NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Schaefer clears waivers, goes to AHL
Associated Press
10/6/2006 6:31:04 PM

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - San Jose goalie Nolan Schaefer cleared waivers Friday and was assigned to the Sharks' affiliate in Worcester, Mass., allowing the club to avoid losing its third-string goalie in a personnel logjam.

The Sharks failed to trade Vesa Toskala or Evgeni Nabokov before the regular season began, forcing the club to keep both veteran goalies on its roster while exposing Schaefer to waivers. Schaefer, who won his first five starts for the Sharks last season in limited duty, was expected to become a full-time NHL backup after Toskala or Nabokov left.

Toskala started San Jose's 5-4 overtime victory over St. Louis later in the day, and Nabokov is expected to play Saturday against the New York Islanders.

Schaefer will return for his fourth season with the Sharks' top affiliate, which was located in Cleveland for the past three years.
 

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Oilers ink Moreau to four-year extension
TSN.ca Staff
10/6/2006 6:53:54 PM

The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Ethan Moreau to a four-year contract extension on Friday, keeping the veteran with the club through the 2010-11 season.

''We are extremely pleased to have Ethan with us for the long term. Time and again Ethan has proven himself as one of our team's leaders,'' Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe said. ''His commitment to his teammates and the game can be seen every time he steps on the ice. He was an integral part of the Oilers' success in last season's playoff drive and we look forward to his continued leadership.''

Moreau, 31, was a first round (14th overall) draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1994. He was traded to the Oilers, along with Chad Kilger, Daniel Cleary and Christian Laflamme, in 1999 for Dean McAmmond, Boris Mironov and Jonas Elofsson.

Moreau, who is in his eighth season with the Oilers, scored 11 goals and 16 assists with 87 penalty minutes in 74 games with the Oilers last season. He was second on the club with a plus-6 ranking and was among the NHL leaders in shorthanded scoring. The left winger scored four goals and three assists on the penalty kill to lead the Oilers and finish third in the NHL in shorthanded scoring.

In 469 games since joining the Oilers, Moreau has scored 83 goals and 75 assists for 158 points with 538 penalty minutes.
 

Canucks assign goalie Flaherty to AHL
Canadian Press
10/6/2006 6:59:25 PM

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Canucks assigned backup goaltender Wade Flaherty to the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League on Friday.

Flaherty didn't see any action in the Canucks' season-opening 3-1 win over Detroit on Thursday. The 38-year-old spent the majority of last season with the Moose, posting a 26-14-4 record with a 2.40 goals-against average in 49 games.

Flaherty was made expendable after the Canucks claimed former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Dany Sabourin off waivers earlier this week.
 

Blue Jackets activate Svitov
Sports Ticker
10/7/2006 2:38:11 PM

CHICAGO (Ticker) - The Columbus Blue Jackets reinforced their lineup Saturday, activating center Alexander Svitov from injured reserve.

The third overall pick by Tampa Bay in 2001, Svitov suffered a shoulder injury during a preseason game against Carolina on September 24 and missed Columbus' season opener against Vancouver on Friday.

Acquired from the Lightning in January 2004, Svitov played in his native Russia last season, recording three goals and seven assists in 33 games with Omsk Avangard. The 23-year-old notched two tallies and 11 points in 40 contests with Tampa Bay and Columbus in 2003-04.

In 103 NHL games, the 6-3, 217-pound Svitov has registered six goals, 13 assists and 78 penalty minutes.
 

Flyers' Rathje out indefinitely
Sports Ticker
10/7/2006 3:12:00 PM

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - It did not take long for the Philadelphia Flyers to have a player land on the sidelines.

The Flyers on Saturday announced defenseman Mike Rathje will be out indefinitely with a herniated L5 disk in his back.

In 2005-06, Philadelphia had 388 man-games lost due to injury, and a host of players underwent surgery during the offseason.

The 6-5, 237-pound Rathje appeared in Philadelphia's season-opening loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday, logging more than 19 1/2 minutes of ice time. The 32-year-old, who was drafted third overall by San Jose in 1992, signed a five-year, $17.5 million contract with the Flyers prior to last season, when he recorded three goals and 21 assists in 79 games.

Philadelphia did receive some good news, however, learning that defenseman Denis Gauthier would be ready for the team's home opener against the New York Rangers on Saturday evening. The 30-year-old missed Thursday's contest with a head injury.
 

Thrashers send Brathwaite to AHL
Associated Press
10/7/2006 4:28:08 PM

ATLANTA (AP) - The Atlanta Thrashers assigned goalie Fred Brathwaite to Chicago of the American Hockey League on Saturday.

Brathwaite was 1-1 in the pre-season, allowing 4.29 goals per game. He and Johan Hedberg were added in the off-season to play behind Kari Lehtonen. Hedberg remains on the roster as Lehtonen's top backup.

Brathwaite spent the past two seasons with Ak-Bars Kazan of Russian Super League.
 

Konopka signs with Ducks; off to Portland
Associated Press
10/8/2006 12:02:03 AM

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Anaheim Ducks re-signed Zenon Konopka to a two-year contract and will send him to its Portland Pirates affiliate in the American Hockey League, the team announced Saturday.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Niagara Falls, Ont., native split the 2005-06 season between Anaheim and Portland.

He had four goals, three assists and 48 penalty minutes in 23 games with the Ducks, and 44 points and 57 penalty minutes in 34 games with Portland.

Konopka, 25, signed as a free agent with Anaheim on Sept. 1, 2004.
 

Blue Jackets make room for Zherdev
Canadian Press
10/8/2006 1:42:32 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CP) - With right-winger Nikolai Zherdev set to return, the Columbus Blue Jackets assigned centre Geoff Platt to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Zherdev is expected to make his regular season debut against the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday night.

The restricted free agent appeared set to play in Russia this season, but the two sides agreed on a US$7.5-million, three-year deal on Sept. 28.

The 21-year-old Ukrainian was second in goals (27) and points (54) with the Blue Jackets last season, his second in the NHL.

Platt played one game with Columbus and did not record a point. The 21-year-old Toronto native led the Blue Jackets in pre-season scoring with seven points (four goals, three assists) in four games.

Platt, who played junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, recorded 65 points (30-35) and 58 penalty minutes in 68 games with Syracuse last season. He also had five assists in 15 games with Columbus.
 

Ducks sign Pahlsson to extension
TSN.ca Staff
10/8/2006 2:55:48 PM

The Anaheim Ducks have signed forward Samuel Pahlsson to a two-year contract extension. No financial terms of the deal were disclosed.

"Samuel Pahlsson has established himself as one of the best two-way centers in this league," said Ducks' executive vice president and general manager Brian Burke. "We rely on him to kill penalties, win faceoffs and shut down opposing teams' top lines, and he does all those things well."

The 28-year-old had 11 goals and 10 assists over his 82 games for the Ducks last season. He was acquired from Boston in exchange for Andrei Nazarov and Patrick Traverse in 2000.
 

Bruins send Tenkrat to Providence
Canadian Press
10/9/2006 12:52:42 PM

BOSTON (CP) - The Boston Bruins assigned winger Petr Tenkrat to their American Hockey League affiliate in Providence on Monday.

The 29-year-old was a healthy scratch for the Bruins first two regular-season games. Tenkrat had one goal with six penalty minutes in five pre-season games.

He spent the past four seasons playing for teams in Finland and Russia.

In 113 NHL games with Anaheim and Nashville, Tenkrat has 13 goals and 38 points.
 

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