Red Wings hire Bylsma as assistant coach
Canucks ink Granlund to 1-year extension
VANCOUVER — Finnish forward Markus Granlund will return to the Vancouver Canucks next season after signing a one-year deal with the club on Friday. The contract is worth US$1.475 million. “Markus is a versatile forward with the ability to play in all situations,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “He plays a complete, two-way game and has shown he can produce offensively.”
The 25-year-old Granlund had 12 points in 53 games for the Canucks this past season.
The Canucks acquired Granlund from the Calgary Flames in a February 2016 trade.
After being picked in the second round (45th overall) by Calgary in the 2011 draft, Granlund broke into the NHL with the Flames in 2013-14.
Sabres parting ways with starting goalie, Lehner
BUFFALO — The Sabres are moving on from Robin Lehner after the goalie failed to establish himself as a starter during three seasons, capped by Buffalo’s last-place finish this past year.
General manager Jason Botterill announced Friday the Sabres will not extend Lehner a one-year qualifying offer of about $4 million to retain his rights as a restricted free agent. The decision means Lehner will become free to sign with any team once the NHL’s freeagency period opens on July 1.
“It’s a scenario where you finish 31st, you have to make some difficult choices,” Botterill told reporters in Dallas. “Part of it that was so disappointing and difficult is that I know Robin is passionate about the city of Buffalo, and passionate about helping this organization. But we felt like we had to make some adjustments.”
Another factor was Botterill’s intention to provide Linus Ullmark an opportunity to make the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis after spending the past three seasons in the AHL.
DETROIT — Dan Bylsma is returning to the state where he was born — and where he won the Stanley Cup as a visiting coach.
The Detroit Red Wings hired Bylsma as an assistant coach on Friday. The 47-year-old Bylsma, a Grand Haven native, worked as an assistant alongside Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill at this year’s world championship in Denmark, helping the United States to a bronze medal. Bylsma was Pittsburgh’s coach when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009 by winning Game 7 of the final at Detroit.
Bylsma is 320-190-55 as a head coach in the NHL. He took over the Penguins during that 2008-09 season and was with them until 2014. He also coached the Buffalo Sabres for two seasons from 2015-2017. He won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year in 2011.
Blashill has been Detroit’s coach since 2015, when the Red Wings lost Mike Babcock to Toronto. Detroit missed the playoffs the past two seasons. Blashill was hopeful Bylsma can help Detroit’s power play, which ranked 24th in the league this season.
In other coaching moves, the Dallas Stars hired veteran assistant Rick Bowness to serve on rookie coach Jim Montgomery’s staff.
General manager Jim Nill announced the hire Friday before the NHL draft, after the Tampa Bay Lightning replaced Bowness on Jon Cooper’s staff with former NHL forward and minor league assistant Jeff Halpern. Lightning GM Steve Yzerman announced the promotion of Halpern from the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.
Sharks to buy out defenceman, Martin
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Sharks have placed defenceman Paul Martin on unconditional waivers with the intention to buy out the remaining season of the 14-year NHL veteran’s contract.
Martin was scheduled to make $4.25 million next season. Injuries and illnesses limited the 37-year-old to just 14 regular-season games plus seven in the playoffs last year.