Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Selanne Re-Signs With Ducks for $3.75 Million
Teemu Selanne was the individual comeback story in the NHL last season with a rousing return to the Mighty Ducks capped by their appearance in the Western Conference finals.Now he's coming back.
Banking on a maturing, talented team that will enter next season with heightened expectations, Selanne officially re-signed with the Ducks on Tuesday for one year at $3.75 million.Selanne returns for what amounts to a hometown discount. He could have commanded $5 million or more on the free-agent market after a 40-goal, 50-assist season that put him among the league's scoring leaders.General Manager Brian Burke said negotiations with Selanne and his agent, Don Baizley, were "uncomplicated" and a deal was essentially agreed upon Sunday morning."This is a player that wanted to stay here and made some concessions financially to do that," Burke said.Speaking from his home in Finland, Selanne said, "I wanted to make sure that I'm going to play in a place that makes me happy and enjoy hockey. Some things are priceless. The biggest thing is I want to win. We have a special team here and we have a chance." With a reconstructed left knee, Selanne made good on a bargain $1-million, one-year contract he signed last August.Although he'll be 36 on July 3, Selanne said he would have considered retiring only if the Ducks had won the Stanley Cup.The Ducks, meanwhile, will probably let unrestricted free agents Ruslan Salei and Jeff Friesen test the market. Salei, a 31-year-old defenseman, is seeking a three-year contract above his 2005-06 salary of $1.824 million."I told him, 'There's no hard feelings. Go see if you can get it,' " Burke said.The Ducks expect to enter the 2006-07 season with a $38-million budget, according to Burke. That is about $5 million below where the adjusted league salary cap is expected to fall. Burke said the team still lost more than $15 million because a larger share of the revenues from their seven home playoff games went to the league for revenue sharing. But that won't prevent the Ducks from being active in free agency, he said.The budget "will allow me to keep my team together and go after a player," Burke said.As for goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov, Burke said he intended to speak with them in the next few days.With Bryzgalov, 26, the probable goalie of the future, the high-priced Giguere has been the subject of trade rumors. Detroit, Tampa Bay and Toronto are among those seeking an upgrade in the net.
Banking on a maturing, talented team that will enter next season with heightened expectations, Selanne officially re-signed with the Ducks on Tuesday for one year at $3.75 million.Selanne returns for what amounts to a hometown discount. He could have commanded $5 million or more on the free-agent market after a 40-goal, 50-assist season that put him among the league's scoring leaders.General Manager Brian Burke said negotiations with Selanne and his agent, Don Baizley, were "uncomplicated" and a deal was essentially agreed upon Sunday morning."This is a player that wanted to stay here and made some concessions financially to do that," Burke said.Speaking from his home in Finland, Selanne said, "I wanted to make sure that I'm going to play in a place that makes me happy and enjoy hockey. Some things are priceless. The biggest thing is I want to win. We have a special team here and we have a chance." With a reconstructed left knee, Selanne made good on a bargain $1-million, one-year contract he signed last August.Although he'll be 36 on July 3, Selanne said he would have considered retiring only if the Ducks had won the Stanley Cup.The Ducks, meanwhile, will probably let unrestricted free agents Ruslan Salei and Jeff Friesen test the market. Salei, a 31-year-old defenseman, is seeking a three-year contract above his 2005-06 salary of $1.824 million."I told him, 'There's no hard feelings. Go see if you can get it,' " Burke said.The Ducks expect to enter the 2006-07 season with a $38-million budget, according to Burke. That is about $5 million below where the adjusted league salary cap is expected to fall. Burke said the team still lost more than $15 million because a larger share of the revenues from their seven home playoff games went to the league for revenue sharing. But that won't prevent the Ducks from being active in free agency, he said.The budget "will allow me to keep my team together and go after a player," Burke said.As for goaltenders Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov, Burke said he intended to speak with them in the next few days.With Bryzgalov, 26, the probable goalie of the future, the high-priced Giguere has been the subject of trade rumors. Detroit, Tampa Bay and Toronto are among those seeking an upgrade in the net.
Playing 2010 Games hockey on NHL-size ice right thing to do, says Bettman
Playing the 2010 Winter Olympic hockey tournament on North American-sized ice makes sense, considering the contribution the NHL makes to the Games, says NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
"We think it will enhance the tournament and we're pleased," Bettman said in Edmonton while attending the NHL Stanley Cup final. "Considering we stop our season in the middle, and in Turin 160 of our players went, I think it is a sensible decision."
Last week the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (VANOC), announced the men's and women's hockey tournament will be played on the smaller, NHL-sized ice surface instead of the larger international ice. The move will save organizers of the Vancouver Games $10 million in construction costs since they won't have to make renovations to GM Place, home of the NHL Vancouver Canucks.
It also means more seats will be available for fans, which will produce more revenue.
The International Ice Hockey Federation agreed to the change after discussing the issue during the recent world hockey championships in Riga, Latvia.
Bettman said the NHL had raised the topic of ice size in the past with the IIHF.
"We had discussions about it," he said. "I always told the IIHF it was there decision to make."
Edmonton Oiler defenceman Chris Pronger, a three-time Olympian who won a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, said playing on the smaller ice will give Canada and the U.S. an advantage.
"It's going to play more into our hands, Canadian and Americans who have played on that ice surface for their whole lives," said Pronger. "It's a little more tailor-made for our skill sets and how we like to play."
Many of the men's teams playing at the Olympics are stocked with NHL players. The IIHF said about 53 per cent of the men playing at the 2006 Turin Games played on North American-sized rinks during their regular season.
"If you look at the World Cup the last few years, the Russians always had a good chance to beat Canada on the small ice," said Pronger. "The last World Cup the Finns made the finals and the Czechs and these teams played extremely well.
"They all play on the NHL ice surface all year long. They've changed their games to adapt to those ice surfaces. I don't think it will be as big a deal as it might have been in the early 1980's or 1970's."
Martin Gerber, the Carolina Hurricane goaltender who blanked Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and defenceman Frantisek Kaberle, who played for the Czechs in Turin, both doubted the switch would impact the tournament.
One player who disagrees is Michael Peca, the gritty Oiler forward who won a gold medal with Canada at the 2002 Olympics.
"I disagree with the breaking of the tradition," said Peca. "It's strange they would go away from that.
"Teams that carry a large handful of European players, it may be a little tougher on those guys. It will be interesting to see how the Canadian and American teams set their roster and how the European teams set their roster."
An NHL rink is 60 metres by 26 metres while international ice is 60 metres by 30 metres.
Pronger said it is an adjustment playing on the bigger surface.
"It is a change in the amount of skating you do, in reads and lanes and things of that nature," he said. "When you don't have a lot of time to practise and get adjusted to it, it's difficult to make that quick change."
Bettman said the Vancouver Canucks will benefit because their home arena won't be under construction.
"This will mean they won't be out of their building for so long," he said. "For the team, it is a very positive effect."
"We think it will enhance the tournament and we're pleased," Bettman said in Edmonton while attending the NHL Stanley Cup final. "Considering we stop our season in the middle, and in Turin 160 of our players went, I think it is a sensible decision."
Last week the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (VANOC), announced the men's and women's hockey tournament will be played on the smaller, NHL-sized ice surface instead of the larger international ice. The move will save organizers of the Vancouver Games $10 million in construction costs since they won't have to make renovations to GM Place, home of the NHL Vancouver Canucks.
It also means more seats will be available for fans, which will produce more revenue.
The International Ice Hockey Federation agreed to the change after discussing the issue during the recent world hockey championships in Riga, Latvia.
Bettman said the NHL had raised the topic of ice size in the past with the IIHF.
"We had discussions about it," he said. "I always told the IIHF it was there decision to make."
Edmonton Oiler defenceman Chris Pronger, a three-time Olympian who won a gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake Games, said playing on the smaller ice will give Canada and the U.S. an advantage.
"It's going to play more into our hands, Canadian and Americans who have played on that ice surface for their whole lives," said Pronger. "It's a little more tailor-made for our skill sets and how we like to play."
Many of the men's teams playing at the Olympics are stocked with NHL players. The IIHF said about 53 per cent of the men playing at the 2006 Turin Games played on North American-sized rinks during their regular season.
"If you look at the World Cup the last few years, the Russians always had a good chance to beat Canada on the small ice," said Pronger. "The last World Cup the Finns made the finals and the Czechs and these teams played extremely well.
"They all play on the NHL ice surface all year long. They've changed their games to adapt to those ice surfaces. I don't think it will be as big a deal as it might have been in the early 1980's or 1970's."
Martin Gerber, the Carolina Hurricane goaltender who blanked Canada at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and defenceman Frantisek Kaberle, who played for the Czechs in Turin, both doubted the switch would impact the tournament.
One player who disagrees is Michael Peca, the gritty Oiler forward who won a gold medal with Canada at the 2002 Olympics.
"I disagree with the breaking of the tradition," said Peca. "It's strange they would go away from that.
"Teams that carry a large handful of European players, it may be a little tougher on those guys. It will be interesting to see how the Canadian and American teams set their roster and how the European teams set their roster."
An NHL rink is 60 metres by 26 metres while international ice is 60 metres by 30 metres.
Pronger said it is an adjustment playing on the bigger surface.
"It is a change in the amount of skating you do, in reads and lanes and things of that nature," he said. "When you don't have a lot of time to practise and get adjusted to it, it's difficult to make that quick change."
Bettman said the Vancouver Canucks will benefit because their home arena won't be under construction.
"This will mean they won't be out of their building for so long," he said. "For the team, it is a very positive effect."
Claude Julien was named new head coach of the New Jersey Devils
Claude Julien was named the new head coach of the New Jersey Devils in a press conference on Tuesday.Julien’s last coaching gig was with the Montreal Canadiens, who let him go in January, but it wasn’t long before he found another job. Ironically, all 3 of the Stanley Cup victories by the New Jersey Devils were under the coaching of a coach who was previously in the Canadiens’ organization. Julien will have a veteran lineup to work with in New Jersey, a team that has always been expected to be a powerhouse in the NHL. Since 1995, the Devils has won the Stanley Cup 3 times, and they hope that Claude Julien is the next coach to lead them back to the finals.
LIGHTNING TO HOST DRAFT PARTY AT ST. PETE TIMES FORUM
DEFENSEMAN DAN BOYLE TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS for fans
The 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning will host a Draft Party, presented by Bright House Networks, in Shots at Channelside at the St. Pete Times Forum on Saturday, June 24 beginning at 5:30 p.m.The party will feature half priced food, including hotdogs, hamburgers, sausage and pasta salad, and will also feature $2 drafts with a commemorative 2004 Stanley Cup Championship glass. 620 WDAE The Sports Animal will air the draft, featuring a live broadcast from Shots with Lightning play-by-play voice Dave Mishkin, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Lightning Sun Sports color commentator Bobby “the Chief’ Taylor be providing live call-ins from Vancouver, site of this year’s draft. Lightning Defenseman Dan Boyle will be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs, beginning at 5:30 p.m.The Gold and Diamond Source Lightning Girls will be at the party to hand out gifts to the first 500 guests and take pictures with party-goers next to the PS Clean Zamboni. ThunderBug will also be available for photos and to entertain children. FanLand games will be set up on the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza for children, and temporary tattoos, suckers and balloons will also be distributed. The St. Petersburg Art Center will offer arts and crafts for those in attendance. Fans will also have the opportunity to take advantage of up to 50 percent off on select Lightning merchandise.The Lightning Foundation will hold a silent auction and chance drawing with Lightning and other sports memorabilia. Miniature replicas of all awards won by the Lightning and their players during the 2004 season, including the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, Jack Adams Award and Conn Smythe Trophy, will also be on display.The party is free to the public with free parking being provided in the V.I.P. East and West lots.The 2006 NHL Entry Draft starts 6 p.m. from Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lightning have the 15th overall pick in the first round while the St. Louis Blues own the first overall selection.
The 2004 Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning will host a Draft Party, presented by Bright House Networks, in Shots at Channelside at the St. Pete Times Forum on Saturday, June 24 beginning at 5:30 p.m.The party will feature half priced food, including hotdogs, hamburgers, sausage and pasta salad, and will also feature $2 drafts with a commemorative 2004 Stanley Cup Championship glass. 620 WDAE The Sports Animal will air the draft, featuring a live broadcast from Shots with Lightning play-by-play voice Dave Mishkin, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Lightning Sun Sports color commentator Bobby “the Chief’ Taylor be providing live call-ins from Vancouver, site of this year’s draft. Lightning Defenseman Dan Boyle will be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs, beginning at 5:30 p.m.The Gold and Diamond Source Lightning Girls will be at the party to hand out gifts to the first 500 guests and take pictures with party-goers next to the PS Clean Zamboni. ThunderBug will also be available for photos and to entertain children. FanLand games will be set up on the Chrysler/Jeep Plaza for children, and temporary tattoos, suckers and balloons will also be distributed. The St. Petersburg Art Center will offer arts and crafts for those in attendance. Fans will also have the opportunity to take advantage of up to 50 percent off on select Lightning merchandise.The Lightning Foundation will hold a silent auction and chance drawing with Lightning and other sports memorabilia. Miniature replicas of all awards won by the Lightning and their players during the 2004 season, including the Stanley Cup, Hart Trophy, Jack Adams Award and Conn Smythe Trophy, will also be on display.The party is free to the public with free parking being provided in the V.I.P. East and West lots.The 2006 NHL Entry Draft starts 6 p.m. from Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lightning have the 15th overall pick in the first round while the St. Louis Blues own the first overall selection.
