NHL News

Anaheim - The Ducks have acquired defenseman Kevin Bieksa from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2016 NHL Draft. Bieksa, 34 (6/16/81), scored 56-185=241 points with a +22 rating and 879 penalty minutes (PIM) in 597 career NHL games with Vancouver. Among all-time franchise defensemen, Bieksa ranked sixth in scoring, assists and games, and fourth in PIM. Among franchise playoff leaders for defensemen, he led in goals (10), ranked third in appearances (71), and sixth in scoring.


Calgary - The Flames wasted little time signing newly acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton. After trading for Hamilton’s rights from the Boston Bruins at the 2015 NHL Draft on Friday, the Flames announced a multi-year extension for the pending restricted free agent Tuesday. The Flames acquired Hamilton from the Bruins for a first-round pick (No. 15) and two second-round picks (Nos. 45 and 52) at the 2015 draft. He was originally selected in the first round (No. 9) in the 2011 draft and has 83 points in 178 NHL games in three seasons. A seemingly impromptu exit from the Bruins organization and a report in the Boston Herald suggesting Hamilton was disliked by his teammate’s sparked rumors about the defenseman.

San Jose - The Sharks acquired goaltender Martin Jones from the Boston Bruins on Tuesday for forward prospect Sean Kuraly and a first-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. It's the second time in five days Jones has been traded. The Bruins got him Friday as part of the trade that sent forward Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings. Jones can become a restricted free agent if he's not signed by Wednesday. The Sharks opened a spot in goal when Antti Niemi's negotiating rights were traded to the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Jones will compete with Alex Stalock, Niemi's backup this season, for the starting job. Jones, 25, went 4-5-2 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .906 save percentage and three shutouts in 15 games. In 34 games in parts of two seasons with the Kings, Jones was 16-11-2 with a 1.99 GAA, .923 save percentage and seven shutouts. Kuraly, 22, was a fifth-round pick (No. 133) in the 2011 draft. This season, his third at Miami University, he had 19 goals and 29 points in 40 games.

Carolina - Alexander Semin was placed on unconditional waivers by the Hurricanes on Tuesday with the intent of buying out his contract.
Semin, 31, had the least productive season of his NHL career in 2014-15, scoring six goals and 19 points in 57 games. He has three years remaining on a five-year contract he signed in March 2013, and will cost the Hurricanes $2.33 million for each of the next six seasons, according to war-on-ice.com. Semin had 13 goals and 44 points in 44 games in 2012-13, his first season with the Hurricanes, and 22 goals and 42 points in 65 games in 2013-14. Semin was the 13th pick in the 2002 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals and spent seven seasons with them, setting NHL career highs in 2009-10 with 40 goals and 84 points. Brad Boyes is expected to be bought out by the Florida Panthers after they placed the forward on waivers Tuesday, according to TSN. Boyes, 33, had 14 goals and 38 points in 78 games this season. He has one year remaining on his contract and will cost the Panthers $833,333 each of the next two seasons.
Tuesday is the final day players can be placed on waivers for buyout purposes. If Semin and Boyes clear waivers at 12 p.m. ET Wednesday, they become unrestricted free agents.

Winnipeg - The Jets took the first step toward reinforcing their lineup by signing forward Drew Stafford. Stafford, 29, avoided free agency and signed a two-year contract with an average annual salary of $4.35 million. After the Jets acquired Stafford in a multiplayer trade with the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 11, he had nine goals and 10 assists in 26 games. Stafford, who led Winnipeg with a nine-game point streak this season, played left wing and right wing, strengthened the second line and helped the Jets qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2007 with a franchise-record 99 points. Stafford had 18 goals in 76 games with Winnipeg and Buffalo this season. He was the 13th pick in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Sabres and had 154 goals and 341 points in 589 NHL games. He scored an NHL career-high 31 goals with Buffalo in 2010-11. Stafford stressed his desire to remain with the Jets after being swept by the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference First Round. Stafford arrived in Winnipeg with defenseman Tyler Myers; each player quickly adjusted to the Winnipeg dressing room and provided a veteran presence to a young team in the final two months of the regular season. The contract term is shorter than what might have been expected for a 29-year-old who had found a fit with a team, but Stafford said he was comfortable with it. The contract could allow him to test free agency in 2017 when he will be 31 years old. Stafford is the first major name crossed off general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff’s summer to-do list. Forwards Michael Frolik, Lee Stempniak, Jiri Tlusty and Jim Slater each can become an unrestricted free agent Wednesday. Cheveldayoff did not speak to the media Tuesday. Captain Andrew Ladd and defenseman Dustin Byfuglien could become unrestricted free agents after next season. Cheveldayoff being able to maintain and improve the Jets’ depth will be critical this summer in the highly competitive Central Division. The Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild are among the teams in the division that have been able to retain key players or make improvements with a trade.

NY Islanders - The Islanders announced that forward Anders Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract. Lee scored 25 goals and 41 points in 76 games as a rookie last season with the Islanders. The Edina, MN, native finished second on the Islanders in goals and fourth among National Hockey League rookies