Newcastle have completed the signing of Spanish striker Alberto Luque from Deportivo for a fee believed to be in the region of £9.5m. The 27-year-old forward passed a medical on Tyneside today and has agred a five-year contract to give the Magpies a much needed boost. Luque is expected to go straight into Newcastle's squad for Sunday's match with Manchester United and he'll provide Graeme Souness with a fresh option to his striker-shy attack.




DANY HEATLEY OTTAWA SENATORS DOB: Jan 21, 1981 Place of Birth: Freiburg, West Germany Hometown : Calgary, Alberta HT: 6-3 WT: 215 Shoots: L NHL Seasons: 3 Drafted by Atlanta in 2000 (1/2). August 23, 2005 - Traded from the Atlanta Thrashers to the Ottawa Senators for Marian Hossa and Greg de Vries.
Honours and Awards
2002-03 NHL - All-Star Game MVP
2002-03 Played in NHL All-Star
2001-02 NHL - Calder Memorial Trophy (Rookie of the Year)
2001-02 NHL - All-Rookie Team
2001-02 Played in the NHL YoungStars Game
2000-01 NCAA - West First All-American Team
2000-01 WCHA - Second All-Star Team
1999-00 NCAA - West Second All-American Team
1999-00 WCHA - Rookie of the Year
1999-00 WCHA - First All-Star Team
1999-00 WCHA - All-Rookie Team
1998-99 Canadian Junior "A" Player of the Year
1998-99 AJHL - Player of the Year
1998-99 AJHL - First All-Star Team
1996-97 Air Canada Cup MVP


Ottawa Senators general manager John Muckler announced on the 23rd of August that the club has acquired right-winger Dany Heatley from the Atlanta Thrashers for right-winger Marian Hossa and defenceman Greg de Vries. The Senators have also signed Heatley to a three-year contract. Heatley, one of 36 players invited to Team Canada's orientation camp this month in preparation for next February's Olympic Games, kept busy during the 2004-05 season playing on four different squads. The right-winger started the season in late summer helping Canada capture the World Cup of Hockey title in September 2004. Heatley had two assists in six games for Canada. He travelled to Bern, Switzerland, to play in its National A League, where he recorded 24 points (14-10) in 16 games. A broken orbital bone kept him out of Bern's lineup for 14 games from Nov. 20 to Jan. 6.



The Bern hockey club transferred Heatley in February 2005 to Ak Bars Kazan of the Russian Elite League, where he contributed four points (3-1) in 11 games and added three points (2-1) in four playoff meetings. Born in Germany, the Calgary-grown Heatley wrapped up the 2004-05 season helping Canada take the silver medal at the 2005 world championship in Austria. In nine games, he had three goals and four assists. The Czech Republic defeated Canada 3-0 for the gold medal. In three NHL seasons, Heatley has 181 points (80-101) in 190 games with the Thrashers. He ranks second on Atlanta's all-time scoring list and holds several team season records, including most points (89 in 2002-03). In his last full NHL season, 2002-03, Heatley led the Thrashers with 41 goals and 89 points. He helped the team improve 20 points in the standings and set a club record with 31 wins. Selected to participate in the mid-season all-star game in Florida, Heatley scored four goals plus a fifth in the shootout to win all-star game MVP honours. In his first NHL season in 2001-02, Heatley won the Calder Trophy as NHL's rookie of the year and was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team. He topped all NHL freshman with 26 goals, 41 assists for 67 points in 82 games. Heatley has represented Canada on seven occasions, including the past four world championships and 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He won gold with Canada in 2003 and 2004, and was named the tournament's most valuable player, best forward, and selected to the media all-star team. Heatley played two seasons at the University of Wisconsin, recording 113 points (52-61) and 106 penalty minutes in 77 games. He helped Wisconsin capture 1999-2000 WCHA regular-season championship. Heatley was selected 1999-2000 WCHA Rookie of the Year and to the WCHA First Team All-Star squad, the WCHA All-Rookie Team and Division I All-America Second Team West. In 2000-01, he was named to the WCHA and Big-Ten All-Academic Teams, and the NCAA West All-Regional Team.

Veteran centre Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes, was given the coveted "C" for his sweater Thursday, becoming the fourth player to serve in that capacity since the franchise moved to North Carolina in 1997. He follows Kevin Dineen, Keith Primeau and Ron Francis.

The Buffalo Sabres acquired defenceman Toni Lydman from the Calgary Flames on Thursday in exchange for a third-round pick in next year's draft. A native of Finland, Lydman had four goals and 16 assists in 67 games in 2003-04, but missed 10 games and part of the playoffs after sustaining a concussion. Two goals and 12 assists came on the power play. An arbitrator has awarded Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo a one-year deal worth $3.2 million US. Luongo will earn less than half of what Chicago goalie Nikolai Khabibulin will pocket this year. His new $27-million, four-year deal averages $6.75 million a season, the highest salary for an NHL netminder. Martin Brodeur is next at $5.39 million a season. Luongo reportedly rejected a $25-million, five-year offer prior to Wednesday's hearing before arbitrator Vernon Gill.

The Anaheim Mighty Ducks traded two longtime mainstays Tuesday, sending centre Steve Rucchin to the New York Rangers and left-winger Mike Leclerc to the Phoenix Coyotes. The 34-year-old Rucchin was dealt to the Rangers in exchange for left-winger Trevor Gillies and a conditional pick in the 2007 NHL draft. Anaheim received another conditional pick in the same draft from the Coyotes in the deal for the 28-year-old Leclerc.






Song for the day - "Lets Work It Out" - RAGHAV