NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Tyutin re-signs with Rangers
Sports Ticker
8/2/2006 5:39:16 PM

NEW YORK (Ticker) - The New York Rangers on Wednesday agreed to terms with defenseman Fedor Tyutin.

Terms were not disclosed.

The agreement with Tyutin comes one day after the Rangers re-signed defenseman Michal Rozsival to a two-year contract worth $4.2 million.

The 23-year-old Tyutin collected six goals and 19 assists with 58 penalty minutes in 77 games this past season, his second in the league. He also had one assist in eight games for Team Russia at the 2006 Olympics.

The 6-2, 204-pound Tyutin has eight goals and 24 assists in 102 career games.
 

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Back to school: Toews spurns Blackhawks
Associated Press
8/2/2006 6:34:06 PM

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) - Jonathan Toews, the No. 3 pick in the NHL draft, will return to the University of North Dakota for his sophomore season instead of joining the Chicago Blackhawks.

"A huge part of my future," Toews said Wednesday of his decision to go back to school. "It's definitely going to be a blast and something I don't want to miss out on."

Toews turned down a $935,000 US offer from Chicago.

The six-foot-one, 195-pound Winnipeg native said money had nothing to do with his decision to come back to North Dakota, which has lost five players and an assistant coach to the professional ranks this off-season.

"That sort of thing can wait," he said.

Toews scored 22 goals and added 17 assists as a 17-year-old freshman. He was chosen as the most outstanding player at the NCAA West Regional. The centre is also a candidate to be the captain of Team Canada in the 2007 World Junior Championship.

"It wasn't do or die for (the Blackhawks)," Toews said. "They understood that I knew better what was best for me."
 

Blackhawks accept Calder decision
Sports Ticker
8/2/2006 8:22:42 PM

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Kyle Calder apparently will be rewarded for his career season.

According to a report on the Chicago Blackhawks' official web site Wednesday, the team has accepted an arbitrator's decision to award Calder a one-year, $2.95 million contract.

Calder, who made $1.31 million last season, had his case heard on July 24, three days before an arbitrator made his ruling. Had Chicago declined to accept the decision, Calder would have become an unrestricted free agent.

The 27-year-old recorded career bests of 26 goals and 59 points in 2005-06, when he led the Blackhawks in tallies, assists (33), points and game-winning goals (six).

A fifth-round pick in 1997, Calder has appeared in 359 games over six seasons with Chicago, recording 85 goals, 125 assists and 184 penalty minutes.
 

Blues sign Martin Rucinsky
TSN.ca Staff
8/2/2006 9:47:37 PM

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues have signed free agent forward Martin Rucinsky.

"In Martin, we have added a veteran goal scorer with proven leadership skills to our line-up today," said Blues president John Davidson. "We are happy to have an opportunity to acquire a player of Martin's ability and look forward to his second stint with the St. Louis Blues."

Rucinsky, 35, was a point-per-game player last season with the New York Rangers, recording 55 points in 52 games. He has registered 20-plus goals in four of his 14 NHL seasons.

The 6-foot-1, 207-pound forward from Most, Czech Republic has appeared in 869 career NHL games during his NHL career, amassing 563 points along with 733 penalty minutes.

He was originally Edmonton's second selection, 20th overall, in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.
 

Report: Penguins begin talks with Malkin
TSN.ca Staff with Pittsburgh Tribune-Review files
8/3/2006 11:21:30 AM

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that the Penguins and Evgeni Malkin's agent are opening contract negotiations, paving way for the much heralded prospect to be in the lineup on opening night.

The news comes after NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told the paper that there will be no transfer agreement between the Russian Hockey Federation and the NHL for this upcoming season, but noted that if players currently on contract with Russian teams can secure their own release, they could still sign with NHL teams this season.

"The (NHL) announced that clubs would be free to sign players given that (Russia has) not been able to agree to a transfer agreement, and, as a result, we're going to move ahead and negotiate with Pittsburgh," Malkin's agent, Don Meehan, told the Tribune Review on Wednesday.

"That's a priority for us now."

The NHL gave the Russian Ice Hockey Federation until Monday to sign a transfer deal that was negotiated and ratified in June. Daly told the Tribune-Review that they were moving ahead with a deal signed last summer that involves other European hockey nations.

"There is no longer a possibility of an agreement this year that will involve the Russian Federation joining our existing player transfer agreement," Daly said. But Daly added that does not necessarily mean that Russian players cannot come to the NHL.

Malkin, taken second overall by the Penguins in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, is under contract to his Russian team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, through 2008. But a provision in Russian labor law allows employees to leave if two weeks' written notice is given.

"We have followed the provision under that law, and we've given the appropriate notice," said Meehan. "Now, the next step after that would be to negotiate with Pittsburgh."

Meehan added that he has already spoken with Penguins general manager Ray Shero.
 

Canadiens' Boullion has knee surgery
TSN.ca Staff with RDS files
8/3/2006 11:44:17 AM

Francis Boullion's status for the start of the Montreal Canadiens' training camp next month is up in the air.

TSN's sister station in Quebec RDS reports that the veteran defenceman underwent surgery on his left knee on Wednesday after having it examined by a doctor in Vail, Colorado.

There is no official word on the extent of Boullion's injury or how long he will be sidelined, but local reports say he could be out from four to six weeks. Bouillon made the trip to Vail after experiencing pain in his knee last week when he started skating.

The Canadiens re-signed Bouillon to a $5.63 million, three-year contract last month after he posted career highs in assists (19) and points (22).
 

Bruins re-sign Boyes to multi-year deal
Canadian Press
8/3/2006 4:20:15 PM

BOSTON (CP) - The Boston Bruins have agreed to terms with right-winger Brad Boyes on a $3-million US, two-year contract.

Boyes will get $1.4 million next season and $1.6 million the following year.

Boyes, 24, of Mississauga, Ont., led the Bruins in assists with 43 and was second in total points with 69 while appearing in all 82 games last season on a contract that paid him $600,000 US. He was third among NHL rookies in assists and points while earning a berth on the league's all-rookie team.

"Brad had a terrific season last year and his best hockey is still ahead of him," said general manager Peter Chiarelli. "His game is well suited to the new rules and we look forward to having him build on his success of last season."
 

Sabres accept Briere's arbitration award
Associated Press
8/3/2006 5:18:13 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The Buffalo Sabres agreed Thursday to accept the $5 million US contract Daniel Briere was awarded in salary arbitration, ending any speculation that the team was prepared to part with its co-captain.

"It was a decision we felt very good about moving forward on," general manager Darcy Regier said. "It's very important for us to have him on board for next season."

Regier added that the choice to retain Briere was not a difficult one. He credited team owner B. Thomas Golisano for making the financial commitment on a contract that represents a $3 million raise over Briere's salary last season.

Regier said that in accepting the contract, the team has no intention of trading Briere.

Under NHL rules, the Sabres held the option to walk away from the award, a move that would have allowed Briere to become an unrestricted free agent.

The Sabres have not yet decided to accept the one-year, $2.9 million contract awarded forward J.P. Dumont on Wednesday. Buffalo has one more player scheduled for arbitration, fourth-line forward Adam Mair, whose hearing is set for Friday.

"I'm very excited about being on board again for the following season," said Briere, who was awarded the contract July 23. "I've said all along that I want to be here, so it's exciting to finally know what's going to happen and where I'm going to be for the next year."

Briere is coming off a strong year in which he finished fourth on the Sabres with 58 points (25 goals, 33 assists) despite missing 32 games because of a sports hernia.

He returned to the lineup in March and helped lead Buffalo in an extended playoff run, which ended with the team losing Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final to Carolina, the eventual Stanley Cup champion.

Briere had eight goals, including two game-winners, and 11 assists for a team-leading 19 points in 18 playoff games.

Briere acknowledged he had some doubts about whether the small-market Sabres would keep him.

"My gut was telling me that I was going to be here but, at the same time, you don't know," he said. "You hear the rumours that they might walk away or might trade me. ... So I'm glad it's all cleared now and we can move on."

Buffalo's rising payroll has been a significant issue this off-season. The Sabres had a relatively modest $29 million payroll last season, about $10 million under the salary cap.

Including Dumont, the team's payroll would now stand at about $37 million. The Sabres still have two key unrestricted free agents to fit in under the new $44 million cap: goaltender Ryan Miller, who's coming off a 30-win season, and defenceman Dmitri Kalinin.

Mair is expected to receive a slight raise over his $450,000 salary last year.
 

Noronen intends to stop pucks in Russia
Canadian Press
8/4/2006 12:55:46 PM

VANCOUVER (CP) - Mika Noronen, who had been pencilled in as the backup to Roberto Luongo, has opted to stop pucks in Russia rather than sit on the end of the Canucks bench next season.

Noronen was acquired from Buffalo for a second-round draft pick at the March 9 trading deadline but, with Luongo expected to play most of the games, Noronen is moving to Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian elite league. Agent Jay Grossman confirmed the goalie's decision Friday.

The 27-year-old Finn, who was the Sabres' first-round draft pick in 1997, has a career NHL record of 22-31-6. He got into four games with the Canucks last spring and was 1-2 with a .844 save percentage and 4.27 goals-against average.

He's one year away from attaining unrestricted free agency status in the NHL, so he viewed a full slate of 45 to 50 games with Ak Bars Kazan as the best route to take.

Noronen had yet to sign a new contract with the Canucks. He'd be in line for at least $1.5 million US in a new NHL contract, and he could make just as much in Russia next season.
 

Weinrich retires to become assistant coach
TSN.ca Staff
8/4/2006 1:31:08 PM

Eric Weinrich is trading in his hockey stick for a clipboard and a whistle.

The 40 year old defenseman is expected to join Kevin Dineen's coaching staff on the AHL's Portland Pirates after almost two decades in the NHL.

"Having a guy with his kind of experience on board will do nothing but help the young defensemen we have on our team," Dineen tells the Portland Press Herald. "Once he sets foot in the dressing room his kind of demeanor is the right kind of fit to help these guys maximize their potential."

Weinrich would not comment on the report but a formal announcement regarding the Pirates coaching situation is expected to be made on Monday.

Weinrich started last season with the St. Louis Blues before being acquired by the Vancouver Canucks at the NHL trade deadline for the final 16 games of the regular season. He had 1 goal and 16 assists and was a -23 on defense.

Weinrich began his NHL career in New Jersey before making stops in Hartford, Chicago, Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia. In 1,157 regular-season games, the former second round draft pick of the Devils scored 70 goals and 318 assists. In 81 playoff games, he scored six goals and had 23 assists.
 

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