The Canucks have signed veteran free agent defenseman Mathieu Schneider to a one-year contract, according to an Associated Press report on Friday.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed defenseman Matt Lashoff to a two-year contract today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. ?We were extremely pleased to bring Matt into the fold at the trade deadline,? Lawton said. ?We are even more excited to get him under contract for the upcoming season. His signing today only further enhances the overall depth of our organization at defense as we head into training camp.? Lashoff, 6-foot-2, 204 pounds, has played in 58 career NHL games with the Lightning and the Boston Bruins, recording a goal and 15 points. He has amassed 166 career AHL games with the Providence Bruins and the Norfolk Admirals, recording 26 goals and 95 points. He was named a starter in the 2008 AHL All-Star Classic and to the 2006-07 AHL All-Rookie Team. Lashoff was also named Providence?s best defenseman for the 2006-07 season after leading all P-Bruins defensemen in scoring. The 22-year-old played in 12 games with Tampa Bay after being acquired from Boston, recording seven assists. He played in a career-high 28 games during the season with the Lightning and Bruins, posting career bests for assists and points with eight. He averaged a career-high 23:46 in ice time with Tampa Bay and recorded a point in three of his first four games with the Lightning. Lashoff played three seasons of junior hockey with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, recording 16 goals, 93 points and 284 penalty minutes in 162 games. His 40 assists in 2005-06 were tied for third on the team. A native of East Greenbush, New York, Lashoff was acquired by the Lightning with Martins Karsums from Boston in exchange for Mark Recchi and a second-round pick in 2010 on March 4, 2009. He was originally drafted by the Bruins in the first round, 22nd overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed right wing Martins Karsums to a one-year contract today, Executive Vice President and General Manager Brian Lawton announced. Karsums, 5-foot-10 and 198 pounds, has played in 24 career NHL games with Tampa Bay and Boston. During his first NHL season in 2009-10, he amassed a goal and six points. He played in 18 games with the Lightning after being acquired from Boston in a trade along with Matt Lashoff in exchange for Mark Recchi and a second-round pick in 2010 on March 4, 2009. Once with the Lightning, Karsums recorded a goal and five points and increased his average time on ice from 9:44 in six games with Boston to 11:40 with Tampa Bay. He also finished strong with a goal and three points in his final five games. He scored his first career goal on April 3 at New Jersey and recorded his first NHL point with Boston on January 10 against Carolina. Karsums made his NHL debut with Boston on December 13 versus Atlanta. Karsums represented his native Latvia during the 2009 World Championships in Switzerland, recording a goal and four points with 27 penalty minutes. A native of Riga, Latvia, Karsums, 23, has played in 176 career AHL games with the Providence Bruins, amassing 50 goals and 139 points. He has appeared in 22 career Calder Cup Playoff games, recording 10 goals and 14 points. Prior to turning pro, Karsums played in 139 games with the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, tallying 78 goals and 144 points from 2003-06. Karsums was drafted by Boston in the second round, 64th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

The Predators have added depth to their lower lines by signing center Marcel Goc to a two-way contract. The deal is worth $550,000 on the NHL level and $105,000 on the AHL level. Goc has spent the last four seasons in San Jose.

Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Friday that Gord Dineen and Derek King have been named assistant coaches of the Maple Leafs? American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Dineen and King will work under recently appointed Marlies? head coach Dallas Eakins. Dineen, a 46-year-old Toronto native, was the head coach of the Iowa Chops, Anaheim?s AHL affiliate in 2008-09. This past season under Dineen?s guidance, Iowa earned a record of 33 wins, 33 losses and 14 shootout/overtime losses. He has worked as both a head coach and an assistant coach in professional hockey since the 1999-00 season. As a defenceman, Dineen competed in 18 seasons of professional hockey (1982 - 2000). In 528 career NHL games with the New York Islanders, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Ottawa, he registered 106 points on 16 goals and 90 assists with 695 penalty minutes. He was selected 42nd overall in the 1981 Entry Draft by the Islanders. King, 42, returns to the organization after playing 161 games for the Maple Leafs from 1997 to 2000 during which he scored 45 goals and 53 assists for 98 points. He played 14 seasons (1986 - 2000) in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Hartford, Toronto and St. Louis. In 830 games, he compiled 612 points on 261 goals and 351 assists, while adding 417 penalty minutes. The Hamilton native registered three 30-goal seasons, including one 40-goal season during his NHL career. He was also a player-assistant coach with the AHL?s Grand Rapids Griffins for two seasons from 2002-03 to 2003-04. In the 1985 Entry Draft he was selected 13th overall by the Islanders.

Left wing Jeff Cowan has signed a one-year deal with the Sabres on Thursday, according to an Associated Press report. Cowan is an eight-year NHL veteran but spent last season playing for Peoria of the AHL.

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defenseman Brett Festerling to a two-year contract through the 2010-11 NHL season. Per club policy, no financial terms of the deal were disclosed. Festerling, 23 (3/3/86), appeared in his first NHL season with the Ducks in 2008-09, collecting 0-5=5 points with a +5 rating and 18 penalty minutes (PIM) in 40 games. Festerling made his NHL debut on Nov. 16, 2008 vs. Los Angeles and earned his first NHL point with an assist on Dec. 3, 2008 at Chicago. The 6-1, 214-pound blueliner also appeared in his first career playoff game in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals on May 7, 2009 vs. Detroit. The Quesnel, British Columbia native spent the rest of the regular season with Anaheim?s then-American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in Iowa, earning 0-7=7 points with 18 PIM in 34 games. Signed as a free agent on Sept. 14, 2005, Festerling spent his first professional season with Portland (AHL) in 2007-08, collecting 3-11=14 points with 64 PIM in 74 games. In the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs, he helped the Pirates to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, scoring 1-3=4 points in 15 games. Prior to making his professional debut, Festerling played six seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with Tri-City and Vancouver, earning 15-15=69 points with 205 PIM in 314 career games.

The Hurricanes have added another veteran center to their roster, agreeing to terms with Stephane Yelle, according to an Associated Press report. The Hurricanes said Wednesday that the 14-year pro has agreed to a one-year deal worth $550,000.

The Rangers have signed forward Vaclav Prospal to a one-year, $1.1 million deal, according to the New York Post. Prospal is a forward, but could center New York's top line with Marian Gaborik and Christopher Higgins. He had 19 goals and 26 assists last season with the Lightning.

New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that Mark Messier has been named Special Assistant to the President. ?Mark is one of the greatest players in the history of the National Hockey League. I have witnessed him grow throughout his career and am looking forward to him joining the organization and learning a whole new part of the hockey business.,? stated Sather. ?I am looking forward to joining the Rangers organization and having the opportunity to learn a new part of the business, working closely with Glen?, stated Messier. ?I have felt a strong connection to the Rangers, Madison Square Garden and the city of New York from the moment I arrived in 1991. I am honored to begin this new chapter of my career here.? The 16-time NHL All-Star joined the Rangers on October 4, 1991 in one of the most significant transactions in the history of the organization. Messier was acquired from Edmonton in exchange for Bernie Nicholls, Steven Rice and Louie DeBrusk. He was named captain in his first home game as a Ranger on October 7, 1991 following his Rangers debut in Montreal, on October 5. In his first season with the club, Messier guided the team to the President?s Trophy, leading the team in scoring with 107 points and capturing his second Hart Trophy. He set a Rangers record for most assists by a center, with 72, while becoming the fifth player in franchise history to reach the 100-point plateau. In 1993-94, Messier led the Rangers to the team?s second President?s Trophy in three seasons and carried the Rangers to its first Stanley Cup Championship in 54 years. He set a Rangers playoff record with 12 post-season goals, including the Stanley Cup winning tally on June 14, 1994, as the Rangers defeated Vancouver, 3-2, to win Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals. Messier, who ranks seventh all-time with four career playoff hat tricks, recorded his most memorable three or more goal game on May 25, 1994, at New Jersey in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, netting three goals, including the game-tying and game-winning tallies. He ranks second on the Rangers all-time playoff scoring list with 80 points, placing second in goals (29) and assists (51). Messier played his final game with the Rangers on March 31, 2004, against the Buffalo Sabres, scoring the 694th goal of his career. He officially announced his retirement on September 12, 2005. Messier?s number 11 was retired by the Rangers and raised to the Madison Square Garden rafter?s on Thursday, January 12, 2006. The Edmonton, Alberta native was a four-time NHL First Team All-Star and two-time winner of the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league MVP as voted by the players. Messier ranks fifth on the Rangers all-time scoring list with 691 points. Named the club?s MVP in 1992, 1995 and 1996, he places seventh all-time in goals with 250 and sixth in assists with 441. Messier holds Rangers club records for Most Game Winning Goals, Playoff Year (four, ?94), Most Points, Playoff Series (11, ?94 Conference Finals), Most Shorthanded Goals, Single Game (two, Apr. 21, 1992 vs. New Jersey) and Most Goals, One Period (three, May 25, 1994 at New Jersey). Messier ranks second on the NHL?s all-time scoring list with 1,887 points. In addition, he places seventh in goals with 694, third in assists with 1,193 and second in games played with 1,756. He is a two-time recipient of the Hart Trophy, as the league?s Most Valuable Player (?90, ?92), has appeared in the second most playoff contests in National Hockey League history (236) and also ranks second in goals (109), assists (186) and points (295). The winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1984 as the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Messier is a six-time Stanley Cup Champion, captaining the 1990 Edmonton Oilers and the 1994 New York Rangers. Messier is the first player to have served as captain for two different teams winning the Stanley Cup.