The Lightning have agreed to terms with defenseman Nikita Nesterov on a three-year, entry-level contract today, vice president and GM Steve Yzerman announced. 

Nesterov played in 35 games with Chelyabinsk Traktor of the KHL this season, recording 14 penalty minutes while averaging 12:21 in average ice time.  He also appeared in 19 playoff games, recording four assists as Traktor lost to Dynamo Moscow in the Continental Cup Finals.  

Nesterov, 20, was selected by Tampa Bay in the fifth round, 158^th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.  He participated in the 2012 Lightning Development Camp at the Brandon Ice Sports Forum.   

Rangers President and GM Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with undrafted free agent forward Michael Kantor.

Kantor, 21, registered 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points, along with 93 penalty minutes in 56 games with the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL this season. He established career-highs in goals and points. Kantor ranked fourth on the team in goals, eighth in points, and third in penalty minutes. 

The Red Wings and Jimmy Howard agreed to a $31.8M, six-year deal Tuesday, keeping the goalie off the market as a free agent this coming summer.

"We're extremely pleased to have Jimmy under contract for the next six seasons," GM Ken Holland said.

Jimmy Howard and the Red Wings are finalizing the last details on a new contract that would keep the goalie in Detroit long term.

"It's close," he told ESPN.com.

Howard confirmed with reporters that it's a six-year deal, with TSN reporting that it's worth about $5.3M per season.

Swedish forward Carl Soderberg and the Bruins have reached an agreement on a multi-year deal, and his release from his Swedish team Linkoping also has been finalized, a source confirmed Tuesday.

The only thing left to be done as of Tuesday afternoon was for the Swedish Ice Hockey Association to approve Soderberg's transfer to the Bruins and the NHL. 

Rangers President and GM Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with free agent defenseman Tommy Hughes.

Hughes, 20, registered one goal and 15 assists for 16 points, along with 66 penalty minutes in 67 games with the London Knights of the OHL this season. He established career-highs in games played, assists, points, and penalty minutes. Hughes tied for sixth on the team in penalty minutes and eighth in plus/minus rating. 

The Lightning have agreed to terms with forward B.J. Crombeen on a two-year contract extension, vice president and GM Steve Yzerman announced Monday.

“We are pleased to have B.J. with the Lightning organization for another two years,” Yzerman said. “He has proven to be a hard-nosed right winger and reliable penalty killer, as well as a very popular teammate of outstanding character.”