Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Updated: April 25, 10:06 PM ET
Flames, Saint John Pro Sports reach agreement
ESPN.com news services
CALGARY, Alberta -- The Calgary Flames became the sole owner
of the Saint John Flames of the American Hockey League.
The Calgary Flames said Tuesday they reached an agreement with
Saint John Pro Sports Inc. to buy its 50 percent interest in the
AHL club. The Saint John owners said they were not making enough
money.
This marked the 10th year in the AHL for the Saint John Flames,
who are Calgary's top affiliate. In 2001, Saint John won the league
championship.
Before the agreement, it had been determined the team would not
play in Saint John, New Brunswick, in 2003-04. Calgary president
and chief executive Ken King said he is considering several options
for next season.
Coyotes agree to multiyear deal with Vaananen
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Phoenix Coyotes agreed on a
multiyear deal with defenseman Ossi Vaananen, the team said
Tuesday.
Vaananen has played in 224 games in his three-year NHL career,
all with the Coyotes, recording eight goals and 31 assists. He has
a plus-minus rating of plus 16.
He played in 67 games last season, finishing seventh on the team
in average minutes per game (19:15).
Coyotes, Springfield sign three-year deal
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Phoenix Coyotes and Springfield of
the American Hockey League signed a three-year agreement Friday
that makes Phoenix the Falcons' sole NHL affiliate.
For the first time, Springfield will sign four players on its
own to round out the roster. The Coyotes will be responsible for
placing 15 to 16 players in Springfield.
"The fact that we are extending our affiliation with
Springfield speaks volumes about our belief in the ownership, the
management and the fans of the Falcons," Coyotes general manager
Michael Barnett said. "We feel very fortunate that our future NHL
players will experience the positives of fine-tuning their skills
in a hockey community."
Barnett said he believes the Falcons will benefit from a sole
affiliation, as opposed to sharing personnel with another NHL club,
through more uniform management and player movement.
Maloney to return to his old job with Wolf Pack
NEW YORK -- New York Rangers assistant general manager Don Maloney
was hired Monday as GM of the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack.
Maloney replaces Al Coates, who left the organization to become
senior vice president of business operations for the Anaheim Mighty
Ducks.
Maloney was the Wolf Pack GM for three seasons, before Coates
was hired in July 2000, and helped the team to the 2000 Calder Cup
championship. Maloney will be responsible for the hockey operations
of the Rangers' top farm team.
''Don Maloney has a proven record of success with managing our
efforts in Hartford,'' Rangers GM Glen Sather said. ''I know his
guidance will allow us to continue the winning tradition of the
Hartford Wolf Pack.''
Maloney, who played 10½ seasons with the Rangers, went on to
become the general manager of the rival Islanders for three years
after serving as an assistant GM there.
He has been assisting Sather with Rangers transactions and entry
level player contract negotiations. He also has been overseeing the
club's professional scouting operations.
Devils sign first pick in 2000 draft
EAST RUTHERFORD -- Defenseman David Hale, New Jersey's
first-round pick in the 2000 draft, was signed by the Devils on
Wednesday.
Hale, 22, had two goals and six assists in 26 games this season
with North Dakota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. He
had 10 goals and 16 assists in three seasons with the Fighting
Sioux.
The Colorado Springs, Colo., native was the 22nd pick overall.
"We've watched David's progress on the college level and feel
he is ready for the next step," Devils president Lou Lamoriello
said. "We look forward to having him at training camp in
September."
Flyers call up three for playoffs
PHILADELPHIA -- Rookie defenseman Dennis Seidenberg was one
of three players called up Monday by the Philadelphia Flyers for
their opening-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Seidenberg had four goals and nine assists in 58 games for the
Flyers earlier this season. In 19 games for the Flyers' AHL
affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms, Seidenberg had five goals and
11 points.
The Flyers also called up defenseman John Slaney and goaltender
Neil Little.
Little posted an 18-19-4 record for the Phantoms this season.
Slaney led all Phantoms defensemen with nine goals and 33
assists in 55 games.
The best-of-seven series starts Wednesday night in Philadelphia.
Stars call up a pair from Utah
DALLAS -- The Dallas Stars recalled defenseman John Erskine
and goaltender Mike Smith on Monday from the Utah Grizzlies.
Erskine had two goals in 16 games with Dallas this season, and
two goals and eight assists in 52 games with Utah.
Smith had an 11-10-4 record in 27 games with a 2.55 goals
against-average and a .910 save percentage with Lexington, and was
5-5 with a 3.23 goals against-average and a .906 save percentage
for Utah.
The Stars open the NHL playoffs Wednesday night against the
Edmonton Oilers.
Feldman, one of the Oilers' original owners, dies
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Zane Feldman, one of the original
owners of the Edmonton Oilers, has died.
The Oilers announced Feldman's death in a release, saying he was battling a severe infection that spread to his bloodstream. He
died Saturday in a hospital in Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Feldman, 80, was one of the Oilers owners during their time in
the World Hockey Association and was instrumental in getting the
Northlands Coliseum constructed.
''It's been a sad season for Oilers tradition,'' said Patrick
LaForge, Oilers president and chief executive officer. ''First with
the passing of Bill Hunter in December and now with the loss of
Zane.
''Edmonton lost a great contributor to its sporting heritage
over the weekend, and the Oilers lost a good friend and
supporter.''
Hunter was the founder of the Oilers.
The Oilers present the Zane Feldman Trophy annually to the
team's most valuable player. Tommy Salo and Todd Marchant were
co-winners this season.
Isles fined $25,000 for practicing without media
NEW YORK -- The NHL fined the New York Islanders $25,000
Wednesday for holding a closed practice without media access.
The violation occurred during Tuesday morning's skate, hours before the Islanders' 2-2 tie against the New York Rangers in Uniondale.
An Islanders spokesman contacted reporters Tuesday and told them that the team would not practice, but the players later took the ice.
Islanders coach Peter Laviolette
apologized Thursday.
"I didn't realize it was against league policy, and I'm sorry
for what happened,'' Laviolette said.
Sharks sign a pair of free agents
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The San Jose Sharks signed defenseman
Tom Preissing and center Craig Valette on Friday.
Both were unrestricted free agents.
The 24-year-old Preissing had 23 goals, 29 assists and a
career-high 52 points in 42 games this season as captain of
Colorado College of the WCHA.
The 20-year-old Valette had 30 goals and 26 assists in 71 games
this season with Portland of the WHL. He led the team in goals and
was second in points with 56.
Canucks send Reid back down to Manitoba
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Vancouver Canucks
assigned rookie center Brandon Reid to Manitoba of the American
Hockey League on Thursday.
Reid had two goals and three assists in seven games with the
Canucks since making his NHL debut in early March. He was sent down
after his first game, but recalled again in mid-March.
Reid, Vancouver's fifth choice and 208th overall in the 2000
entry draft, led Manitoba in scoring with 18 goals and 34 assists
when he was called up.
Sabres call up Bartovic, send three to AHL
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres called up forward Milan Bartovic and assigned three players to the minors on Wednesday.
Assigned to the AHL Rochester Americans were forwards Jason
Botterill, who had a goal and five points in 17 games with the
Sabres, Norm Milley and defenseman Radoslav Hecl.
Bartovic, Buffalo's second-round pick in the 1999 draft, has yet
to play an NHL game. He leads Rochester with five game-winning
goals, and had 18 goals and 27 points in 73 games this season.
The moves were made before the Sabres' home game against
Atlanta.
Blackhawks send pair down to AHL squad
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks sent forwards Igor Radulov
and Igor Korolev to Norfolk of the AHL on Wednesday.
Radulov played five games this season for the Blackhawks and
scored four goals. He made his NHL debut March 23 against
Pittsburgh and scored his first NHL goals in the next game March 25
against the New York Islanders.
Korolev has played in 48 games with the Blackhawks. He had four
goals, five assists and 30 penalty minutes.
Liles signs deal with Avs
DENVER -- Defenseman John-Michael Liles, one of the top 10
Hobey Baker finalists announced on March 20, signed a long-term
contract with the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday and was assigned
to Hershey of the American Hockey League.
Liles, 22, was Colorado's eighth selection in the 2000 Entry
Draft. He played in 39 games for Michigan State this season,
recording career highs for goals (16), assists (34), points (50)
and penalty minutes (46). He also was a team-best plus-22 in
plus-minus rating.
The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Liles, a two-time Best Offensive
Defenseman in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, was first
in the nation among blueliners this season, averaging 1.28 points
per game.
Thrashers reach agreement with MSU's Maloney
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Thrashers agreed to terms with
forward Brian Maloney on Friday.
Maloney, who recently finished his senior season at Michigan
State, will report to Chicago of the American Hockey League,
general manager Don Waddell said. Terms of the deal were not
disclosed.
The 24-year-old Maloney had 19 goals and 16 assists in 39 games
for the Spartans this past season -- including 17 goals and nine
assists in the final 18 games.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Canadian had 137 points -- 63 goals and
75 assists -- 292 penalty minutes and a plus-51 rating at Michigan
State.
Blues owner pleads guilty in a drunk driving case
COLUMBIA -- St. Louis Blues owner Bill Laurie pleaded
guilty in a drunken driving case.
Laurie was arrested last month in Columbia on suspicion of
driving while intoxicated and failing to stay in his lane.
His lawyer, Dick Thomas, entered a guilty plea on his behalf
Tuesday to a lesser charge of driving with excessive blood-alcohol
content. Thomas said Laurie's blood-alcohol level tested at 0.11.
The legal limit is 0.08.
Municipal Court Clerk Shara Meyer said it is not uncommon for
first-time DWI offenders to have their charges reduced.
Laurie was fined $450 and ordered to complete a substance abuse
program for traffic violators, Meyer said.
Taffe scores goal, then sent to minors
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Hours after scoring a goal for the
Phoenix Coyotes, Jeff Taffe was back in the minor leagues.
The Coyotes reassigned the 22-year-old center to Springfield of
the AHL following their 4-3 loss at Edmonton on Wednesday night, a
defeat that eliminated Phoenix from playoff contention.
Taffe scored Phoenix's last goal, tying the game at 3 early into
the third period.
The demotion completed the rookie's third stint with the
Coyotes. He had three goals and one assist in 20 games.
Taffe was St. Louis' first-round (30th overall) entry-draft pick
in 2000. The next season, the Blues traded him to Phoenix, along
with Ladislav Nagy, Michal Handzus and a 2002 draft pick for Keith
Tkachuk.
