Quick Hits: Hedman, Zubov, Ellis

Posted on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 7:22 am
By Brian Roe
  • The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Victor Hedman to a three-year entry level contract.  The No. 2 overall pick from this year’s draft is expected to play with the Lightning this season.  The Lightning will sport a brand new blueline next season featuring Hedman and free agent additions Mattias Ohlund, Matt Walker, and Kurtis Foster.  
  • Are the Dallas Stars and defenseman Sergei Zubov parting ways?  Pierre LeBrun over at ESPN.com thinks so.  He spoke with Zubov’s agent and compares the situation to Saku Koivu leaving the Montreal Canadiens.  Zubov’s agent says six or seven teams have inquired about signing the 39-year-old defenseman.  Meanwhile the Stars have signed two NHL caliber defensemen in Karlis Skrastins and Jeff Woywitka.
  • Speaking of Koivu, the Anaheim Ducks are doing a pretty solid job of rebuilding on the fly.  The Ducks are putting together a nice top-6 with Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, and Bobby Ryan on the top line and Teemu Selanne, Koivu, and Joffrey Lupul on the second line.  They lost Chris Pronger via trade and Francois Beauchemin via free agency, but the Ducks still look like contenders to me. 
  • The Buffalo Sabres and forward Matt Ellis have agreed to a one-year contract.  The 27-year-old posted seven goals, 12 points, and a plus-4 in 45 games with the Sabres last season. 
  • The Edmonton Oilers traded forward Tim Sestito to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional draft pick.  Sestito is from New York and played mostly in the American Hockey League last season scoring eight points in 51 games. 

Tags: , , , , ,