Free agent Kovalev goes from Canadiens to Senators
Alex Kovalev signed a 2-year, $10 million deal yesterday with the Ottawa Senators, leaving the rival Montreal Canadiens after parts of five seasons.
Kovalev, a 16-season NHL veteran, led Montreal with 26 goals and 65 points last season. He failed to reach a new deal before the free-agent season opened last Wednesday, and Montreal made several moves to spend its money elsewhere.
Kovalev earned $4.5 million last season and became an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Earlier yesterday, Canadiens general manager Bob Gainey told Montreal radio station CJAD that Kovalev would not be returning to the team. Gainey said he offered the 36-year-old forward a new contract last week, but the crafty winger took too long to mull over the deal.
"We hadn't agreed on the amount, but another player was willing to come and join our team," he said.
Montreal has also decided not to re-sign Saku Koivu, its longtime captain and popular forward who spent his first 13 NHL seasons with the Canadiens.
The Canadiens went on a shopping spree last week, signing free agent forwards Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta, and defensemen Jaroslav Spacek and Hal Gill. They also traded for high-priced center Scott Gomez, sending forward Chris Higgins to the New York Rangers in the six-player deal.
More than 100 people demonstrated outside the Bell Centre on Sunday, begging Gainey to re-sign Kovalev, who was acquired in 2004 in a trade with the Rangers.
In 1,151 career games with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Montreal, Kovalev has 394 goals and 547 assists.
In a related matter, the Rangers agreed to terms on a 1-year, $2.25 million deal with Higgins.
Noteworthy
* The Vancouver Canucks added depth in the net by signing free agent goalie Andrew Raycroft to a 1-year deal worth $500,000.
Raycroft went 12-16-0 with a 3.14 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage in 31 games last season for Colorado.
He will serve as the backup to Roberto Luongo.
* The St. Louis Blues have re-signed forward B.J. Crombeen.
* Former Anaheim defenseman Francois Beauchemin signed a 3-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. *
