WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- The Winnipeg Jets agreed to terms on a $42 million, seven-year contract extension with forward Nikolaj Ehlers on Wednesday.
The extension begins a year from now and carries an average annual value of $6 million, the Jets said in a statement.
"This team, this organization, this city ... from Day 1 I was happy here," Ehlers said before the Jets opened their season against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday.
"It's amazing playing in front of all these fans. Winnipeg as a city is amazing, they love their hockey, so I could not see any reason to not want to stay here long term."
The 21-year-old Ehlers had 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) in 82 games for the Jets last season (see full story).
Flames: Team signs 45-year-old Jagr to 1-year deal
CALGARY, Alberta -- Jaromir Jagr has signed with the Calgary Flames.
The 45-year-old Jagr agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal Wednesday for his 24th NHL season -- and first with a Canadian team.
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"I already said in a Czech newspaper it's 99.9 percent that his will be my last season, so I want to get the experience to one day say I played for a Canadian team," Jagr said.
The five-time NHL scoring champion is second behind Wayne Gretzky in NHL history with 1,914 points (765 goals, 1,149 assists).
Jagr has played 1,711 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Washington, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Dallas, Boston, New Jersey and Florida and is 57 games from passing Gordie Howe for the most NHL games played (1,767).
"If I can reach it, especially with a Calgary Flames jersey on, it's going to be special," Jagr said. "I don't want to look that far" (see full story).
Wild: Winnik signs 1-year deal after successful camp tryout
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild have signed left wing Daniel Winnik to a one-year, $660,000 contract.
Winnik was in training camp on a tryout basis. He was a free agent after a career-high 12 goals in 72 games last season for Washington.
The 32-year-old Winnik became more valuable to the Wild with a back injury limiting left wing Zach Parise, and Winnik was rewarded Wednesday with a contract. He's been on the fourth line with center Matt Cullen and right wing Tyler Ennis.
The Wild will be his eighth NHL team. He played two seasons for Wild coach Bruce Boudreau when they were both with Anaheim. Winnik has 76 goals and 152 assists in 717 games, plus 58 games in the playoffs (see full story).
Sabres: Redmond acquired from Canadiens
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have acquired defenseman Zach Redmond in a trade that sent forward Nicolas Deslauriers to the Montreal Canadiens.
The move involving two minor leaguers was made on Wednesday, a day before Buffalo opens the season by hosting Montreal.
Redmond is listed at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds and was selected in the seventh round of 2008 draft by the then-Atlanta Thrashers. He has nine goals and 29 assists in 130 NHL games split between Montreal, Colorado and Winnipeg.
The Sabres announced Redmond will report to Rochester, their American Hockey League affiliate (see full story).
Blackhawks: Bickell signs 1-day contract to retire with Chicago
CHICAGO -- Bryan Bickell has signed a one-day contract so he can retire with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bickell was selected by Chicago in the second round of the 2004 draft and spent his first nine seasons with the Blackhawks, winning three Stanley Cup championships. He was traded to Carolina in June 2016.
The 31-year-old Bickell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis last November and played in just 11 games with the Hurricanes. He announced his retirement in April and scored a memorable shootout goal in his final game.
The Blackhawks also placed forward Marian Hossa on long-term injured reserve and signed defenseman Cody Franson to a one-year contract. Forward Alex DeBrincat and defenseman Gustav Forsling were recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League (see full story).
Predators: Former Flyer Zolnierczyk signs 1-year, 2-way deal
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Nashville Predators have signed Harry Zolnierczyk to a one-year, two-way contract keeping the 30-year-old forward with the franchise.
The Predators announced the deal Wednesday. Zolnierczyk will be paid based on a $650,000 contract when on the Predators' roster and $150,000 when assigned to Milwaukee in the AHL.
Zolnierczyk played 24 games and scored four points for Nashville last season. He had a goal and two assists in 11 playoff games as Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final.
Undrafted, Zolnierczyk played at Brown, and his NHL career includes 84 games with Nashville, Anaheim, the Islanders, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with 13 points.
Capitals: High goal-scoring expectations for Ovechkin at 32
ARLINGTON, Va. -- Alex Ovechkin has scored 50 goals so regularly that finishing with 30-something was a disappointment.
Ovechkin is responsible for seven of the 20 times any player has scored 50 goals in a season since he entered the league in 2005. As Washington Capitals teammate T.J. Oshie pointed out, Ovechkin is "a pure goal-scorer, the best of our time," and his 558 career goals are well ahead of everyone else in the NHL in that time.
The challenge now is for Ovechkin to keep it up going into his 13th season at age 32. His 33 goals last season were his fewest in an 82-game season since 2010-11, and now the Capitals need him to up the ante after several key offseason losses.
"Last year's the minimum," general manager Brian MacLellan said Tuesday. "I think he can get more goals than that."
But how many goals are realistic? Coach Barry Trotz thinks "you keep the bar at 50" until Ovechkin doesn't get there (see full story).
