NEW YORK -- The Islanders signed defenseman Alexei Zhitnik on Tuesday to a four-year deal just hours after losing Adrian Aucoin to the Chicago Blackhawks.
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During the 2003-04 season, the last before the NHL lockout, the 32-year-old Zhitnik had four goals and 24 assists in 64 games. He played last season with Kazan Ak-Bars of the Russian Hockey League, with a goal and eight assists in 23 games.
Zhitnik was named to two All-Star teams during his nine-plus seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.
One of the Isles' biggest concerns going into the shopping season that started Monday was the status of the defense corps. Only Janne Niinimaa had a contract going into next season, leaving Aucoin, Roman Hamrlik and Kenny Jonsson as free agents. Full story
Boston signs free-agents Murray, McEachern
BOSTON -- Free-agent forwards Glen Murray, Shawn McEachern and Dave Scatchard agreed to terms with the Boston Bruins.
Murray, already in his second stint with the Bruins, agreed to a four-year deal while McEachern received a two-year contract.
During the 2003-04 season, Murray had a team-high 32 goals and added 28 assists. In 13 seasons that also includes time with Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, the right winger has 268 goals and 255 assists in 823 games. He has played in the last two All-Star games.
Scatchard left the New York Islanders for a four-year deal in Boston. In seven seasons with New York and Vancouver, he has 80 goals, 80 assists, and 622 penalty minutes. McEachern, was the Thrashers' second leading scorer with 55 points, including 17 goals, during the 2003-04 season when he served as team captain.
Gelinas third free agent signed by Panthers
SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Florida Panthers signed left wing Martin Gelinas to a two-year deal Tuesday, the third free-agent forward inked by the team in two days.
Gelinas joins Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts as the third player with more than 1,000 games of NHL experience to sign with the Panthers since the signing period started Monday.
The 35-year-old Gelinas had 17 goals and 18 assists with Calgary in 2003-04, as the Flames advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to Tampa Bay. He will earn $925,000 next season and $975,000 in the second year of the deal.
In 16 seasons with Edmonton, Quebec, Vancouver, Carolina and Calgary, Gelinas has registered 269 goals and 286 assists in 1,052 NHL games.
Coyotes retain goalie Boucher
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Record-setting goalie Brian Boucher, who set a modern-day NHL mark with five consecutive shutouts in the 2003-04 season, was re-signed by the Phoenix Coyotes.
Phoenix didn't extend a $1.52 million qualifying offer to Boucher by Sunday's deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent. But the he agreed to a one-year deal worth $900,000.
Boucher was acquired by the Coyotes in a June 2002 trade with the Philadelphia Flyers, who chose him in the first round of the 1995 draft. He went 10-19-10 in 40 games during the 2003-04 season but broke a 55-year-old NHL record with five consecutive shutouts from Dec. 31, 2003, to Jan. 9, 2004.
Rangers sign F Straka, D Malik; keep G Weekes
NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers re-signed goaltender Kevin Weekes and added free agent forward Martin Straka and defenseman Marek Malik.
No longer able to spend at will, the Rangers took light steps into the NHL's new financial landscape. After having payrolls that exceeded $60 million, the Rangers now must work under a system that forbids them from going over $39 million per season.
Weekes was signed by the Rangers last summer but his deal was wiped out by the NHL lockout that forced the entire season to be canceled. He was given a two-year deal on Tuesday that will pay him $1.9 million this season and $2 million in 2006-07.
The 30-year-old goaltender played in a career-high 66 games with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003-04, posting a record of 23-30-11. He also set career highs with 23 wins, six shutouts and a 2.33 goals-against average.
Hurricanes add some scoring power in Stillman
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to terms with left wing Cory Stillman on a three-year contract.
The 31-year-old Stillman was second among scorers for the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2003-04 season. He was seventh in the NHL with 80 points in 81 games and third with 55 assists.
Selected sixth by the Calgary Flames in the 1992 draft, Stillman has 184 goals, 250 assists and 326 penalty minutes in 645 career regular-season games with Calgary, St. Louis and Tampa Bay. He has eight goals and 15 assists in 53 playoff games.
Blackhawks sign All-Star D Aucoin
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks signed defenseman Adrian Aucoin to a four-year, $16 million contract for their first big acquisition under the NHL's new collective bargaining agreement.
Aucoin made the All-Star team for the New York Islanders in 2004.
"Adrian Aucoin was one of the top players we had targeted," Chicago general manager Dale Tallon said. "He's a smart hockey player, logs lots of ice time, and is a solid two-way player who has an excellent shot from the point. He possesses excellent leadership skills and is a character player."
