NHL News

"Glen Murray’s days with the Bruins appear to be over. With the team avoiding arbitration and coming to terms with defenseman Dennis Wideman on a four-year, $15.75 million deal that sent the B’s over the NHL salary cap number of $56.7 million, Murray was placed on waivers yesterday, which is the first step toward buying out the remainder of the right winger’s contract. If Murray clears waivers today, starting tomorrow the Bruins will have 48 hours to complete the buyout. The move would save the B’s approximately $2.7 million of the 35-year-old’s $4.15 million salary against the cap. The club would also carry a third of the single-season number, just under $1.4 million, on the 2009-10 ..."

"If it's summer, it must be time for contract extensions for Ducks Coach Randy Carlyle. Today, Carlyle signed a two-year extension with the team, meaning he has three years remaining on his contract through the 2010-11 season. After the Ducks won the Stanley Cup last year, he agreed to a one-year extension in June. "In our view, Randy is one of the top coaches in the NHL," said Ducks General Manager Brian Burke."

"Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced Wednesday that the club has signed defenseman Dennis Wideman to a multi-year contract extension. Per club policy, terms of the deal will not be disclosed. Wideman posted a number of career high totals this year, recording career bests in games played (81), goals (13), assists (23), points (36) and plus/minus (+11)."

"Vancouver Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis 'faced the nation' Wednesday night taking questions from GM Place season ticket holders eager for info on the team's future plans. The hot topics of the hour were all touched on, but one mantra played heavily throughout the event; the Canucks are looking for youth players to step up in a big way. "Alex Edler got the opportunity to step in last year and play meaningful minutes, and I can tell you every team in this league wants that player, and they want him because he had an opportunity to play; nobody knew about him before that," said Gillis. "So if we continue in that pattern and get young players to step up I think the coach will have ..."

"Mats Sundin may have not landed yet on these shores, but the Vancouver Canucks are locking up some minnows for their depth pool. Canucks general manager Mike Gillis announced Wednesday the club has signed right-winger Ryan Shannon, centre Rick Rypien, right-winger Mike Brown, defenceman Nathan McIver, defenceman Zach FitzGerald and defenceman James Sharrow. In keeping with club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Shannon, 25, spent the 2007-08 season with the Vancouver Canucks and Manitoba Moose. The Darien, Conn., native recorded 13 points (5-8-13) in 27 games played with Vancouver and eight points (1-7-8) in 13 games played with Manitoba. Rypien, 24, registered three points ..."

"The Boston Bruins have swapped forwards with the Chicago Blackhawks, getting Martin St. Pierre in exchange for Pascal Pelletier.

The trade was announced Thursday. St. Pierre played five games with the Blackhawks last season and spent the most time with Chicago's AHL affiliate Rockford. He led the team in scoring, finishing with 21 goals and 67 assists in 69 games. Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said St. Pierre will provide depth at the center position."

"The Sharks expanded their coaching staff Wednesday, giving Todd McLellan more assistants than his predecessor and making their first hire to work with goalies since the death of Warren Strelow 15 months ago.The two assistants on the bench alongside McLellan will be Trent Yawney, a longtime Chicago Blackhawk who coached that team for parts of two seasons, and Todd Richards, coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins' top development team in Wilkes-Barre, Pa."It was important to me that personalities matched," McLellan said, "that there was going to be some loyalty - not just to me, but to the Sharks family and each other."Yawney, who was a scout with Anaheim last season, will have responsibility for ..."

"Circle Aug. 1 on your calendar. One way or another, it's the day all the pain and frustration Vancouver Canucks fans have been feeling in the drawn-out courtship of Mats Sundin will be over. Sundin's Calgary-based agent J.P. Barry confirmed on Tuesday that Sundin has established that self-imposed deadline for his decision on whether he will continue his hockey career, and, if so, whose free-agent offer he'll accept."

"The Ducks will repay the entirety of Scott Niedermayer's salary that was originally withheld from the defenseman while he sat out training camp in 2007. Citing a misinterpretation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NHL and NHL Players' Association reached an agreement that will give Niedermayer $490,909."

"Goaltender Ryan Miller’s five-year contract extension was officially announced Tuesday in HSBC Arena, with Buffalo Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano getting plaudits from both sides for committing to the $31.25 million deal. “He was intimately involved in this whole process in a very good way,” said managing partner Larry Quinn. “It’s awful nice to have ownership in place that cares about the team and cares about you as a person and I definitely feel that way,” Miller said. “We have a real great future here and that’s why I want to stay. I have a group of guys that I’m committed to. Personally, they’re great friends and great hockey players.”"

"Martin Rucinsky has decided to leave the NHL and return home to play for Sparta Prague. The Czech club said in a statement on its website Wednesday that the 37-year-old left winger signed a deal for next season but gave no further details. Rucinsky, who played the last two seasons for the St. Louis Blues, joined the NHL in 1991 after he was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers."

"The Phoenix Coyotes have signed left winger Daniel Carcillo to a two-year deal. "We are very pleased to have signed Daniel Carcillo to a new contract," said Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney in a statement. "He is a key member of our team who brings a unique combination of toughness, speed and skill to the lineup.""

"On a day fans got a view of the proposed rink layout at Wrigley Field for a Red Wings-Blackhawks game in January, they also got a taste of the rhetoric to come. What's sure to be a sellout between Original Six rivals doesn't need much hype, but Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley did his part Tuesday to ramp up emotions for the "Winter Classic." Chicago is "widely known as the best sports town in the country," Daley said during a news conference at Wrigley Field, also attended by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and representatives of the Wings and Blackhawks. "We look forward to ... cheering the Chicago Blackhawks to victory.""

"Mike Gillis figures it's now a two-team race and the Vancouver Canuck general manager still believes he has more than a decent chance of landing free-agent centre Mats Sundin. Gillis has not had any recent discussions with Sundin, but read his comments that were published in a Swedish daily on Monday. "What I took from it was that it sounds like he is considering two teams, Toronto and us," Gillis said in an interview Tuesday."

"The Maple Leafs continued to challenge for the NHL lead in off-ice hirings yesterday, confirming Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler as new assistant coaches. Hunter and Zettler had spent the past five seasons working with San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson. The Leafs hired Wilson as their new bench boss last month. "Their familiarity with Ron's coaching style, along with their previous success in San Jose, will allow them to quickly bring in a structured system for our players to work within," Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher said."

"Hall of Famer Larry Robinson will not return to the Devils' bench as assistant coach next season, GM Lou Lamoriello told The Post yesterday. "It was his [choice]," Lamoriello said. "He did it for one year because we asked him to do it with Brent Sutter coming in." Lamoriello said Robinson will revert to his previous post as a special assignment coach."

"Nice touch for the Tampa Bay Lightning to stage a town hall meeting for the public and to include season ticket holders at the press conference for the Vinny Lecavalier contract extension. Even if some media regulars couldn't find seats. As one fan at the over-flowing, 3:30 p.m. press conference noted, "I think there were a lot of season ticket holders with last-minute doctor's appointments." • Lecavalier was probably the Bay area's most popular bachelor even before inking that 11-year, $85-million contract. Another update: His personal entourage included his parents and his actress-girlfriend - but not fiancee - Caroline Portelance."

"The Buffalo Sabres would like to add one more veteran defenseman to their roster and they’re working hard to close a deal with Teppo Numminen that would bring the 40-year-old back for another season. Numminen missed virtually all of last season due to open-heart surgery in September, and finally returned to play in the finale at Boston. But on locker clean-out day in April and in exit interviews with team officials that day, he was adamant that he wanted to play at least one more year."

"The Flyers have signed 19-year-old defenseman Kevin Marshall to an entry-level contract. "Kevin is a good, solid prospect and we are happy to have him under contract," general manager Paul Holmgren said in a statement. "I was surprised a little bit, but happy," said Marshall. "At the end of last season, I practiced with the Phantoms. They said that they liked my work ethic. They were thinking about [signing him], but I was thinking that they have another year to sign me. When my agent called me, I was very happy because it shows me that they think that I am a good prospect for the Flyers, which makes me very proud.""