NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Thrashers sign Kapanen
TSN.ca Staff
7/20/2006 12:32:46 PM

The Atlanta Thrashers have signed restricted free agent centre Niko Kapanen to a multiple-year contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kapanen, 28, was acquired by the Thrashers from Dallas with a seventh-round choice in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft (Will O'Neill) in exchange for Patrik Stefan and Jaroslav Modry last month.

Kapanen has appeared in 239 NHL games with the Stars over four seasons, recording 76 points. The 5-9, 180-pound centre has also played in 18 career playoff games for Dallas, totaling nine points.

The native of Hameenlinna, Finland, tallied 35 points in 81 games with Dallas last season. He set career highs in goals, points, power play goals, game-winning goals and shorthanded goals, which also led the team. In five playoff games with the Stars, he recorded one assist.

Originally selected by the Stars in the sixth round, 173rd overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Kapanen spent the 2001-02 season between Dallas and Utah (AHL), where he played nine games for the Stars and 59 games for the Grizzlies. During his rookie NHL season of 2002-03, he recorded 34 points (five goals, 29 assists) in 82 games and led league rookies in assists and plus/minus rating (+25). That season he played in the NHL Topps/Youngstars Game during All-Star Weekend in Florida.

Kapanen won a Silver Medal with Finland at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, scoring three points (two goals, one assist) in eight games. He was earned a Silver Medal at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, in which he tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in six games.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

From TSN.ca!

Ice Chips for Thursday, July 20

> Columbus Blue Jackets winger Nikolai Zherdev, who is a restricted free agent, has signed a contract with Khimik Voskresensk of the Russian Superleague. Zherdev will be able to get out of the contract if he signs with the Blue Jackets. - Columbus Post-Dispatch

> The Philadelphia Flyers and winger Simon Gagne are reportedly far apart on a new contract, but GM Bob Clarke maintains it will happen before training camp. - Philadelphia Daily News

> The Columbus Blue Jackets are working on a long-term deal with winger Jason Chimera. Chimera is scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 3, but both sides are working on a multi-year deal. - Columbus Post-Dispatch

> The Toronto Maple Leafs may send 2006 first-round pick Jiri Tlusty to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. - Toronto Sun

> The Phoenix Coyotes would be interested in acquiring Devils forward Scott Gomez in he wins his arbitration case and the Devils can't afford him. - Arizona Republic

> Penguins winger Colby Armstrong could sign his qualifying offer on Thursday. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 

More on Zherdev!

Report: Zherdev may play in Russia
Canadian Press
7/20/2006 12:39:59 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CP) - Winger Nikolai Zherdev may play in Russia next season unless there's a breakthrough in contract talks with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The restricted free agent has already signed a contract with Khimik Voskresensk of the Russian Superleague, his agent Rolland Hedges told the Columbus Dispatch.

''Nikolai's first objective is to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets,'' Hedges told the newspaper. ''If he's not able to do that because of a contract or budget situation, this way he has a place to play.''

Zherdev will spend the entire season in Russia if he doesn't sign with the Blue Jackets by Oct. 5.

''I'm not worried about it,'' Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean told the Dispatch. ''We'll attempt to sign him, but if we don't, we move on and he goes back to Russia for a year. There's no doubt we'd like to get him signed, though. We'll see.''

The Jackets have offered Zherdev a one-year deal and a two-year deal but nothing more. Zherdev wants a long-term deal.

''He has lots to prove yet both on and off the ice,'' said MacLean. ''We're not prepared to pay a premium to put him on a long-term deal.''

The 21-year-old was second on the Blue Jackets last season with 27 goals and 54 points.
 

Hurricanes ink Forrest to one-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/20/2006 12:51:16 PM

The Carolina Hurricanes have agreed to terms with defenceman J.D. Forrest on a one-year contract. The deal will pay Forrest $450,000 at the NHL level and $50,000 at the American Hockey League level.

''J.D.'s game has developed in Finland over the past two seasons,'' said Karmanos. ''He plays an offensive style and he adds more depth to our prospects on defense.''

Forrest, 25, played for Assat Pori of SM-Liiga, the top professional league in Finland in 2005-06. He ranked third among Assat Pori defencemen in scoring with six goals and five assists (11 points) in 43 regular season games. He notched four assists in 14 playoff contests. In 2004-05, Forrest played for SaiPa Lappeenranta of SM-Liiga, ranking second among the team's defencemen in scoring with 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists) in 53 games.

Prior to playing in Europe, Forrest spent four years on the blue line for Boston College of Hockey East, totaling 98 points and 122 penalty minutes in 144 career games. The Auburn, NY, native was named to the Hockey East Second All-Star Team and NCAA East Second All-American Team following his junior season with the Eagles.
 

Islanders sign D Berry
TSN.ca Staff
7/20/2006 1:02:27 PM

The New York Islanders have signed physical defenceman Rick Berry to a one-year contract.

The 27-year old Berry, who played for Milwaukee (AHL) in 2005-06, has played 197 NHL games over parts of four seasons with Colorado, Pittsburgh and Washington.

"(Pro scouting director) Ken Morrow felt strongly that we needed to add depth on defense, someone to lead the way in Bridgeport and push for a job on Long Island," said Islanders general manager Garth Snow. "We found an ideal veteran in Rick Berry. He's very solid positionally, blocks a lot of shots, loves to take the body and he's always there for his teammates."

The 6-2, 215-pound Berry was originally selected by Colorado in the third round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. In his 197 NHL games he has two goals, 13 assists and 314 penalty minutes. Last season with Milwaukee, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Nashville Predators, Berry had one goal, 11 assists and 121 penalty minutes. He also played five games last season for San Antonio (AHL).
 

Chouinard signing "offically" announced!

Canucks sign free agent Chouinard
TSN.ca Staff
7/20/2006 1:42:13 PM

The Vancouver Canucks have signed unrestricted free-agent centre Marc Chouinard to a $2.2-million US, two-year deal.

The 29-year-old centre had a career-high 14 goals and 16 assists in 74 games with the Minnesota Wild last season and is a solid, two-way player. Chouinard will earn $1.1 million a season.

Chouinard was a member of the 2002-03 Anaheim Mighty Ducks team that advanced to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals versus the New Jersey Devils.

He has career NHL totals of 35 goals, 39 assists and 113 penalty minutes in 278 games.

The 6-4, 200-pound native of Charlesbourg, Que., was drafted 32nd overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1995 NHL entry draft.
------------------------------------
Canucks Payroll Commitments for 2006-07
 

Agent: Preds, Tootoo agree to 2-year deal
Tennessean.com
Tuesday, 07/18/06

The Tootoo train looks like it will be running for at least another two seasons in Nashville.

The Predators and hard-hitting forward Jordin Tootoo agreed in principle to a two-year deal on Monday, according to Tootoo's agent. Tootoo had been a restricted free agent.

"We're just waiting on some paperwork, but the agreement is there," NHL player agent Craig Oster said. "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."

Predators General Manager David Poile chose not to comment on Tootoo's contract status.

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.

He had a breakout offensive season for Milwaukee of the American Hockey League, totaling 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) in 41 regular-season games and adding 11 points (nine goals, two assists) in 15 postseason contests.

It won't be as easy for the Predators to shuffle Tootoo between Nashville and Milwaukee this season, as such a move would require Tootoo to clear waivers.

Also on Monday, the Predators announced the signings of four more organizational depth players.

The team has come to terms with 6-3, 210-pound left wing Pat Leahy, 6-4, 214-pound center Shane Endicott, 6-6, 236-pound defenseman Nolan Yonkman and 5-8, 160-pound goalie Karl Goehring. All were signed to one-year, two-way contracts and are likely to begin the season in Milwaukee.

Over the weekend, prospect forward Brandon Segal agreed to a new deal and will also likely begin the season in Milwaukee. The 6-3, 215-pounder posted a career-high 33 points last season for the Admirals.

Leahy played 43 NHL games with Boston last season, Endicott played in 41 with Pittsburgh and Yonkman played 38 with Washington. Goehring, who's never played in the NHL, posted a 4-16-1 record and .912 save percentage with San Antonio of the AHL last season.

"We've got some guys with some size, some NHL experience and some skating ability," Predators assistant general manager Paul Fenton said. "They're excited about coming to us because of the winning atmosphere we have in the organization."
 

Panthers won't sign Belfour
TSN.ca Staff
7/20/2006 4:48:01 PM

Ed Belfour's search for a new home in the NHL continues.

The Florida Panthers have had a sudden change of heart and intend to put their faith in recently acquired goaltender Alex Auld.

The Panthers brought Belfour, a 41 year old veteran into Sunrise, Florida yesterday for medical testing and were expected to offer him a contract.

Instead Florida has rescinded its offer and have decided to go with what they have.

The Panthers originally offered Belfour a one-year deal, which he ignored while trying to prove his good health to the Detroit Red Wings.

When a deal didn't materialize, the Belfour camp revisited prior discussions in Florida leading to his arrival Tuesday with the understanding if he was medically cleared there was a good chance he would be signed.

Sources say the negotiation is now dead, leaving Belfour open on the market to investigate what other options he may have.
 

Kunitz inks two-year deal with Ducks
Sports Ticker
7/20/2006 6:02:49 PM

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) - Chris Kunitz apparently made a strong impression on the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks on Thursday re-signed the promising left wing to a two-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Kunitz, 26, collected 19 goals and 41 points in 67 games for Anaheim in 2005-06, his first full season in the NHL. The Saskatchewan native set club rookie records for goals, points, shots (149) and plus-minus rating (16).

Claimed off waivers from Atlanta on October 18, Kunitz emerged as a major scoring threat in the postseason, collecting three tallies and five assists in 16 games.

A Hobey Baker Award finalist for Ferris State in 2003, Kunitz has 19 goals and 28 assists in 90 career games with the Ducks and the Thrashers.
 


Remove ads

Top