Blue Jackets Acquire Raffi Torres

COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired left wing Raffi Torres from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Gilbert Brule, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

Torres, 26, has registered 67 goals and 59 assists for 126 points with 255 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus/minus rating of +7 in 307 career NHL games with the Oilers and New York Islanders. He tallied 5-6-11 and 36 penalty minutes in 32 games in 2007-08, missing 49 games due to a knee injury.

"Raffi Torres is an experienced NHL player who combines a physical presence with the ability to score goals," said Howson. "He will also bring to our club the experience of someone who has played deep into the playoffs as he was a significant contributor to Oilers' run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals."

The Islanders' second pick, fifth overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft, Torres played parts of two seasons with the club before joining the Oilers prior to the 2003-04 campaign. He notched 20-14-34 and 65 penalty minutes during his rookie season in 2003-04 and represented the Oilers at the NHL YoungStars Game during All-Star Weekend. After spending the lockout-cancelled 2004-05 season with the American Hockey League's Edmonton Road Runners, he registered a career-high 27-14-41 with 50 penalty minutes with the Oilers in 2005-06. He ranked second on the club in goals and sixth in points and added 4-7-11 and 16 penalty minutes in 22 playoff games to help Edmonton advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 2006-07, he collected 15-19-34 and 88 penalty minutes in 82 games, setting career highs in assists and penalty minutes.

The 6-foot, 216-pound native of Toronto, Ontario played three seasons with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League from 1998-01. He registered 111-112-223 and 148 penalty minutes in 185 career OHL games, including a career-high 43-48-91 in 68 games in 1999-00. He earned OHL All-Rookie Team honors in 1998-99 and was a Second Team OHL All-Star in 1999-00 and 2000-01. One of his teammates with the Battalion from 1999-01 was current Blue Jackets defenseman Rostislav Klesla. Torres also scored in overtime of the bronze medal game for Canada at the 2001 World Junior Championships.

Brule was Columbus' first pick, sixth overall, in the 2005 Entry Draft. He appeared in 146 career games with the club over the past three seasons, tallying 12-20-32 and 52 penalty minutes. In 2007-08, he collected 1-8-9 and 24 penalty minutes in 61 games with the Blue Jackets.

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Oilers Acquire Cole for Pitkanen

The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenceman Joni Pitkanen, a restricted free agent, to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Erik Cole. Details to follow.

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Devils Sign Clarkson, Pandolfo, Tallackson, Halischuk and Zharkov

The New Jersey Devils re-signed forwards Jay Pandolfo, David Clarkson and Barry Tallackson and signed prospects Matt Halischuk and Vladimir Zharkov. The announcement was made by Devils' President, CEO, and General Manager Lou Lamoriello.

Pandolfo scored 12 goals and 12 assists over 54 games in 2007-08 and will enter his 12th season with New Jersey.

The native of Winchester, Mass., has collected 90 goals and 114 assists for 204 points in 706 career games, all with the Devils.

Pandolfo, 33, was a member of New Jersey's Stanley Cup titles in 2000 and 2003.

Clarkson, 24, scored nine goals and 13 assists while playing in 81 games of 2007-08, his first full season in the NHL. He posted a club-high 183 PIMs.

The Toronto-born right wing was first acquired by the Devils as an undrafted free agent in 2005.

Tallackson, 25, completed his third pro season with the Devils in 2007-08.

The 6-5, 215-lb. native of Grafton, N.D., collected 22 goals and 23 assists last season with the Devils' AHL affiliate in Lowell, also appearing in three games for the NHL Devils.

Tallackson was New Jersey's second choice, 53rd overall, 2002 Entry Draft.

Halischuk, 20, netted 13 goals and 46 assists over 40 games in 2007-08, his second season with Kitchener (OHL). A native of Toronto, Halischuk was selected with New Jersey's fourth choice, 117th overall, in the 2007 Draft.

He scored the gold medal-clinching overtime goal for Team Canada in the 2008 World Junior Championship.

Zharkov, 20, completed his second full season with CSKA Moscow in 2007-08, potting five goals and two assists in 30 appearances. The Elektrostal, Russia, native was chosen with the Devils' fourth choice, 77th overall, in the 2006 Draft.

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Corey Perry Re-Signs With Anaheim

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that they have signed right wing Corey Perry to a five-year contract, which runs through the 2012-13 NHL season.

“Corey is one of the top young players in the NHL today,” said Executive Vice President/General Manager Brian Burke. “He’s a true Duck, a hard-nosed goal-scorer who’s difficult to play against.”

Perry, 23 (5/16/85), scored 29-25=54 points with a +12 rating and 108 penalty minutes (PIM) in 70 games with Anaheim last season. A 2008 NHL All-Star, Perry established career highs in most offensive categories, including goals, points, plus/minus, power play goals (11), game-winning goals (4) and shots (200). Among team leaders, Perry ranked first in goals, second in points and tied for second in game-winning goals. During the 2008 NHL Playoffs, he recorded 2-1=3 points with eight PIM in three games.

A native of Peterborough, Ontario, Perry won his first Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007, playing in all of Anaheim’s 21 postseason games. He concluded the 2007 playoffs tied for second in club history for most points in a single postseason (6-9=15) behind teammate Ryan Getzlaf, while finishing tied for seventh in the NHL in scoring. Among all active NHL players aged 23 or younger, only Perry (21 points), Evgeni Malkin (26), Getzlaf (29) and Sidney Crosby (32) have at least 20 career playoff points.

Originally selected in the first round (28th overall) of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Perry has collected 59-64=123 points with a +25 mark and 213 PIM in 208 career NHL games with the Ducks. He has also appeared in 35 career playoffs games with Anaheim, scoring 8-13=21 points with 61 PIM.

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Red Wings Sign Brad Stuart

Sources tell TSN the Detroit Red Wings and veteran defenceman Brad Stuart have agreed to terms on a 4 year contract that averages $3.75 million per year. Details to follow.

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Penguins Re-Sign Pascal Dupuis

The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-signed forward Pascal Dupuis to a three-year contract, it was announced Tuesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Dupuis, 29, was acquired by the Penguins along with Marian Hossa on Feb. 27 in a trade with the Atlanta Thrashers. He posted 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 16 regular season games with the Penguins. In his first game with the team on Feb. 28, Dupuis scored his first goal in a Penguins uniform. He has scored a goal in the first game for each of the four NHL clubs in which he has played (Minnesota, New York Rangers, Atlanta, Pittsburgh).

Dupuis match a career-high by registering a five-game point streak (one goal, eight assists) from March 12th to March 22nd. He also posted seven points (two goals, five assists) playing all 20 playoff games for the Penguins as they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Dupuis has played seven seasons in the NHL after making his debut on April 2, 2001, as an undrafted free agent for the Minnesota Wild. He has played 435 career games and has scored 174 points (83 goals, 91 assists).

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Colorado Re-Signs Liles and Foote

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has re-signed defensemen John-Michael Liles to a four-year contract and Adam Foote to a two-year contract through the 2009-10 season.

Liles, 27, led all Avalanche defensemen in scoring last season with 32 points (6g/26a) in 81 games. He recorded 20 of his 32 points on the power play, ranking behind only Paul Stastny (21) for the team lead. Liles was +2 and finished third on the club with 121 blocked shots. He appeared in all 10 postseason games for the Avs, tallying five points (2g/3a).

“John is entering the prime years of his career,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere. “His puck movement and skating abilities will allow him to support our offense and compliment the rest of our defense corps.”

Colorado’s eighth selection (fifth round, 159th overall) in the 2000 Entry Draft, Liles has recorded 159 points (44g/115a) over four seasons and 313 career games in the National Hockey League. He scored 10 or more goals in each of his first three seasons, the first NHL defenseman to accomplish the feat since Steve Duchesne from 1986-87 to 1988-89.

A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Liles has represented the United States at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, the 2005 World Championship and the 2006 Winter Olympics.

“Adam was a big part of our stretch run last season,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President & General Manager Francois Giguere. “He has been an important leader for this franchise for many years and we’re counting on him to play the same role over the next two seasons.”

Foote began last season with Columbus before being acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline. He appeared in 12 regular-season games with Colorado (0g/1a), with the Avs posting a 9-2-1 record in those games. He also skated in all 10 playoff contests. Foote played in a combined 75 games between the Avalanche and Blue Jackets last season, notching 16 points (1g/15a) and 107 penalty minutes.

Foote, who turns 37 on July 10, will embark on his 17th season in the NHL this year, including his 15th campaign with the Avalanche/Nordiques franchise. Originally selected by Quebec in the second round (22nd overall) of the 1989 Entry Draft, Foote has appeared in 811 games with the franchise, third most in club history behind Joe Sakic (1363) and Michel Goulet (813). The Toronto, Ontario, native has also skated in 164 postseason games during his career, helping the Avalanche capture the Stanley Cup in both 1996 and 2001. Foote ranks as the second-highest scoring defenseman in franchise history with 235 points (55g/180a).

Foote enters the 2008-09 season having played in 998 career NHL games, two shy of the 1,000 mark. He has amassed 284 points (65g/219a) and 1,407 penalty minutes in his 16 NHL seasons. The veteran blueliner is a combined +112 throughout his career.

A three-time Olympian, Foote was a member of Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

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More to Come....

The Habs lost Streit and Ryder to free agency. Well Ryder was turning into ****, but Streit was a force on the Powerplay last year. I hope aquiring Tanguay patches up (and even more) the loss of Streit.

He even said he wanted to sign long term with Montreal.. then he leaves, what a hipocrit man.

Penguins Sign Malkin to Five-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Evgeni Malkin to a five-year contract extension commencing with the 2009-10 season, it was announced Wednesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Malkin, 21, scored 106 points (47 goals, 59 assists) playing all 82 games for the Penguins during the 2007-08 season. He was just one of two players to surpass 100 points this season as his point total ranked second in the NHL. Malkin was named a finalist for both the Hart Trophy as Most Valuable Player and the Lester B. Pearson Award as “most outstanding player”. He was also named to the NHL First All-Star Team which was announced following the 2007-08 season.

“We are very excited to have Evgeni signed to a long-term contract,” Shero said. “This is an important signing for our franchise and the city of Pittsburgh and we commend Evgeni on his commitment to the future of the franchise and the city. This signing continues to ensure the young core of this team can stay intact for years to come”.

Malkin registered a 15-game point streak (six goals, 15 assists) from October 23rd to November 22nd which is the longest point streak by a Russian-born player in the history of the NHL. He tallied a 10-game point streak (eight goals, 16 assists) from February 2nd to February 21st, recording multiple points in eight of those games. Malkin scored a point in 62 of 82 games during the regular season and registered multiple points in 28 of those contests. He recorded his first NHL hat trick on January 3rd vs. Toronto and his second 11 days later vs. the New York Rangers. Since January 1st, Malkin scored more points (32 goals, 33 assists) than any other player in the NHL. In the playoffs, he scored 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) which ranked fifth in the league as he helped lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final.

Malkin was originally selected by the Penguins second overall in the 2004 NHL Draft. He scored 85 points (33 goals, 52 assists) during his first season on his way to winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year following the 2006-07 campaign. He was just the second Penguins player to win the award (Mario Lemieux – 1985). Malkin has scored 191 points (80 goals, 111 assists) in 160 games through his first two NHL seasons.

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Coyotes Sign Drew Fata, Three Others

GLENDALE, ARIZONA -- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed right wing Derek Nesbitt and defenseman Drew Fata to contracts. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Fata, 24, appeared in 71 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) last season and recorded 3-11-14 and 197 PIM. He also played 5 games for the New York Islanders, collecting 0-1-1 and 5 PIM. In 218 career AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Bridgeport, the 6-foot-1, 209-pound Fata has registered 9-33-42 and 594 PIM.

A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Fata was originally selected in the third round (86th overall) of the 2001 Entry Draft by Pittsburgh. He has appeared in eight career NHL games with the New York Islanders, collecting 1-1-2 and 9 PIM.

Nesbitt, 26, played 46 games with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League (AHL) last season, registering 17-18-35 and six penalty minutes (PIM). Nesbitt also registered 3-3-6 and 12 PIM in 12 playoff games. The 6-foot, 185-pound forward also collected 11-28-39 and 4 PIM with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) last year.

In three seasons with Gwinnett and Idaho (ECHL), Nesbitt registered 67-122-189 and 42 PIM in 163 games. He was also a member of the 2007 Kelly Cup Champion Idaho Steelheads.

Before joining the professional ranks, Nesbitt enjoyed four tremendous seasons at Ferris State University. In 154 career games at Ferris, he recorded 59-82-141 and 124 PIM.

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Stars Sign Sean Avery to Four-Year Deal

FRISCO, Tex. - The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has signed free agent left wing Sean Avery to a four-year contract that will pay him a total of $15.5 million ($3.5 million next season, and $4 million in 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12).

"We are excited about the opportunity to add a player like Sean Avery to our group," said Stars Co-General Manager Brett Hull. "His ability to play the game with skill and tenacity makes us a better team and is a great complement to the players we have here."

In 86 games with New York over the last two seasons, the Rangers went 50-20-16 with Avery in the lineup, while going 9-13-3 without him on the ice.

Avery, 28, collected 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 57 games with the New York Rangers last season, and placed second on the club with 154 penalty minutes and tied for third with four game-winning goals. In eight Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Rangers this past spring, Avery recorded four goals and three assists for seven points with six penalty minutes.

A native of Pickering, Ontario, Avery has skated in 379 career NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, collecting 65 goals and 102 assists for 167 points with 1,067 penalty minutes. He has appeared in 18 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Rangers, earning 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) and 33 PIM.

Avery's most productive NHL season came in 2006-07, split between Los Angeles and the Rangers, when he posted career-highs in goals (18), assists (30), points (48), shots on goal (249), average time on ice (17:11) and games played (84). He also led the Rangers and placed fifth in the league with 174 minutes during that campaign.

The 5-10, 195-pound left wing was undrafted, but made his NHL debut with Detroit on Dec. 19, 2001 vs. Vancouver, and scored his first NHL goal (a game-winner) on Mar. 2, 2002 vs. Pittsburgh. During the 2003-04 season with Los Angeles, he led the NHL and set a career-high with 261 penalty minutes. He appeared in 221 Ontario Hockey League games with Owen Sound and Kingston, registering 87 goals and 166 assists for 253 points, along with 564 penalty minutes.

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Penguins Sign Eric Godard to Three-Year Deal

The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Eric Godard to a three-year contract, it was announced Tuesday by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.

Godard, 28, spent the 2007-08 season with the Calgary Flames, recording two points (one goal, one assist) and 171 penalty minutes. The 6-4, 214-pound native of Vernon, British Columbia has played 200 NHL games registering eight points (three goals, five assists) and 481 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in seven playoff games recording one assist.

Godard made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders during the 2002-03 season. The undrafted free agent for Florida was acquired by the Islanders prior to that season. After three seasons with the Islanders, he was signed by Calgary as a free agent on August 10th, 2006.

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Blue Jackets Send Zherdev and Fritsche to the Rangers

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have acquired defensemen Fedor Tyutin and Christian Backman from the New York Rangers in exchange for forwards Nikolai Zherdev and Dan Fritsche, club General Manager Scott Howson announced Wednesday.

Tyutin, who will turn 25 on July 19, has registered 15 goals and 51 assists for 66 points and 159 penalty minutes in 250 career NHL games with the Rangers. Backman, 28, has tallied 21-51-72 and 150 penalty minutes in 246 career NHL games with the Rangers and St. Louis Blues.

"The addition of Fedor and Christian to our lineup has really improved our puck moving ability from the blueline," said Howson. "All strong teams are built from the backend out and we feel like we made significant strides in that area today."

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Izhevsk, Russia, Tyutin was the Rangers' second pick, 40th overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He played one season of junior hockey with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League and two in the Russian Elite League before splitting the 2003-04 season between New York and its American Hockey League affiliate in Hartford. After spending the 2004-05 campaign with Hartford and St. Petersburg (Russia), he played his first full season in the NHL in 2006-07 and notched 2-12-14 and 44 penalty minutes in 66 games. Last season, he tallied 5-15-20, 43 penalty minutes and a +5 plus/minus rating in 82 games.

Tyutin (pronounced TYOO-tihn) has also captured three gold medals playing for Russia in international competition. This past spring, he tallied 0-1-1, six penalty minutes and was +3 in six games to help Russia capture the gold at the World Championships. He also won gold medals at the 2002 and 2003 World Junior Championships. In addition, he tallied 0-1-1 and four penalty minutes in eight games for Russia at the 2006 Olympic Games.

Backman was St. Louis' first pick, 24th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He spent the next four seasons playing in his native Sweden before making his North American debut in 2002-03. He appeared in four games with the Blues that season and registered 8-19-27 and 66 penalty minutes in 72 games with the AHL's Worcester IceCats. As an NHL rookie in 2003-04, he collected 5-13-18, 16 penalty minutes and was +3 in 66 games with the Blues.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound blueliner spent the 2004-05 campaign with Frolunda (Sweden) and then spent the next two-plus seasons with St. Louis before joining the Rangers during the 2007-08 season. He combined for 3-15-18 and 50 penalty minutes, including 2-6-8 and 20 penalty minutes in 18 games with New York. He also appeared in eight Stanley Cup Playoffs games with the Rangers, racking up 12 penalty minutes.

A native of Alingsas, Sweden, Backman tallied 1-2-3 in eight games at the 2006 Olympic Games, helping Sweden capture the gold medal. He has also represented his country at the 2004 and 2005 World Championships, winning a silver medal in 2004, was named to Sweden’s 2004 World Cup of Hockey Team and appeared in the 1999 and 2000 World Junior Championship Tournaments.

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Avalanche Sign Darcy Tucker to Two-Year Deal

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has signed forward Darcy Tucker to a two-year contract.

“Darcy Tucker gives us scoring ability and a physical presence up front,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President and General Manager Francois Giguere. “He’s a fierce competitor. We like the combination of qualities he will bring to our roster.”

Tucker, 33, will begin his 13th NHL season, his first with the Avalanche. He spent his last eight with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. A veteran of 813 NHL contests, the 5-10, 178-pound native of Castor, Alberta has scored 20 or more goals in four of his last five seasons and amassed 100 or more penalty minutes in three of his last five NHL campaigns.

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Columbus Signs Kristian Huselius to a Four-Year Contract

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed free agent forward Kristian Huselius to a four-year contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

Huselius (pronounced hoo-SAY-lee-uhs) has scored 132 goals and added 177 assists for 309 points with 164 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus/minus rating of +6 in 473 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He has registered four 20-goal and one 30-goal seasons during his six NHL campaigns.

“Kristian is a highly skilled player with good vision and hockey sense who has performed at a very high level throughout his career,” said Howson. “We are very pleased to have a player and a person of his caliber join the Blue Jackets organization.”

Huselius, 29, spent the past two-plus seasons with the Calgary Flames. After combining for 20-27-47 and 40 penalty minutes in 78 games with Florida and Calgary in 2005-06, he set career highs for goals, assists and points in 2006-07 with 34-43-77, 26 penalty minutes and a +21 plus/minus rating in 81 games. Last year, he racked up 25-41-66 with 40 penalty minutes and was +10 in 81 games to record his third-straight season with at least 20 goals.

A native of Osterhaninge, Sweden, Huselius was Florida’s second pick, 47th overall, in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. He played five seasons with Farjestad and Frolunda in Sweden, including 2000-01 when he led the Swedish League in goals (32), assists (35), points (67), power play goals (10), shorthanded goals (5) and game-winning goals (9). He was the first player to lead the Swedish League in all six categories.

He made his NHL debut with the Panthers the following season in 2001-02. That year, he tallied 23-22-45 and 14 penalty minutes in 79 games, was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the league’s Rookie of the Year and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. The following year, he picked up 20-23-43 and 20 penalty minutes in 78 outings and added 10-21-31 and 24 penalty minutes in 76 games in 2003-04.

Huselius has represented Sweden at numerous international competitions, including the 1997 and 1998 World Junior Championships and at the 2000, 2001 and 2002 World Championships. In 2002, he helped Sweden capture its second-consecutive bronze medal at the tournament and was the second-leading scorer in the tournament with 5-6-11 in nine games.

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Hossa to Detroit

The Penguins have lost free-agent right winger Marian Hossa to Detroit.

The big surprise: His contract is for one season and $7.4 million.

The Penguins were offering a bit more than $7 million on a deal that, at various times, was proposed to cover five, six or seven years.

Several other clubs reportedly made proposals for even more money and years, which suggests that financial security was not Hossa's main motivation in choosing Detroit.

Hossa could not be reached for comment, but is scheduled to speak with reporters in Detroit this afternoon.

Hossa's departure wasn't their only loss: Left winger Jarkko Ruutu turned down a two-year offer from the Penguins and signed with Ottawa, reportedly for three years at an average salary of $1.3 million.

There still is no word on whether defenseman Brooks Orpik, the most prominent of the Penguins' remaining free agents, will return.

Hossa's departure leaves a void on the right side of the Penguins' No. 1 line, and management has begun looking into ways to fill it.

Ex-Penguin Markus Naslund, who has spent most of his career in Vancouver, is believed to be getting serious consideration, although it's likely the front office will use the money that would have gone to Hossa to sign two wingers, not just one.

Team officials made cursory contact with free-agent right winger Jaromir Jagr yesterday, as they did with the representatives for a number of other players. They are believed to be having further discussions with Jagr's camp, but there is no evidence they have -- or will -- make a contract offer.

The Penguins acquired Hossa and winger Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta at the Feb. 26 trade deadline and put him alongside Sidney Crosby on the top line.

He had three goals and seven assists in 12 regular-season games here, then added 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 playoff games, as he shed his reputation for struggling in the post-season.

I hate how Hab fans just say that now. He had ONE bad year and the other two he was stellar. I remember when it was Leafs vs Habs two years back and each had to win to have a shot at the playoffs and Ryder had the hat trick and kept the Habs alive and after one bad year he's shipped out? I hopes he gets back to form and makes them doubters pay.

But who loves the signing of Jeff Finger by the Leafs? He's gonna be our turn around player man. I'd say 50 goals at least this year. But seriously , What the **** was the Leafs management thinking. His closest offer to what we gave him was 1.3 million per.

Think about it, guy like Ryder.. paired with Koivu and Higgins. Should be getting 40-50 goals a season, being the floater that he is. Although since his rookie year he's just been getting worse and worse. And his biggest problem that, even during 2006 and 2007 he went through big scoring drouts, such as 15 games, and finished the season with 30 goals.

I love how you say that Ryder should be scoring about fifth goals a year when guys like Heatley have like Spezza and Alfredsson to pass them the puck and they can't even get fifty. That and look at Higgins , This was the first year he really managed to start scoring. Ryder had more goals , assists and points the last three years so weight it in , One bad year for Ryder in which he got like seven or eight less points then Higgins got in either of his first two full years and then one good year for Higgins in which he never got as many points as Ryder got in either of his first three years. Make a lot of sense?

More is expected from Ryder, Higgins is more consistent as he's been improving year by year while Ryder has been going backwards. And idk what you're saying.. as Heatly got 50 goals 2 straight years and Alfy got 100 points.. Spezza, played more/less 60-70 games and can manage 80+ points, (as he's constantley plagued with injuries)

Canucks Acquire Steve Bernier

Vancouver, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis announced today that the club has acquired right wing, Steve Bernier from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a second round Draft pick in 2010 and third round pick (Los Angeles’ selection) in 2009.

“Steve Bernier is a highly regarded young player who’s enjoyed success early in his career,” said Gillis. “With his right-handed shot he will be a great addition to our top six forward group and an asset to our power play.”

Bernier, 23, split the 2007-08 season between the Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks combining for 32 points (16-16-32) and 64 penalty minutes in 76 games played. In 177 career NHL games Bernier has recorded 45 goals, 45 assists (45-45-90) and 128 penalty minutes. Bernier captured a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Under-18 Championships in Yaroslavl, Russia in 2003.

The 6-foot-2, 225 lbs. native of Quebec City, PQ, was originally selected in the 1st round, 16th overall in 2003

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Canadiens Sign Georges Laraque to Three-Year Deal

Montreal, QC - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of free agent forward Georges Laraque to a three-year contract (2008-09 to 2010-11). TSN is reporting the deal is worth $4.5 million.

"A 10-year veteran, Georges is the kind of player who made his mark in the NHL. With his physical play and determination, we are convinced that he will add valuable energy to our group of players," said Bob Gainey.

Laraque, 31, played 71 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, recording 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) and leading the team with 141 penalty minutes. He also had 13 fighting majors, his highest total since 2002-03. He took part in 15 of the Penguins 20 playoff games, helping the club to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Laraque reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice in the past three seasons, having played 15 games with the Edmonton Oilers in 2006.

A native of Montreal, Laraque was acquired by the Penguins from the Phoenix Coyotes at the trading deadline on February 27, 2007. The 6'3" and 243 lbs right winger played 634 NHL regular season games with Edmonton (490), Phoenix (56) and Pittsburgh (88). He recorded 148 career points (52 goals, 96 assists) and 1,037 penalty minutes. He also participated in 53 career playoff games, scoring 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) and serving 68 penalty minutes.

A second-round selection, 31st overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 1995, Laraque joined the Phoenix Coyotes as a free agent on July 5, 2006.

As a testimony of his devotion to the community, Georges Laraque won the Oilers’ Community Service Award on four occasions from 2001 to 2006.

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Canadiens Ink Marc Denis

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced Thursday the signing of free agent goaltender Marc Denis to a one-year, two-way contract (2008-09).

A Montreal native, Marc Denis is a veteran of 10 seasons in the NHL with 348 games of experience as a member of the Colorado Avalanche (28), the Columbus Blue Jackets (266) and, in the past two seasons, the Tampa Bay Lightning (54). The 30-year-old netminder posted a career record of 112-179-28-3 with a 3.02 GAA and a .902 save percentage, along with 16 shutouts. In 2007-08, Denis played in 10 games with the Lightning, before completing the season with the AHL's Norfolk Admirals where he posted a record of 11-17-2 in 32 games.

A first-round selection by the Colorado Avalanche, 25th overall, at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Marc Denis has represented Canada on four occasions, winning three gold medals. Denis helped Canada top the podium at the 1996 and 1997 World Junior Hockey Championships and was also voted Top Goaltender of the 1997 World Junior Championships.

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Sharks Sign Rob Blake

SAN JOSE, Calif. – San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the team has signed Group III unrestricted free agent defenseman Rob Blake to a one-year contract.

Blake, 38, is tied for fourth among active NHL defensemen (T-22nd in NHL history) with 702 points (223-479=702) and first among active defensemen in goals (223, 14th in NHL history) in 1,127 career NHL regular season games with Los Angeles and Colorado.
He just finished his 18th career season in 2007-08, recording 31 points (9-22=31) in 71 games with Los Angeles. He posted five power play goals and accumulated 98 penalty minutes.

“Rob is a tremendous competitor that has been one of the top defensemen in this League for many years,” said Wilson. “While he has enjoyed mentoring the young guys, great players need the ability to win in order to thrive and his sole purpose here is to focus on winning.”

The native of Simcoe, Ontario has appeared in the postseason 11 times during his career and was part of the Stanley Cup winning 2001 Colorado Avalanche team. He has appeared in 125 career NHL postseason games registering 67 points (24-43=67), 152 penalty minutes and a +5 plus/minus rating.

“Rob’s skill set and intangibles speak for themselves,” said Sharks head coach Todd McLellan. “I coached Nicklas Lidstrom for the last three years and Rob is the same age as him. Rob, like Nicklas, has proven to be a leader on a championship-winning team and any coach would be lucky to have a player of his caliber.”

Blake’s decorated career includes being named to the 1991 NHL All-Rookie Team, a Norris Trophy in 1998, NHL First All-Star Team honors in 1998, NHL Second All-Star Team honors in 2000, 2001 and 2002 and seven All-Star appearances (1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004).

“I’ve gotten to play with Rob at several international tournaments and we’ve built a friendship over the years,” said Sharks center Joe Thornton. “He’ll fit right into our group and more importantly will help us win. He is extremely talented and can play, and excel, in every situation.”

Internationally, Blake has represented Canada in nine competitions including the Olympic Games (1998, 2002, 2006), the World Championships (1991, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999) and the World Cup of Hockey (1996 – did not play in 2004 due to injury but was on roster).

Blake played his collegiate hockey at Bowling Green State University from 1987-1990 posting 104 points (39-65=104) in 131 games. He was a Hobey Baker Award finalist and an NCAA West First Team All-American in 1990.

The six-foot-four, 225-pound defenseman was originally selected by Los Angeles in the fourth round (70th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He was acquired by Colorado along with Steven Reinprecht in exchange for Adam Deadmarsh, Aaron Miller, a player-to-be-named-later (Jared Aulin), Colorado’s first round pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (David Steckel) and Colorado’s first round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft (Brian Boyle on Feb. 21, 2001). After playing in Colorado through the 2005-06 season, he signed with Los Angeles as a free agent on July 1, 2006.

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Holik Returns to Jersey

The New Jersey Devils have signed free agent forward Bobby Holik, Devils' President, CEO and General Manager Lou Lamoriello has announced.

Holik, 37, returns to New Jersey having spent the last three seasons in Atlanta. The 6-4, 230-lb. center tallied 15 goals and 19 assists while playing all 82 games for the Thrashers last season.

Holik emerged as one of the Devils' top checking forwards in 10 seasons with the Devils from 1992-93 to 2001-2002, and was a member of the organization's Stanley Cup wins in 1995 and 2000.

Taken with Hartford's first pick, 10th overall, in the 1989 Entry Draft, Holik's first stint with the Devils featured 198 goals and 265 assists for 463 points in 724 games. The native of Jihlava, Czech Republic, has 322 goals and 416 assists for 738 points in 1,252 career games with Hartford, New Jersey, NY Rangers and Atlanta.

Players are bouncing around all over the place in the post lockout off seasons.. anyways, who constantley told you guys Laraque is what Montreal needs. Now small guys like Kostisyn and Koivu can play with less intimidation and big guys like Komisarek wouldn't have to be pressure in dropping the gloves and loosing 5 minutes a game, and can stick to their role as a hard hitting defensman.

Yeah the Habs signing Laraque is a good move I do think.

Hey Padd did you find it as weird as I did when the Leafs and Habs came together on a trade? I mean it was minor but still its very rare to see them trade between each other. Last time I remember that was like awhile ago when the Leafs got Kilger.