The Official NHL 2006-2007 Season Thread

[Malcolm]

Canucks acquire Shannon from Ducks

The Vancouver Canucks have acquired forward Ryan Shannon from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for winger Jason King and a conditional draft pick in 2009.

Habs deal Leighton to Hurricanes

Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The Carolina Hurricanes acquired goaltender Michael Leighton from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for the Hurricanes' seventh-round pick (192nd overall) in the 2007 draft on Saturday.Leighton, 26, bounced around several teams last year as he was part of the Anaheim Ducks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens organizations throughout the 2006-07 season.

Balsillie still in the Predators mix

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CP) - Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie remains in the mix to buy the Nashville Predators despite Friday's apparent setback.

A source close to Balsillie, the co-CEO of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion, said Saturday that nothing has changed in his bid to complete the purchase of the NHL club from Craig Leipold.

On Friday, Leipold set the hockey world abuzz when he sent a letter to the NHL's head office asking the league to stop the application process from Balsillie "until we reach a binding agreement."

"The Predators' lawyers have informed us that they want us to put a hold on the Balsillie application for now," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Saturday during the NHL entry draft. "To the extent that there's anything to consider in the future, they want it to be their application, not Balsillie's."

But a source close to Balsillie said Saturday that the only reason Leipold did that was because the application process was costing him a fortune in legal bills and that Leipold wants to focus on finalizing his deal with Balsillie before going back to the league.

 

"It stopped. But it doesn't means it can't recommence," said Daly. "We've had a number of examples in the past where there's been a breakdown and people have come back. So who knows?"

All that exists now between Leipold and Balsillie is a letter of intent, not a binding agreement, but the Balsillie camp remains confident the deal will eventually go through.

It won't be anytime soon. Balsillie doesn't want to complete the purchase until the league's board of governors reviews and approves his contingent relocation plans for Hamilton. And that can't happen until at the least September, when the board next meets.

In the meantime, because there is no binding agreement, nothing can stop Leipold from entertaining other offers.

"Mr. Leipold at this point has decided he's not going to pursue the Balsillie application unless or until they have a binding agreement," said Daly. "Obviously he's going to look at what his other options might be."

[Malcolm]

Stars extend qualifying offers to seven

Frisco, TX (Sports Network) - The Dallas Stars announced Monday that the club made qualifying offers to right wing Marius Holtet, left wing Jussi Jokinen, defenseman Vadim Khomitski, right wing Junior Lessard, center Joel Lundqvist, right wing Antti Miettinen and center Mike Ribeiro. Center Yared Hagos was not extended a qualifying offer.
Teams are required to extend a one-year qualifying offer to any current restricted free agent by June 25 in order to receive the right of first refusal or draft choice compensation should that respective player sign an offer sheet with another NHL club. The qualifying offers will expire at 4 pm (Central Time) on Sunday, July 15.

Qualifying offers fall into the following three categories:
1) A player whose prior year salary was equal or less than $660,000 must receive a qualifying offer of 110% of their prior years salary. 2) A player whose prior year salary was more than $660,000 and up to $1 million must receive a qualifying offer of 105% of their prior years salary (but in no event shall such qualifying offer exceed $1 million). 3) A player whose prior year salary was more than $1 million must receive a qualifying offer at 100% of their prior years salary.

If a team does not give a qualifying offer to a restricted free agent, he is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, and can sign with any team with no compensation required to the players former club.Jokinen appeared in his first NHL season with the Stars last year, posting 17 goals and 38 assists for 55 points in 81 games. He also had 38 assists for the sixth-most by a rookie in franchise history, while his 55 points ranked 10th on the rookie list.Ribeiro appeared in 79 games for Montreal last season, notching 16 goals and 35 assists for 51 points with 36 penalty minutes. Among team leaders, he ranked third in power-play goals, fourth in assists and fourth in points.

Damphousse resigns NHLPA post

TORONTO (CP) - Former star forward Vincent Damphousse has stepped down as director of business relations for the NHL Players' Association.Damphousse said he is leaving the union in order to devote more time to the spa business he owns.

Leafs ink Gamache, Harrison

TORONTO (CP) - Simon Gamache is taking another shot at the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs.The 2001 Canadian major junior player of the year, who couldn't make a go of it in the big league with Atlanta, Nashville and St. Louis before moving to Switzerland to play last winter, signed a two-year contract with the Leafs on Monday.The Leafs also announced the re-signing of defenceman Jay Harrison, who has spent most of his pro career in the AHL.Gamache, 26, from Thetford Mines, Que., led the Swiss Elite League with 66 points (20-46) in 44 games with Bern. He tied for the league lead with 16 playoff points (7-9).

Michel Ouellet among players set free

Last season's arbitration awards had some repercussions yesterday, with at least one team opting to let a player go rather than test the system.The Pittsburgh Penguins did not tender an offer to restricted free agent winger Michel Ouellet, making him an unrestricted free agent instead. Ouellet has scored 35 goals in the last two seasons and likely would have been in line for a big raise had he taken the Penguins to arbitration as a restricted free agent."The decision was not about Michel, but about the system," Penguins general manager Ray Shero told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. "Michel did a good job and made strides last year. I respect those strides, but I don't believe his (salary range) is where he thinks he might be."

Messier heads impressive list up for HHOF

ORONTO (CP) - Mark Messier will be a slam dunk when the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee meets Thursday.
Messier heads a formidable group of players who are eligible for the first time, including Ron Francis, Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Adam Oates, Igor Larionov and Claude Lemieux.Four is the usual maximum in any one year so the committee will have a tough task paring the list. There is no doubt, however, that Messier will quickly be tabbed for November induction into the hockey shrine.

Blues acquire rights to Keith Tkachuk

St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Blues acquired the rights to centre Keith Tkachuk from the Atlanta Thrashers along with a conditional fourth round draft pick in 2008, which could become a third round choice in 2009, in exchange for a conditional first round draft choice in 2008 on Tuesday.

[CheapJon]

Messier heads impressive list up for HHOF

ORONTO (CP) - Mark Messier will be a slam dunk when the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee meets Thursday.
Messier heads a formidable group of players who are eligible for the first time, including Ron Francis, Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Adam Oates, Igor Larionov and Claude Lemieux.Four is the usual maximum in any one year so the committee will have a tough task paring the list. There is no doubt, however, that Messier will quickly be tabbed for November induction into the hockey shrine.

all of those guys will get inducted one day

[COMAMOTIVE]

I hope the Rangers are just laying low right now, and then are going to announce the signings of BOTH Drury AND Briere

[tim_m]

I hope the Rangers are just laying low right now, and then are going to announce the signings of BOTH Drury AND Briere

Thats a nice dream too bad we don't have the cap room for it!

[Malcolm]

Report: Blues make their pitch to Tkachuk

The St. Louis Blues didn't acquire Keith Tkachuk's rights so they could watch him walk away as an unrestricted free agent on July 1.According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, the Blues have offered Tkachuk at two-year deal totalling $7 million.
Tkachuk played for six seasons in St. Louis before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in February.  On Tuesday, the Blues made a trade with Atlanta to re-acquire his rights.  That gave the Blues less than a week to work out a deal with Tkachuk before the free agent market opens up Sunday.Tkachuk has not yet responded to the offer, or the Post Dispatch's report.

Canucks ink Cowan to two year deal

VANCOUVER (CP) - Jeff Cowan admits he was tempted by the thought of free agency but in the end decided to sign a two-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks."There's always the temptation there," Cowan said during a telephone conference call Thursday. "Every time that thought crept in, it wasn't for very long. Vancouver was the place I wanted to be."While the Canucks wouldn't release figures, Cowan said it was a "good guess" that he had agreed to a deal in the US$700,000-a-year range. He earned US$532,000 last year."We wanted at least a two-year deal," said Cowan. "We had tried to get a three-year deal.

Panthers re-sign Jozef Stumpel

Jozef Stumpel has re-signed with the Florida Panthers.Sources say he agreed to terms on a two-year contract for a total value of $4.5 million for an annual average salary against the cap of $2.25 million.

Report: Leipold won't sell to Balsillie

Jim Balsillie's bid to purchase the Nashville Predators and relocate them to Southern Ontario appears unlikely now that current Predators owner Craig Leipold has found a new buyer.According to the National Post, Leipold informed Balsillie earlier this week that he would not accept his $238-million US offer for the NHL club. Instead, Leipold is preparing to sell the franchise to California businessman William DelBiaggio, who is expected to move the team to Kansas City instead.DelBiaggio's bid is reportedly $50-million US less than what Balsillie was offering for the club.

[tim_m]

Kansas city predators? Just doesn't have the same ring to it as Nashville.

[Malcolm]

NHL cap breaks $50-million

The salary cap in the NHL is going up again.

Sources tell TSN that for the 2007-08 season, the salary cap will rise to a maximum of $50.3-million. That is a $6-million increase from this past season when the cap was set at $44-million.

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams must spend at least $34.3-million on salaries next season.

This is the third straight season the salary cap has risen since the end of the NHL lockout when the cap was set at $39-million.

[Loaded NightraiN]

NHL cap breaks $50-million

The salary cap in the NHL is going up again.

Sources tell TSN that for the 2007-08 season, the salary cap will rise to a maximum of $50.3-million. That is a $6-million increase from this past season when the cap was set at $44-million.

Under terms of the collective bargaining agreement, teams must spend at least $34.3-million on salaries next season.

This is the third straight season the salary cap has risen since the end of the NHL lockout when the cap was set at $39-million.

Is this bacause revanue is up?? Seems unlikley

[Malcolm]

Briere's days in Buffalo likely over

Daniel Briere's days with the Buffalo Sabres appear to be over.Briere's agent, Pat Brisson has informed Sabres management his client intends on investigating his options in unrestricted free agency. "We've made a decision to go to July 1st," Brisson told TSN.ca. "We haven't closed the door on the idea of returning to Buffalo entirely, however out of respect to Darcy Regier and the organization we felt it was important to make our intentions clear."

[Mal Brossard]

Kansas city predators? Just doesn't have the same ring to it as Nashville.

Good, we can watch another hockey team fail in KC now.  They lost the Scouts, they couldn't move the Blades to the AHL when the IHL folded.  How long will they last, and where will they move after this?

[Malcolm]

Veteran Allison ready for NHL return

TORONTO (CP) - Jason Allison wants to make one thing perfectly clear to the hockey world: he's not retired.
And he's coming back to the NHL."I'm physically and mentally as healthy as I've been in five years," Allison told The Canadian Press in an interview on Friday. "I'm excited and ready to go."The 32-year-old free-agent centre disappeared into the NHL wilderness last year, taking a season off while ironing out issues in his private life."I had a lot of personal stuff to deal with last year - just getting my life re-organized and dealing with family issues," said Allison, who went through a divorce. "It's been a good year for me, even though I didn't play hockey and people were wondering where I was or what I was doing . . .

[COMAMOTIVE]

Veteran Allison ready for NHL return

TORONTO (CP) - Jason Allison wants to make one thing perfectly clear to the hockey world: he's not retired.
And he's coming back to the NHL."I'm physically and mentally as healthy as I've been in five years," Allison told The Canadian Press in an interview on Friday. "I'm excited and ready to go."The 32-year-old free-agent centre disappeared into the NHL wilderness last year, taking a season off while ironing out issues in his private life."I had a lot of personal stuff to deal with last year - just getting my life re-organized and dealing with family issues," said Allison, who went through a divorce. "It's been a good year for me, even though I didn't play hockey and people were wondering where I was or what I was doing . . .

When he was on top of his game, Allison was a helluva scorer

[Malcolm]

Wild re-sign C Koivu, D Skoula

The Minnesota Wild announced Saturday that the club has re-signed centre Mikko Koivu and defenceman Martin Skoula to multi-year contracts.

Tkachuk inks deal with Blues

ST. LOUIS (CP) - A four-day head start on the NHL's free-agent frenzy helped the Blues bring Keith Tkachuk back to St. Louis.Tkachuk signed a US$8 million, two-year deal with the Blues on Saturday, less than a week after re-acquiring the bruising forward in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Report: Bruins acquire Manny Fernandez

It looks as though the Boston Bruins have acquired a new goaltender.According to the Pioneer Press, the Minnesota Wild have traded Manny Fernandez to the Bruins for forward Petr Kalus and a future fourth-round draft pick.

Thrashers re-sign forward Dupuis

Pascal Dupuis will not hit the free agent market, as the centre has re-signed with Atlanta for one year at $880,000.

Sharks sign Thornton to 3-year extension

The San Jose Sharks announced Sunday that the club has signed centre Joe Thornton to a three-year contract extension, which will keep the 2006 Hart Trophy winner in San Jose through the 2011 season.The deal will pay Thornton $7.2 million a season."Joe Thornton is among the top group of elite players in the National Hockey League," said GM Doug Wilson in a statement.

Blues re-sign defenceman Jackman

The St. Louis Blues have re-signed defenceman Barret Jackman to a one-year contract worth $2.2 million US.

Thrashers sign C White to 4-year deal

The Atlanta Thrashers kicked off the free agent season with the first official signing, landing centre Todd White with a four-year contract worth $9.5 million.

Penguins agree to terms with D Whitney

Restricted free agent Ryan Whitney has agreed to terms on a new contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Whitney tied for sixth in scoring among NHL defencemen this past season with 59 points. He had 14 goals and 45 assists in 81 games.Ryan Whitney had surgery Thursday on his left wrist in April and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp in September

Capitals add free agent defenceman Poti

Free agent defenceman Tom Poti has signed a four-year deal with the Washington Captials worth $3.5 million per year.
Last season, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Poti had six goals and 38 assists in 78 games.

Panthers sign forwards Zednik, McLean

The Florida Panthers have dipped into the free agent market, signing winger Richard Zednik to a two-year deal ($1.5 million and $1.75 million), and forward Brett McLean to three-year deal worth $1.7 million per year.

Ducks sign Schneider to two-year deal

The Anaheim Ducks have signed defenceman Mathieu Schneider to a two-year deal paying him $5.5 million and $5.75 million.

[Malcolm]

Flyers sign Briere to 8-year, $52M deal

The Philadelphia Flyers made a big splash to kick off the offseason, signing centre Daniel Briere to an eight-year contract worth $52 million.The deal will average $6.5 million a season against the salary cap, with the first year paying him $10 million. The contract also features a no movement clause.

Oilers sign Tarnstrom and Grebeshkov

The Edmonton Oilers have signed free agent defencemen Dick Tarnstrom and Denis Grebeshkov to one-year contracts.

Flames add free agent blueliner Sarich

The Calgary Flames have dipped into the free agent market, signing defenceman Cory Sarich to a five-year, $18 million deal worth an average of $3.6 million per season.

Red Wings sign Michigan-born Ralalski

Free agent defenceman Brian Rafalski has agreed to a five-year, $30 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings.
Rafalski is regarded as one of the top defenceman on this year's free agent market.For the second year in a row, Rafalski played in all 82 games and posted five goals and 47 assists for a career-high 55 points.

[Loaded NightraiN]

Flyers sign Briere to 8-year, $52M deal

The Philadelphia Flyers made a big splash to kick off the offseason, signing centre Daniel Briere to an eight-year contract worth $52 million.The deal will average $6.5 million a season against the salary cap, with the first year paying him $10 million. The contract also features a no movement clause.

Son of a bitch!!!!! 

[Malcolm]

"Scott Niedermayer has informed me that he is leaning toward retirement," said Ducks GM Brian Burke in a team statement Sunday.

Perreault signs 1-year deal with Hawks

Yanic Perreault has agreed to terms with the Chicago Blackhawks on a one-year, $1.5 million contract.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed unrestricted free agent right winger Michel Ouellet to a two-year deal.

The Boston Bruins have signed free-agent right winger Shawn Thornton to a multi-year contract.

[KeVoRkIaN]

Flyers sign Briere to 8-year, $52M deal

The Philadelphia Flyers made a big splash to kick off the offseason, signing centre Daniel Briere to an eight-year contract worth $52 million.The deal will average $6.5 million a season against the salary cap, with the first year paying him $10 million. The contract also features a no movement clause.

Son of a bitch!!!!! 

YES! YES! YES!

Philly is building the team to be reckoned with

Expect Pitkanen to Oilers and the rest will fall into place!!!!!

[tim_m]

Gomez signs seven-year deal with Rangers

Scott Gomez is staying in the Tri-State area, but not with the only team he's played for in his seven-year NHL career.

Gomez, one of the top centers on the free-agent market, signed a seven-year deal with the New York Rangers, ESPN The Magazine's E.J. Hradek reports.

Financial terms are not yet known.

Gomez, who won two Stanley Cups with the Devils, has scored 116 goals in his stellar career and assisted on 334 more.

[COMAMOTIVE]

RANGERS LAND TWO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Rangers sign free-agent centers Gomez and Drury
Associated Press  Jul 1, 2007, 9:18 PM EDT
 
GOMEZ
 
 
 
DRURY
 
 
NEW YORK (AP) -The New York Rangers solved their problems at center in a big way Sunday, signing Scott Gomez and Chris Drury away from Eastern Conference rivals on the first day of free agency.

Just hours after the summer shopping season opened, the Rangers landed the two biggest available centers - plucking Gomez from Atlantic Division-foe New Jersey and Drury from the Buffalo Sabres, the team that knocked New York out in the second round of this year's playoffs.

Gomez signed a seven-year deal with the Rangers worth $51.5 million - including $10 million next season. Drury inked a five-year contract for $35.25 million. He will earn $7.1 million each of the next two seasons.

"It's pretty exciting," Rangers general manager Glen Sather said. "We ranked them both as number ones, and we never expected to get both of them."

The Rangers had been looking for a second-line center to play with forward Brendan Shanahan, and now can plug Gomez into that spot. Drury's signing means that New York will let unrestricted free agent Michael Nylander leave, creating a spot on the top line for Drury to play alongside Jaromir Jagr.

New York already had some room under the salary cap, and then got more space when next season's number was set at $50.3 million, an increase of $6.3 million from last season