Wild trade G Roloson to Oilers for first-round draft pick

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-- The Minnesota Wild traded former All-Star goaltender Dwayne Roloson to Edmonton on Wednesday for the Oilers' first-round draft pick in 2006.

The 36-year-old Roloson was an All-Star in 2004, but lost the No. 1 job to Manny Fernandez this season. Roloson has gone 6-17-1 this season with a .910 save percentage and a 3.00 goals-against average.

For much of his four seasons with the Wild, Roloson platooned with Fernandez in goal. His best season came in 2004, when he had a .933 save percentage and a 1.88 goals-against average and five shutouts in 48 games.

With both goaltenders set to become free agents after the season, the Wild had to make a decision. Roloson became expendable this season with the stellar play of Fernandez, who signed a multiyear contract extension last week. Fernandez is 24-11-0 with a .922 save percentage and a 2.23 goals-against average.

 

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Avalanche acquire G Theodore from Canadiens for Aebischer

March 8, 2006
DENVER (Ticker) - The Colorado Avalanche are making a habit of acquiring Vezina Trophy winners from the Montreal Canadiens.

The Avalanche on Wednesday obtained former Vezina and Hart Trophy recipient Jose Theodore from the Canadiens for fellow goaltender David Aebischer.

Currently sidelined with a broken heel, Theodore is the second top goaltender in 11 years to be acquired from Montreal by Colorado, which picked up future Hall of Famer Patrick Roy in a five-player deal in December 1995.

 

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trade RW Parrish, D Sopel to Kings

March 8, 2006
UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) - The New York Islanders apparently have given up on winning the Stanley Cup this season.

Sitting seven points out of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, the Islanders on Wednesday traded right wing Mark Parrish and defenseman Brent Sopel to the Los Angeles Kings for defenseman Denis Grebeshkov and left wing Jeff Tambellini.

The Islanders also received a 2006 third-round pick in the deal.


New York general manager Mike Milbury, who will step down from the position once a replacement is found, believes the Islanders still can qualify for the postseason despite trading one of their top goal scorers.

"This is a trade made undoubtedly with an eye on the future of our organization, but we're also very comfortable putting Denis and Jeff right into our lineup and still making a run at the playoffs this season," he said. "Grebeshkov is an extremely talented two-way defenseman who will have a long career on the blue line for us. Tambellini is a fantastic skater and an exciting player with a lot of skill."

A third-round pick of Colorado in 1996, Parrish was an All-Star in 2002 and represented the United States at last month's Winter Olympics in Torino. The 29-year-old, who is slated to become a free agent after the season, has recorded 24 goals and 17 assists in 57 games.

In 499 career contests with Florida and New York, Parrish has 168 tallies and 127 assists.

Sopel, a sixth-round selection of Vancouver in 1995, was signed to a two-year, $4.8 million contract by New York last summer. In 57 contests with the Islanders, he collected two goals and 25 assists.

The 29-year-old Sopel has appeared in 359 career games with the Canucks and Islanders, recording 34 tallies and 118 assists.

"Mark Parrish was a class act and a very good player for us for five seasons," Milbury said. "We wish Mark and Brent the best and thank them for their time with the Islanders."

The additions of Parrish and Sopel strengthens Los Angeles' quest for a postseason berth. The Kings currently have 75 points and are tied for sixth with Vancouver in the Western Conference, two points ahead of eighth-place Edmonton.

"We feel the addition of Mark and Brent will strengthen our team down the stretch as we battle for a playoff spot," Kings general manager Dave Taylor said. "Mark is a proven NHL scorer and will be a boost to our power play, and Brent will solidify our defensive corps and has the versatility to play in all situations."

Grebeshkov, 22, was drafted 18th overall by the Kings in 2002. The Russian appeared in eight games with Los Angeles this season, registering two assists and 12 penalty minutes.

The son of former Islander Steve Tambellini, Jeff Tambellini was the 27th overall pick in the 2003 draft. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut with Los Angeles this season, notching two penalty minutes in four games.

"This is a dream come true for me," Jeff Tambellini said. "I've always followed the Islanders because of my dad's link to their tradition. I'm so excited about the opportunity to be an Islander. Denis and I will be at practice on Long Island (Thursday) morning and we can't wait to get there."





Updated

 

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Sharks acquire Nieminen from Rangers for third-round pick

By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer
March 8, 2006

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- The struggling San Jose Sharks acquired left wing Ville Nieminen from the New York Rangers on Wednesday for a third-round pick in the upcoming draft.

Nieminen, a key member of Finland's silver medal-winning team at the Turin Olympics, has five goals and 12 assists in 48 games with the Rangers this season. San Jose general manager Doug Wilson hopes the agitating forward will provide the Sharks with some of the tenacity they've lacked in a disappointing season.




"He brings grit, and he gets very involved in the game," Wilson said. "You saw what he did at the Olympics with Finland, and he plays very well in the playoffs. He just has that energy that you need. Every team that he goes to, he makes them better."

Nieminen is joining his sixth team in the last five NHL seasons. He also has played for Calgary, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Colorado, which drafted him in the third round in 1997.

The Rangers could have made the deal as a prelude to another move, clearing Nieminen's salary off the books. Nieminen is under contract through next season.

Nieminen will be in uniform for the Sharks' home game against Edmonton on Thursday night. San Jose completed a discouraging, winless road trip Tuesday in Anaheim when captain Patrick Marleau put the puck into his own net during overtime of a 5-4 loss.

The Sharks are in 11th place in the Western Conference, eight points behind the Oilers for the final playoff spot.

"I like our team, and I believe in our team a lot," Wilson said. "I think we're all frustrated that we haven't performed up to our capabilities. I also know that sometimes you need some type of spark to get you going. Ville is that type of spark type of player."

Nieminen spent the 2003-04 season with the Calgary Flames, facing the Sharks in the Western Conference finals. He attended school in his hometown of Tampere, Finland, with close friend Vesa Toskala, the Sharks' longtime backup goalie.

 

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Blue Jackets trade Richardson to Toronto

March 8, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- The Blue Jackets traded defenseman Luke Richardson to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a conditional draft pick Wednesday, ending the veteran's disappointing stint in Columbus.

The Blue Jackets will get either a fifth-round pick in 2006 or a fourth-round pick in 2007, Columbus president and general manager Doug MacLean said.

Richardson, 36, is in his 18th season. He was named captain two months after signing with the Blue Jackets as a free agent before the 2002-03 season, but stepped down as captain last November after being benched for the last game of a seven-game losing streak.

Richardson has one goal, six assists and 30 penalty minutes in 44 games this season. He has 33 goals and 153 assists in 1,290 career games while serving 1,955 penalty minutes.

Richardson was Toronto's first pick and the seventh overall in 1987. He played 278 games with the Maple Leafs from 1987 to 1991.



Updated on Wednesday

 

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have traded defenceman Ken Klee to the New Jersey Devils for winger Alexander Suglobov.