NY Islanders Sign Jeremy Colliton to One-Year Deal

The New York Islanders announced today that they have re-signed center Jeremy Colliton to a one-year, two-way contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He last played in the NHL with the Islanders during the 2008-09 season, scoring one assist in six games. Last season, he played with Rogle Angelholm of the Swedish Elite League, scoring 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 46 games. This is really just a depth signing for the Islanders, as it remains to be seen if Colliton will earn a roster spot on the team or end up in the minors. However, if he does secure a roster spot with the Islanders, he will bring a strong work ethic, skill to the penalty kill, and some offensive depth to the team.

Thrashers Sign Center Tim Stapleton

The Atlanta Thrashers announced today that they have signed free agent center Tim Stapleton. The exact length and financial terms of the deal were not announced, but it's likely a one-year deal. He appeared in six games last season with the Thrashers, scoring two goals. He spent the majority of the 2009-10 season with the Thrashers' AHL affiliate in Chicago. In 20 games this season with San Antonio of the AHL, he has eight goals and seven assists for 15 points. This is really just a depth move for the Thrashers, as Stapleton will likely spend most of this season in the minors. However, he is expected to join the team tonight in Colorado, so he will get a chance to play at the NHL level for now.

***UPDATE***
Stapleton's newly signed contract is a two-year deal. For the 2010-11 season, it's a two-way deal that will see him earning $525,000 at the NHL level and $105,000 if he plays in the minors. For the 2011-12 season, it's a one-way deal, which will see him earn $525,000 regardless if he plays in the NHL or minors.

Avalanche Acquire Tomas Fleischmann from Capitals for Scott Hannan

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that they have acquired left wing Tomas Fleischmann from the Washington Capitals in exchange for defenseman Scott Hannan. Fleischmann, who had been a healthy scratch recently, had been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks. It was reported the Los Angeles Kings had been interested in the 26-year-old forward. Both players will be unrestricted free agents next summer. In 23 games so far this season, he has four goals and six assists for 10 points, while Hannan has six assists in 23 games. This is a decent trade for both teams, as it addresses needs for both of them. Fleischmann brings the Avalanche a skilled forward who is a decent passer and stickhandler who can play both center and on the wing. He also brings the team some much needed offensive depth after recently losing Chris Stewart for four to six weeks with a broken hand. Hannan brings some much-needed veteran depth to the Capitals' blueline, as well as some decent shutdown skills. He should be an excellent addition to their defense.

Avalanche Acquire Matt Hunwick from Bruins for Colby Cohen

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that they have acquired defenseman Matt Hunwick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for prospect defenseman Colby Cohen. In 22 games this season, Hunwick has one goal and two assists for three points. Cohen has no points in three NHL games so far this season. For the Avalanche, they get a puck-moving defenseman in Hunwick, who has some offensive skill and adds a little bit more experience to their injury-ravaged blueline. For the Bruins, they get a decent defensive prospect in Cohen, who has good size and toughness. as well as some offensive upside. The move also sheds $1.55 million in salary to make room for Marc Savard, who is set to return to the lineup in the near future after being sidelined with a concussion since last May.

Blackhawks Sign Defenseman Garnet Exelby to One-Year Deal

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have signed defeseman Garnet Exelby to a one-year contract and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Rockford. He had been on a professional tryout with Rockford and served as the team's captain. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. In 51 games last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, he had one goal and three assists for four points and 73 penalty minutes. In 408 career NHL games with the Atlanta Thrashers and Toronto Maple Leafs, he has seven goals and 43 assists for 50 points and 584 penalty minutes. This is really just a depth signing for the Blackhawks, as Exelby will likely spend much of the season in the minors. If he does get recalled from the minors, he will provide plenty of grit and toughness to the team's blueline.

Flyers Sign Forward Michael Ryan to One-Year Contract

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have signed left wing Michael Ryan to a one-year contract. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He attended the Flyers' training camp this past September on a tryout basis. In six games this season with Springfield of the AHL, he has one goal and two assists for three points. He last played in the NHL during the 2008-09 season with the Carolina Hurricanes, recording two assists in 18 games. This is really just a depth move for the Flyers, as Ryan was assigned to their AHL affiliate in Adirondack after the signing. He should provide lots of offensive skill to Adirondack throughout the course of the season.

Hurricanes Acquire Ryan Carter from Ducks for Chaput, Kennedy

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have acquired center Ryan Carter from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for center Stefan Chaput and right wing Matt Kennedy. The trade comes in the wake of center Kyle Chipchura's return to the Ducks' lineup after missing time with a concussion, thus making Carter expendable to the team. In 18 games so far this season, Carter has one goal and two assists for three points and 22 penalty minutes. Chaput has appeared in 20 games with Charlotte of the AHL this season, scoring three assists and nine penalty minutes, while Kennedy has one assist and six penalty minutes in eight games with Charlotte. Not a bad depth move for the Hurricanes, as Carter will add some toughness and versatility to the forward lines, especially at center. For the Ducks, they get two young forwards with some offensive skill who have top-nine potential at the NHL level. However, they are probably still at least a couple seasons away from securing NHL roster spots, if they are able to at all.

NY Rangers Acquire Stu Bickel from Ducks for Nigel Williams

The New York Rangers announced today that they have acquired defenseman Stu Bickel from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Nigel Williams. In six games this season with Syracuse of the AHL, Bickel has three assists and 14 penalty minutes, while Williams has one assist and two penalty minutes in 12 games with Hartford of the AHL. This is really just a depth move for both teams, as Bickel and Williams will likely spend the rest of the season in the minors, where they both should provide sufficient defensive depth for their respected clubs.

Wild Claim O'Sullivan Off Waivers from Hurricanes

The Minnesota Wild announced today that they have claimed left wing Patrick O'Sullivan off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes. Signed as a free agent in the off-season by the Hurricanes, he has one goal in 10 games so far this season. O'Sullivan was originally a second round draft pick of the Wild in 2003. In 290 career NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Carolina Hurricanes, he has 55 goals and 95 assists for 150 points. Not a bad depth move for the Wild, as O'Sullivan will add some offensive depth up front. He has the skill to be a decent goal scorer and playmaker, but hasn't been able to repeat the 22 goal and 53 point success of his 2007-08 season. In Carolina, he was barely getting any ice time and saw his role with the team diminished due to the excellent play of Sergei Samsonov, Jussi Jokinen, and rookie Jeff Skinner. Perhaps more ice time in Minnesota can help O'Sullivan increase his offensive production.

Flyers Acquire Syvret, Bordson from Ducks for Laliberte, Maroon

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have acquired defenseman Danny Syvret and center Rob Bordson from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for right wing David Laliberte and left wing Patrick Maroon. Of the four players involved in the trade, only Syvret has played in the NHL this season, scoring one goal and one assist in six games. All four players will be free agents next summer. This is really just a depth move for both teams, as all four players will likely spend most of this season in the minors. The only exception is Syvret, who could see time with the Flyers if injuries should mount on their blueline.

Flames Acquire Babchuk, Kostopoulos from Hurricanes for Sutter, White

The Calgary Flames announced today that they have acquired defenseman Anton Babchuk and right wing Tom Kostopoulos from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for left wing Brett Sutter and defenseman Ian White. The trade comes one week after Sutter was charged with assault outside an Arizona bar. He is alleged to have punched a cab driver after a drunken altercation and has made a public apology. He has one assist in four games this season, while White has two goals and four assists for six points in 14 games. Babchuk has three goals and five assists for eight points in 17 games, while Kostopoulos has one goal and three assists for four points and 30 penalty minutes in 17 games. White and Babchuk will be unrestricted free agents next summer, while Sutter will be a restricted free agent. Kostopoulos will be an unrestricted free agent in 2012. This is a pretty even trade for both teams in terms of player quality, as Babchuk and White both have plenty of offensive skill on the blueline, while Sutter and Kostopoulos both play with lots of grit and toughness. The trade does offer the Flames some salary cap relief, as Babchuk and Kostopoulos both make a combined $2.4 million, while White's salary is $3 million. The deal is also a bit of a shakeup for the Flames, as they are 4-6 in their last 10 games. The deal also comes in the wake of rumors that the Flames have been considering trading team captain Jarome Iginla, possibly to the Los Angeles Kings in a package that would involve Brayden Schenn. However, the Flames have denied that they are going to trade Iginla. As for Sutter, his off ice altercation last week likely didn't sit well with team management and is likely sending a message to their players that such acts will not be tolerated. Sutter will get a fresh start on a rebuilding Hurricanes team, where cousin Brandon Sutter is one of the top prospects. Brett could likely become a checking forward with the team, where he will provide lots of toughness and energy.

Hurricanes Claim Troy Bodie Off Waivers from Ducks

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that they have claimed right wing Troy Bodie off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks. In nine games so far this season, he has one assist and seven penalty minutes. He was a healthy scratch in Anaheim's last eight games. This is really just a depth move for the Hurricanes, although Bodie does play with a lot of toughness and has good size. However, it remains to be seen if he'll play a regular role with Carolina or end up in the minors.

2011 NHL All-Star Game Ballot

Listed below are the 100 players who have been placed on the 2011 All-Star Game fan ballot, with each team has placed at least two players on the ballot. Fans can vote for six players, regardless of conference, between November 15, 2010 and January 3, 2011. Of these 100 players, the three forwards, two defenseman, and one goaltender who receive the most votes will be named first NHL all-stars. Fans can vote for their favorite players on nhl.com. The all-star game will see a new format this season, abandoning the traditional Eastern Conference versus Western Conference matchup. The fans will still determine the game's starters and the hockey operations department will still select the remaining 36 players. The captains of each team will be voted on by the participating players, and those captains and alternate captains will draft the participating players to their teams. The 2011 All-Star Game will be played on January 30 at 4 PM in Raleigh, North Carolina.

ANAHEIM DUCKS
Ryan Getzlaf, F
Corey Perry, F
Bobby Ryan, F
Teemu Selanne, F

ATLANTA THRASHERS
Dustin Byfuglien, D
Tobias Enstrom, D

BOSTON BRUINS
Patrice Bergeron, F
Zdeno Chara, D
David Krejci, F
Tim Thomas, G

BUFFALO SABRES
Ryan Miller, G
Derek Roy, F
Thomas Vanek, F

CALGARY FLAMES
Jay Bouwmeester, D
Jarome Iginla, F
Miikka Kiprusoff, G

CAROLINA HURRICANES
Joni Pitkanen, D
Eric Staal, F
Cam Ward, G

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Brian Campbell, D
Marian Hossa, F
Patrick Kane, F
Duncan Keith, D
Brent Seabrook, D
Jonathan Toews, F

COLORADO AVALANCHE
Craig Anderson, G
Milan Hejduk, F
Paul Stastny, F

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Rick Nash, F
R.J. Umberger, F

DALLAS STARS
Brendan Morrow, F
Brad Richards, F
Stephane Robidas, D

DETROIT RED WINGS
Pavel Datsyuk, F
Johan Franzen, F
Nicklas Lidstrom, D
Brian Rafalski, D
Henrik Zetterberg, F

EDMONTON OILERS
Ales Hemsky, F
Nikolai Khabibulin, G

FLORIDA PANTHERS
David Booth, F
Bryan McCabe, D
Tomas Vokoun, G

LOS ANGELES KINGS
Drew Doughty, D
Anze Kopitar, F
Jonathan Quick, G
Ryan Smyth, F

MINNESOTA WILD
Niklas Backstrom, G
Mikko Koivu, F
Marek Zidlicky, D

MONTREAL CANADIENS
Mike Cammalleri, F
Brian Gionta, F
Andrei Markov, D

NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Pekka Rinne, G
Ryan Suter, D
Shea Weber, D

NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Martin Brodeur, G
Ilya Kovalchuk, F
Zach Parise, F

NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Mark Streit, D
John Tavares, F

NEW YORK RANGERS
Marian Gaborik, F
Henrik Lundqvist, G
Marc Staal, D

OTTAWA SENATORS
Daniel Alfredsson, F
Sergei Gonchar, D
Jason Spezza, F

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Daniel Briere, F
Jeff Carter, F
Chris Pronger, D
Mike Richards, F
Kimmo Timonen, D

PHOENIX COYOTES
Ilya Bryzgalov, G
Shane Doan, F
Ed Jovanovski, D

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Sidney Crosby, F
Marc-Andre Fleury, G
Evgeni Malkin, F
Paul Martin, D

ST. LOUIS BLUES
Jaroslav Halak, G
T.J. Oshie, F

SAN JOSE SHARKS
Dan Boyle, D
Dany Heatley, F
Patrick Marleau, F
Antti Niemi, G
Joe Thornton, F

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Vincent Lecavalier, F
Martin St. Louis, F
Steven Stamkos, F

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Jean-Sebastien Giguere, G
Tomas Kaberle, D
Phil Kessel, F
Dion Phaneuf, D

VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Dan Hamhuis, D
Roberto Luongo, G
Daniel Sedin, F
Henrik Sedin, F

WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Nicklas Backstrom, F
Mike Green, D
Alex Ovechkin, F

Flyers Sign Jeff Carter to 11-Year Extension

The Philadelphia Flyers locked up an important piece of their future on Saturday by signing center Jeff Carter to an 11-year contract worth $58 million. The deal will average out to $5.27 million per season. In 16 games so far this season, Carter has eight goals and six assists for 14 points. In 397 career NHL games, all with Philadelphia, he has 153 goals and 138 assists for 291 points. This is a good signing for the Flyers, as Carter has become one of the team's top forwards over the past few seasons. He brings lots of offensive skill to the forward lines, as well as decent size, a good shot, and is a good skater. Look for Carter to continue to be one of the team's top forwards throughout the duration of the contract.

Blues Sign David Backes to Five-Year Extension

The St. Louis Blues announced today that they have signed center David Backes to a five-year extension. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the deal will average out to $4.5 million per season, making the entire contract worth $22.5 million. He would have been an unrestricted free agent next summer. In 14 games so far this season, Backes has two goals and four assists for six points and 32 penalty minutes. In 296 career NHL games, all with the Blues, he has 73 goals and 89 assists for 162 points and 439 penalty minutes. Not a bad signing for the Blues, as Backes plays with lots of grit and toughness, is a solid hitter, and can contribute offensively from time to time. However, $4.5 million per season seems a bit much for Backes. Perhaps a deal of around $3 million per season would have been more suitable for him, but if he can increase his offensive production considerably, $4.5 million may not be too bad.

Blue Jackets Acquire Byers from NY Rangers for Kolarik

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced today that they have acquired left wing Dane Byers from the New York Rangers in exchange for right wing Chad Kolarik. In 16 games with Hartford of the AHL, Byers has three goals and six assists for nine points, while Kolarik has four goals and six assists for 10 points in 13 games with Springfield of the AHL. This is really just a depth move for both teams, as both players will likely spend most of this season in the minors, providing plenty of offensive depth for both of their clubs.

Avalanche Acquire Ryan O'Byrne from Canadiens

The Colorado Avalanche announced today that they have acquired defenseman Ryan O'Byrne from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for prospect left wing Michael Bournival. In three games so far this season, O'Byrne has no points. Bournival has appeared in 17 games so far this season with Shawinigan of the QMJHL, scoring 10 goals and 14 assists for a team leading 24 points. He was Colorado's third round pick in the 2010 Entry Draft. This is really just a depth move for both teams. O'Byrne will bring some toughness and experience to the Avalanche blueline, which is currently depleted due to injuries. Once the injured players return to the lineup, O'Byrne will likely become the sixth or seventh defenseman. The Canadiens get a good offensive winger in Bournival, yet he will still have to get a bit stronger to make the jump to the AHL and NHL levels. The move also cuts $1 million from the Canadiens' salary, and it's rumored they could be in the market for a winger. Only time will tell if the Canadiens are making room for another acquisition.

Flyers Sign Claude Giroux to Three-Year Extension

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today that they have signed center Claude Giroux to a three-year contract extension worth $11.25 million. The deal will pay him $2.75 million in 2011-12, $3.5 million in 2012-13, and $5 million in 2013-14 for an annual average of $3.75 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent next summer. In 15 games so far this season, he has seven goals and seven assists for 14 points. This is a great signing for the Flyers, as Giroux is quickly emerging as one of the team's top prospect forwards. He has great passing skills, lots of offensive potential, and is versatile enough to play on the wing. So far, the 2010-11 season looks to be a breakout one for Giroux, and he will likely become one the Flyers' top forwards next to Mike Richards and Jeff Carter over the next few years.