Providence Bruins unveil preseason schedule
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July 2009 ArchivesJuly 28
Don't be fooled by the warm and sticky weather. Hockey season is just around the corner. Don't believe it? The Providence Bruins unveiled their preseason schedule today. Here's the team release: The Providence Bruins, the 2008-09 Atlantic Division champions of the American Hockey League, today announced their preseason schedule for the 2009-10 season, with three games to be played in Massachusetts. The P-Bruins' preseason schedule begins on Wednesday, Sept. 23, as Providence serves as the host team against the Springfield Falcons at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Mass. For information on tickets for the game at the New England Sports Center, beginning at 7:05 p.m., please call the New England Sports Center at (508) 229-2700. The preseason continues the following evening on Thursday, Sept. 24, with Providence again serving as the host team and taking on the Lowell Devils at the Iorio Arena in Walpole, Mass., at 6:05 p.m. Tickets for the game are just $10 and can be purchased by visiting the Iorio Arena or emailing Chrissy Bartletta at chrissy@rbhockey.com. Providence wraps up the preseason on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m. at Springfield's MassMutual Center, again battling the Falcons. Date Opponent Location Thurs.., September 24 Lowell Devils Iorio Arena Sat., September 26 Springfield Falcons MassMutual Center Providence Bruins season tickets and Flex Tix packages are on sale now for the 2009-10 season. To purchase tickets or for more information, call the P-Bruins ticket office at (401) 273-5000 or log on to the team website at www.providencebruins.com. 
July 24
It took Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli just a few hours to fill the hole on the blue line left by the trade of Aaron Ward. Boston signed free-agent defenseman Derek Morris to a one-year contract for $3.3 million, TSN.com reported late Friday night. Morris, 30, was traded by Phoenix to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline in March.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- This ought to make the Carolina Hurricanes' training camp worth watching: Aaron Ward skating with the player who decked him during the playoffs. The Hurricanes on Friday reacquired the rugged defenseman who helped them win the 2006 Stanley Cup from the Boston Bruins for forward Patrick Eaves and a fourth-round draft pick next year. The move makes teammates of Ward and Scott Walker, the player who infamously punched him during the Eastern Conference semifinals. Walker decked Ward late during Game 5 of the series won by Carolina. Bruins coach Claude Julien called the blow a "sucker punch, but two months later, the quick-witted Ward laughed about the incident while attempting to defuse the situation. "Tell him I still have practice -- I'll get him back at practice," Ward said with a smile. "It's water under the bridge. I'm on his team now. ... There's a lot of emotion in the playoffs, both in the media and playing the game. ... I'll see Scott Walker when he comes in, shake his hand, tell him how grateful I am to be here, how excited I am to play with him, and it'll be past." The 36-year-old Ward lives in Raleigh during the offseason and spent the past three weeks skating with Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour at a local rink. He signed a free agent deal with the New York Rangers in 2006 after the Hurricanes won the Cup, then was traded to Boston on Feb., 27, 2007 for defenseman Paul Mara and had nine goals and 17 assists in 150 regular-season games with the Bruins. "With this trade, our defense really takes shape," Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said. "We envision him complementing Joni Pitkanen well as a defensive pairing." During a conference call, Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli praised Ward for his time in Boston. "He's been a tremendous soldier here," Chiarelli said, "bringing experience, bringing size and strength, bringing a stabilizing presence to our defense and, frankly, I wouldn't have traded him anywhere else but Carolina. That's where his home is and I really do I appreciate the time and service and personality Aaron has brought to our organization." The trade came nine days after Ward attended a news conference at Fenway Park for the official announcement that the Bruins would play the Philadelphia Flyers there on New Year's Day in the NHL's third annual outdoor Winter Classic. He was excited about the prospect of playing there and called the deal "a complete surprise." Ward said Chiarelli called to notify him of the trade while he was playing golf at a Raleigh-area country club with two members of Kid Rock's band. He becomes the latest key player from the 2006 championship team to be reacquired by the Hurricanes. Center Matt Cullen was traded back to Carolina in 2007 after one season with the Rangers, and the club dealt forward Erik Cole to Edmonton before last season before bringing him back in a pivotal deal at the trading deadline. Ward said Cole sent him a text message that said, "We're getting the band back together." "You never burn bridges. You embrace all the opportunities that you have with teams," Ward said. "It's always easy to bring a player back when you've had a successful situation. We won a Stanley Cup." After trading for Eaves, the Bruins placed the 25-year-old right wing on waivers with the purpose of buying him out. He had six goals and eight assists in 74 games last season. Phil Kessel, the Bruins leading goal scorer last season, is a restricted free agent and the Bruins could need that extra cap space. Chiarelli said the Bruins would match any offer sheet Kessel receives. He also said "I would expect that we would add a defenseman," although not necessarily to replace Ward in a pairing with Norris Trophy winner Zdeno Chara.
July 22
Trainer Thomas Bourdon and equipment manager J.W. Aiken will not be back with the Providence Bruins this season. Bourdon, who was with the team for one year, and Aiken, who worked in Providence for four seasons, were fired last week. Bourdon will return to the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL as athletic therapist and equipment manager.
July 21
BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Hunwick has a new deal with the team, and that's what he wanted all along. "That was the No. 1 goal," Hunwick said in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday. "I told my agent, 'Boston's where I want to be.' It never would have crossed my mind as far as going somewhere else." The two sides avoided arbitration on Monday when they reached an agreement for a reported two years and $2.9 million. General manager Peter Chiarelli said the team was nearly at the salary cap, though he is still trying to sign restricted free agent Phil Kessel to an extension. "We are at a point where, cap-wise, we are coming close to the end. So there would have to be some shuffling, but I'm not averse to that," Chiarelli said. "He's a talented player, a young player. We all like Phil, and we'd like to have him back." Hunwick scored six goals with 21 assists in 53 games as a rookie last season. But he played in just one postseason game before he had emergency surgery to remove his spleen and missed the rest of the playoffs. "He proved himself to be an NHL player. He performed well when he had the chance," Chiarelli said, citing a style, grittiness and offensive bent that "allowed him to fit into the mix." Hunwick, 24, was a seventh-round pick in 2004 and played four years in college at Michigan. He said he is trying to gain weight to be prepared for the season. "I'm trying to eat as much as possible and get as strong and fast as I was coming into camp last year," he said.
July 20
Jay Leach, the former Providence Bruins captain, married NESN's Kathryn Tappen over the weekend in New Hampshire. Leach and Tappen reportedly met when Leach was playing for the P-Bruins and Tappen was working for Channel 10. Leach split last season between the New Jersey Devils and Lowell of the AHL. He is a graduate of Providence College. Click here to read more.
BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Bruins have signed defenseman Matt Hunwick to a multiyear contract extension. Hunwick scored six goals with 21 assists as a rookie last season. The 27 points placed him third among Bruins defensemen. He played in one postseason game before having his spleen removed and missing the rest of the playoffs. Hunwick, 24, was a seventh-round draft pick in 2004 and played four years of college hockey at Michigan.
July 19
Sports Illustrated's Allan Muir says that the Boston Bruins are one of nine teams interested in free-agent defenseman Sergei Zubov. Zubov, soon to be 39, has played only 56 games over the past two seasons with the Dallas Stars, but is healthy again. According to Muir: "He's exactly what every NHL team needs: a veteran defender with years of experience in the No. 1 role; a silky smooth skater, as adept at leading the rush as he is capable of racing back to break up an enemy attack; a quick-thinking, no-panic puckhandler who delivers that first pass as well as anyone in the game today; a special teams threat who can QB a power play and chew up minutes on the penalty kill. And, given a chance, he'll probably work for pennies on the dollar.'' Given the Bruins salary cap problems, Zubov would have to work cheap. Click here to read the rest of Muir's story.
July 16
Mike Sullivan, the former head coach of both the Providence Bruins and the Boston Bruins, has been hired as an assistant coach with the New York Rangers. Click here for the team's news release.
By MARK DIVVER Jeff LoVecchio's budding pro hockey career went from dream to nightmare in just a few months. First, the dream. Days after the end of his junior season at Western Michigan in 2008, LoVecchio signed a two-year free-agent deal with the Boston Bruins. In his first pro game, LoVecchio scored a goal and an assist and was picked as the first star of a Providence Bruins' win over San Antonio at the Dunkin Donuts Center. The 6'2'', 195-pound left wing went on to finish the season in Providence, playing a total of 20 regular-season and playoff games and scoring three goals and three assists. After making a positive impression on Bruins management, LoVecchio was ticketed to spend the 2008-09 season in Providence. If he played well, he might have earned an NHL callup. Then came the nightmare. Late last summer LoVecchio was preparing for training camp when he fell while skating at a rink near his home in Chesterfield, Mo., and suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the boards. So while LoVecchio did indeed spend last season in Providence, he didn't play a game. Instead, all he could do was wait and hope that the symptoms of postconcussion syndrome -- headaches and dizziness -- would subside. "It was the most frustrating year of my life,'' the 23-year-old said last week at Bruins rookie development camp. LoVecchio said he was close to being healthy enough to play near the end of the season. But team doctors decided to err on the side of caution. "Unfortunately, it took a lot longer than anyone could have expected , but you can't rush concussions or you can have some bad problems,'' LoVecchio said. "It was a rough year, but it's over now.'' In good health at last, LoVecchio was "extremely excited'' to be at rookie camp, where he was among the more impressive players. He was happy with his performance. "I hadn't skated for six weeks since I left Providence (at the end of the season). Overall, for not skating for six weeks and taking a year off, I thought I did pretty well,'' he said. A big, strong winger, LoVecchio displayed a decent scoring touch in camp. He is particularly skilled at protecting the puck in the offensive zone. "Since juniors I've really tried to work on that. I'm not going to go out there and outskill anybody. I'm going to try to protect the puck, keep it low, try to wear the D down,'' he said. LoVecchio played three seasons of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League before enrolling at Western Michigan. He was a finalist for the CCHA Defensive Forward of the Year Award as a sophomore and an assistant captain as a junior. As a pro, he said he sees himself as a "third- or fourth-line role guy, a grinder.'' Boston General Manager Peter Chiarelli was glad to see LoVecchio healthy and back on the ice. "He's in tremendous shape,'' Chiarelli said. "We just want him to get back to playing. He plays a solid two-way game. We project him as a two-way forward in the NHL. He's strong. He can skate. We hope he can pick up where he left off.'' LoVecchio said that a season on the sidelines had left him with a greater appreciation for the game. "Now I know it can be taken away in a second, so I might as well work as hard as I can,'' he said.
July 15
The news that Fenway Park would be the site of this season's Winter Classic on Jan. 1 leaked out weeks ago, but details about the game finally will be unveiled Wednesday at a 2 p.m. news conference at Fenway. The Bruins opponent is expected to be the Philadelphia Flyers. The first game, between the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., drew a crowd of 71,217 and a surprisingly large TV audience. The 2009 game between Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings was played at Wrigley and drew 40,818 fans and another large TV share. Check back after the news conference for more.
July 14
By MARK DIVVER Runaway expectations have derailed many a high NHL draft pick. Zach Hamill will not have to shoulder that burden, says Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli. "We're in no hurry with him, based on our (offensive) depth. There's no rush with Zach,'' Chiarelli said over the weekend at the team's rookie development camp in Wilmington, Mass. The eighth overall choice in the first round of the 2007 NHL draft, Hamill's first pro season in Providence got off to a slow start because of a thumb injury that required surgery late in training camp last fall. After training hard all summer to prepare for the season, the injury was frustrating for Hamill. "My momentum was huge going into the season and then to have that setback was a little tough,'' Hamill said. He returned to the lineup in November, but struggled at times. At 5'11'', 173 pounds, the 20-year-old was often overmatched against bigger, stronger players. A prolific scorer in junior hockey with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, Hamill scored 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points in 65 games in Providence, unimpressive figures for a player projected to be a point producer. He added a goal and five assists in 16 playoff games. Numbers aside, Chiarelli believes that Hamill made progress last season -- "I thought he finished off well'' -- and is prepared to give him the time he needs to develop into the play-making, two-way center the Bruins believe he can be. "Sometimes expectations with these first-round picks are that they jump right into the NHL,'' Chiarelli said, even though most are not ready. "Just look at David Krecji. While he wasn't a first-round pick, there were times when we were telling him, you've got to get stronger, you've gotta do this, you've gotta do that, and he did it.'' The slippery Czech center played 94 games spread over two seasons in Providence before breaking out as an elite NHL scorer last season at age 22. Toward the end of last season, Hamill showed more glimpses of the play-making skills that made him a first-round pick. Perhaps his best performance was in Game One of the Calder Cup semifinals in Hershey on May 16. Late in the first period, Hamill carried the puck into the offensive zone, turned veteran AHL defender Bryan Helmer inside out with a slick move, then threaded a perfect pass onto the stick of winger Jordan Knackstedt, who beat Bears' goalie Michal Neuvirth. In the third period, an opportunistic Hamill jumped on a loose puck and fired it at Neuvirth. The ensuing rebound was buried by Matt Marquardt for the eventual winning goal. "I think as the year went on I got stronger and I got better as a player,'' Hamill said. Getting bigger and stronger is the focus of Hamill's summer training. A typical day for Hamill at home in Vancouver, B.C., usually starts with a two- to two-and-a-half-hour workout in the gym with his personal trainer, he said. Some days Hamill returns to the gym later for a second workout. After the gym, Hamill often hits the ice for power skating, a skill session or a scrimmage. Late at night, Hamill sometimes heads to the rink again to work on his game, with help from his father and brother. "He's gotten stronger,'' Chiarelli said. "(He needs to work on) strength, going to the net, making plays faster. I think he's going to be a good offensive player next year at the American League level. With getting stronger, his skating will improve. So that's a goal of ours.'' Hamill says he's ready to do what it takes. "For me, it's getting bigger, stronger, faster every year. As a player you want to develop every year, get better every year. Hopefully I'll show them next year that I'm capable and I'm willing to do the work. Then the next step is the NHL.''
July 13
The Bruins have signed centers Trent Whitfield and Drew Larman and defensemen Rob Kwiet and Zach McKelvie to one-year contracts, according to an announcement by the Providence Bruins Whitfield, 32, was a 1996 draft pick of the Bruins and has appeared in the NHL with St. Louis, Washington and the New York Rangers. Larman, 24, is entering his fifth season and has spent most of his career with the Rochester Americans. He did see NHL action for Florida from 2006 to 2008, scoring two goals and an assist. The 20-year-old Kwiet played for the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL last season, and participated in the Bruins development camp this month. McKelvie, 24, turns pro following four college seasons with Army, where he won the prestigious Army Athletic Association Award, an honor awarded to the male and female cadet who displays the "most valuable service to intercollegiate athletics during a career as a cadet."
July 12
By MARK DIVVER Player impressions, in no particular order, from Friday and Saturday at Bruins rookie development camp: MAX SAUVE -- Skates at warp speed. But as fast as he is moving up the ice, he runs into trouble once he gets within range of the opposing net. Didn't show much scoring touch. Might have a shot as a fourth-liner down the road on his wheels alone. YURI ALEXANDROV -- Maybe the biggest surprise of camp. Few had seen him because he's been in Russia, where he will play this season, too. A defenseman, he competed against men last season in the KHL and it shows. Skates and moves the puck impressively. He's rail-thin, but if he can muscle up by 20 pounds or so, he could be a player. The Bruins' 2006 draft that produced Phil Kessel, Milan Lucic and Brad Marchand already looks like a three-run homer. Alexandrov could make it a grand slam. BEN SEXTON -- Showed soft hands and good offensive instincts at times. He'll play in the BCHL this season before enrolling at Clarkson in 2010-11. At the very least he looks like he'll be a terrific college player. MARK GOGGIN -- Quick feet and a decent puck handler. Should be a good player at Dartmouth, where he'll be a freshman this season. JORDAN CARON -- Boston's first-round pick last month, he skates extremely well for a big guy. Doesn't bring you out of your seat with spectacular moves, but is a very well-rounded player. Strong on the boards. Takes puck to the net hard. Easy to see why management is so high on him. LANE MacDERMID -- Very rough around the edges. There's been some talk that he might play in Providence this season. To these eyes, he's not nearly ready for the AHL. Maybe he can make it on his fighting ability, but his skill level isn't going to get him there. ROB KWIET -- A thickly built offensive defenseman with decent skills. A personable and confident kid, he'll be in Providence this season. JAMIE ARNIEL -- A heady two-way forward with better-than-average wheels. In Providence this season look for him to assume the shut-down center role filled by Wacey Rabbit last year. ALAIN GOULET -- Not sure what the Bruins see in this guy. Practiced for weeks with Providence at the end of last season without getting a sniff of game action. Doesn't move the puck well enough to be an offensive D-man. Doesn't defend well enough to be a shutdown specialist. TYLER RANDELL -- A month past his 18th birthday, he was the youngest player in camp. Powerfully built winger looks to have some offensive touch. RYAN BUTTON -- Another impressive puck-moving defenseman who is not shy about jumping into the play. Exceptional skater. Bruins say they were lucky to get Button in the third round, and it looks like they might be right. JASON LAWRENCE -- A smallish winger with excellent offensive instincts, the BU alum had a terrific camp. At 22, he's older and has played at a higher level than most of the prospects -- and it showed. Very crafty around the net. Who knows -- he may have earned an invite to Boston's training camp. At the very least, he should be in Providence's camp. JEFF LoVECCHIO -- Another camp surprise after sitting out all of last year with a concussion. A big, strong winger with decent hands, he's ticketed for Providence this season. Goes to the net hard and protects the puck well. Could have a future as an energy player. ZACH HAMILL -- Another work in progress, but maybe without Colborne's upside. More confident and assertive after a year as a pro. Soft hands and good vision. Has a long way to go in gaining size, strength and quickness. GOALIES MICHAEL HUTCHINSON, MATT DALTON, ADAM COURCHAINE -- Tough to choose between Hutchinson and Dalton, but both are ahead of Courchaine. Hutchinson has remaining junior eligibility, so my money's on Dalton to team with Dany Sabourin in Providence this year. MARK ISHERWOOD and BRADY LAMB: Didn't really notice either of these WHL defenseman all that much. SCOTT CAMPBELL and TYLER LUDWIG: Older college players Campbell (Lowell, 23) and Ludwig (Western Michigan, 24) might be worthy of late-season ATOs in Providence depending on how their final college seasons go. INJURED: Tommy Cross, Zach McKelvie, Yannick Riendeau. Check back later this week for more on Hamill, LoVecchio and Arniel.
July 10
BOSTON (AP) - The National Hockey League is coming to Fenway Park. The league is expected to announce at a news conference there Wednesday that the Boston Bruins will play the third annual Winter Classic at the home of the Boston Red Sox on Jan. 1. The opponent is expected to be the Philadelphia Flyers or the Washington Capitals. The NHL said Friday the news conference is being held to "make a major announcement concerning a special event." The league did not respond Friday to an e-mail request for comment. Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs said in late May that he expected the game to be at Fenway and that the NHL would make an official announcement in July. In the NHL's other two outdoor games on New Year's Day, Pittsburgh played Buffalo at Ralph Wilson Stadium in 2008 and Detroit played Chicago at Wrigley Field this year.
July 9
The Boston Bruins reportedly have signed defenseman Rob Kwiet to a three-year contract. A 6'2'' 224-pound free agent, Kwiet is attending this week's rookie development camp in Wilmington, Mass. Kwiet, 20, played for the Memorial Cup-winning Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League last season and put up excellent numbers -- 12-55-67 in 66 games. Many of his points came on the power play, where he was paired with Nashville first-round draft pick Ryan Ellis. Windsor's PP also included Taylor Hall, who could be the first pick in next year's NHL draft. Kwiet will undoubtedly spend next season in Providence. He's an average skater and his defensive play needs a lot of polish.
July 8
The dates will not be filled in until later this summer, but the Providence Bruins on Wednesday did unveil the schedule format for the 2009-10 season. Providence will play the seven other teams in the Atlantic Division a total of 64 times. They will play Hartford, Lowell, Manchester, Springfield and Worcester five times at home and five on the road. They will play Portland four times at home and four on the road, and Bridgeport three times at home and three on the road. They will play six of the seven teams in the East Division -- Adirondack, Albany, Binghamton, Hershey, Syracuse, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton --12 times: once at home and once on the road. They will make the cross-continent trek to British Columbia to face the new Abbotsford Heat twice, and the Heat will play in Providence twice. The Bruins will not see Grand Rapids, Hamilton, Lake Erie, Manitoba, Rochester, Toronto, Chicago, Houston, Milwaukee, Peoria, Rockford, Texas, San Antonio and Norfolk. The AHL season opens on Friday, Oct. 2. Click here to read the team's press release.
The Boston Bruins signed two players on Tuesday -- goalie Dany Sabourin and defenseman Drew Fata -- who will likely spend most if not all of the coming season in Providence. With Tuukka Rask expected to move up to Boston to back up Tim Thomas, Sabourin should serve as a veteran AHL insurance policy in case of injury or illness in Boston. Fata will likely assume the role of physical, not-afraid-to-drop-the-gloves defender that was filled by the often-injured Ryan Stokes last season. Here's the release from the Boston Bruins: BOSTON, MA- Boston Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli announced (Tuesday) that the club has signed defenseman Drew Fata and goaltender Dany Sabourin to one-year contracts. Per club policy, terms of the deals will not be disclosed. The 26-year-old Fata split the 2008-09 season between the San Antonio Rampage and the Binghamton Senators, both of the American Hockey League. He skated in 75 regular season games with seven goals, nine assists and 141 penalty minutes. He has played in eight career NHL games and registered 1-1=2 totals with nine penalty minutes, all with the New York Islanders. The 6'1'' 215-pound native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (#86 overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. The 28-year-old Sabourin appeared in 19 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2008-09 season and registered a 6-8-2 record, 2.85 Goals Against Average and .898 save percentage. On January 17, 2009, he was traded by Pittsburgh along with Ryan Stone and a 2011 fourth round pick to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Mathieu Garon. Sabourin did not appear in a game with the Oilers before being waived on January 20, 2009. In 57 NHL games with the Flames, Penguins and Canucks, Sabourin has notched an 18-25-4 record, 2.87 goals against average and .898 save percentage. The 6'4'' 200-pound native of Val d'Or, Quebec native was originally drafted by the Flames in the fourth round (#108 overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
July 7
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The AHL has announced a realignment that will place the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the Atlantic Division along with the team's in-state rival, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Bridgeport had spent its entire eight years in the league in the East Division. The Sound Tigers and the Wolf Pack had not been divisional rivals since 2003, when Hartford also played in the East. The Atlantic Division will now be comprised of: Hartford, Bridgeport, Springfield, Lowell, Manchester, Portland, Providence and Worcester. The East Division will include: Adirondak, Albany, Binghamton, Hershey, Norfolk, Syracuse and Wilkes Barre-Scranton.
Wilson's comments on radio about the team's interest in Vancouver's Daniel and Henrik Sedin has drawn the interest of the league, The Globe and Mail reported Tuesday. "The league has indicated that they are looking into it, so we will have no public commentary at this time," Leafs general manager Brian Burke told the newspaper. Last Tuesday, less than 24 hours before the Sedins re-signed with the Canucks, Wilson told the Fan 590 in Toronto: "You're hearing right now, and this sounds very contradictory, but there's a real possibility, I would think, that we would be going after the Sedins. Let's just speculate there." NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly refused to confirm a league investigation of the Leafs, but said the Canucks have not filed a complaint with the league.
July 6
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- The Vancouver Canucks added depth in the nets by signing free agent goalie Andrew Raycroft to a one-year deal on Monday worth $500,000. Raycroft went 12-16-0 with a 3.14 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in 31 games last season. He will serve as the backup to Roberto Luongo. In 230 career NHL games in eight seasons with Toronto, Boston and Colorado, Raycroft is 94-96-16, with six shutouts, a 2.90 GAA and .899 save percentage. Raycroft spent three seasons with the Providence Bruins before moving up to the NHL. Vancouver lost backup goalie Jason LaBarbera last week when he signed a two-year, free-agent contract with the Phoenix Coyotes.
July 5
According to Joe Haggerty of WEEI.com, Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Hunwick has filed for salary arbitration with the Bruins. Hunwick was facing a 5 p.m. deadline on Sunday to file for arbitration. No arbitration date has been set and Hunwick's agent, former East Greenwich resident Peter Fish, can continue to negotiate with the Bruins.
July 3
Free-agent defenseman Shane Hnidy signed a one-year contract with the Minnesota Wild Friday. Hnidy, 33, tallied 12 points in 2008-09 with the Boston Bruins, with 45 penalty minutes. Hnidy has played 477 games over nine NHL seasons with Ottawa, Nashville, Atlanta, Anaheim and Boston, totaling 57 points and 565 PIM.
July 2
UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -- The New York Islanders have signed left wing Jeremy Reich, goaltender Scott Munroe, and defenseman Brett Westgarth to one-year contracts. Reich, the captain of the Providence Bruins last winter, has played in a total of 99 NHL games, scoring two goals and four assists with the Boston Bruins' organization. Last season for Providence, he had a career-high 21 goals and 13 assists. Munroe, an undrafted goalie, has been in the Philadelphia Flyers' organization for the past four seasons. He led the Phantoms to the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and had a save percentage of .926 with four shutouts last year. Westgarth played last year for the Worcester Sharks, an affiliate of the San Jose Sharks.
TSN is reporting that the Boston Bruins have re-signed veteran winger Mark Recchi, 41, to a one-year, $1 million contract. Click here to read the story.
Click here to read TSN story and the list of players.
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