NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Red Wings re-sign Williams for two years
Sports Ticker
7/27/2006 4:30:04 PM

DETROIT (Ticker) - The Detroit Red Wings avoided arbitration with Jason Williams on Thursday, re-signing the center to a two-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed for Williams, who was scheduled for arbitration next Monday.

The 25-year-old had a breakthrough season in 2005-06, his fifth in the league, setting career highs in games (80), goals (21), assists (37) and points (58). Williams scored five times in seven shootout attempts, including two game-winning goals.

"We are pleased to reach a deal with Jason before going to arbitration," Detroit general manager Ken Holland said. "He took a big step forward as a NHL player last year and we look forward to even more progress in the future."
 

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Arbitrator awards Calder $2.95-million
TSN.ca Staff
7/27/2006 5:34:16 PM

An arbitrator has awarded Chicago Blackhawks forward Kyle Calder $2.95-million for the 2006-2007 season.

Calder, 27, is coming off a season in which he recorded career-bests and team-leading totals in goals, 26, and points, 59.

A fifth-round pick of the Blackhawks in 1997, Calder has notched 210 points in 359 career games. He earned $1.311-million last season.

The Blackhawks still have on more player going to arbitration, defenceman Jim Vandermeer on July 28th. Chicago has until 48 hours after the Vandermeer arbitration result to decide on whether or not they will accept Calder's award or not.
 

Primeau to try skating next week
TSN.ca Staff
7/28/2006 10:51:13 AM

Less than two weeks after cancelling a training program in Finland, Philadelphia Flyers forward Keith Primeau is ready to try skating again in an effort to revive his NHL career.

A source close to the Flyers told TSN that Primeau will begin skating in Philadelphia on August 2nd and intends to push upwards of four times a week in an effort to determine his status by September 1st.

The Flyers are cautiously optimistic, but very aware the next five weeks could spell out Primeau's future.

Post-concussion symptoms limited Primeau to just nine games last season. The symptoms recently returned, forcing the cancellation of his Finnish training session and throwing his NHL future in doubt.

Primeau has two years and $6.84 million remaining on his contract and the Flyers, desperate to get their salary cap position nailed down, need to know Primeau's status as soon as possible. If Primeau is forced to retire, for instance, the Flyers would get a big chunk of cap space back, with which they could acquire another player.

Or, if Primeau's good to go, they could have their captain back.

"I'm under contract and they'd love to have me back," Primeau said a couple of weeks ago. "I kind of put personal pressure on myself (to make a decision). I feel as though I'm under the gun personally not to hamstring them.

"They're not going to wait for me forever."
 

Canucks sign Tremblay to boost blue-line
Canadian Press
7/28/2006 1:17:53 PM

VANCOUVER (CP) - The Vancouver Canucks hope to add some offensive punch to their blue-line by signing free agent defenceman Yannick Tremblay to a one-year contract, the team said Friday.

Tremblay, who will earn $450,000 US, played for the Mannheim Eagles of the German Hockey League last season. The 30-year-old last played in the NHL in the 2003-04 season with the Atlanta Thrashers where he had two goals and 10 points in 38 games.

In 378 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Thrashers, he had 37 goals and 85 assists plus 166 penalty minutes.

Tremblay has a career plus-minus rating of minus-113 but is known for his strong point shot.

The Canucks have lost all-star defenceman Ed Jovanovski and Nolan Baumgartner to free agency.
 

Panthers sign Van Ryn to long-term deal
TSN.ca Staff
7/28/2006 1:45:26 PM

The Florida Panthers avoided arbitration with two defenceman Friday, signing Mike Van Ryn to a four-year deal and Ric Jackman to a one-year deal. Terms were not disclosed.

Van Ryn, 27, posted career highs last season in games played (80) and assists (29), while also tying a professional best with 37 points. He also placed second on the club averaging 22:35 in ice time and third on the team with a plus-15 rating. During the 2003-04 campaign, Van Ryn become only the third defenseman in Panthers history to score at least 13 goals in a season.

"Mike is a top tier defenseman who we are extremely pleased to have come to terms with on a long-term deal," said Panthers general manager Mike Keenan. "He is a fine ambassador of the game for the Panthers both on and off the ice. We look forward to his continued contributions to our team, as well as the South Florida community."

The 6-foot-1, 202-pound defenseman has played in 228 career contests scoring 23 goals with 64 assists and 168 penalty minutes. In two seasons with the Panthers,Van Ryn has 21 goals and 53 assists with 142 PIM.

Off the ice, Van Ryn was awarded the 2005-06 Sziro Jewelry Community Service Award for his involvement in the South Florida community. He was also the Panthers nominee for the 2006 NHL Foundation Player Award for Community Service and served as a guest coach at the Panthers summer hockey schools this year.

Jackman, 28, played 15 games with Florida last spring after being acquired from Pittsburgh. On the season, he had career highs in games played (54), assists (23), points (30) and penalty minutes (52).

"He is a skilled and hard working defensive player who will play an important role in the team's success this season," said Keenan.

The Panthers already went to arbitration with defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, who was granted a two-year deal worth $4.35 million. The Panthers have already accepted that settlement.
 

Schaefer signs multi-year deal with Sens
TSN.ca Staff
7/28/2006 2:20:46 PM

The Ottawa Senators managed to completely avoid salary arbitration hearings this summer, now that forward Peter Schaefer has signed a multi-year contract.

The Senators announced the signing Friday without providing financial details, but the Canadian Press reports that the deal is worth $8.4 million. Schaefer, who earned $988,000 US last season, will get $1.7 million next season and $2.1 million, $2.3 million and $2.3 million in the remaining seasons of the new pact.

In his seventh NHL season, and third with the Senators, Schaefer recorded career highs in goals (20), assists (30) and penalty minutes (40).

He was one of six Senators to record 20 or more goals and one of five to play in all 82 regular-season games. Schaefer had two game-winning goals on the season and nine two-point games.

The 29-year-old also scored seven playoff points (2-5) during the club's 10 post-season games.

In 338 career games with Ottawa, Schaefer has recorded 41 goals, 71 assists, 112 points and 98 penalty minutes. In 416 career NHL games, he scored 77 goals and has 110 assists and 148 penalty minutes.

Five Senators applied for arbitration this summer. Martin Havlat was traded to Chicago before his hearing, and the other four (Schaefer, Chris Neil, Chris Kelly and Antoine Vermette) all settled before their cases were heard.
 

Ducks look to deal Vishnevski after award
Sports Ticker/TSN.ca
7/28/2006 4:00:53 PM

TORONTO (Ticker) -- Two days after presenting his case in an arbitration hearing, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski was awarded a one-year contract worth $1.55 million on Friday.

The decision resulted in a slight raise for Vishnevski, who made $1.14 million last season. The fifth overall pick in the 1998 draft, the 26-year-old recorded one goal, seven assists and 91 penalty minutes in 82 games with the Ducks in 2005-06.

Sources tell TSN that the Ducks are actively trying to trade him. If there are no takers, Anaheim may walk away from the award.

A native of Kharkov, Russia, Vishnevski represented his country at the Winter Olympics in Torino this past February, registering an assist in six games.

In 416 career games with Anaheim, Vishnevski has collected 11 goals, 37 assists and 403 penalty minutes.
 
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From Sportsnet.ca!

Hockey Hearsay
July 28, 2006

Devils talking to Dunham
The New Jersey Devils are looking to sign former Ranger(and brief Devil) Mike Dunham to backup Martin Brodeur.

According to the New York Post, Lou Lamoriello is also courting Scott Clemmensen, their No. 2 last season.

A signing will probably wait until Lamoriello unravels some of his salary cap issues.

In 1996-97, the Devils famously played Dunham for stints as short as two seconds to push him past the 25-game threshold and prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. An arbitrator ruled that the Devils could keep Dunham's rights, but warned that no other team had better ever try that tactic again.


Fans furious at Sabres' new logo
Thousands are signing a Buffalo man's petition to protest the Sabres decision to introduce a new logo.

According to the National Post, Drew Celestino was so outraged at the new design, which attempts to mix the team's original blue and gold colours with the new stylized buffalo, that he has started an online petition.

In three weeks so far, the site has recorded 20,000 signatures and forced the Sabres to hold a news conference on Thursday, two months before the actual unveiling. They announced that the team will wear retro jerseys for 15 home games, and did confirm that the Sabres will be changing their uniforms.
 

From TSN.ca!

Ice Chips for Friday, July 28

> The Sabres have five arbitration hearings scheduled for next week and still have to agree to terms with two restricted free agents, goaltender Ryan Miller and defenseman Dmitri Kalinin. Regier said he hopes to find common ground with forwards J.P. Dumont, Tim Connolly, Paul Gaustad, Maxim Afinogenov and Adam Mair before their hearings in Toronto. - Buffalo News

> With about $6 million left in cap space and Tuomo Ruutu still unsigned, the Blackhawks may allow first-round draft pick Jonathan Toews to return to the University of North Dakota this season rather than sign him. - Chicago Tribune

> Russian winger Pavel Vorobiev, meanwhile, won't be back in the Hawks' organization this season. He has signed to play for Khimik Mytischy of the Russian league. The Hawks will retain Vorobiev's NHL rights for three more years. - Chicago Sun Times

> Although Scott Gomez is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, he has not ruled out the possibility of negotiating a long-term contract extension with the Devils. He has signed his one-year deal with New Jersey and cannot negotiate a long-term deal until January 1. In order to keep Gomez, center Sergei Brylin ($1.52 million), defenseman Richard Matvichuk ($1.368 million), defenseman Brad Lukowich ($1 million) and forward Jason Wiemer ($950,000) may be among the players considered expendable. - Star Ledger
 

Sabres ink Connolly to three-year deal
Canadian Press
7/28/2006 4:29:55 PM

The Buffalo Sabres avoided arbitration with centre Tim Connolly by signing him to a new 3-year deal worth $8.7 million US on Friday.

The 25-year-old was fifth on the Sabres in scoring last season, posting career highs in points (55), goals (16) and assists (39) in 63 games.

Connolly missed 19 games last season with a knee injury.

"After discussions with Tim and our medical staff, we fully expect Tim to be completely healthy," said Sabres GM Darcy Regier.
 
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