Gerber off to Russia
NHL Notebook
Canwest News Service
Published: Wednesday, July 22, 2009Martin Gerber replaced Ray Emery as the No. 1 goalie for the Ottawa Senators a few seasons back.
Now he's following Emery's path to Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
Gerber, 34, signed a one-year deal with Atlant Mytischi of the KHL in hopes of re-establishing himself as an NHL-calibre netminder. Before signing with Atlant Mytischi, Gerber was contemplating signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a backup to Marc-Andre Fleury, but opted for a situation in which he could play regularly.
After being bought out by the Senators last season, Gerber finished up the National Hockey League season with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Zajac re-signs with Devils
Travis Zajac and the New Jersey Devils won't be going to salary arbitration after all.
The former first-round pick (2004) agreed to terms on a multi-year contract, just 48 hours before Zajac and New Jersey were headed to an arbitration hearing.
"During his previous three seasons in the National Hockey League, Travis Zajac has proven to be among the top young players in the game, and has developed into one of the core players on our team," said Devils GM Lou Lamoriello in a news release. "We are pleased that we were able to work out a long-term agreement."
Zajac, 24, will enter his fourth NHL training camp in September.
He posted career highs with 20 goals, 42 assists and 62 points, and a team-leading plus-minus mark of plus-33 in 2008-09, while appearing in all 82 games for the second straight season. The 6-3, 195-pound forward added one goal and three assists for four points in seven post-season contests.
He joined the organization following two seasons at the University of North Dakota (WCHA), advancing to the NCAA championship game as a freshman, and Frozen Four as a sophomore.
Canucks add depth to roster
The Vancouver Canucks have signed forwards Tanner Glass and Guillaume Desbiens and defenceman Mike Funk.
All three players are likely destined to play for the Canucks' American Hockey League farm team, the Manitoba Moose.
Glass, 25, spent the 2008-09 season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL and the Florida Panthers. The Regina native recorded 13 points (4-9-13) and 100 penalty minutes in 44 games with Rochester and seven penalty minutes in three games played with Florida. The six-foot, 196-pound forward was originally selected by the Panthers 265th overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft.
Funk, a 22-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., native, played 13 games with the Portland Pirates in 2008-09, recording three points (1-2-3) and eight penalty minutes. The 6-4, 210-pound defenceman has played nine NHL games over two seasons for the Buffalo Sabres and recorded two assists. Funk was originally drafted by Buffalo 43rd overall in 2004.
Desbiens, 24, played 78 games with the Moose in 2008-09, recording 47 points (21-26-47) and 158 penalty minutes. In 22 playoff games with the Moose, the Alma, Que., native scored four goals and eight assists with 18 penalty minutes. The six-foot-two 205-pound winger was originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers 116th overall in the 2003 entry draft.
Ice chips:
The Toronto Maple Leafs re-signed two Group II restricted free-agent forwards on Wednesday - Darryl Boyce to a two-year contract and Alex Foster to a one-year contract. . . . The Washington Capitals have renewed their affiliation agreement with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL for the 2009-10 season. . . . The Columbus Blue Jackets and defenceman Marc Methot have avoided arbitration by agreeing on a two-year contract.





