Sharks Sign Defenseman Moore to Two-Year Extension

The San Jose Sharks have announced that they have signed defenseman Mike Moore to a two-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been eligible for restricted free agency on July 1. In 64 games last season with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL, he had three goals and 19 assists for 22 points and 82 penalty minutes. He has yet to appear in an NHL game. This signing actually happened way back in February, so I'm not sure how I missed it. It's really nothing more than a depth signing for the Sharks. Moore has plenty of size and is a physical, defensive blueliner, but given the team's depth on defense for next season, he will likely spend all or most of it in the minors. If he does get called up by the Sharks, it will be if injuries start to mount on their defense.

Hurricanes Sign Defenseman Harrison to One-Year Extension

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have signed defenseman Jay Harrison to a one-year contract extension worth $500,000. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 38 games last season with the Hurricanes, he scored one goal and five assists for six points. He also appeared in 32 games last season with the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate in Albany, scoring two goals and 12 assists for 14 points. In 58 career NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes, he has one goal and seven assists for eight points. Not a bad depth signing, as Harrison has plenty of size and strength, plays a very physical game, and is a stay-at-home defenseman. He will likely be the Hurricanes' sixth or seventh defenseman next season.

Hurricanes Sign Forward Tlusty to One-Year Extension

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have signed left wing Jiri Tlusty to a one-year contract extension worth $500,000. He would have been eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1. The Hurricanes acquired the 22-year-old forward last December from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for the rights to center Philippe Paradis. In 20 games last season with the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes, Tlusty scored one goal and five assists for six points. In 92 career NHL games, he has 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points. This is an okay signing for the Hurricanes, as Tlusty has the skills to become a talented forward in the NHL, but has been unable to prove it thus far. He has decent playmaking skills and can be creative with the puck, but he's not very good defensively and will probably not be a huge goal-scorer. He's not a bad depth player for the Hurricanes, and at $500,000, is an affordable player if he can improve his play offensively.

Kings Sign Forward Parse to Two-Year Contract Extension

The Los Angeles Kings have announced that they have signed left wing Scott Parse to a two-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been a free agent on July 1. In 59 games this past season with the Kings, his first in the NHL, he scored 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. He also appeared in 14 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, scoring four goals and 11 assists for 15 points. Not a bad depth signing for the Kings, as Parse has decent playmaking skills and is a very versatile forward who can play both wings. He will likely play on either the third or fourth line next season.

Senators Sign Goaltender Mike Brodeur to One-Year Extension

The Ottawa Senators have announced that they have signed goaltender Mike Brodeur to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2010-11 season. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In three games this past season with the Senators, his first in the NHL, he posted a 3-0-0 record, one shutout, a 1.00 GAA, and a .966 save percentage. He also appeared in 36 games with the Senators' AHL affiliate in Binghamton, posting a 13-13-2 record, two shutouts, a 3.06 GAA, and a .899 save percentage. This is a good signing for the Senators, as Brodeur was very solid with the team when he was called up from the minors. Despite his bloated stats in the AHL last season, Brodeur is a quality minor league goaltender who can play well at the NHL level. He likely won't play very many games next season with the Senators, but if he is called up from the minors, he will help keep the team competitive in the Eastern Conference standings.

Avalanche Sign Defenseman Foote to One-Year Extension

The Colorado Avalanche have announced that they have signed veteran defenseman Adam Foote to a one-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 67 games this past season with the Avalanche, he scored nine assists and 64 penalty minutes. In 1107 career games with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche and Columbus Blue Jackets, he has 66 goals and 234 assists for 300 points and 1501 penalty minutes. He won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 1996 and 2001. This is a great signing for the Avalanche, as Foote is a very physical, defensive defenseman with lots of leadership qualities. He spent lots of time last season mentoring the younger players on the team and will take on that role again next season.

NY Rangers Acquire Defenseman Niemi from NY Islanders

The NY Rangers have announced that they have acquired defenseman Jyri Niemi from the New York Islanders in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The Rangers then signed him to a three-year entry level contract after the trade. This is the first trade the Rangers and Islanders have made with each other in 37 years. In 50 games this past season with Saskatoon of the WHL, Niemi scored eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points. This is really just a depth move for the Rangers, as Niemi will be a long shot to make the team at training camp in the fall. However, he does possess some offensive skill on the blueline, so he's not a bad depth player for the organization right now.

Blues Sign Forward Cracknell to New Contract

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have signed right wing Adam Cracknell to a new contract. The exact length and financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been eligible for free agency on July 1. Cracknell spent the entire 2009-10 season with Peoria of the AHL, scoring 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points in 76 games. He has yet to play in an NHL game. This is nothing more than a depth signing for the Blues. Cracknell has some offensive potential, but give the team's offensive depth, he will likely spend all of next season in the AHL.

Senators Sign Forward Keller to One-Year Extension

The Ottawa Senators have announced that they have signed right wing Ryan Keller to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2010-11 season. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been a free agent on July 1. In six games last season with the Senators, his first in the NHL, he scored no points. This is nothing more than a depth move for the Senators. Keller will provide lots of offensive depth for the Senators' AHL affiliate in Binghamton next season and will likely only see time in the NHL if there is a slew of injuries.

Penguins Sign Defenseman Engelland to One-Year Extension

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that they have signed defenseman Deryk Engelland to a one-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In nine games with the Penguins last season, his first in the NHL, he scored two assists and 17 penalty minutes. This is nothing more than a depth move for the Penguins. Engelland is a very physical, defensive defenseman, but is prone to mistakes in the defensive zone. He likely won't play many games next season with the Penguins, and if he does, it will be if injuries mount on the blueline.

Red Wings Sign Ritola to Three-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings have announced that they have signed left wing Mattias Ritola to a three-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been eligible to become a restricted free agent on July 1. In five games this past season with the Red Wings, he scored no points. He also appeared in one playoff game as well, scoring no points. He has appeared in seven career NHL games with the Red Wings, scoring one assist. Not a bad move for the Red Wings, as Ritola is one of their top minor-league forwards and could potentially make the team next season. He has some scoring upside, is a decent playmaker, and plays well defensively, making him another potential crafty forward for the Red Wings.

Predators Sign Forward Wilson to One-Year Contract

The Nashville Predators announced on Monday that they have signed left wing Kelsey Wilson to a one-year contract worth $575,000. The Predators qualified his rights last summer, making him a restricted free agent, but he failed to come to terms on a contract with the team and played the 2009-10 season in Austria with Salzburg, helping that team capture the Austrian championship title. In 52 games with Salzburg, he scored 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points and 231 penalty minutes. He has yet to play in an NHL games, but has played three seasons with the Predators' AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. This is really just a depth signing for the Predators. Wilson plays with lots of grit and toughness and can score from time to time. He'll likely have to fight for a roster spot at training camp, and if he makes the team, will likely play on the third or fourth line.

Sabres Sign Forward Grier to One-Year Extension

The Buffalo Sabres announced on Monday that they have signed right wing Mike Grier to a one-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would've been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 73 games this past season with the Sabres, Grier scored 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points. He added two goals in six games for the team in the off-season. In 987 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks, and Buffalo Sabres, he has 157 goals and 210 assists for 367 points. This is a decent signing for the Sabres, as Grier is a consistent forward who plays very hard every game. He's also a great two-way forward with plenty of speed and grit and excels on the penalty kill. Grier's experience and dedication will be extremely valuable for the Sabres next season.

NY Islanders Sign Forward Gillies to One-Year Extension

The New York Islanders have announced that they have signed left wing Trevor Gillies to a one-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 14 games with the Islanders this past season, he had one assist and 75 penalty minutes. He signed as a free agent with the team on January 28. In 15 career NHL games with the Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders, he has one assist and 96 penalty minutes. This is nothing more than a depth signing for the Islanders. Gillies is a very tough forward who will provide lots of toughness and grit to the team's line-up, although he has no offensive upside whatsoever. If he makes the team in the fall, it will likely be as a fourth line forward.

Capitals Sign Backstrom to 10-Year Contract Extension

The Washington Capitals locked up an important piece of their future on Monday by signing center Nicklas Backstrom to a 10-year contract worth $67 million. The deal averages out to $6.7 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1 and would have been a prime target for an offer sheet. In all 82 games last season with the Capitals, Backstrom scored 33 goals and 68 assists for 101 points. He added five goals and four assists for nine points in seven playoff games this season. In 246 career NHL games, all with the Capitals, he has 69 goals and 189 assists for 258 points. This is a great signing for the Capitals, as Backstrom has quickly become one of the team's top forwards over the past few seasons. He's a great passer, has great sense on the ice, excels on the power play, and can score goals. Plus, at $6.7 million per season, this is a great deal for one of the top centers in the league, as he is easily worth $8 million per season, in my opinion. Backstrom's best years are still ahead of him and his skill will help keep the Capitals a very competitive team for the foreseeable future.

Hurricanes Acquire Jared Staal from Coyotes

The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Thursday that they have acquired right wing Jared Staal from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for a fifth round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. The Hurricanes then signed Staal to a three-year entry level contract on Friday. He was originally a second round draft pick of the Coyotes in 2008. In 59 games this past season with Sudbury of the OHL, he scored 12 goals and 37 assists for 49 points. He also appeared in five games with San Antonio of the AHL, scoring one assist. This isn't a bad move for the Hurricanes, as they hardly gave up anything to get a prospect forward in return. Jared was once considered to be the best of the Staal brothers (Eric, Jordan, and Marc), but has had a couple of down seasons recently. Perhaps playing with Eric in Carolina will help him improve his game, and if he does, this could be a steal for the Hurricanes and a bad move for the Coyotes. If not, giving up a fifth round draft pick shouldn't be a huge loss to the Hurricanes.

Stars Sign Goaltender Lehtonen to Three-Year Extension

The Dallas Stars announced today that they have signed goaltender Kari Lehtonen to a three-year contract extension worth $10.65 million. The deal averages out to $3.55 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. The Stars acquired Lehtonen from the Atlanta Thrashers in February for prospect defenseman Ivan Vishnevskiy. In 12 games last season with the Stars, Lehtonen posted a 6-4-0 record, with a 2.81 GAA, and a .911 save percentage. He missed most of last season recovering from back surgery. In 216 career NHL games with the Thrashers and Stars, he has a 100-87-17 record, 14 shutouts, a 2.87 GAA, and a .912 save percentage. This is kind of a risky signing for the Stars, as Lehtonen has a bit of an injury history. If he can stay healthy, it will be a great signing for the team, as Lehtonen has plenty of skill and has the potential to become a top goalie in the NHL.