NHL News - New Signings

St Louis - The Blues on Wednesday signed veteran forward Joakim Lindstrom to a one-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jeremy Rutherford reports it's a one-way, $700,000 contract. Lindstrom has spent parts of the past three seasons with Skelleftea AIK of the Swedish Hockey League, and in 55 games this season he had 23 goals and 63 points. He also had a team-high 11 points in nine games for Sweden at the 2014 IIHF World Championship. The 30-year-old most recently played in the NHL during the 2011-12 season, totaling two goals and five points in 16 games with the Colorado Avalanche. A second-round pick (No. 41) of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2002 NHL Draft, he also has played for the Blue Jackets and Phoenix Coyotes. He has 15 goals and 33 points in 97 NHL games.
"He's a player that's been to North America, gone back and really reinvented his game," Blues general manager Doug Armstrong told the Post-Dispatch. "He came over probably too young and went back (to Sweden). He wants to come back (to the NHL). I know there were a few teams that were trying to get him to come back to North America."

Uniondale - Defenseman Ville Pokka, a second-round pick (No. 34) of the New York Islanders in 2012, agreed to terms Wednesday on a three-year, entry-level contract. Pokka, 19, scored six goals and 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 54 games with Karpat during his third full season in the Liiga (Finland). The Tornio, Finland, native was named one of three finalists for the top defenseman in the league. Pokka added two goals and 11 points in 16 playoff games to help lead Karpat to the 2014 Liiga Championship. Pokka has 42 points (12 goals, 30 assists) in 138 career regular season games with Karpat. On the international stage, Pokka represented Finland at the 2012, 2013 and 2014 World Junior Championships, winning gold in 2014. He also played for Team Finland at the 2011 and 2012 Under-18 World Championships and the 2011 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Ottawa - Max McCormick, a 2012 sixth-round pick of the Senators (No. 171), signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the team Wednesday. Financial terms of the contract were not released. In 37 games at Ohio State University this season, McCormick had 11 goals and 35 points.


Nashville - Defenseman Johan Alm signed a two-year, entry-level contract Wednesday. Financial terms of the contract were not released. Alm, 22, has spent the past four seasons in the Skelleftea organization, winning back-to-back Swedish League titles in 2013 and 2014, and earning silver medals in 2011 and 2012. He is expected to play his first season in North America in 2014-15. In 135 SHL games with Skelleftea and Frolunda since 2009-10, the 6-2, 209-pound Alm has four goals, 22 points, 72 penalty minutes and a plus-24 rating. The native of Skelleftea played six games for Sweden at the 2010 Under-18 World Championships, helping his nation to a silver medal.