Month: June 2009

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild held an introductory press conference on Monday for a player who needs no introduction in the state of hockey

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues are cutting ties with Jay McKee, buying out the final year of the defenceman’s contract.The 31-year-old McKee signed a four-year, US$16-million free agent contract in 2006 and was due US$4 million for next season

PITTSBURGH – Craig Adams, a fourth-line forward, has signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Adams, who agreed to terms Monday, had three goals and two assists in 24 playoff games for the Stanley Cup champion Penguins

Big names are out there. In a financial landscape that is uncertain at best, NHL general managers may be willing to spend large if not commit long-term when unrestricted free agency opens Wednesday

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes are keeping Jussi Jokinen around.Carolina agreed to a contract with the forward that pays him US$3.4 million over the next two season, the club announced Monday

MONTREAL – Former Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau has been named honorary captain of Canada’s 2010 Olympic hockey team.Beliveau, 77, was presented with a Team Canada jersey with the No

SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks are beginning a roster makeover by declining to make qualifying offers to forwards Marcel Goc, Tomas Plihal and Lukas Kaspar

HAMILTON, Ont. – Guy Boucher has been named the new head coach of the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs.Boucher is coming off a successful run last season as coach of the QMJHL’s Drummondville Voltigeurs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Ron Wilson’s coaching staff for the U.S. Olympic hockey team is complete, with the addition of assistants John Tortorella and Scott Gordon

MONTREAL – If all goes as planned, the New York Islanders will ride first-overall draft pick John Tavares to the top just as the Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins did with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin after their lean years

MONTREAL – Canada led all countries with 102 players selected at the NHL draft, down from 120 in 2008 but the same number as in 2007.The United States had 55 players chosen, up 10 from last year, although it had none in the top 15

MONTREAL – Darryl Sutter hopes he’s done shopping.The Calgary Flames GM made a big splash at the NHL draft Saturday by landing the rights to Florida Panthers defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, the jewel of the upcoming free agent class

MONTREAL – The fireworks ended up being more like flares.A pile of trade talk accompanied the hockey world to the NHL draft this weekend, but most of it fizzled on the floor of the Bell Centre

MONTREAL – The NHL draft passed without the eye-popping deal for a star like Vincent Lecavalier that some expected, but the Montreal Canadiens made their fans happy just the same

MONTREAL – The NHL draft was a family affair, with teams taking chances on hockey genes by selecting the sons and grandsons of former players

MONTREAL – Brian Burke is really starting to put his fingerprints on the Toronto Maple Leafs.There was a common thread running through the seven selections he made during his first draft as GM of the NHL team – they’re all North American and they’re all capable of playing with edge

MONTREAL – After grabbing a shutdown defenceman in the first round of the NHL draft, the Ottawa Senators addressed their offence and goaltending Saturday

MONTREAL – The Edmonton Oilers shed some excess up-front by dealing centre Kyle Brodziak to the Minnesota Wild for a pair of picks in Saturday’s draft

MONTREAL – The Pittsburgh Penguins traded goaltender Chad Johnson to the New York Rangers for a fifth round pick and used it to select Belleville Bulls centre Andy Bathgate on Saturday