Month: July 2009

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes have locked up Tuomo Ruutu for three seasons.The Hurricanes said Thursday that they avoided arbitration with the physical forward by signing him to a deal worth US$11

TORONTO – Former NHLer Dave Poulin is joining the Toronto Maple Leafs front office.Poulin was unveiled Thursday as the club’s new vice-president of hockey operations

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Senators have named Brad Lauer assistant coach.Lauer joins head coach Cory Clouston, assistant coach Greg Carvel, goaltending coach Eli Wilson and video coach Tim Pattyson

Movements in the world of hockey Wednesday:National Hockey LeagueCOLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS-Signed D John Moore to a three-year contract.MINNESOTA WILD-Signed C Nathan Smith to a one-year contract

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Less than 24 hours before they were to go to arbitration, the Columbus Blue Jackets and defenseman Marc Methot have agreed on a two-year contract

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Wild have signed AHL center Nathan Smith to a one-year deal.The Wild made the announcement on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Smith has played in 21 NHL games with Pittsburgh and Vancouver, including four playoff games with the Canucks in 2007

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The New York Islanders have agreed to terms with goalie Martin Biron on a one-year deal.Biron was 29-19-5 for the Flyers last season, with a 2

DETROIT – The NHL has scheduled an arbitration hearing July 30 for Jiri Hudler, who says he’s leaving the Detroit Red Wings to join Dynamo Moscow of Russia’s Continental Hockey League

CHICAGO – The Chicago Blackhawks say recently signed winger Marian Hossa is rehabilitating a shoulder injury he suffered during the Stanley Cup playoffs while with Detroit

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Canucks signed forwards Tanner Glass and Guillaume Desbiens and defenceman Mike Funk to NHL contracts Wednesday

NEWARK, N.J. – Center Travis Zajac avoided salary arbitration and signed a multi-year contract with the New Jersey Devils.”During his previous three seasons in the National Hockey League, Travis Zajac has proven to be among the top young players in the game, and has developed into one of the core players on our team,” Devils chief executive Lou Lamoriello said in announcing the signing on Wednesday

EDMONTON – The Edmonton Oilers have bolstered their blue-line by re-signing defenceman Denis Grebeshkov to a one-year contract.Last season in Edmonton, Grebeshkov had seven goals, 32 assists and 38 penalty minutes in 72 games – all career highs

TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay and Phoenix have completed a three-player trade with the Lighting sending right wing Radim Vrbata to the Coyotes for left wing Todd Fedoruk and defenseman David Hale

BOSTON – Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Hunwick has a new deal with the team, and that’s what he wanted all along.”That was the No. 1 goal,” Hunwick said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday

The Montreal Canadiens have avoided salary arbitration with centre Tomas Plekanec, signing him to a one-year US$2.75-million contract.Plekanec, 26, is coming off his fifth season with the Canadiens, posting his third consecutive 20-goal campaign (20 goals, 19 assists)

OTTAWA – Newly signed Senator Alex Kovalev says he’s hoping Dany Heatley will still be wearing an Ottawa uniform this season.Kovalev told reporters today that he knows Heatley from playing with the star left-winger in Russia during the NHL lockout

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Thrashers have signed first-round pick Evander Kane to a multi-year deal, the club announced Monday.Terms of the deal were not disclosed

MONTREAL – The Montreal Canadiens continued their off-season makeover Monday, inking netminder Curtis Sanford to a one-year contract.Sanford, 29, went 11-11-1 with a 2

BOSTON – The Boston Bruins have signed defenceman Matt Hunwick to a multiyear contract extension.Hunwick scored six goals with 21 assists as a rookie last season

MOSCOW – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says he hopes the Continental Hockey League will expand to include clubs in central and western Europe