Rangers, Smith agree to 4-year deal

Brendan Smith signed a $17 million, four-year deal with the Rangers, solidifying New York’s blue line and setting the market for free agent defensemen.

Smith will count $4.35 million against the salary cap through the 2020-21 season. He was set to be an unrestricted free agent Saturday.

Smith, 28, would have been one of the top blue liners available in free agency after the Rangers acquired him as a rental at the trade deadline from the Detroit Red Wings. Smith had three goals and six assists for nine points in 51 games, averaging a career-high 19:14 of ice time.

In 309 games in parts of six seasons, Smith has 16 goals and 55 assists. A left-shooting defenseman who can play the right side, the Toronto native has strong puck-possession numbers and will be a top-four player for New York.

Jagr feels lonely: Jaromir Jagr says he is going into free agency with an uncertain future. The 45-year-old forward tweeted that no teams have called about signing him when the freeagent period in the NHL opens on Saturday. Jagr also says he’s even reaching out to teams and not generating any interest.

Jagr has spent the past 21⁄2 seasons with the Florida Panthers. Jagr had 16 goals and 30 assists last season, appearing in all 82 games. He is No. 2 on the NHL’s career points list, No. 3 in goals, No. 4 in games and No. 5 in assists.

Semenko dies at 59: Dave Semenko, the Edmonton Oilers tough guy who protected Wayne Gretzky during the 1980s, has died at 59 in Edmonton after a short battle with cancer.

Mr. Semenko was the bodyguard for “The Great One” for parts of 10 seasons with the Oilers in the World Hockey Association and NHL. He helped Edmonton win the Stanley Cup in 1984 and 1985.

“One of the first Oilers I met in 1978, I didn’t know at the time the impact he would have in my life and my career,” Gretzky said. “He was the toughest player I knew and yet the biggest teddy bear you would ever know. A beloved Oiler that will be missed dearly because of his kind heart and funny sense of humor. He made us all better people.”

Briefly: The Blue Jackets bought out the final two years of 35-year-old forward Scott Hartnell’s contract, opening up salary cap space to possibly sign another free agent . ... The Oilers placed forward Benoit Pouliot on unconditional waivers with the purposes of buying out his contract. Pouliot had two years left at a salary-cap hit of $4 million. By buying out Pouliot, Edmonton saves $2.67 million against the cap the next two years . ... The Devils resigned backup goaltender Keith Kinkaid to a two-year, $2.5 million contract . ... The Blues have re-signed forward Magnus Paajarvi to a one-year, oneway contract worth $800,000 . ... The Calgary Flames acquired goalie Eddie Lack and defenseman Ryan Murphy from the Carolina Hurricanes. Calgary also received a seventh-round pick in the 2019 draft, and sent defenseman Keegan Kanzig and a 2019 sixth-round draft pick to Carolina. The Hurricanes will pick up half of Lack’s $3 million deal next season, the last on his contract.