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Post by Derrick - Senators on Apr 20, 2007 17:13:58 GMT -5
Ottawa Senators News and Team Articles
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 25, 2007 1:48:10 GMT -5
May 8, 2007
The wait is finally over.
Six years after being drafted, the Detroit Red Wings signed prospect Igor Grigorenko on Tuesday, MLive.com reported.
The 5-foot-10, 209-pound right-winger recently completed his fourth season in Russia since recovering from serious injuries suffered in a May, 2003, car accident. He had 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in 49 games for his hometown Russian Elite League team, Lada Togliatti.
The Red Wings expect the 24-year-old to compete for an NHL roster spot out of training camp next season. He’s strong, stocky and competitive and has terrific offensive skills and instincts.
MLive.com reports Grigorenko's two-way contract will pay him $858,000 in the NHL and $70,000 in the minors. He has an escape clause that would allow him to return to Russia if he ends up in the American Hockey League for roughly three weeks at the start of the season.
Grigorenko, whose top-end speed hasn’t been the same since he broke his femur and fractured his tibia in two places in the car accident, made roughly $1 million tax free in Russia this past season.
He was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) in 2001 and is ranked third in RedWingsCentral.com's most recent prospect ranking, behind goaltender Jimmy Howard and defenseman Jakub Kindl.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 25, 2007 2:15:24 GMT -5
May 24, 2007
John Ferguson, vice-president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Thursday that the club has signed forward Nikolai Kulemin (koo-LAY-mihn) to a three-year, entry level contract.
The 6-1, 205 pound native of Magnitogorsk, Russia, was the Toronto Maple Leafs’ second choice, 44th overall, in the 2006 National Hockey League Entry Draft. He won a Silver Medal with Team Russia at the 2006 World Junior Championships and has represented his country at the 2006 and 2007 World Championships; most recently in Moscow, Russia, collecting a Bronze Medal along with three points (two goals, one assist) in nine games.
“Nikolai utilized his powerful skating ability and heavy shot to become one of the Russian Super League’s most dominant goal scorers this past season,” said Ferguson. “We plan to leave him in Russia to continue his development and envision him playing a significant role in the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
This past season Kulemin, 20, played for the Russian Super League (RSL) champions Metallurg Magnitogorsk, collecting 39 points (27 goals, 12 assists) with 42 penalty minutes. He ranked third in the league in regular season goals and 13th in points. His strong play continued in the playoffs where he was named one of the MVP finalists of the RSL Playoffs, collecting 11 points (10 goals, one assist) in 15 games.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 25, 2007 2:27:16 GMT -5
5/19/2007
The Tampa Bay Lightning have locked up another potential free agent for next season, signing goaltender Johan Holmqvist to a one-year contract.
Holmqvist, 28, posted a 27-15-3 record with the Lightning this past season with a 2.85 goals-against-average and a .893 save percentage.
"As we said at the end of the season, Johan Holmqvist is one piece of the puzzle for us in net, and it was one of our top priorities this off-season to get him re-signed at a number that made sense for us," Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said in a statement. "By signing a one-year deal, Johan has demonstrated that he intends to build on last year's performance and firmly establish himself - once and for all - as a legitimate No. 1 goalie in the NHL."
Holmqvist spent the 2005-06 season with Brynas IF Gavle of the Swedish Elite League and led the league in goals-against average with 1.95.
Holmqvist played in four NHL games between 2000-01 and 2002-03 with the New York Rangers, posting a 4.32 GAA and a .868 save percentage. He was a seventh-round pick, 175th overall, by the Rangers at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 25, 2007 2:39:06 GMT -5
DENVER – The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced Wednesday that the team has signed forward T.J. Hensick to a three-year, entry level contract.
A finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award (college hockey’s top player), Hensick led the nation in scoring this season with 69 points (23g/46a) in 41 games for the University of Michigan. The senior also led the country in assists, assists-per-game (1.12) and points-per-game (1.68). He captured the Central Collegiate Hockey Association scoring title with 42 points (12g/30a) in 28 conference games.
Colorado’s fifth selection (third round, 88th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Hensick was named to his third CCHA First Team All Conference squad this year, making him one of only eight players in conference history to earn such recognition. Hensick, 21, became just the third CCHA player in league history—and the first forward—to earn either First or Second Team honors in each of his four years in college, joining former St. Louis defenseman Kent Jackson (1975-78) and former Bowling Green defenseman Ken Morrow (1976-79).
The Lansing, Mich., native finished his career ranked eighth on Michigan’s all-time scoring list with 222 points and fourth in assists with 147. He was the first Wolverine to record three straight 50-point seasons since Bill Muckalt from 1996-98 and first to record 40-plus points in all four seasons since Brendan Morrison (1994-97). Hensick played his final collegiate game at Pepsi Center on March 24, recording two goals and one assist in Michigan’s 8-5 loss to North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA West Regional.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 25, 2007 14:10:09 GMT -5
May 11, 2007
Rob Schremp got a little taste of the NHL this past season. He hopes to be healthy enough for a bigger serving in 2007-08.
The Edmonton Oilers announced Schremp underwent successful surgery Friday to repair a torn MCL in his left knee.
Drafted 25th overall in 2004, Schremp had the procedure performed at Grey Nuns Community Hospital by Dr. David C. Reid, the team medical chief of staff of the Oilers. The 20-year-old suffered the injury on April 13 while playing for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Edmonton's American Hockey League affiliate.
Schremp is expected to rehabilitate the knee for six to eight weeks before beginning to prepare for training camp in September.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Schremp made his NHL debut with the Oilers this season, recording two shots on goal and winning 6-of-12 faceoffs in a 3-0 loss at Minnesota on April 5. The 5-11, 200-pounder spent the majority of the campaign with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, registering 17 goals and 36 assists in 69 games.
In 2005-06, Schremp had a sensational season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, collecting 57 goals and 145 points to win the the league's scoring title.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on May 30, 2007 12:28:55 GMT -5
Thursday, May 24, 2007
A lingering hip injury that forced Panthers defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to miss this spring's World Championships ultimately forced him to have surgery Tuesday in Vail, Colo., the team announced Wednesday.
Dr. Mark Philippon performed the procedure at the Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Clinic. Bouwmeester is expected to return to South Florida shortly and begin rehab that should last two to three months, coach and General Manager Jacques Martin said.
"He had a small tear in the labrum," Martin said from Vancouver, where he is attending the Memorial Cup junior tournament. "He should be fully recovered in time for training camp."
Bouwmeester played the last part of the season with the injury and the team opted to see if rest would take care of the problem.
"But he started working out and was still uncomfortable, he still had some pain," Martin said. "We decided to act now rather than wait and find out in October he has to have surgery and miss a couple months.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 8, 2007 15:00:51 GMT -5
June 7, 2007
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Wild have re-signed goaltender Niklas Backstrom to a multi-year contract on Thursday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Backstrom, 29, posted a 23-8-6 record and tied the franchise record for shutouts in a season with five in 41 games. His NHL-best 1.97 goals-against average and .929 save percentage enabled the Wild to secure a postseason berth.
The native of Helsinki, Finland, he started all five playoff games for Minnesota, posting a 2.22 GAA and .924 save percentage in the Wild's first-round loss to the eventual champion Anaheim Ducks.
Backstrom also teamed with Manny Fernandez to win the 2006-07 William M. Jennings Trophy as the Wild allowed a league-low 191 goals.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 15, 2007 14:52:50 GMT -5
June 15, 2007
TORONTO (CP) - Martin Brodeur is in his prime.
There doesn't appear to be any rust on those 35-year-old hinges, as he showed in finishing up one of the best seasons of his career this spring. The New Jersey Devils netminder won an NHL-record 48 games, posted a league-best 12 shutouts, had a 2.18 goals-against average and his save percentage was an impressive .922.
The native of Montreal was rewarded with the Vezina Trophy as top goaltender and named to the league's first all-star team during the league's annual awards ceremonies Thursday night.
"It's kind of nice being 35 years old and hanging in there with the young guys," said Brodeur.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 15, 2007 14:55:28 GMT -5
June 15, 2007
TORONTO (CP) - Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings is the Lady Byng Trophy winner as most gentlemanly player in the NHL for the second year in a row.
Datsyuk scored 27 goals and amassed 87 points in 79 regular-season games while serving only 20 minutes in penalties.
In a vote by selected members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, the Russian center got a total of 705 points based on 38 first-place votes, 26 second-place votes, 18 thirds, 15 fourths and eighth fifth-place votes.
Detroit GM Ken Holland accepted the trophy on behalf of Datsyuk during the league's annual awards ceremonies Thursday night.
Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning was runner-up with 513 points (26-19-19-6-7), and Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche was third with 354 (17-17-7-9-3).
The Lady Byng Trophy is for the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
The winner was selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association at the end of the regular season. The winner receives $10,000 and the runners-up $6,000 and $4,000.
The trophy was first presented in 1925 by Lady Byng, wife of Canada's governor general at the time, to Frank Nighbor of the Ottawa Senators.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 15, 2007 15:00:52 GMT -5
June 15, 2007
TORONTO (CP) - Nicklas Lidstrom, meet Ray Bourque.
Lidstrom captured yet another Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman Thursday night, becoming the first five-time career winner since Bourque, the great Boston Bruins blue-liner.
Lidstrom, who replaced the retired Steve Yzerman as Detroit Red Wings captain this past season, beat out the stellar Anaheim Ducks duo of Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger - both former winners - for this year's award in voting by selected members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.
Lidstrom, who has won the award five of the past six seasons, tied for the league lead among defencemen with a plus-40 rating and ranked third among all players in ice time per game at 27:29. He had 62 points (13-49), fifth among NHL defencemen.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 27, 2007 17:48:26 GMT -5
June 27, 2007
Saying the NHL is not doing enough to protect its goaltenders, New Jersey's Martin Brodeur abruptly resigned from the league's competition committee, the Toronto Star reported on Wednesday.
"I just don't want that responsibility any more," Brodeur told The Star. "I thought I would be able to make a difference, but I guess I was wrong."
Brodeur, a three-time winner of the Vezina Trophy, was brought on the committee 18 months ago for, among other reasons, giving the five-player group at least one goalie's voice. But Brodeur told The Star that his ideas have been ignored.
"I didn't feel I was making a difference, and I hate wasting my time when it doesn't seem to matter," he told the newspaper. "I brought up a lot of different points, suggested different ideas like a bigger crease, but nothing's changed. The protection of goaltenders has just become ridiculous.
"It's hard when nothing's improving and your name is associated with it. I didn't want to live with that."
Whereas the NHL adopted a more wide-open style of play following the 2004 lockout, the competition committee has been charged with making recommendations to help alter rules and rule interpretations. In the past, when players were not at all allowed in the crease, the new standard often sees players making contact with goaltenders or having two skates in the crease when a goal is scored.
Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco is expected to be appointed by the NHL Players' Association to take Brodeur's spot, according to The Star.
"I talked to [Turco], and he's got a lot of passion for it, and I told him if he has the energy to go for it," Brodeur told The Star. "I tried for a year-and-a-half, and I guess I figured it was better to take my time and energy and take care of my team, not worry about the rest of the world."
NHLPA spokesperson Jonathan Weatherdon told ESPN.com on Wednesday that the executive board will consider Brodeur's replacement "in the near future."
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jun 30, 2007 20:29:05 GMT -5
6/30/2007
It looks as though the Boston Bruins have acquired a new goaltender.
According to the Pioneer Press, the Minnesota Wild have traded Manny Fernandez to the Bruins for forward Petr Kalus and a future fourth-round draft pick.
Fernandez was 22-16-1 last season with the 2.55 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. Fernandez missed the final ten games of the regular season and Minnesota's first-round series with the Anaheim Ducks with a knee injury.
Kalus had 13 goals and 17 assists in 43 games with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League last season.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 1, 2007 23:00:43 GMT -5
July 1, 2007
San Jose Sharks Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Wilson announced today that the club has signed Center Joe Thornton to a three-year contract extension, which will keep the 2006 Hart Trophy winner in San Jose through the 2011 season.
“Joe Thornton is among the top group of elite players in the National Hockey League,” said Wilson. “In addition to his play on the ice, Joe leads by example and has as much love for the game as anyone I have seen. Making sure Joe remained in San Jose was a top priority and he will be an integral part of our franchise as we march towards our goal of competing for the Stanley Cup next year and for years to come.”
Thornton has been among the most dominant players in the NHL over the last two seasons since being acquired by San Jose on Nov. 30, 2005. During that span, his 239 points (51 goals, 188 assists) lead all NHL scorers. In addition, Thornton is the leading scorer in the NHL since the beginning of 2002-03 season with 413 points (110 goals, 303 assists. Furthermore, Thornton leads all NHL players who were 27 or younger entering last season in career scoring with 660 points (211 goals, 449 assists) in 672 games, averaging .98 points per game.
On April 5, Thornton became just the third player in NHL history to record back-to-back 90 assist seasons, along with Wayne Gretzky (12 times, 1980-81 through 1991-92) and Mario Lemieux (1987-88 and 1988-89). He has also set new Sharks franchise records for points and assists in a single season.
Thornton led the Sharks in scoring last season with 114 points (22 goals, 92 assists). He ranked second on the Sharks in 2005-06, posting 92 points (20 goals, 72 assists) in just 58 games (in 81 games with San Jose and Boston, he had an NHL-leading 125 points, earning the Art Ross Trophy). Since being acquired by San Jose on Nov. 30, 2005, Thornton has posted 206 points (42 goals, 164 assists) in only 140 games (1.47 points per game).
A four-time NHL All-Star (2002-2005, 2007), has also represented Team Canada on the 2006 Olympic Team, World Championships (2001, 2005) and World Cup of Hockey (2004). He was named a First-Team NHL All-Star in 2006 and Second-Team NHL All-Star in 2003
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 3, 2007 21:08:41 GMT -5
July 3, 2007
OTTAWA -- The Ottawa Senators on Tuesday signed defenseman Brian Lee, their 2005 first-round pick.
Terms were not disclosed.
Selected ninth overall, the 21-year-old Lee recently completed his second season at the University of North Dakota. This past season, he recorded two goals and 26 points.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 4, 2007 1:05:07 GMT -5
28 июня 2007 г.
Красные крылья Григоренко Тольяттинский хоккеист уезжает в Америку Игоря Григоренко можно назвать героем. Этот одаренный нападающий, надежда всей хоккейной России, едва не погиб в страшной автомобильной аварии несколько лет назад. Но нашел в себе силы вернуться на лед. Заиграл и вновь стал регулярно забивать в "Салавате Юлаеве", "Северстале", родной "Ладе". Мало кто верил, что Григоренко, некогда задрафтованный клубом НХЛ "Детройт Рэд Вингс", все же окажется в Америке. Но факт остается фактом. В новом сезоне Игорь примерит красно-белую форму легендарной команды.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 5, 2007 23:17:15 GMT -5
July 5, 2007
DETROIT (AP) -- Dominik Hasek and the Detroit Red Wings agreed to terms of a one-year contract Thursday that is worth more than $2 million in base salary and gives the 42-year-old goalie a chance to earn an additional $2 million in bonuses.
"It's a lot less than he should be making," Hasek's agent Ritch Winter said. "It's one of the few deals that I do in which the player, the club and the agent agree the player is worth $5 (million) or $6 million and we talk it down from there.
"Dom didn't want more. He's taking one for the team. It's not one of my fun deals, but Dom is happy and that's important."
The six-time Vezina Trophy winner and two-time MVP informed the Red Wings that he wanted to play in Detroit again, but it took weeks for the sides to reach a deal.
In July 2006, he signed a one-year contract worth $750,000 and earned $900,000 in bonuses after helping the Red Wings advance past the second round for the first time since 2002. Detroit was eliminated in the Western Conference finals by the Anaheim Ducks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Hasek was 38-11-6 with a 2.05 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and eight shutouts during his 15th regular season and third in Detroit. In the playoffs, Hasek was 10-8 with a 1.79 GAA, .923 save percentage and two shutouts.
For his legacy and bank account, Hasek didn't need to put on his skates and equipment this season. And he certainly didn't have to play another year in the NHL.
One of the world's best goaltenders has had a lot of personal success and earned tens of millions of dollars.
He's won, too, leading the Czech Republic to the gold medal in the 1998 Olympics and helping Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2002.
When Ottawa decided last summer that it didn't want him back after an injury-plagued season, he could have retired again knowing his spot in the Hall of Fame was secure.
But a big part of what has made Hasek an all-time great -- an insatiable appetite to compete -- brought him back to Detroit with a bargain-basement, incentive-laden contract.
"I didn't come back to play and to make money," Hasek said in April. "I came back because I want to compete for the Stanley Cup, and to win the Stanley Cup. I didn't have a chance because of my injuries and the lockout the last four years and now I am back and I'm excited about it.
"I was waiting a long, long time to be back in the playoffs."
Hasek looked a lot like he did in his previous playoff appearance in 2002, when he had six shutouts in the playoffs en route to a Stanley Cup title that seemed to complete his career and led to his one-season retirement.
When Hasek signed last July, however, eyebrows were raised and the move was questioned.
He retired shortly after winning the Cup in his first season with the Red Wings only to come back a year later, creating an awkward situation for them because they signed Curtis Joseph to replace him.
Then, a groin injury limited Hasek to just 14 games during the 2003-04 season. After the lockout, the same ailment knocked him out of the Olympics last year and from the Senators' lineup.
Hasek showed again that when healthy, he's still one of hockey's top goalies.
He won 38 of 56 games -- giving him 362 career victories over a 14-year career in Chicago, Buffalo, Detroit and Ottawa -- and allowed an average of just two goals.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 11, 2007 14:47:26 GMT -5
Jul 11, 2007
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension with defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced Wednesday. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.
Visnovsky, 31, has played in 417 games over six seasons with the Kings (2000-07) and he ranks fourth all-time in goals (62), assists (176) and points (238) by a Kings defenseman. Originally selected by the Kings in the fourth-round (118th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, the 5-10, 188-pound native of Topolcany, Slovakia, set a career high with 18 goals for the Kings this past season, represented the Kings at the 2007 NHL All-Star Game and was named the club’s Outstanding Defenseman at the end of the season.
Visnovsky finished the 2006-07 season with 58 points (18-40=58) in 69 games. His 58 points led all Kings defensemen for the second consecutive season and his eight power-play goals ranked second among Kings defensemen and fifth overall on the club. In addition, Visnovsky set career highs for shots (159), shooting percentage (11.3) and time-on-ice average (24:27, led the team) while finishing second on the team in takeaways (37) and third in blocked shots (107).
Visnovsky is the only defenseman in club history to ever lead his team in scoring for a season after recording a career-high 67 points with the Kings in 2005-06. His 67 points represented the fourth-highest single-season total ever produced by a Kings defenseman. In addition, Visnovsky, the only defenseman in the NHL to lead his team in scoring that year, was named the club’s Most Valuable Player and Outstanding Defenseman after tying for fourth in scoring and assists among all NHL defensemen. Visnovsky also led the Kings (and set a career high) with 50 assists and he paced the team with a time-on-ice average of 23:16 per game and with 41 power-play points (10-31=41). Visnovsky’s 10 power-play goals ranked second on the team and his 80 games played tied for second on the club. In addition, his hat trick at Dallas on Nov. 2, 2005, was just the fifth hat trick ever recorded by a Kings defenseman (Rob Blake, Steve Duchesne, Dominic LaVoie and Ian Turnbull are the others).
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 12, 2007 13:21:32 GMT -5
July 11, 2007
The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Simeon Varlamov to a three-year entry-level contract, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced today. In keeping with club policy, financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Varlamov (pronunciation: SIHM-yahn VAR-la-mohv), 19, was a first-round selection of the Capitals, 23rd overall, in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The 6’1’’, 183-pound, left-handed catching goaltender spent this past season with Yaroslavl of the Russian Super League.
The Samara, Russia, native finished the regular season with a 15-7-6 record in Russia’s top professional league, posting a 2.12 goals-against average in 31 games. He allowed just 64 goals in 1,810 minutes played. Varlamov skated two seasons with Yaroslavl’s junior club before playing for their elite team.
Varlamov also has a great deal of international experience for his age, having appeared in two World Junior Championships and two under-18 championships in the past three years. He has been named to the preliminary roster for the Russian team that will participate in the Canada/Russia Super Series later this summer. Varlamov had a stellar showing at the 2007 World Junior Championship, finishing second in the tournament with a 1.51 GAA and third with a .934 save percentage. He posted two shutouts and was named one of the top three performers on the Russian team. He was also one of the last goaltenders cut from Team Russia for the 2007 World Championship.
Varlamov was named the top goaltender at the 2006 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament, leading Team Russia to the championship title with a 4-0 record.
He is in attendance at the team’s summer development camp hosted this week, July 11-14, at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va.
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Post by Derrick - Senators on Jul 12, 2007 16:23:00 GMT -5
7/12/2007
Sheldon Souray is on his way to Edmonton as the Oilers and the free agent blueliner agreed on a contract.
The Elk Point, Alberta native appeared in 81 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2006-07 and had a career year with 26 goals and 64 points. Nineteen of his 26 goals came on the power play, which set an NHL record for defencemen.
The six-foot-four, 220-pound blueliner was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the 1994 entry draft. He has played in 506 regular-season games with New Jersey and Montreal, recording 66 goals and 120 assists while posting 812 penalty minutes.
The two-time All-Star played three seasons with the Devils before being traded to the Canadiens in 2000 in a deal for Vladimir Malakhov.
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