Veterans Redden, Kovalev find work
It didn’t take long for Wade Redden to find work. The veteran defenceman has reached a deal in principle with the St. Louis Blues on a one-year contract worth $800,000 (U.S.), pending a physical.
The deal comes one day after the New York Rangers used their accelerated compliance buyout on Redden’s contract, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Redden has spent the past two seasons with Connecticut of the AHL after managing just five goals and 35 assists in 156 regular-season games with the Rangers over two seasons. He signed a six-year, $39million free-agent deal with the Rangers in 2008 to leave Ottawa, where he was an all-star. The accelerated compliance buyout, approved in the new labour deal, means Redden will earn a prorated $3.341 million for this season, plus two-thirds of the $5 million he was set to earn next season.
Kovalev’s a Panther: The Florida Panthers signed right wing Alex Kovalev to a one-year contract on Friday, and he is available for the reigning Southeast Division cham- pions when they open the season against Carolina on Saturday night. The 39-year-old Kovalev has played in1,302 NHL games with the Rangers, Pittsburgh, Montreal and Ottawa, with 428 goals and 1,024 points. He was with the Panthers on a tryout contract for training camp, and is expected to be on a line with highly touted rookie Jonathan Huberdeau to open the season. Kings’ men rewarded: The Los Angeles Kings have given multi-year contract extensions to coach Darryl Sutter, general manager Dean Lombardi and president of busi- ness operations Luc Robitaille. The Stanley Cup champions announced the deals Friday, a day before they begin defence of their title at home against Chicago. The return of Poti: The Washington Capitals have recalled defenceman Tom Poti from Hershey of the AHL, bringing back someone who hasn’t played in an NHL game in two years because of injuries. Poti was added to Washington’s roster Friday, a day before the team plays at the Tampa Bay Lightning to open the lockout-delayed season. The six-foot-three, 190-pound Po- ti has not appeared in the NHL since playing for Washington at Tampa Bay on Jan. 12, 2011.