Stanley Cup potential lures Wing to Canucks
Published Saturday July 4th, 2009
VANCOUVER - The money was a factor, but what also convinced free-agent forward Mikael Samuelsson to sign with the Vancouver Canucks was the team's potential to be a Stanley Cup contender.
Samuelsson, who won a Cup with the Detroit Red Wings, agreed to a three-year NHL deal worth US$7.5 million on Friday. The six-foot-one, 205-pound right-winger also expects to have an increased offensive role with the Canucks.
"It was a bunch of reasons, not only good money," Samuelsson said during a conference call from Sweden. "Obviously that was the key, I shouldn't lie.
"They have a good team going and I think my role can be a little different ... from Detroit. It's a good opportunity for me."
In Columbus, Rick Nash is staying with the Blue Jackets.
Columbus signed the star left-winger to a US$62.4 million, eight-year extension that kicks in after next season, the team said Friday.
Nash, 25, will make $7 million in 2009-10.
"Rick is a Blue Jacket. He is our captain, the foundation of our team and one of the elite players in the National Hockey League and we are very happy that he will continue to call Columbus home for many years to come," Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson said in a release.
"This is an important and exciting day for our franchise and our fans."
Had he not signed a contract extension, the Brampton, Ont., native would have been the biggest unrestricted free agent next summer.
Nash, the first overall pick in the 2002 NHL draft, scored 40 goals and added 39 assists in 78 games for the Blue Jackets last season.
He added a goal and two assists in the Blue Jackets' inaugural playoff appearance , a first-round sweep at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings.
While Samuelsson decided to leave the Red Wings, Ruslan Fedotenko is returning to the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Fedotenko, who had 16 goals and 39 points in 65 games last season, agreed to a US$1.8-million, one-year deal.
The 30-year-old joined Pittsburgh as a free agent last summer and won his second NHL championship. He also won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004.
In 597 career games with Philadelphia, Tampa, Pittsburgh and the Islanders, Fedotenko has 139 goals and 278 points.
Samuelsson spent the past four seasons in Detroit, winning the Stanley Cup in 2008 and falling one game short this year. He also was a member of the Swedish team that won the gold medal at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
The 32-year-old has played 466 career NHL games, scoring 86 goals and 208 points.
The Canucks are a team that has won its division three times over the last five seasons played, but haven't advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1994.
Samuelsson likes the Canucks skill level and hopes to bring some playoff experience.
"When you play against Vancouver it's always a hard game and a skill game too," he said. "I like the way they play.
"You need some experience (in the playoffs). You really need to be hungry. If you haven't won it, definitely you are hungry. I believe we can do some damage."
Lorne Henning, Vancouver's assistant general manager, said Samuelsson will be among the Canucks top six forwards. He can play the power play and could skate on a line with Swedish twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin.
"He is a right-handed shot which we love about him," Henning said. "He has a familiarity with the twins. Plus, he's great on the power play. He has a great shot.
"There are a lot of pluses we like. He's certainly going to be on the top two lines."
In other NHL moves, the New York Rangers signed Tyler Arnason to a two-way contract and also signed forwards Corey Locke and P.A. Parenteau.
In other news, Anaheim forward Teemu Selanne told a Finnish newspaper that he will retire from the NHL after the upcoming season.
"The next season is without doubt my last," he said. "This time my decision will be kept."
Selanne, a 10-time all-star from Finland, turned 39 Friday.
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