NEW YORK — On the day Marian Gaborik left Minnesota for good, the Wild signed free- agent right wing Martin Havlat to fill the big hole in its lineup.
The Wild signed Havlat, Chicago’s leading scorer last season with 77 points, to a six- year contract late Wednesday night.
Gaborik, a 27-year-old forward, signed earlier with the Rangers, leaving the Wild for a five-year, $37.5 million deal.
Canucks retain Sedins.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin agreed to five-year contract extensions with the Canucks less than an hour before the start of free agency.
The Canucks gave the identical twins matching $30.5 million deals, keeping them with the team that drafted them second and third overall in 1999.
Khabibulin joins Oilers.
The Oilers signed 36-year-old Nikolai Khabibulin to a four-year, $15 million deal to replace 39-year-old Dwayne Roloson, who signed with the Islanders.
Khabibulin went 25-8-7 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .919 save percentage despite missing time due to a nagging groin injury.
Footnotes.
The Capitals addressed their need for a scoring forward, signing right wing Mike Knuble to a two-year deal worth $5.6 million.
• The Coyotes signed goalie Jason LaBarbera and center Vern Fiddler to two-year deals.
• The Penguins signed forward Mike Rupp to a $1.6 million, two-year deal, adding a physical presence to a team that didn’t have an enforcer on the ice during the playoffs.
• The Canadiens signed center Mike Cammalleri and defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill.
• Defenseman Mike Komisarek signed a five-year, $22.5 million deal to join Toronto.
• Unable to meet defenseman Jaroslav Spacek’s contract demands, the Sabres wasted little time to find an experienced — but less expensive — replacement: Steve Montador, who agreed to a two-year $3.1 million contract.
• The Hurricanes are keeping Erik Cole, agreeing to a two-year, $5.8 million deal with the physical forward.
• The Predators re-signed forward Joel Ward to a two- year, $3 million contract.
• The Thrashers acquired defenseman Pavel Kubina and forward Tim Stapleton for defenseman Garnet Exelby and forward Colin Stuart.
• The Flyers agreed to terms with goalie Brian Boucher.
The Associated Press
