NHL | Penguins re-sign Recchi and Roberts

The Pittsburgh Penguins' two oldest players are sticking around for one more season.

Gary Roberts, 41, and former Flyer Mark Recchi, 39, agreed to one-year deals yesterday.

General manager Ray Shero had said he hoped to keep both veterans on a team with a nucleus of young stars, including NHL MVP Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal.

"Mark and Gary are talented veteran forwards who can provide essential experience and leadership to our young team," Shero said.

Agent Rick Curran, who represents both players, did not immediately return a message left at his office. Recchi earned $2.28 million last season, and Roberts $2.25 million.

The Penguins acquired Roberts at the trading deadline last season for defenseman Noah Welch. Roberts had 13 points in 19 regular-season games with Pittsburgh.

Recchi, an 18-year veteran, played in all 82 games with the Penguins last season, scoring 24 goals and 44 assists, including his 500th career goal and 800th career assist.

Recchi and Roberts would have been unrestricted free agents on July 1.

Predators pressure. Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold has asked the NHL to hold off its consideration of a deal to sell the team to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie.

Leipold wants to have a binding agreement on the proposed $220 million sale. He announced May 24 he was selling the team to Balsillie and called for the deal to be finalized by next Saturday, though that deadline could be extended.

Balsillie has already started a process to move the Predators to Hamilton, Ontario, should a potential out in the team's lease with the arena in Nashville be exercised after the sale's completion.

Sharks re-sign Rivet. Defenseman Craig Rivet, 32, re-signed with San Jose, agreeing to a four-year deal worth about $14 million.

The 11-year veteran had spent his entire career with Montreal before the Sharks picked him up for the playoff run on Feb. 25.

Avs ink Arnason. Colorado re-signed forward Tyler Arnason, 28, to a two-year contract.

He had 16 goals and 33 assists last season, and was one of five Avalanche players who appeared in every game last season.