Veteran Forward Bobby Holik Retires

New Jersey Devils' center Bobby Holik announced on May 23 that he will be retiring from hockey to spend more time with his family. Holik signed a one-year contract last summer with the Devils and returning to the team that he spent most of his NHL career with. In 62 games last season with the Devils, he scored four goals and five assists for nine points. He missed 18 games early in the 2008-09 season with a broken finger. In 1314 career games, Holik scored 326 goals and 421 assists for 747 points and 1421 penalty minutes with the Hartford Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Atlanta Thrashers. He won the Stanley Cup in 1995 and 2000, both with the Devils. Holik was a tremendous forward throughout his NHL career, although it appeared age was starting to catch up with him since the lockout in 2005. He was a decent scorer and passer who played with plenty of toughness and was also a key figure in helping the Devils capture their first two Stanley Cups. He also helped transform the Devil's into yearly Stanley Cup contender, who up until the mid-1990's were consistently one of the worst teams in the league. Holik has accomplished a lot during his 17-season career and his skills on the ice will be missed by the Devils.

Canucks Sign Bernier to Two-Year Extension

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have signed right wing Steve Bernier to a two-year contract extension worth $4 million. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. The Canucks acquired Bernier from the Buffalo Sabres last summer for a 3rd round pick in this year's draft and a 2nd round pick in 2010. In 81 games this past season, Bernier scored 15 goals and 17 assist for 32 points. His 32 points in 2008-09 tied his career points total in 2007-08. In addition to playing with the Canucks and Sabres, he has also played with the San Jose Sharks. This is a good signing for the Canucks as Bernier has plenty of scoring and offensive potential. His size and power play skills make him an affordable signing for the team over the next two years. Bernier's contract expires during the first year he will eligible for unrestricted free agency, so if his offensive game doesn't improve, the Canucks can just let him go. However, if he continues to improve over the next two seasons, expect to see Bernier in a Canucks uniform for a while.

Veteran Forward Markus Naslund Retires

New York Rangers' left wing Markus Naslund announced his retirement today after playing 15 seasons in the NHL. He is reportedly retiring due to his own dissatisfaction with his game. The Rangers signed Naslund as a free agent to a two-year, $8 million contract last summer. Since Naslund has decided to retire, the remaining year on his contract at $4 million will not count against the team's salary cap space. In 82 games this past season, Naslund scored 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points. In 1117 career games, he had 395 goals and 474 assists for 869 points with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, and New York Rangers. He won the Lester B. Pearson Award for the 2002-03 season as the league MVP as selected by the NHLPA. After 11 seasons with the Canucks, Naslund left the franchise after the 2007-08 season with numerous team records, including team leader in goals, points, power play goals, and game-winning goals. Naslund was a tremendously gifted forward throughout his NHL career, though his point production had been in decline for the past couple seasons. He was an excellent goal scorer for the Canucks for years with excellent skills on the power play and lots of leadership. It's a shame to see him end his career in dissatisfaction over his numbers, as he gave the Rangers lots of veteran experience on their forward lines. Still, Naslund should be very proud of everything he accomplished during his NHL career, which could possibly earn him induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the future.

Wild Sign Defenseman Scott to One-Year Extension

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they have signed defenseman John Scott to a one-year contract extension worth $500,000. He would have been a restricted free agent this summer. In 20 games last season, his first in the NHL, Scott had one assist and 21 penalty minutes. This is a decent signing for the Wild as Scott has the potential to become a very physical defenseman in the NHL. At a towering 6'8" and 247 lbs., he could develop into a stay-at-home defenseman with lots of toughness. Plus, at $500,000 he is very affordable, but could likely be only a sixth or seventh defenseman on the Wild blueline next season given their depth at that position.

Senators Sign Shannon to One-Year Extension

The Ottawa Senators have announced that they have re-signed right wing Ryan Shannon to a one-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. He would have been a restricted free agent this summer. In 35 games this past season, Shannon scored eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points. In 115 career games, he has 15 goals and 29 assists for 44 points with the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, and Ottawa Senators. This is a decent signing for the Senators as Shannon is a decent two-way player who is good on the power play. With the Senators beginning to rebuild their team, he will be a decent player for their checking lines and power play.