as an NHL defenseman this past season and we look forward to having him as an integral part of our defense for the next three years," said Toronto general manager John Ferguson.
Sharks ship Toskala, Bell to Leafs for 1st-round pick
June 22, 2007
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The San Jose Sharks traded goalie Vesa Toskala and forward Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday for three draft picks, including a first-rounder, in the first big deal of NHL draft day.
Toskala teamed up with Evgeni Nabokov over the previous three seasons to form one of the NHL's best goaltending tandems. But both players' desire to be starters prompted general manager Doug Wilson to give up a homegrown talent in exchange for draft picks.
The Sharks got the choice to take Toronto's first-round pick Friday -- 13th overall -- or next season's pick. San Jose also got the Maple Leafs' second-round pick -- 44th overall -- and a fourth-round pick in 2009.
The Maple Leafs picked up a tested veteran goalie who will challenge Andrew Raycroft for their starting job. Despite playing behind Nabokov down the stretch run, Toskala went 26-10-1 for San Jose last season with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage -- both better numbers than Raycroft.
Toskala led the Sharks into the second round of the playoffs in 2006, then improved his statistics last season despite injuries. Though Nabokov -- who won the Calder Trophy in San Jose in 2001 -- makes much more money, he might be a cheaper long-term investment than the 30-year-old Toskala, who is only under contract through next season.
Bell flopped in his only season in San Jose, managing just 11 goals and 10 assists in 71 games after being projected as Joe Thornton's left wing when he joined the club in a trade with Chicago.
Bell, arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and felony hit-and-run before he even played a game in San Jose, has two years and $4.5 million remaining on the contract he signed after joining the Sharks.
Avalanche re-sign forward Arnason
June 22, 2007
DENVER (AP) -The Colorado Avalanche re-signed forward Tyler Arnason to a two-year contract that will keep him with the team through the 2008-09 season.
``Tyler had a good season for us last year and we look forward to him building upon that success,'' Avalanche general manager Francois Giguere said Friday.
The 28-year-old Arnason had 16 goals and 33 assists last season. He was sixth on the team in goals.
Arnason was one of five Avalanche players who appeared in every game last season.
He played for the U.S. National Team at the World Championships in Moscow. He had a goal and three assists in seven games.
He has 192 points (73 goals and 119 assists) in 346 games.
Blackhawks trade Aucoin, draft pick to Calgary for 2 defensemen
June 22, 2007
CHICAGO (AP) -Hours before picking first in the NHL draft, the Chicago Blackhawks traded defenseman Adrian Aucoin and a seventh-round selection to the Calgary Flames on Friday for defensemen Andrei Zyuzin and Steve Marr.
The 33-year-old Aucoin played in just 92 games over two injury-plagued seasons with the Blackhawks. He had five goals and 17 assists in Chicago.
Last season injuries forced the former All-Star to sit out 21 games. In 2005-2006, he missed 49 games because of a groin injury and dislocated shoulder.
The 29-year-old Zyuzin played in 49 games for the Flames last season, scoring one goal with five assists. He was the overall No. 2 pick in the 1996 draft by San Jose and has also played for Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Minnesota.
The 23-year-old Marr played 34 games for Omaha of the AHL, scoring one goal with four assists.
Penguins agree to 1-year deals with Recchi, Roberts
June 22, 2007
PITTSBURGH (AP) -The Penguins' two oldest players are returning for one more season.
Gary Roberts, 41, and Mark Recchi, 39, agreed to one-year deals Friday.
General manager Ray Shero had said he hoped to keep both veterans on a team with a nucleus of young stars including NHL MVP Sidney Crosby, Evgeny Malkin and Jordan Staal.
``Mark and Gary are talented veteran forwards who can provide essential experience and leadership to our young team,'' Shero said. ``They made significant contributions last season, both on and off the ice, and we're looking forward to having them back in 2007-08.''
Agent Rick Curran, who represents both players, did not immediately return a message left at his office Friday afternoon. Recchi earned $2.28 million last season, and Roberts $2.25 million.
The Penguins acquired Roberts at the trade deadline last season for defenseman Noah Welch. Roberts had 13 points in 19 regular-season games with Pittsburgh.
Recchi, an 18-year veteran, played in all 82 games with the Penguins last season, scoring 24 goals and 44 assists, including his 500th career goal and 800th career assist.
Nashville trades goalie Tomas Vokoun to Florida
June 22, 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -The Nashville Predators traded top goaltender Tomas Vokoun to the Florida Panthers on Friday hours before the NHL draft, unloading the priciest player on their roster for three draft picks.
The deal involves a first-round draft pick in 2008 and a second-round pick in 2007, according to a Predators official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team was still preparing its announcement.
The Predators signed Vokoun to a four-year, $22.8 million contract in September 2006. The deal was an extension set to take effect this season.
But Nashville's future ownership is uncertain with Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie making a $220 million offer to buy the team, and that deal won't be processed by the NHL before free agency starts July 1.
Vokoun played in only 44 games last season because of a hand injury. He went 27-12 and had a .920 save percentage. He was replaced by Chris Mason who played in 40 games and went 24-11 with five shutouts - all career highs.
Thrashers acquire Thorburn from Pens; re-sign Larsen and McCarthy
June 22nd, 2007
Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday acquired a third-round draft pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft from the Atlanta Thrashers in exchange for forward Chris Thorburn.
Thorburn collected three goals and five points in 39 games with the Pens last season. He registered one assist in two games with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2005-2006 season.
The Thrashers also re-signed forward Brad Larsen and defenseman Steve McCarthy. Larsen, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, had seven goals and six assists in 72 games for the Thrashers last season. McCarthy appeared in 46 games last season, recording a career-high 16 points (four goals, 12 assists).
Sharks re-sign D Rivet
June 22nd, 2007
San Jose, CA (Sports Network) - The San Jose Sharks re-signed unrestricted free-agent defenseman Craig Rivet to a four-year contract on Friday. Per club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Rivet, 32, was originally acquired by the Sharks in February of this year along with a fifth round selection in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft from the Montreal Canadiens for defenseman Josh Gorges and a first round selection in the 2007 draft.
In 17 regular season games with San Jose, the veteran tallied one goal and seven assists and in 11 playoff games, Rivet was second on the team with five points.
Overall in 71 games with San Jose and Montreal, Rivet finished the 2006-07 regular season with 24 points and 69 penalty minutes.
In 670 career NHL games with San Jose and Montreal, Rivet has 40 goals, 119 assists and 807 penalty minutes.
Senators re-sign McAmmond
June 22nd, 2007
Ottawa, ON (Sports Network) - The Ottawa Senators re-signed veteran forward Dean McAmmond to a multi-year contract on Friday.
The 34-year-old came to Ottawa as a free agent last August, and recorded 14 goals and 29 points in 81 games during the 2006-2007 regular season. McAmmond contributed five goals and eight points in 18 postseason games as the Senators fell to the Anaheim Ducks in a five-game Stanley Cup final.
McAmmond gained notoriety after he suffered a concussion from a left elbow to the head by Anaheim defenseman Chris Pronger in Game 3 of the Finals. Pronger was not penalized on the play, but received a one-game suspension for the hit. McAmmond did not play in the final two games of the series recovering from the injury.
The Alberta native is a 14-year NHL veteran, and has compiled 164 goals, 393 points and 414 penalty minutes with Chicago, Edmonton, Philadelphia, Calgary, Colorado, St. Louis and Ottawa.
Calgary gets Aucoin from Chicago
June 22nd, 2007
Columbus, OH (Sports Network) - The Calgary Flames acquired defenseman Adrian Aucoin and a seventh-round pick in the 2007 draft from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for defensemen Andrei Zyuzin and Steve Marr on Friday.
Aucoin, who has played for Vancouver, Tampa Bay, the Islanders and Chicago, has appeared in 694 games and has notched 88 goals along with 179 assists over 12 NHL seasons.
He was the captain of the Blackhawks last season and totaled four goals along with 12 assists in 59 games.
Zyuzin, who was the first round pick (second overall) of San Jose in 1996, appeared in 49 games last season with Calgary and scored one goal along with five assists.
He has played nine seasons in the NHL, which included appearances with San Jose, Tampa Bay, New Jersey and Minnesota, and in 464 games has recorded 36 goals and 79 assists.
Marr, 23, has not appeared in any NHL games.
Last season at Omaha, Calgary's American Hockey League affiliate, Marr played in 34 games and posted one goal with three assists.
Hurricanes get Leighton from Montreal
June 23rd, 2007
Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The Carolina Hurricanes acquired goaltender Michael Leighton from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the Hurricanes' seventh-round pick (192nd overall) in the 2007 draft on Saturday.
Leighton, 26, bounced around several teams last year as he was part of the Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens organizations throughout the 2006-07 season.
He played in five games, four with Philadelphia and one with Nashville, and posted a 2-2 record with a 3.93 goals-against average.
He has appeared in 47 games, all but five with Chicago, since coming into the league during the 2001-02 season and has a 10-23-10 record with a 3.04 GAA. The Blackhawks selected Leighton in the sixth round, 165th overall, in the 1999 draft.
With the draft pick, Montreal chose defenseman Scott Kishel.
Anaheim gets King from Canucks
June 23rd, 2007
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - The Anaheim Ducks acquired left wing Jason King and a conditional third-round draft choice in the 2009 draft from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for right wing Ryan Shannon on Saturday.
King, 25, played in 55 games with Vancouver from 2002-2004 and tallied 12 goals along with 11 assists. The 6-1, 195-pound forward played with Manitoba (Vancouver's AHL affiliate) for parts of four seasons from 2002-2006.
He was unsigned by the Canucks for the 2006-2007 season and opted to play for Skelleftea AIK in the Swedish elite league Elitserien.
Shannon, 24, played his first season in the NHL during the 2006-07 campaign and skated in 53 games with Anaheim, totaling two goals and nine assists. He also played in 11 playoff games, but did not register a point.
Thrashers, Canucks swap players
June 23rd, 2007
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Thrashers acquired forward Jesse Schultz from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for defenseman Jimmy Sharrow on Saturday.
Schultz spent the majority of last season with the Canucks' American Hockey League affiliate in Manitoba, scoring 18 goals and 39 points in 67 games. The 24-year-old has picked up 64 goals and 131 points in 219 games with the Moose. The Saskatchewan native previously spent time with Columbia (ECHL), and Tri- City, Prince Albert and Kelowna in the WHL.
Sharrow, a fourth-round pick by the Thrashers in 2003, recorded four goals and 18 points in 42 games with the AHL's Chicago Wolves. The Massachusetts native notched six goals and 37 points in 89 career games with the Thrashers' AHL farm club. He has also seen time with the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) and Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL).