Panthers Switch Trend, Trade For Vet
In a turnaround from their switch to youth, the Florida Panthers acquired Dino Ciccarelli, the No. 9 scorer in NHL history, from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a four-player deal Friday.
Florida sent disgruntled backup goaltender Mark Fitzpatrick and seldom-used winger Jody Hull to the Lightning, who also gave the Panthers defenseman Jeff Norton.
It was the second major trade in two days for Tampa Bay, which has an NHL-worst 9-29-8 record. The Lightning made a six-player deal with Montreal on Thursday.
Florida is two points away from a playoff spot, and Ciccarelli, an 18-year veteran, should provide some much-needed leadership.
O’Ree takes post
The first black man to play in the National Hockey League will join the league in an official capacity today, 40 years after he broke the sport’s color line.
Willie O’Ree, 62, will be named director of youth development, a position he said includes working with youth hockey programs to enhance diversity, teach the game, and “other life skills.” He first skated with the Boston Bruins on Jan. 18, 1958.
Although the league’s hiring of O’Ree comes after two incidents this season in which NHL players used racial epithets to taunt an opposing player, the former Bruin said there is no connection between his new job and the cases of racial harassment.
Bondra rewarded
The Washington Capitals and right wing Peter Bondra agreed to terms on a new four-year contract worth $13 million, general manager George McPhee said.
Bondra has been Washington’s leading goal scorer four of the past five seasons.
Wings have edge
What if Sergei Fedorov is true to his word about sitting out all of this season, and the Detroit Red Wings stick to their position on their contract negotiations?
Even if the former league MVP remains unsigned at the end of the season, he still would be a restricted free agent. The Wings would maintain the right to match any offer Fedorov might get until he turns 31 in 2000.
But Fedorov, who has been practicing with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League, does have the option of filing for arbitration in July. If he does, the Wings can submit an offer for one or two years. Team sources said they would opt for a two-year offer, wanting to delay a recurrence of the process as long as possible.
The NHL Players Association would submit what it believes is Fedorov’s fair market value, and each side would have 90 minutes to present its case to the arbitrator, whose decision is final.
xxxx NHL All-Star Game: 1 p.m., Fox.