Hockey News

NORFOLK, VA - The Norfolk Admirals have signed forward Brady Leavold (pronounced “LEE-uh-vohld”) to an AHL Standard Player’s Contract for the 2008-09 season, Admirals General Manager Mike Butters announced today.

“Brady is a solid, two-way player with some grit,” said Butters. “He was impressive at the Lightning’s Prospects Camp last week and appears to be progressing well this summer. He will need some adjustment to playing at the AHL level, but we feel that he will develop into an effective player for the Admirals next season.”

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SAN JOSE, Calif. - Right wing Ryane Clowe agreed to a US$1.6 million, one-year contract to stay with the San Jose Sharks on Monday.

Clowe was a restricted free agent after scoring eight points in 15 games last season. He missed 67 games after undergoing surgery on his right knee, but returned with four games left in the regular season before scoring nine points in 13 playoff games.

He made his NHL breakthrough in 2006-07, scoring 34 points and racking up 78 penalty minutes in 58 games with the Sharks.

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Each week during the off-season, Albany River Rats broadcaster Owen Newkirk will catch up with a member of the 2007-08 River Rats to find out how their summer is going and what training preparations they are doing heading towards the Carolina Hurricanes and Albany River Rats 2008 training camps and the 2008-09 hockey season.

July 30, 2008

First of all, congratulations on re-signing with Carolina. Are you glad to get that over with and now be able to focus on training for the rest of the summer?

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Each week during the off-season, Albany River Rats broadcaster Owen Newkirk will catch up with a member of the 2007-08 River Rats to find out how their summer is going and what training preparations they are doing heading towards the Carolina Hurricanes and Albany River Rats 2008 training camps and the 2008-09 hockey season.

July 30, 2008

First of all, congratulations on re-signing with Carolina. Are you glad to get that over with and now be able to focus on training for the rest of the summer?

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DENVER - The Colorado Avalanche signed forward Marek Svatos to a two-year contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing Friday.

Svatos scored 26 goals last season despite missing the final 16 games with a torn knee ligament. He tied Wojtek Wolski for the club lead with six game-winning goals.

Svatos’ 32 goals in 2005-06 were third among rookies behind Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Among those goals, which tied Joe Sakic for the team lead, were nine game-winners, tying an NHL rookie record set by Steve Larmer in 1982-83.

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Calgary, AB - Calgary Flames General Manager Darryl Sutter announced today the signing of forward Andre Roy.

“Andre is a player with a Stanley Cup championship, who provides us with a dimension that is still important in the league,” said Sutter. “It was our goal to replace that aspect on our team and we felt it was better to do it now than to trade for it as we go into camp.”

In 63 games with Tampa Bay during the 2007-08 season, the 6′3″, (more…)

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Jeff Taffe to a one-year contract on Monday, giving him a chance to play a second season with the team.

The six-foot-three, 208-pound forward debuted with the Penguins in December. In 45 games, Taffe had five goals and seven assists.

The native of Hastings, Minn., was originally chosen by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2000 NHL draft.

In 145 career games with the Penguins, the Phoenix Coyotes and the New York Rangers, Taffe has 20 goals and 20 assists.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) -The Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Jeff Taffe to a one-year contract on Monday, giving him a chance to play a second season with the team.

The 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward debuted with the Penguins in December. In 45 games, Taffe had five goals and seven assists.

The native of Hastings, Minn., was originally chosen by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2000 NHL draft.

In 145 career games with the Penguins, the Phoenix Coyotes and the New York Rangers, Taffe has 20 goals and 20 assists.

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MONTREAL, Quebec - Montreal Canadiens General Manager Bob Gainey announced today the signing of forward Max Pacioretty to a three-year contract (2008-2009 to 2010-2011). As per club policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Max Pacioretty is a young player with a lot of skills who has the potential to play in the NHL. We are very happy to have him under contract for years to come. We feel he is ready to make the jump to professional hockey, and we will make sure to provide him with all the resources which will benefit his long-term development as a player,” said Bob Gainey.

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Syracuse, NY (July 16, 2008) - The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed defenseman Marc Methot and forward Alexandre Picard and signed forward Steve Kelly to one year two-way NHL-American Hockey League contracts. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Methot, 23, appeared in 66 games for the Crunch last season, registering 7 goals, 6 assists and 130 penalty minutes. He also skated in 9 games with Columbus last year, collecting 8 penalty minutes. In three seasons with Syracuse, he has appeared in 195 games, notching 10 goals, 32 assists and 263 penalty minutes. Methot has also skated in 29 games with Columbus over that span, collecting 4 assists and 20 penalty minutes.

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