NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

[Teflon Billy]

I'll second that.

Agreed, I wish Buffalo would really concentrate and try to remember that their team is called the Sabres, and that Buffalo is, in fact, the town tey represent.

Constant additions of Buffalo iconography is making them look stupid in more than one way.

 

[Knightfall]

Rangers re-sign Ortmeyer
Sports Network
7/18/2006 11:59:16 AM

New York, NY (Sports Network) - The New York Rangers re-signed forward Jed Ortmeyer to a contract on Tuesday. Ortmeyer will earn $551,760 for the 2006-07 season.

The 27-year-old Ortmeyer appeared in 78 games with the Rangers last season, collecting five goals and two assists for seven points with 38 penalty minutes. In four postseason contests, the forward notched one goal and logged four penalty minutes.

Ortmeyer has appeared in 136 career NHL games with the Rangers, totaling seven goals and six assists with 54 penalty minutes.

 

[Knightfall]

Hockey Hearsay
July 18, 2006

Devils may trade Gomez
It looks like the New Jersey Devils and Scott Gomez may be headed for a nasty divorce as the two sides get ready for a salary arbitration hearing Friday.

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, negotiations have broken off as both sides are still far apart in terms of dollars.

"Time is not on our side. We’ve pretty much gone where we’re going to go as far as negotiations,” Carlos Gomez, Scott's father and agent, told the Ledger. “We’re too far apart to even talk anymore. It is what it is. Scott knows he may end up being traded. It’s disappointing, but he just wants to be treated like everyone else.”

Sources say Gomez turned down a $4 million offer from New Jersey and if he is awarded anywhere from a $5 miilion or more salary, the Devils will abide by the decision but then look to trade him.


Tootoo train chugging along in Nashville
Jordin Tootoo is staying put in Nashville, agreeing to a two-year deal in principle with the Predators Monday night.

"We're just waiting on some paperwork, but the agreement is there," NHL player agent Craig Oster told the Tennessean. "He's excited about it, and the club wants him for more than one year. That should allow Jordin more time to develop and establish himself."

The 23-year-old Tootoo played in 34 games for the Predators last season, collecting 10 points (four goals, six assists) and 55 penalty minutes.

 

[Knightfall]

Wild re-sign Koivu to multi-year contract
Sports Ticker
7/18/2006 12:47:16 PM

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Ticker) - Saku Koivu has put down roots in Montreal. His younger brother apparently is doing likewise in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday that they have re-signed center Mikko Koivu to a multi-year contract.

While Saku Koivu, 31, has played 10 seasons with the Canadiens and is their captain, his 23-year-old brother just completed his rookie season with the Wild, recording six goals, 15 assists and 40 penalty minutes in 64 games.

Mikko Koivu also joined his brother on Finland's 2006 Olympic team, which went on to win the silver medal in Torino.

Also Tuesday, the Wild signed center Jason Morgan, who had been with the Chicago Blackhawks, to a one-year contract. The 29-year-old had one goal and one assist in seven games with Chicago in 2005-06.

 

[Knightfall]

Jackets sign Leclaire to two-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/18/2006 12:50:42 PM

The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goaltender Pascal Leclaire to a two-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Leclaire posted an 11-15-3 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 33 games as a rookie in 2005-06.

Columbus' first pick, eighth overall, in the 2001 Entry Draft, Leclaire is 11-17-3 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 35 career NHL games. He has also appeared in 101 career American Hockey League games, sporting a 37-46-9 mark with a 3.11 goals-against average and five shutouts with the Syracuse Crunch.

 

[Knightfall]

Vermette signs 2-year deal with Senators
TSN.ca Staff with Ottawa Sun files
7/18/2006 1:03:19 PM

Antoine Vermette avoided arbitration on Tuesday, as the Ottawa Sun reports that the Senators winger has agreed to a two-year, $2 million contract.

Vermette will reportedly make make $925,000 US next year and $1.075 million US in 2007-08.

He was scheduled to have his arbitration hearing in Toronto on Thursday.

Vermette, 23, played in all 82 games for hte Senators last season, scoring 21 goals and 33 points.

 

[Knightfall]

NY Islanders News!

Islanders fire GM Smith, hire Snow
TSN.ca Staff
7/18/2006 3:17:26 PM

Neil Smith is no longer general manager of the New York Islanders.

The team announced that they have fired Smith and have hired former Islanders goaltender Garth Snow as the new general manager.

"I spoke with Garth at length throughout the spring about the general manager's position and he really impressed me with his passion and his knowledge," said Islanders owner Charles Wang.

"When the job opened up, the choice was an easy one. Garth knows the league as well as anyone, has an eye for talent and understands how our staff works as a team. Most importantly, Garth is a man of integrity, someone I trust will work hard, be creative and represent the Islanders with dignity."

Snow joins a hockey operations staff that also includes head coach Ted Nolan, senior advisor Pat LaFontaine, player development director Bryan Trottier, chief amateur scout Tony Feltrin and pro scouting director Ken Morrow.

"This is a proud moment for me, a dream come true," said Snow.

"It's an opportunity I wanted more than anything. I look forward to working with Ted, Pat, Bryan and the scouts. Islander fans can be assured that this franchise is going to do everything in its power to bring another Stanley Cup to Long Island."

Smith was hired as GM of the Islanders during the Stanley Cup final, at the same time the team hired Ted Nolan as head coach.

He replaced Mike Milbury, who announced in January he would step down from the position after helping find a replacement. Milbury assumed a position as vice president of Islanders owner Charles Wang's sports properties.

Smith was the New York Rangers' GM from 1989-2000 and assembled the team that ended their 54-year Stanley Cup championship drought in 1994. He worked as a television analyst after being fired by the team after the 1999-2000 season. He first served as a scout with the Isles and owns a Stanley Cup ring from the 1981-82 season before taking a job as scout with the Detroit Red Wings.

Over the last three weeks, Smith worked to make quick improvements to the Islanders lineup by adding free agent forwards Chris Simon, Mike Sillinger, and Andy Hilbert, as well as defencemen Brendan Witt and Tom Poti.

 

[Knightfall]

Canuck News!

Bowness among Canucks' bench hirings
TSN.ca Staff
7/18/2006 2:26:56 PM

The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that Rick Bowness, Mike Kelly and Barry Smith have been named assistant coaches to work with new head coach Alain Vigneault.

Bowness joins the coaching staff from the Phoenix Coyotes where he served as assistant coach for the last five years. He was also head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Coyotes.

Kelly becomes a member of the coaching staff after working alongside Vigneault as assistant coach of the Manitoba Moose during the 2005-06 AHL season.

Smith continues his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks, entering his fourth season as Assistant Coach with the team.

 

[Agamon]

Oh brother. I know I wouldn't want to work for Milbury, so Smith leaving is both surprising, and not. But Garth Snow?? Oh man, if that isn't a puppet regime, what is? This organization was less of a joke when they had Captain Highliner on ther jerseys.

 

[Agamon]

Sources say Gomez turned down a $4 million offer from New Jersey and if he is awarded anywhere from a $5 miilion or more salary, the Devils will abide by the decision but then look to trade him.

$5 million? Oh, okay, maybe Montreal doesn't need him after all.