Report: Belfour signs on with Swedish team

ESPN.com news services
Updated: August 27, 2007, 6:46 PM ET

After being phased out of Florida and with a lack of interest from other teams, Ed Belfour is apparently leaving the NHL.

According to a report from The Sports Network of Canada, the veteran netminder on Monday signed with the Leksands IF team, a second-division club of the Swedish Elite League.

It will be Belfour's first stint in a European league.

Belfour, 42, had a 27-17-10 record, 2.77 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 58 games last season with the Panthers. But with the club's offseason acquisition of Tomas Vokoun, the chances of Belfour returning were all but eliminated.

In April, Belfour was arrested at a South Beach bar after a scuffle with a police officer. Belfour had slurred speech, blood shot eyes and smelled of alcohol, police said. He was charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer without violence.

Belfour, a five-time All-Star who won two Vezina Trophies as the league's top goaltender, has 484 NHL career wins and 76 shutouts in 963 games with Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Toronto and Florida.

His new salary?

A BILLION DOLLARS!!

I do hope you're kidding about that salary. I wonder how much he's really making. And its sad that he's off trying to hold onto the dream in some second-tier euroleague

Dallas Stars Ad:
"The only thing our refs shave is the ice."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2999292

I don't know about you guys, but I found that hilarious. Maybe the Stars organization should take Bettman's job and start advertising for the whole league.

Even more funny since Bettman used to work for Stern/the NBA.

Roenick signs free-agent contract with Sharks
ESPN.com news services

Updated: September 4, 2007, 2:22 PM ET

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Jeremy Roenick has gone the way of San Jose in an attempt to score his 500th career goal.

The 37-year-old unrestricted free agent center, who seemed over after he scored only 28 points in 70 games with Phoenix last season, was signed by the Sharks to a one-year contract Tuesday.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"I'm very thankful for this opportunity to play for the San Jose Sharks," Roenick said in a statement released by the team. "They have a great team and I look forward to helping this group compete for the Stanley Cup."

The nine-time All-Star has 495 goals and 675 assists in an 18-year career also spent with Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. He mentioned retiring in July, but Roenick should provide leadership and depth for the Sharks behind centers Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

Just five goals shy of 500, Roenick would become only the third U.S.-born player -- Mike Modano (507) and Joe Mullen (502) are the others -- to achieve the feat. Roenick has 1,170 career points, tying him with Bobby Hull for the 44th-most in NHL history.

Roenick ranks in the top 50 in goals (41st) and points (T-44th) and is 51st in assists among all players in NHL history.

"Jeremy Roenick is a tremendous competitor and he has a great love for the game of hockey," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement. "We feel he can add something to the talented group of players on our club and we feel that this is an environment where Jeremy can be successful."

I thought he retired? Guess not.

I thought he retired? Guess not.

He's on his quest to get 500 Goals
He'll have little to no impact on this team

Sad though Roenick was a beast in the early/mid 90s

Yeah, he's going to end up being a 3rd liner or something. Just another guy hanging on too long.

On a sidenote:

Did I hear Fraserburn call the bigshow the other day? Or maybe it was an email.

Regardless, I heard Karsh say the name "Fraserburn."

On a sidenote:

Did I hear Fraserburn call the bigshow the other day? Or maybe it was an email.

Regardless, I heard Karsh say the name "Fraserburn."

oh that I sent something in to the Busch Light in a Can inbox

slow day at work......

I love how these sports stations have their inboxes sponsored and even their studios.

Maybe we should get a sponsor for our PMs?

The alpacas could also be presented by...

I love how these sports stations have their inboxes sponsored and even their studios.

Maybe we should get a sponsor for our PMs?

The alpacas could also be presented by...

I dont think its legitimately sponsored its just something Gator came up with

and what made you guys decide to call your "virtual cash" Alpacas?

Well, everything on ESPN radio is sponsored too, the OnStar hotline, the Michelin Inbox, etc.

Even that jagoff Huge has the Vitamin Water inbox, AutoValue Studios, etc. (I feel so ashamed right now).

As far as the alpaca question, where's that WTF FAQ anyways!?!?!?!

I think I want the NHL Sub-Forum sponsored by CCM or something

maybe the WFT NHL Sub-Forum sponsored by Rick Tocchett and Janet Gretzky

Cheli's Chili NHL Sub-Forum?

I'm close to sealing a sponsorship from Big Sheila's Organic Fertilizer Co of Greater Onion Falls, Nebraska as we speak. Her slogan will be "Big Sheila's gets it dung".
I'm thinking she could sponsor something in this forum.

Tim Donaghy sponsored Sportsbook.

Gaborik with 5 goals last night.


Absolutely sick.

That was insane. At some point wouldn't you start keying on him just to avoid further embarrassement?

Just a small point of interest:

On Friday, Miroslav Satan had a goal against the Penguins. It was his 666th point of his career. I just wish he could have been playing New Jersey at the time.

Just an FYI.

That would have been a nice headline. SATAN GETS 666th POINT AGAINST DEVILS

coolest. name. in sports. ever.

Anyone else have good cable with the NHL network? It's quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. They had the 97 Wings-Avs series on the other night. Great stuff.

And finally someone got it right when they decided how to do the listings for classic games. One of my biggest pet peeves about ESPN Classic, NBA TV, et/al. is that in the description in the cable listings, they always give too much information. It's so much more fun to watch an old boxing match if you don't already know that "so-and-so got knocked out with a wicked right cross with 30 seconds left in the 8th round".

NHL just gives you the teams and the date and the context.

I'd love it if I had that option (or the money for it). I'd have hockey on all day, even just as background noise.

Ovechkin agrees to extension with Capitals

Alexander Ovechkin is going to be sticking around Washington for the long haul as he has signed the biggest contract in the history of the NHL Thursday by agreeing to a 13 year extension with the Capitals worth a whopping $124 million.

Sources tell TSN it is believed the structure of the contract will pay Ovechkin 9 million per year for the first six years of the term and 10 million for the remaining seven years.

The Capitals will make an announcement Thursday night at a news conference following the team's Meet the Team Party for season ticket holders.

The contract will expire in the 2020-'21 season when Ovechkin wil be 35-years-old.

Ovechkin, who represented himself in the contract talks easily trumped the mega-deals signed by Islanders' goaltender Rick DiPietro and Flyers' forward Mike Richards.

The Calder Trophy winner is having another outstanding season for the Capitals, leading the team with 32 goals, 52 points and a +6 rating. He is currently 9th in the NHL in scoing. In 206 career games, the Moscow born sniper has fired home 130 goals and picked up 120 assists.

Ovechkin, who was selected first overall by the Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, was set to become a restricted free-agent at the end of the season. This season he is earning $3.83 million.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=226952&hubname=

What is it with teams signing players to such lengthy contracts? DiPietro for 15 years, Richards for 12 years and now Ovechkin for 10 years.

One injury to any of these guys, their teams will be screwed for the next decade or so.

This probably deserves its own thread, but did anyone else see this last night? Best goal this year.

BY1-ZvzIWC0

Fucking sick.

I don't even like/watch hockey, but that one goal Ovechkin had 2 years ago was like the sickest thing I've ever seen.

This one?

TqCgwpkOpUo

Anyone catch this?

vjoByuFt1_8

That's bad. The only other time I can remember this happening is when it happened to the goalie in '89 I think.

Really? No comments on that?

My internet was down. They did an emergency surgery and saved his life yesterday. It caught an artery, he's lucky to be alive.

WOW! What are the chances of that happening. Man you gotta be holding pressure quick on that bleed, great job by the medical staff and Zednik getting over to the bench.

Malarchuk-esque.

There is blood.

Similar situation happened with me.

Except you were defending the country from terrorism when you fist fought 13 ninja terrorists with swords. After breaking all of their necks one came back for a final effort to kill you, cutting you right in the neck before you impaled him with your fist. Upset that your juggular was cut, you ran 12 miles to the nearest hospital in 20 minutes, stitching it up yourself, while diffusing a bomb you found in the ICU.

Am I on the right track?

No, I went to prison for stabbing a guy.

But I like your story better, so yes.

Zednik is in good condition now after life saving surgery.