The Blue Jackets re-signed restricted free agent goalie Pascal Leclaire on Wednesday to a three-year contract through the 2010-11 season. The 25-year-old Leclaire is coming off his best season, going 24-17-6 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and nine shutouts in 54 games. He ranked second in the NHL in shutouts, seventh in goals-against average and 11th in save percentage. Read Original Post Here
The Detroit Red Wings made a subtle move Wednesday that could prove to be a spectacular one if Valtteri Filppula lives up to his potential. Filppula signed a $15 million, five-year contract with the Red Wings that keeps a talented forward on the roster for a while. “We love everything about him because he’s a complete player with great character, and we think he can get even better,” Detroit… Read Original Post Here
Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman is joining the Chicago Blackhawks as a senior adviser for hockey operations. Bowman has won nine Stanley Cup championships as a coach. He’s to be introduced at news conference Thursday at the United Center. The 74-year-old Bowman has been a special consultant with the Detroit Red Wings, a team he coached to three Stanley Cup titles. Read Original Post Here
The Green Bay Packers, driven to the brink of desperation in their ongoing spat with Brett Favre, have discussed internally the possibility of trading the quarterback within the NFC North Division. Once thought unimaginable, the Packers are now considering the possibility of making Brian Urlacher and Brett Favre teammates in Chicago.
A source close to the situation told the Journal Sentinel on Wednesday that the Packers were considering seeking a deal with one of their division rivals, most probably the Minnesota Vikings or Chicago Bears, if backed into a corner by the National Football League and public sentiment. On Monday, general manager Ted Thompson said flatly that the Packers would not trade Favre within the division.
But having no prospects of trading Favre anywhere else and under increasing pressure from Commissioner Roger Goodell, the Packers are considering doing almost the unthinkable: not only trading Favre, but also to the Vikings, a team that will be their opponent Sept. 8 on opening night at Lambeau Field.
An NFL source said he understood from the Packers that trading within the NFC North would be a last resort. They still hope to persuade Favre to be amenable to what the team regards as realistic trade possibilities with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.
Although it has appeared to be quiet on the trading front in the last week, a deal with either team is far from dead. The Packers have had ongoing talks with both teams as recently as this week.
However, Favre has frustrated the Packers by refusing to speak with officials from the Buccaneers or Jets. That makes it almost impossible for the deal to materialize.
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Mark Parrish’s homecoming didn’t work out. The Minnesota Wild bought out the final three years of the right winger’s contract on Wednesday, ending Parrish’s frustrating return to his hometown market. Parrish cleared waivers and is now an unrestricted free agent. Wild general manager Doug Risebrough said the 31-year-old Parrish became a salary cap casualty because the club got too close to the…
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The Blue Jackets re-signed restricted free agent goalie Pascal Leclaire on Wednesday to a three-year contract through the 2010-11 season. The 25-year-old Leclaire is coming off his best season, going 24-17-6 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and nine shutouts in 54 games. He ranked second in the NHL in shutouts, seventh in goals-against average and 11th in save percentage. Read Original Post Here
The Minnesota Wild bought out the remaining three years of Mark Parrish’s contract on Wednesday. It was an abrupt end to a disappointing return home for the hard-nosed winger. Parrish starred at Bloomington Jefferson High School and St. Cloud State University before playing his first seven years in the NHL with Florida, the Islanders and Los Angeles. Read Original Post Here
The Detroit Red Wings made a subtle move Wednesday that could prove to be a spectacular one if Valtteri Filppula lives up to his potential. Filppula signed a $15 million, five-year contract with the Red Wings that keeps a talented forward on the roster for a while. “We love everything about him because he’s a complete player with great character, and we think he can get even better,” Detroit… Read Original Post Here
Steven Stamkos can hardly wait to get started for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The No. 1 pick in the NHL draft, already penciled in as the team’s second-line center, signed a three-year, $2.625 million contract that could be worth up to $11.175 million with incentives. Stamkos relishes the opportunity to give the Lightning an immediate return on its investment, although the 18-year-old player realizes…
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Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Florida Panthers on Monday, one day before the sides were scheduled to go to salary arbitration. Bouwmeester will make between $4 million and $5 million next season, nearly doubling his salary, but the sides couldn’t agree on a long-term deal that the Panthers sought. Read Original Post Here
