Defenceman Kyle McLaren agreed to a three-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. San Jose also re-signed forward Niko Dimitrakos to a two-year contract. McLaren had two goals and 22 assists in 64 games with the Sharks in 2003-04. The physical defenceman will play a bigger role in San Jose next season after the departure of free agent Mike Rathje, who signed with Philadelphia. Dimitrakos collected 24 points in 2003-04, frequently playing on the Sharks' top line. He led all NHL rookies with nine points in the playoffs that spring as San Jose reached the Western Conference finals. The Sharks haven't signed any big-name free agents to replace Rathje, but general manager Doug Wilson otherwise is keeping together the core of the best club in franchise history. San Jose has re-signed six of its own free agents in the last four days.

Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced Wednesday the signing of free agents Alex Kovalev and Mathieu Dandenault to four-year contracts through the 2008-09 season. Terms of the agreements were not disclosed. Kovalev, a 32-year-old right winger, is no stranger to Montreal having been acquired on March 2, 2004 just prior to the trading deadline from the New York Rangers in exchange for winger Jozef Balej and the Canadiens' second pick in the 2004 draft. Kovalev played a key role in the playoffs, recording 10 points in 11 games, including a team-leading six goals on a line with team captain Saku Koivu and Richard Zednik.

Dandenault, a 29-year-old defenseman/right winger, had spent his entire 10-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings where he won three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998 and 2002). Drafted 49th overall by the Red Wings in 1994, the Sherbrooke, Que., native had 12 points in 65 games with Detroit in 2003-04. Dandenault also helped Canada win a gold medal at the 2003 World Hockey Championships. In 616 career regular season games, Dandenault has 149 points, including 48 goals as well as eight points in 64 career postseason contests.



Born in Pont Rouge, Quebec, Joe Juneau enjoyed four strong years with the ECAC's RPI Engineers. The Boston Bruins chose him 81st overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft after his freshman year. In 1989-90 he led the ECAC in assists and was named to the NCAA East First All-American Team. The next year he was placed on the ECAC Second All-Star Team and NCAA East Second All-American Team. Juneau also suited up for a handful of games both years with the Canadian National Team. After graduating in 1991 he committed to the national squad for a year and scored 69 points in 60 exhibition games then 15 points in eight games at the 1992 Albertville Winter Olympics helping Canada capture the silver medal. Juneau joined the Bruins after the Olympics and scored 19 points in 14 games while helping the cub reach the Stanley Cup semi-finals. The 1992-93 season was his first real test in the NHL's long season and he responded with 102 points and was runner-up in Calder Trophy voting while earning a place on the NHL All-Rookie Team. His 70 assists and 102 points were both new records for a Boston rookie.



He was off to a good start in 1993-94 with 72 points in the first 63 games then was traded to the Washington Capitals for hard-shooting defenceman Al Iafrate. His regular season point production dropped with the Caps but he became a more versatile player. In 1998 he scored 17 points in 21 playoff games, including two overtime winners, to help the Caps reach the Stanley Cup finals for first time in franchise history. Juneau was traded to Buffalo late in 1998-99 and scored eleven points in 20 playoff games to help team reach the finals for the first time in 24 years. He was a solid two-way player for the defensively oriented Ottawa Senators in 1999-00 and helped the club register 95 points in the regular season. In the off-season he was temporarily selected by the expansion Minnesota Wild then shipped to the Phoenix Coyotes. Prior to the 2001-02 season he returned to his roots and signed with the Montreal Canadiens. Juneau went on to play three seasons in Montreal registering 73 points (19-54-73) before announcing his retirement following Montreal's playoff exit to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. Joe Juneau played 828 games in the NHL, finishing his career with 572 points



ANAHEIM MIGHTY DUCKS-Signed LW Travis Moen and LW Chris Kunitz to one-year contracts.

ATLANTA THRASHERS-Re-signed F Stephen Baby, F Kevin Doell and G Michael Garnett.

BOSTON BRUINS-Signed D Jiri Slegr.

BUFFALO SABRES-Re-signed G Ryan Miller, G Martin Biron and D Brian Campbell to one-year contracts.

CALGARY FLAMES-Re-signed G Miikka Kiprusoff and D Rhett Warrener to multiyear contracts.

CAROLINA HURRICNES-Re-signed F Erik Cole, F Jesse Boulerice, F Gordie Dwyer, F Colin Forbes and F Mike Zigomanis.

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS-Signed D Jeff MacMillan to a one-year contract.

DALLAS STARS-Signed RW David Oliver and G Mike Smith to one-year contracts and C Yared Hagos to a two-year contract.

DETROIT RED WINGS-Signed RW Kent McDonell.

FLORIDA PANTHERS-Signed C Chris Gratton. Re-signed LW Niklas Hagman.

LOS ANGELES KINGS-Traded D Bryan Muir to Washington for future considerations. Agreed to terms with RW Alexander Frolov and RW Valeri Bure on one-year contracts and LW Jeff Giuliano and RW George Parros on two-year contracts.

MONTREAL CANADIENS-Signed F Jan Bulis.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS-Signed F Jason Ryznar, F Barry Tallackson, F David Clarkson and G Frank Doyle.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS-Signed RW Mattias Weinhandl to a two-year contract and D Allan Rourke.

OTTAWA SENATORS-Re-signed F Jason Spezza, F Antoine Vermette, F Chris Neil, D Christoph Schubert and D Anton Volchenkov. Re-signed Mike Busniuk, assistant coach for Binghamton of the AHL, to a two-year contract.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS-Re-signed RW Colby Armstrong.

ST. LOUIS BLUES-Signed F Mark Rycroft, F Mike Glumac, D Mike Stuart, F Ryan Johnson and D Trevor Byrne.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS-Re-signed F Nik Antropov and F Clarke Wilm. Signed F Mike Hoffman and F Roman Kukumberg.

WASHINGTON CAPITALS-Signed D Jamie Heward, F Boyd Kane, F Matt Pettinger and F Louis Robitaille.

Aston Villa are set to lodge a big-money bid for out-of-favour Liverpool striker Milan Baros. The midlands outfit had previously insisted that they would not pay more than £6 million, with Liverpool wanting £7 million for the Czech ace. But Villa operations manager Steve Stride is set for further talks with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry. However, it is believed that personal terms have yet to be agreed with the player so there is still much work to be done before any deal is pushed through.

Marco Del Vecchio is very close to seal a deal with Parma. The former Roma and Brescia player will in fact already start training on Saturday morning with the Ducali and next week he should sign a contract with the club. In the meantime, Parma have also regained possession of Domenico Morfeo and the player was back to train with the Emiliani on Thursday.



Song for the day - "Across The Universe" - RUFUS WAINWRIGHT