NHL: Player News and Rumors (Thread finished)

Leafs' re-sign McCabe to five-year deal
TSN.ca Staff
6/29/2006 11:49:21 AM

The waiting is over for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Defenceman Bryan McCabe has accepted the team's five-year deal worth $5.75 million a year that was essentially negotiated a few weeks ago.

"I'm very pleased to be continuing my career with the Leafs and to be a member of one of hockey's most storied franchises," McCabe said in a release. "This team has the opportunity to win, and Toronto's terrific fans make it a great place to play."

McCabe would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

He earned $3.458 million last season when he was third among all NHL defencemen in goals with 19 and points with 68. Both were career highs.

"Bryan is one of the premier defencemen in the game, and as a key member of our team keeping him in Toronto was one of our top priorities this off-season," Leafs GM John Ferguson said. "Bryan is among the most skilled players at his position in the NHL. He also brings us valuable leadership both on and off the ice. We're pleased that he'll continue to be a cornerstone for our team in the future."

McCabe had initially told the Leafs he needed some more time to settle some personal matters before making the commitment. The Leafs gave McCabe a deadline of Thursday to let them know whether he would accept the offer or not.

McCabe has 95 goals and 243 assists in 781 NHL games. He previously played for the New York Islanders, who drafted him 40th overall in 1993, the Vancouver Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Chicago traded him to Toronto in October 2000 for Alexander Karpovtsev and Toronto's fourth-round choice (Vladimir Gusev) in the 2001 entry draft.
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Stars pick up option on Klemm, ink Tjarnqvist
Sports Ticker
6/28/2006 7:55:48 PM

FRISCO, Texas (Ticker) - The Dallas Stars decided they need to keep their best shot-blocker.

Defenseman Jon Klemm, who led the Stars with 161 blocked shots last season, had his club option for the 2006-07 season picked up on Wednesday.

Klemm, who made $1,118,909 in 2005-06, will get $950,000 next season.

The Stars on Wednesday also re-signed left wing Mathias Tjarnqvist to a two-year contract.

Financial terms of Tjarnqvist's deal were not disclosed.

Klemm, 36, had four goals and seven assists in 76 regular-season games in 2005-06 and added a tally in five playoff contests.

"Jon has provided veteran leadership to our hockey club during his two seasons in Dallas and we are pleased to have him back," Stars general manager Doug Armstrong said. "We like the stability he brings to our defensive unit through his strong, positional play and his capability of blocking shots."

A 13-year veteran, Klemm was acquired by Dallas from Chicago in November 2003.

Klemm appeared in parts of three seasons with the Quebec Nordiques before the franchise relocated to Colorado and played six full seasons with the Avalanche, winning two Stanley Cups.

In 713 NHL games, Klemm has 41 goals and 98 assists with 402 penalty minutes.

Tjarnqvist, 27, appeared in 33 games with the Stars last season, recording two goals and four assists.

A third-round pick by Dallas in 2000, Tjarnqvist played 34 games with Iowa of the American Hockey League in 2005-06, tallying 17 goals and 12 assists.

"We like the development we have seen from Mathias, both in Dallas and in Iowa this past season," Armstrong said. "He has proven to be a primary offensive provider in the American Hockey League and we look for him to improve his game and become a solid contributor with our hockey club next season."
 

Luongo signs 4-year deal with Canucks
TSN.ca Staff
6/29/2006 2:20:27 PM

Goaltender Roberto Luongo finally has the long-term deal he's always wanted, signing a four-year, $27 million US contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

According to CKNW Radio in Vancouver, the new deal will pay Luongo $6 million US in the first year, $6.5 million US in the second year, $7 million US in the third year, and $7.5 million US in the final year. The contract also contains a no-trade clause for the final three years.

"We are pleased to have agreed to a long-term deal with Roberto today," Vancouver GM Dave Nonis said in a release.

"Roberto has proven himself to be an elite goaltender. His international experience, Vezina Trophy nomination and ability to consistently play at the highest level are tremendous assets that we believe will make the Vancouver Canucks competitive each and every night."

The Canucks and Florida Panthers completed a multi-player trade involving Luongo last week, with Vancouver sending Todd Bertuzzi, Bryan Allen and Alexander Auld to Florida for Luongo, Lukas Krajicek and a 2006 sixth round pick.

The Canucks qualified Luongo at $3.2 million US earlier this week, which gave the club his rights for the 2006-07 season, but Luongo's agent Gilles Lupien also met with his client in Montreal this week to discuss the prospects of a long term deal.

Luongo, 27, played 75 games with the Florida Panthers in 2005-06, posting a record of 35-30-9 with a 2.97 GAA and a .914 save percentage. Over his five-year NHL career, Luongo has played a total of 341 games, with a record of 115-168-41, a 2.72 GAA and a .919 save percentage.

He was also part of Canada's Olympic team in Turin and captured back-to-back gold medals when he starred in net for Team Canada at the 2003 and 2004 IIHF world championships.
 

Redden signs 2-year deal with Senators
TSN.ca Staff
6/29/2006 3:19:22 PM

The Ottawa Senators have locked up one of their elite blueliners, as sources tell TSN the team has signed defenceman Wade Redden to a two-year contract.

Speculation is that the deal is worth $13 million. The team is expected to make a formal announcement over the next 24 hours.

Redden, 29, was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on Saturday.

Redden scored 50 points, and posted a plus-35 rating, in 65 regular season games in 2005-2006, then added ten points in nine playoff games.

During his nine-year career in Ottawa, Redden has tallied 336 points in 694 games, with an impressive plus-147 rating.

Drafted second overall by the Islanders in the 1995 entry draft, he was acquired for Bryan Berard and Martin Straka in January 1996.
 

From Sportsnet.ca

Hockey Hearsay: Arnott to test free agency
June 29, 2006

According to his agent, Dallas Stars’ Jason Arnott will test the free agent market starting Saturday, writes Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News.

Unable to agree on the length of a contract, Arnott broke off talks with the team. "We've had our discussions, and it's clear that it won't get done now, so Jason will look at the marketplace," said his agent and brother Wade Arnott.

Dallas GM Doug Armstrong said has said the Stars are only considering long-term contracts for younger players. Arnott is 31.
 

Other News!

Lange let go as Pens' play-by play man
TSN.ca Staff
6/29/2006 4:52:54 PM

Mike Lange, longtime voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been let go after 30 years of working as the team's play-by-play announcer.

He will be replaced by radio play-by-play man Paul Steigerwald.

Lange was worked for the Penguins hockey radio and television network since 1975. In 2001, he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his outstanding work as a broadcaster.

Lange is best known for his colorful expressions during Penguins games that are picked up by sports news and highlight shows across the continent, which include:

- "I'll be cow-kicked!"
- "Oh no, Eddie Spaghetti!"
- "Heeeeeeeeeeeee shoots and scores!"
- "Scratch my back with a hacksaw!"
- "Well shave my face with a rusty razor!"
- "Great balls of fire!"
- "He was hit so hard his kids will be born dizzy"
- "He left the defensemen on the parkway going to the airport!"
- "You would have to be here to believe it!"
- "Look out Loretta!"
- "Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one too!"
- "He doesn't know whether to cry or wind his watch"
- "Michael, Michael, Motorcycle"
- "Get in the fast lane Grandma, the bingo game's ready to roll!"
- "She wants to sell my monkey!"
- "Call Arnold Slick from Turtle Creek!"
- "He beat him like a rented mule!"
- "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has just left the building!"
- "Book 'em Dano!"
- "He Picked His Pocket Like He was Walking down 5th Avenue"
- "Smilin' like a butcher's dog"
- "He takes the heat out of a hot kitchen"
- "How much fried chicken can you eat?"
- "Oh slap me silly Sidney!"
- "Get that dog off my lawn!"
- "And the kitchen is closed!"
- "He smoked him like a bad cigar!"
 

Sabres' Numminen undergoes heart surgery
Associated Press
6/29/2006 4:39:28 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Buffalo Sabres defenceman Teppo Numminen had surgery to correct an irregular heartbeat this week, his agent said Thursday.

Don Baizley also said Numminen is in negotiations to re-sign with the team.

Numminen had surgery at the Cleveland Clinic on Tuesday and is currently travelling to his native Finland after being cleared by doctors the following day, Baizley said.

The surgery was anticipated after the heart condition, which isn't considered life-threatening, forced Numminen to miss one game and part of another during Buffalo's first-round playoff series against Philadelphia. Numminen returned to the lineup and appeared in the next eight games before a hip-flexor injury sidelined him for five of the team's last six games of the Eastern Conference final against Carolina.

Numminen, who has had a heart murmur since childhood, was diagnosed with a dilated aorta in March 2004 when he was with the Dallas Stars. He missed five games because of the condition before being cleared to play.

The 17-year NHL veteran, considered Buffalo's steadiest defenceman, is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent Saturday.

Baizley said he's hopeful to work out a deal.

"We've had talks but nothing done at this moment. But we'll have more talks," Baizley said. "(Teppo) likes Buffalo, it's just that we haven't gotten it done, yet."

Sabres general manager Darcy Regier wasn't immediately available for comment but had previously expressed hope to re-sign Numminen, who joined the team as a free agent last summer.

His return would help Buffalo begin addressing its defensive depth. Veteran defencemen Jay McKee and Rory Fitzpatrick are unsigned and expected to test free agency.

Numminen is coming off a strong season in which he finished second among Buffalo defencemen with 40 points (two goals, 38 assists) in 75 games. That marked his most productive year since a 48-point campaign with Phoenix in 2001-02.

He added a goal and assist and averaged nearly 19 minutes of ice time in 12 post-season games, the first time he's been on a team that advanced past the first round of the playoffs.

Numminen ranks second among European players with 1,235 career regular-season NHL games played, 17 short of passing Jari Kurri, a fellow Finn and former Edmonton Oiler great.
 

Report: Stars waive veteran Guerin
TSN.ca Staff with Fort Worth Star-Telegram files
6/29/2006 3:59:49 PM

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the Dallas Stars placed forward Bill Guerin on 24-hour waivers Thursday, setting up a buyout of his contract for Friday.

Guerin was to make $6.7 million US next season.

"It's not a surprise," Guerin told the newspaper.

"It kind of shocks you when you actually hear it. My feelings right now are very mixed - my family's incredibly happy here, they're very settled. It's disappointing that it didn't work out with the Stars."

According to the Star-Telegram, the Stars will pay the him $4.5 million US over the next two years, money that will not count toward the NHL's $44 million US salary cap.

Guerin, 35, scored 13 goals and 27 assists in 70 games last season and spent the past three seasons with the Stars.
 


They fired Mike Lange?? :( Didn't get to see many Pens games commentated by him, but he's been a favorite, for sure. Ah, well, at least there's still Rick Jeaneret. That dude is nuts. :)
 

Remove ads

Top