Danish center Frans Nielsen agreed to a four-year, $2.1M contract with the Islanders on Saturday, as reported by the Associated Press.

“We’re excited to have Frans locked up for the next four years,” Islanders GM Garth Snow said. [READ]

According to Edmonton radio station The Team 1260 on Friday, Joffrey Lupul has agreed to terms on a four-year contract extension with the Flyers. [READ]

The Sabres were determined to keep Ryan Miller off the list of high profile departures, according to an Associated Press report.

The Sabres locked up their franchise goalie with a five-year, $31.25M extension on Friday, ending speculation that Miller might be gone after this season and the end of his contract. [READ]

The Penguins’ march to the Stanley Cup finals has paid off for coach Michel Therrien, who agreed to a new three-year deal on Friday, according to an Associated Press report.

The deal includes a raise for this season and goes through the 2010-11 season, expected to be the team’s first in a planned $290M arena. [READ]

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have signed center Garth Murray to a one-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Murray, 25, began last season with the Montreal Canadiens and appeared in one game before being claimed off waivers by the Florida Panthers. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound Murray then suffered a season-ending shoulder injury after playing in six games and collecting 19 penalty minutes (PIM) with the Panthers.

In 106 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Canadiens, and Panthers, Murray has recorded 8-2-10 and 119 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in six career NHL playoff games.

Murray has played in 212 career American Hockey League (AHL) games with Hartford and Hamilton, recording 26-31-57 and 508 PIM. He has also collected 2-7-9 and 41 PIM in 32 AHL playoff games.

A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Murray was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the third round (79th overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. [READ]

The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on a three-year entry-level contract with forward David Meckler, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Meckler, 21, was the club’s fifth-round selection (134th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He recently finished his first season of professional hockey with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL).

He recorded 36 points (23-13=36) and 24 penalty minutes in 76 regular season games with the Monarchs, and then added another two points (1-1=2) and two penalty minutes in four postseason games with that club.

Meckler’s 23 goals tied for fourth on the Monarchs and his 36 points ranked seventh best on the squad. He also tied for the team lead with two short-handed goals last season. [READ]

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Brian Fahey.

Fahey, 27, skated in 76 games with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) this past season, registering 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points, along with 123 penalty minutes and a plus-13 rating. He ranked third on the team among defensemen in goals (14) and points (37). He also finished third on the club with 123 penalty minutes and seventh with a plus-13 rating. In addition, Fahey notched two goals and eight assists for 10 points, along with 24 penalty minutes in 24 post-season contests to help the Wolves capture the 2008 Calder Cup championship. He tied for second on the team in assists by a defenseman (eight), and finished fourth on the club in goals by a defensemen (two) during the playoffs.

The 6-1, 215-pounder has skated in 249 career AHL games with the Worcester IceCats, Hershey Bears, Iowa Stars, and Chicago Wolves, recording 31 goals and 57 assists for 88 points, along with 298 penalty minutes. In 2006-07, Fahey finished third among Wolves defensemen with a plus-17 rating. He was awarded the 2007 Tim Breslin Unsung Hero Award, given annually to the Wolves player who best typifies the on-ice spirit and team-first attitude of Tim Breslin. In addition, Fahey has appeared in 46 career AHL post-season contests with Iowa and Chicago, collecting five goals and 11 assists for 16 points, along with 52 penalty minutes.

The Glenview, Illinois native was originally Colorado’s fourth round selection, 119th overall, in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. [READ]

A Michigan bank is suing veteran Sergei Fedorov, saying payments have stopped on more than $2M in loans, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday.

Citizens State Bank filed a lawsuit against Fedorov, a former star with the Red Wings who now plays for the Capitals. [READ]

Marty Reasoner agreed to a deal with the Thrashers after playing with the Oilers for six seasons, according to an Associated Press report on Thursday.

Reasoner had 11 goals and 14 assists with the Oilers last season.

The Thrashers also re-signed restricted free agent forward Brett Sterling to a multi-year contract. [READ]

The Penguins acquired the rights to defenseman Danny Richmond in exchange for the rights to Tim Brent on Thursday, as reported by the Associated Press. [READ]

Red Wings' forward Dallas Drake announced his retirement Tuesday, a month after he finally got to skate with the Stanley Cup, according to an Associated Press report.

“I think it’s a good way for me to go out,” he said. [READ]

Shawn Horcoff signed a six-year, $33M contract extension with the Oilers on Wednesday, as reported by the Associated Press.

Horcoff had 21 goals and 29 assists in 53 games last season before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left shoulder.

The deal allows the Oilers to keep Horcoff in an Edmonton uniform for the long run. [READ]

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney has announced that Coyotes center Martin Hanzal underwent successful back surgery to repair a herniated disk today in Los Angeles by back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins. Hanzal sustained the injury while playing for the Czech Republic at the 2008 IIHF World Championship in May.

Hanzal is scheduled to begin his rehabilitation process in Phoenix shortly and is projected to be ready to resume playing by the start of training camp in mid-September.

Hanzal, 21, recorded 8-27-35 and 28 penalty minutes (PIM) in 72 games for the Coyotes last season as a rookie. The 6-foot-5, 208-pound center ranked 2nd on the Coyotes in faceoffs taken (1,019), T-4th in game-winning goals (3) and 6th in points (35). Among all NHL rookies, Hanzal ranked 4th in faceoffs won (470), 8th in power play assists (11) and power play points (12), T-8th in assists (27), and 9th in points (35). [READ]

The Tampa Bay Lightning have hired former NHL goaltender Mike Vernon as special assistant to the vice president of hockey operations today, owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie announced. Vernon’s duties will be to assist in hockey-related matters and to provide guidance to the team’s goaltenders.

“The Tampa Bay Lightning are thrilled to add a former Stanley Cup Champion to our staff,” Vice President of Hockey Operations Brian Lawton said. “Mike’s past experience and knowledge will be a true benefit to the organization, and it will be critical to us as we continue to make changes within the team to improve it.”

Vernon, a five-time NHL All-Star who retired in 2002 after a stellar 17-season NHL career with Calgary, Detroit, San Jose, and Florida, captured the Stanley Cup with the Flames in 1989 and again with Detroit in 1997. He was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1997 after posting a 16-4 record and 1.76 goals-against average in the playoffs for the Red Wings.

A native of Calgary, Vernon, 45, holds Flames' goaltending records for games played (526), wins (262), minutes played (29,649), playoff games (81), playoff minutes (4,773), and playoff wins (43). While with the Red Wings he shared the William Jennings Trophy with Chris Osgood in 1996 after the pair combined for the NHL’s lowest goals-against average.

Vernon was drafted 56th overall by the Flames in 1981 and played three seasons for the Calgary Wranglers of the Western Hockey League. He was added to the roster of the Portland Winter Hawks in the 1983 Memorial Cup Series, and his performance helped Portland become the first team from outside Canada to win the Cup. He was awarded the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the outstanding goaltender for the series.

After turning professional, he spent most of the next three seasons in the minors before being promoted in January, 1986. That season he helped the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Montreal Canadiens. He remained in Calgary until 1994, when he was traded to the Red Wings. After eight more seasons divided between Detroit, San Jose, Florida, and Calgary again, he announced his retirement on September 13, 2002. [READ]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed defenseman Aaron Rome to a one year, two-way NHL and American Hockey League contract, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today.

As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Rome, 24, had one goal and one assist for two points with 33 penalty minutes in 17 games with the Blue Jackets last season. He collected his first career NHL point with an assist against Detroit on March 16 and netted his first career goal at Detroit on April 3 against Dominik Hasek.

He also added 5-24-29 and 157 penalty minutes in 55 games with Syracuse and Portland (AHL), including 3-21-24 and 126 penalty minutes in 41 games with the Crunch after being acquired with Clay Wilson from Anaheim in exchange for Geoff Platt on November 14. He set career highs in assists, points and penalty minutes and was second among Crunch defensemen in points. [READ]

Free agent Andy Wozniewski signed with the Blues on Thursday after spending last season with the Maple Leafs, an addition that bolsters the St. Louis defense, as reported by the Associated Press. [READ]

Terry Murray, who guided the Flyers to the Stanley Cup finals 11 years ago and has coached 737 regular-season NHL games, was hired late Wednesday by the Kings to succeed Marc Crawford, according to an Associated Press report.

A team spokesman said Murray will be introduced Thursday at an afternoon news conference at the Kings’ training facility in suburban El Segundo. [READ]