NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Predators re-sign Mason to two-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 1:09:27 PM

The Nashville Predators have re-signed goaltender Chris Mason to a two-year deal worth a total of $2.5 million.

Mason, 30, played a career-high 23 games for the Predators in 2005-2006, posting a 12-5-1 record along with a 2.54 goals against average and .913 save percentage.

With starter Tomas Vokoun suffering a blood disorder just before the playoffs began, Mason was thrust into the starting role for the postseason. In the first-round loss to San Jose, Mason had a 3.44 goals against average and .901 save percentage.

Nashville originally claimed Mason in the 2003 NHL waiver draft from the Florida Panthers.
 

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Rangers sign defenceman Rachunek
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 1:36:36 PM

New York - The New York Rangers President have signed restricted free agent defenseman Karel Rachunek.

Rachunek, 26, skated in 45 games with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv of the Russian Hockey League last season, collecting 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points, along with 73 penalty minutes and a plus-14 rating.

In 2004-05, Rachunek split the season with Yaroslavl and Znojmo of the Czech Extraleague, registering 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points, along with 124 penalty minutes in 48 games.

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound defenseman has appeared in 258 career NHL games with the Rangers and Ottawa Senators, registering 12 goals and 89 assists for 101 points, along with 149 penalty minutes.

In 2003-04, Rachunek skated in 72 games with the Rangers and Senators, registering two goals and 19 assists for 21 points, along with 33 penalty minutes. On March 9, 2004, he was acquired by the Rangers, along with Alexandre Giroux, in exchange for Greg de Vries.

A native of Zlin, Czech Republic, Rachunek was originally Ottawa's eighth choice, 229th overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.
 

Blue Jackets sign Balastik, Eriksson, Svitov
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 1:45:42 PM

The opening of free agent season saw the Columbus Blue Jackets make four signings.

The Blue Jackets signed defenceman Anders Eriksson to a one year deal worth $600,000. Eriksson played last season for Sprinfield in the American Hockey League and then Magnitigorsk of the Russian League. Eriksson had nine points in 12 games with Sprinfield and 10 points in 17 games in Russia. He has 130 points in 412 career NHL games with Detroit, Chicago, Florida, Toronto and Columbus. When he last played for the Blue Jackets, in 2003-2004, Eriksson recorded 27 points and a minus-6 rating.

Columbus also signed forward Alexander Svitov to a one-year deal worth $450,000. Svitov played last season for Omsk in Russia, where he put up 10 points and 133 penalty minutes in 42 games. He was initially acquired by the Blue Jackets in a trade with Tampa Bay for Darryl Sydor.

The Blue Jackets then signed right winger Jaroslav Balastik to a one year deal worth $525,000. Balastik scored 12 goals with the Blue Jackets last season.

Columbus also inked Kris Russell from the Medicine Hat Tigers. Russell, a third-round pick in 2005, was WHL defenceman of the year and a member of Canada's national junior team in 2006.
 

Devils re-sign Langenbrunner
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 11:59:49 AM

Scratch one free-agent forward from the list of available players.

Sources tell TSN that Jamie Langenbrunner has re-signed with the New Jersey Devils.

Langenbrunner, 30, was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at 12 noon today. He scored 53 points with New Jersey in 2005-2006 and has been a solid complementary scorer in three-plus seasons with the Devils, notching 140 points in 225 games.

Langebrunner's been even better in the playoffs, scoring 13 points in nine games this past season and 70 points in 112 career playoff games.

Sources say it's a five-year deal worth $2.8 million per year.
 

Hurricanes sign Staal to three-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 1:34:17 PM

On a day when most NHL teams are looking for unrestricted free agent talent to put them over the top, the Carolina Hurricanes have locked up their homegrown foundation player.

Sources tell TSN that Eric Staal has agreed to a new three-year contract with the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Sources say the deal will pay him $4 million in the first year, $4.5 million in the second year and $5 million in the third year.

Staal is coming out of his entry-level contract phase and was not permitted by CBA rules to sign a new contract until Noon et on July 1.

"Eric has developed into one of the premier scorers and playmakers in the National Hockey League," Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford said. "He led our team in goals, assists and points last year, and he had a fantastic postseason, making big plays at key times.

"He is one of the centerpieces for the Hurricanes and we are glad to have him under contract for the next few seasons."

Staal, 21, became the franchise's first player with 100 points since 1989-90 in just his second NHL season. He also led the league in postseason scoring with nine goals and 28 points in 21 games.

The Thunder Bay, Ontario native was taken second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
 

Lightning sign Nikita Alexeev
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 2:26:37 PM

TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed left wing Nikita Alexeev to a one-year contract.

A 6-foot-5, 225-pound native of Murmansk, Russia, Alexeev, 24, spent the 2005-06 season with Omsk of the Russian Elite League, where he recorded six goals and nine points in 40 games.

Tampa Bay's first-round selection, eighth overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft, the big winger had six points in 37 games with Tampa Bay in 2002-03. He played in all 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games that season, scoring one goal.

"Following the 2002-03 season, and particularly the playoffs, we fully expected Nikita Alexeev to earn a permanent roster spot with the Lightning," Feaster said. "Unfortunately, that did not happen and ultimately, Nikita elected to return to Russia. He has now decided he wants to return to the NHL and compete for a spot on our roster. We have openings throughout our forward lines, and it is up to Nikita not only to grab one of those spots but to demonstrate that he can be a major two-way contributor to our hockey club. We look forward to seeing him in camp this year."

Alexeev made his Lightning debut in 2001-02, recording four goals and four assists in 44 games while splitting time with the Lightning and Springfield of the AHL. Shoulder surgery limited Alexeev to 14 games with Hershey of the AHL in 2003-04, and he returned to score 22 points in 72 games with Springfield in 2004-05.
 

Thrashers re-sign Mellanby for one year
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 2:16:51 PM

The Atlanta Thrashers have re-signed veteran right winger Scott Mellanby to a one-year, $1-million contract.

Mellanby, 40, had 34 points and a plus-5 rating in 71 games for the Thrashers in 2005-2006.

A physical winger who has recorded 2416 career penalty minutes, Mellanby is a productive scorer as well with 352 goals and 452 assists in 1362 games in an NHL career that began in 1985-1986 with Philadelphia and has taken him to Edmonton, Florida, St. Louis and Atlanta.
 

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Oilers re-sign Roloson to three-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/1/2006 2:16:38 PM

Sources tell TSN that the Edmonton Oilers have re-signed free agent goaltender Dwayne Roloson to a three-year contract worth $11-million.

Roloson, 36, led the Oilers to the Stanley Cup final after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Wild. Before getting injured in the first game of the final, Roloson posted a 12-5 record with a 2.32 goals against average and .927 save percentage in the postseason.

Roloson registered a 14-23-5 combined record, with a 2.73 goals against average and .908 save percentage with Minnesota and Edmonton during the regular season.
 

Pronger to talk about trade request
TSN.ca Staff
6/30/2006 11:26:59 PM

Chris Pronger has decided to address some of the rumours about his decision to request a trade away from the Edmonton Oilers. He has tentatively scheduled a conference call for Tuesday in St. Louis.

As I've stated many times Chris has not had a problem with Edmonton the city, with management or coaching staff, with teammates and (he) certainly respected the greatest fans in the league with that playoff run,'' Pronger's agent Pat Morris told TSN. ''It's simply been a personal and private family matter that should remain private, but with people emotionally reacting to Chris' request to be traded, Chris is going to address some of the issues and certainly there is nothing to do with extreme family issues.''

''It's disturbing - some of the innuendo and rumours are definitely false, they're defamatory, they're insulting to Chris' integrity and his family's integrity and to his character so that's been difficult to take,'' continued Morris.

In 80 games with the Oilers this season, Pronger scored 12 goals and 56 points and was a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate through Edmonton's postseason run.

Pronger finished third in postseason scoring with five goals and 16 assists in 24 games and came within one game of leading the Oilers to the Stanley Cup.
 

These are unofficial:

Chara signed with the Bruins for 5 years/$37.5 mil
Kubina signed with the Leafs for 4 years/$20 mil
Jovanovski signed with the Coyotes for 5 years/32.5 mil
 

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