Mats Sundin may be touring various NHL cities, but Red Wings GM Ken Holland told the Detroit News that he is not interested in signing the veteran center.

“I don’t know Mats Sundin’s travel plans, but we’re not signing Mats Sundin,” Holland told the newspaper on Wednesday. [READ]

The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today the signing of Joe Sakic to a one-year contract.

“I am happy to announce the signing of Joe Sakic to a one-year contract,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President and General Manager Francois Giguere. “Our entire organization is very excited to have Joe back for another season. As the only captain of the Avalanche, his record of achievement speaks for itself. Having him return is great for our franchise and community, but also for the game of hockey.”

“Ultimately it came down to the fact that I still enjoy playing and competing,” said Sakic. “I’m comfortable with my conditioning and my overall health. I’m ready for the start of camp and am looking forward to the upcoming season.”

Due to the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week, the Avalanche organization will hold a formal press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 1:00 p.m. at the Family Sports Center in Centennial, Colo. At that time, Avalanche Executive Vice President and General Manager Francois Giguere, along with team captain Joe Sakic, will announce the details and answer questions related to this announcement.

Sakic will be made available to the media at that time to discuss hockey, so that the focus of tomorrow’s availability can be on the Food Bank of the Rockies. [READ]

Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have hired Eric Lacroix as Western Pro Scout.

Lacroix, 36, served as assistant coach of the Sundogs when they captured the 2008 Ray Miron President’s Cup as champions of the CHL. One of two principle owners, he helped found the Sundogs in 2005 after working in the Colorado Avalanche organization for four years, where he first served as the assistant coach responsible for video scouting and later was promoted to Director of Hockey Operations.

Prior to his stint in the Avalanche front office, Lacroix spent eight seasons in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators. In 472 career NHL games, the Montreal native recorded 67-70-137 and 361 penalty minutes (PIM). Lacroix was originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round (136th overall) of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. [READ]

Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Sharks on Wednesday, keeping one of the club’s best young players with the Sharks through the 2012-13 season, according to an Associated Press report. [READ]

The Los Angeles Kings have agreed to terms on three-year entry-level contracts with defenseman Viatcheslav Voynov and forward Andrei Loktionov, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today. Per club policy, terms of the agreements were not announced.

Voynov was the Kings’ second-round selection (32nd overall), while Loktionov was the club’s fifth-round pick (123rd overall) in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Voynov, 18, spent the last two seasons with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Russian Hockey League. Last season the 6-0, 190-pound native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, had four points (1-3=4), 20 penalty minutes and a plus-3 rating in 36 games. Voynov was the youngest member of Team Russia at the 2007 World Junior Championships and competed again for Russia at the 2008 World Junior Championships. He was also a member of the silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 Under-18 World Championships, tying for the team lead among defensemen with five points (1-4=5) in six games.

Loktionov, 18, made his debut in the Russian Super League last season and he recorded one assist in five games. The 5-11, 187-pound native of Voskresensk, Russia, was teammates with Voynov for silver medal-winning Team Russia at the 2008 Under-18 World Championships, recording eight points (3-5=8) and 29 penalty minutes in six games. Loktionov was also a member of Team Russia at the 2007 Under-18 World Championships, where he registered six points (2-4=6) and a plus-4 rating in seven games.

Both players recently participated in the Kings’ annual Development Camp in El Segundo. [READ]

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed left wing Joakim Lindstrom to a one-year contract. Per club policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

Lindstrom, 24 (12/5/83), was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a conditional pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft on July 15, 2008. He appeared in 25 games with Columbus last season, scoring 3-4=7 points with an even plus/minus rating and 14 penalty minutes (PIM). Lindstrom set NHL career highs in all offensive categories in 2007-08, including goals, assists, points, power play goals (2), game-winning goals (1) and shots (25).

Lindstrom spent the rest of the 2007-08 season with Syracuse, the Blue Jackets’ primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 25-35=60 points with 68 PIM in 49 games with Syracuse, leading the team in points and power play goals (13) while tying for the lead in goals. Lindstrom also appeared in 13 Calder Cup Playoff games with the Crunch, collecting 4-3=7 points with six PIM.

Originally selected by Columbus in the second round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Lindstrom has appeared in 37 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets, scoring 4-4=8 points with 18 PIM. In four seasons with Syracuse, he collected 65-94=159 points with a +2 rating and 154 PIM in 176 career AHL games.

A native of Skelleftea, Sweden, Lindstrom registered 12-13=25 points with 60 PIM in 133 career games with MoDo in the Swedish Elite League from 2000-05. [READ]

Less than a week after being waived by the New Jersey Devils’ plans, Vitali Vishnevski has found a new home.

Vishnevski on Tuesday signed a contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League, as reported by Yahoo.com. [READ]

Todd Bertuzzi is happy to be back in Canada after stints in both Detroit and Anaheim, according to Canadian Press.

"Here you can't go five or 10 games without a point without anyone noticing and there you can go under the radar a little bit," Bertuzzi said. "That's one thing that I think is going to benefit not just myself but this team. I think you are under the gun here and under the pressure of having to perform."

He has never been very popular in Calgary, especially after his infamous attack on Steve Moore in March 2004 that ended Moore's career.

"Obviously I'm well aware I wasn't the most popular pickup in Calgary Flame history but at the same time I think you've got to give it a little time and give me a chance," he added. "I can't lie to you it's not the jersey I thought I was going to wear, but at the same time I played enough games here to know what kind of fan base and what kind of team they are." [READ]

Predator's President of Hockey Operations/GM David Poile announced Tuesday that the club has signed forward Nick Spaling to an entry-level contract, as reported by NHL.com.

[READ]

Avalanche centre Joe Sakic is scheduled to speak at a press conference Thursday but has given no indication whether he’ll play another season in Colorado or retire, according to a Canadian Press report.

Sakic is set to appear before his charity golf tournament although his agent Don Baizley says, he is “still is trying to make up his mind.” [READ]

Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg is aiming to notch 50 gaols and 100 points this season in Detroit, according to MLive.com.

Zetterberg also hopes to help the Wings defend the Stanley Cup.

"It is of course a great challenge to try to defend [our] Stanley Cup title. We also have great potential to do that because we have an equally good team," he told a Swedish media outlet.

RealGM Note: Zetterberg was ranked 17th in season FIC and had a Reina Value of +150%. [READ]

Veteran Bryan Berard will attempt to make an NHL club on a tryout contract after being invited to training camp with the Flyers, according to an Associated Press report on Monday..

“Bryan has been around a number of years now, (and) he has been a good defenseman for quite some time,” said Flyers' GM Paul Holmgren. “I’m excited about Bryan’s willingness to come here on a tryout. It will certainly pick up the competition level of what is going to take place in training camp.” [READ]

On Monday, Phil Jackson urged the University of North Dakota to "do the right thing" and try to resolve the highly emotional Fighting Sioux logo and nickname controversy.

“Objectification of people is limiting to ourselves as well as to the people objectified," Jackson said at a UND convocation at which he received an honorary doctor of letters degree. [READ]

The Blackhawks have signed right wing Akim Aliu to a three-year deal, the club announced Monday, and reported by the Canadian Press.

Aliu was ranked third on the OHL’s London Knights with a career-high 61 points (28 goals, 33 assists) and 133 penalty minutes in 60 games last season.

Born in Okene, Nigeria, Aliu, 19, was raised in Ukraine until he was seven before moving to Toronto in the mid-90s. [READ]

With the Summer Olympics now on the books, people are already looking forward to the Winter Games of 2010 in Vancouver.

The hockey will be hosted at GM Place, home of the Vancouver Canucks, meaning that men's and women's hockey games will be played on an NHL-size rink, rather than international size.

This could also be the final time NHL players participate. [READ]

New York Rangers' President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with defenseman Tomas Kundratek.

Kundratek, 18, skated in 14 games with HC Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga (CZE) this past season, registering one assist and 10 penalty minutes. He also appeared in two playoff contests with HC Oceláři Třinec, collecting six penalty minutes. Prior to joining HC Oceláři Třinec, Kundratek appeared in two Czech Division 1 (1.liga) contests with the HC Havířovská Panthers, and 15 Czech Division 2 (2.liga) matches with HK Jestřábi Prostějov. He began the 2007-08 season with the HC Oceláři Třinec junior team in the Czech Extraliga U-20 (CZE U-20) league, recording three goals and six assists, along with 28 penalty minutes and a plus-five rating. [READ]

The Columbus Blue Jackets have asked Nikita Filatov (6th overall draft pick) to stop playing exhibition games with the junior club of his former Russian hockey team.

The Jackets made the request to ensure that the 18-year-old forward does not get injured before arriving for rookie training camp, which starts Sept. 12, General Manager Scott Howson said.

Earlier this summer, second-year forward Jared Boll suffered a broken right hand playing a pickup game in Toronto.

"We knew (Filatov) was working out with the (Russian) team, but we were not aware he was playing," Howson said. "When we became aware of it (last week), we asked him to stop, and he said he would." [READ]

The St. Louis Blues expressed interest over the weekend in unrestricted free agent Brendan Shanahan.

Shanahan was a member of the Blues for four seasons during the 1990's.

Team President John Davidson announced they have joined the Shanahan sweepstakes, which is yet to wrap up after the veteran remains open to returning to the New York Rangers for his 21st NHL season. [READ]

Philadelphia Phantoms' forward Andreas Nodl is the first Austrian-born player ever drafted by the Flyers and aims to be the next Thomas Vanek, who was the only player of note from Austria in the NHL last season.

"He's got unbelievable ability," Flyers' assistant Coach Craig Berube told NHL.com. "He played for us last year in the playoffs, and he was very good. It was like he played there all year. He's got great hands, good instincts, composure with the puck, great skater. He can kind of do it all. He's a solid player all-around." [READ]

Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee will not hesitate to dip into an extremely talented prospect pool if needed this season, especially on the blue line.

"When we traded (defenseman) Steve Eminger at the draft, we did so knowing we did not want to carry eight defenders next season," McPhee told NHL.com. "We carried eight last season and found out that it's too hard on people. So trading Eminger will allow prospects in our system a chance to play with us."

The Capitals have four solid blueliners in their system, including Karl Alzner, the Western Hockey League Player of the Year and Team Canada captain in the 2008 World Junior Championship. [READ]

When Corey Crawford was asked if he's spending his summer waiting and praying for GM Dale Tallon to trade veteran Nikolai Khabibulin in order to free up room for him on the team's depth chart behind Cristobal Huet, Crawford laughed on the other side of the phone line.

"You know what, if I sit here and do that all summer I think I'd drive myself nuts until training camp," Crawford told NHL.com. "The best thing for me to do is take it day by day and focus on my training."

Crawford appears headed for his fourth season in the AHL. [READ]