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Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres signed restricted free agent defenseman Jay McKee to a multiyear contract on Wednesday.

McKee will make $1.7 million this year and $2.2 million next season. The deal also includes a club option for the 2005-06 season that would pay him between $2.3 and $2.45 million if it is picked up by the Sabres.

"It's what we wanted," Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said. "It's a good day anytime you can get a guy like Jay back in the fold."

McKee made $1.533 million last season, when he recorded five points in 59 games, missing a quarter of the campaign due to a knee injury.

Perennially among the league leaders in hits and blocked shots, the 6-3, 214-pound McKee has been a mainstay on Buffalo's blue line since his rookie season in 1996, after being selected in the first round (14th overall) of the 1995 draft. In his career he has 10 goals and 77 points in 464 games.

"Jay has been an integral part of this organization since being drafted" Sabres general manager Darcy Regier said. "He has developed into a steady and consistent NHL defenseman."

Colorado Avalanche: The Avalanche reassigned forward Charlie Stephens to Hershey of the AHL on Wednesday.

Stephens, a 6-3, 220-pounder from Nilestown, Ontario, was Colorado's ninth selection (196th overall) in the 2001 entry draft. The move brings the Avalanche roster to 29.

Minnesota Wild: The Wild cut eight more players on Wednesday, including former WCHA standout Mark Cullen, to trim their training camp roster to 35 players.

Cullen, left wing Derek Boogaard, center Marc Cavosie, defensemen Chris Heid and Erik Reitz and goaltender Frederic Cloutier were assigned to the Wild's AHL affiliate in Houston.

Center Armands Berzins and defenseman Jean-Michel Bolduc, meanwhile, were released to their respective junior teams.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Forward Tomas Surovy was among seven players sent by the Penguins to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Also sent down were forwards Guillaume Lefebvre, Michal Sivek, Toby Petersen, Shane Endicott and Matt Hussey, and defenseman Brendan Buckley.

Defenseman Paul Bissonnette, a fourth-round pick in the June draft, was returned to Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League.

Surovy, who turned 22 Wednesday, is considered one of the Penguins' top prospects. He scored four goals in 26 games with Pittsburgh last season, spending part of the time on Mario Lemieux's line.

Lefebvre had two goals and four assists in 26 games last season with the Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers.

Petersen played the 2001-02 season with Pittsburgh, but spent all of last season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Sivek had three goals in 38 games with Pittsburgh last season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.