The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with forward Wayne Simmonds, the club?s second-round selection (61st overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and one of three Kings' prospects currently representing Canada at the 2008 IIHF World Junior Championships, Kings' President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced. Simmonds, 19, has zero points and two penalty minutes in four games with Team Canada at this year?s World Junior Championships. The 6-1, 174-pound native of Scarborough, Ontario, also has two goals and five penalty minutes in three regular season games with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League this season. Simmonds was recently traded to Sault Ste. Marie after beginning this season with Owen Sound (OHL), where he had 39 points (17-22=39) and 43 penalty minutes in 29 regular season games. Simmonds recorded 49 points (23-26=49) and 112 penalty minutes in 66 regular season games with Owen Sound during the 2006-07 season.

The New York Islanders signed top-prospect Kyle Okposo to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday. Okposo, currently playing for the United States at the world junior tournament in the Czech Republic, reached a deal with the Islanders just more than a week after he left the University of Minnesota. He will join the Islanders' organization, which selected him with the No. 7 pick in the 2006 NHL draft, after the junior tournament is over. The 19-year-old right winger from St. Paul, Minn., already has a goal and two assists in two games with the American team. Okposo earned an assist Friday in the United States' 4-2 victory over Switzerland. He will earn $850,000 each year of the deal and is eligible for bonuses that could reach a maximum of another $850,000 per season.

The Oilers on Friday signed University of Alberta goaltender Aaron Sorochan to an amateur tryout agreement. With Dwayne Roloson suffering from the flu and the club unable to call up anybody from their affiliates, the Oilers brought in Sorochan as an emergency netminder for Friday night's contest against the Devils.

Citing CKNW-980 in Vancouver, TSN of Canada on Friday night reported the Predators signed defenseman Jonathon Blum to a three-year contract. Drafted 23rd overall this past June, Blum currently is playing for the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League, where he has recorded nine goals and 28 assists in 33 games.

The Florida Panthers on Friday signed center Shawn Matthias to an entry-level contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Matthias, acquired from Detroit for Todd Bertuzzi on February 27, is currently playing for Belleville of the Ontario Hockey league. The 19-year-old is leading the Bulls with 56 points (19 goals, 37 assists) in only 30 games.

It looks like Mike Richards is going to be a member of the Flyers for a long time. A source tells The Canadian Press that he's agreed to a contract extension with the team that is believed to be for 12 years. The contract is still pending approval from the NHL. Richards is currently in the final year of his entry-level deal and is earning just over US$940,000 this season.

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Bruno St. Jacques to a one-year contract. Subsequently, St. Jacques was recalled from the Portland Pirates, Anaheim?s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). St. Jacques, 27 (8/22/80), has played in 12 games with Portland this season, recording 1-4=5 points. Appearing in 13 contests for the Syracuse Crunch, he has collected 0-8=8 assists with 16 penalty minutes (PIM). In total, St. Jacques has appeared in 25 AHL contests this season, earning 1-12=13 points with 22 PIM. The 6-2, 216-pound native of Montreal, Quebec, has played in 67 career NHL games with Carolina, Philadelphia and Anaheim over four seasons, scoring 3-7=10 points with 47 PIM. St. Jacques appeared in one NHL contest for Anaheim during the 2005-06 season, earning 1-0=1 point. He made his NHL debut with Philadelphia in 2001-02, going scoreless in seven games with two PIM. The blueliner also played in a career-high 35 games with Carolina during the 2003-04 season, collecting 0-2=2 assists with 31 PIM. St. Jacques split last season between the Portland Pirates and Norfolk Admirals, collecting 5-16=21 points in 62 contests with 59 PIM. In 362 career AHL contests, he has earned 19-95=114 points with 400 PIM. He was traded by Anaheim to Chicago with Pierre Parenteau in exchange for Sebastien Caron, Chris Durno and Matt Keith on Dec. 28, 2006. He was originally acquired by the Ducks on Oct. 3, 2005 from Carolina in exchange for Craig Adams. St. Jacques was selected by Philadelphia in the ninth round (253rd overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

Nashville Predators Executive Vice President/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed forward David Legwand to a six-year, $27 million contract extension. Legwand, 27 (8/17/80), is the Predators? all-time leader in points (304), goals (113), game-winning goals (28), overtime points (5g-5a-10pts) and multiple-goal games (15), and is second all-time in games played (510) and assists (191). With the first (goal) of his three points in a 5-4 win at Montreal last Saturday, Legwand passed Kimmo Timonen for the top spot on the team?s all-time scoring list. ?This is the first step moving forward under new ownership and is a sign of commitment, a desire to win and a desire to keep the core of our young team together in Nashville,? said Poile. ?David Legwand continues to improve and take on a larger role each season. He is entering the prime of his career, and we feel that he is becoming one of the league?s most complete players.? Legwand is currently tied for second on the 2007-08 Predators in points (7g-14a-21pts) and assists. A season ago, the Detroit native posted career-highs in points (27g-36a-63pts), goals and assists, helping the Predators to their best finish in franchise history (51-23-8 wins, 110 points). Legwand has also appeared in all 16 of the franchise?s playoff games.