NHL Capsules: Senators hope to have Heatley join Kovalev
OTTAWA — Now that the Ottawa Senators have signed Alex Kovalev, general manager Bryan Murray wants to focus on bringing back disgruntled star Dany Heatley.
"We can fit both of those guys on our team very nicely, maybe one on left and one on right wing," Murray said after presenting Kovalev with the No. 27 shirt during an news conference at Scotiabank Place.
The Senators signed the 36-year-old Russian to a $10-million, two-year deal on July 6.
They've been at a standstill with Heatley ever since the left-winger asked for a trade during the Stanley Cup final, citing his unhappiness with diminished ice time and his role with the team since Cory Clouston took over as coach in February after Craig Hartsburg was fired.
Heatley, who holds a no-trade agreement, and agents Stacey McAlpine and J.P. Barry vetoed a deal earlier this month that would have sent him to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forwards Andrew Cogliano and Dustin Penner and defenseman Ladislav Smid.
Kovalev, who spent the past four full seasons and part of a fifth with the Montreal Canadiens before walking away as an unrestricted free agent, said if given the opportunity to speak with Heatley, he'd urge the two-time 50-goal scorer to return.
The two played together during the 2004-05 season in Russia with Ak Bars Kazan during the NHL lockout.
"Definitely, with the player that he is, it would be nice to have him back," Kovalev said. "I know Dany a little bit from playing with him for Kazan in the lockout year. He's a great, talented guy on the ice and off the ice and would definitely help the Senators organization and hopefully will continue to help the organization."
Recently, Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said that he'd tried to contact the 28-year-old Heatley but had yet to have his call returned.
Bruins D Hunwick: No other place but Boston
BOSTON — 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.
-- Jimmy Golen
Institute wins partial victory in suit vs Glendale
PHOENIX — The conservative Goldwater Institute has won a partial victory in its lawsuit seeking access to records of the city of Glendale's negotiations with potential buyers of the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes.
Superior Court Judge Edward Burke ruled Tuesday that the city must immediately turn over records immediately except those that reflect "negotiating strategy, bargaining chips and other information which should remain confidential."
Once any tentative agreement is placed on the city council agenda or is otherwise made public, all "correspondence, drafts, e-mails," and other records of the negotiations must be provided regarding any concessions or incentives provided by Glendale.
Lightning deal Vrbata to Phoenix for Fedoruk, Hale
TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay and Phoenix have completed a three-player trade with the Lighting sending right wing Radim Vrbata to the Coyotes for left wing Todd Fedoruk and defenseman David Hale.
The trade was announced Tuesday.
Fedoruk, 30, has played in 495 career games with Phoenix, the Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers and Anaheim Ducks. He has scored 29 career goals and has 91 points.
Hale, 28, has played in 263 NHL games with Phoenix, the Calgary Flames and the New Jersey Devils, recording three goals and 20 points. He has played in 17 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording two assists.
Vrbata, 28, returns to Phoenix. In 2007-08, he played in 76 games for the Coyotes and had career highs in goals (27) and points (56).
Canadiens re-sign center Plekanec to one-year deal
MONTREAL — The Montreal Canadiens have avoided salary arbitration with center Tomas Plekanec, signing him to a one-year contract worth $2.75 million.
The 26-year-old Plekanec is coming off his fifth season with the Canadiens. He posted his third consecutive 20-goal campaign (20 goals, 19 assists) and was one of only three Habs players not to miss a game because of injury last season.
The Czech, a third-round pick in the 2001 draft, has 184 points (78 goals, 106 assists) and a plus-20 rating in 311 regular-season games since 2003-04.
Oilers re-sign D Grebeshkov
EDMONTON, Alberta — The Edmonton Oilers have bolstered their defense by re-signing defenseman Denis Grebeshkov to a one-year contract Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Grebeshkov had seven goals, 32 assists and 38 penalty minutes in 72 games last season — all career highs. He also led the Oilers with a plus-minus differential of plus-12.
The 6-foot, 209-pound native of Yaroslavl, Russia, has played 176 career NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and Oilers, recording 63 points (10 goals, 53 assists) and 80 penalty minutes.
Grebeshkov has represented Russia at three world hockey championships (2007, 2008 and 2009), helping his country win consecutive gold medals in 2008 and 2009.
