Recent Signings (Prospects and the like)

-The Phoenix Coyotes have signed Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D, to a three-year entry level contract. Larsson, 18, was Phoenix's first choice, 6th overall, in the 2009 draft. Last season, he tallied 9 goals and 27 points for Leksand in Sweden. Recently, at the World Hockey Championships, Ekman-Larsson had 3 points in 9 games with Sweden playing against some of the best players in the world. His annual cap hit will be $1.75 milion per season.

-The NY Rangers have signed Mats Zuccarello-Aasen, LW, to a 2-year deal. The deal is worth a reported $900,000 per season. Zuccarello-Aasen, listed generously at 5'7" and 161 lbs, first garnered attention with a eyebrow-raising performance for Norway at the 2010 Olympics. Last season in the Swedish Elite League, he had 23 goals and 64 points 55 games with Modo.

-The Ranger also acquired Jyri Niemi, D, from the NY Islanders for a 6th round pick. Niemi, 19, as a 3rd choice, 72nd overall, by the NY Islanders in 2008. With the window on signing him closing rapidly (Teams have until June 1st to sign 2008 draft picks taken from the CHL), the Islanders decided against signing him and shipped him to the Rangers, who immediately inked him to a three-year entry-level contract. Niemi had 8 goals and 29 points in 50 games with Saskatoon of the WHL. The trade was the first between the two NHL rivals in nearly 4 decades.

-Colorado signed defenceman Jonas Holos to a two-year deal worth $613k annually. Holos, 22, was a 6th round choice, 108th overall of Colorado in 2008. The Norwegian-born defender had 1 goal and 14 points in 51 games with Farjestad of the Swedish Elite League. Like Zuccarello-Aasen, Holos also played for the upstart Norway squad in the 2010 Olympics.

-The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenceman Yann Sauve to a 3-year entry level contract worth $671k per season. Sauve, 20, was the Canucks' second pick, 41st overall, in the 2008 entry draft. Last season, with Saint John of the QMJHL, Sauve put up 7 goals and 36 points in 61 games.

-The Nashville Predators have signed goaltender Anders Lindback to a two-year contract. Lindback, who stands an imposing 6'6", played for Timra of the Swedish Elite League last season, where he had a G.A.A. of 2.46 and a Save PCT of .913 in 42 games. He was a 7th round choice, 207th overall, of Nashville and will earn $900,000 per season in the NHL.