Eastern Conference for the second time in three years.
Former Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas is thinking about making a return to the NHL after spending the 2012-13 season on the sidelines as a suspended player, his agent confirmed to NHL.com Monday night.ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun reported earlier Monday that Thomas' agent, Bill Zito, said the goalie has asked him to explore options for next season. Zito later confirmed the report to NHL.com via email.Thomas, 39, is technically a member of the New York Islanders, who acquired him in a trade from the Bruins on Feb. 2. The Islanders have the right to toll Thomas' contract into the 2013-14 season, but the team has given no indication it plans to do so, which would make Thomas an unrestricted free agent at noon ET on Friday.Other goalies expected to become unrestricted free agents Friday include Evgeni Nabokov,Marian Hossa Jersey, Ilya Bryzgalov, Ray Emery, Nikolai Khabibulin, Jose Theodore and Chris Mason.Thomas sat out the 2012-13 season, the final under a four-year, $20 million contract. He was due to make $3 million but was suspended by the Bruins for not reporting to training camp then was traded to the Islanders. The trade gave the Bruins some salary-cap relief and sent Thomas' $5 million cap value to New York,Shane Doan Authentic Red Jersey, which used it to stay above the salary-cap floor.Thomas won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy with the Bruins in 2011 and played the following season, making headlines when he chose not to attend Boston's championship ceremony at the White House with President Obama because of his political beliefs.Thomas has a career 2.48 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in 378 regular-season appearances. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2009 and 2011.---
SAN JOSE,Shane Doan Jersey, Calif. - The San Jose Sharks have traded forward TJ Galiardi to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft.The Sharks announced the move Tuesday, the deadline for teams to make qualifying offers to their restricted free agents such as Galiardi. He spent the last two seasons with the Sharks, scoring six goals to go with nine assists in 50 regular-season games.Galiardi became expendable after the Sharks acquired Tyler Kennedy from Pittsburgh on Sunday and the arrival of last year's first-round pick Tomas Hertl. Galiardi was acquired from Colorado in a six-player trade in February 2012 and played on San Jose's top line with Brent Burns and Joe Thornton last season.
PHILADELPHIA - Free agent forward Vincent Lecavalier has signed a five-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers.The four-time all-star was bought out last week by the Tampa Bay Lightning with seven years and $45 million remaining on his contract.More to come.
CALGARY - The Calgary Flames have acquired forward T.J. Galiardi from the San Jose Sharks for a fourth-round draft pick in 2015.The Flames signed the Calgary native to a one-year contract worth $1.25 million. He was due to become a restricted free agent.Flames general manager Jay Feaster says he wanted Galiardi for his size and versatility."He can play left-wing or centre, he competes hard, is a very good energy player and he is only 25 years old," Feaster said in a statement Tuesday.The six-foot-two, 190-pound forward has compiled 39 goals and 48 assists in 221 career NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche and Sharks.The Avs drafted Galiardi in the second round, 55th overall, in 2007. His best NHL season to date was in 2009-10 when he had 15 goals and 24 assists in 70 games for Colorado.Colorado traded Galiardi and forward Daniel Winnik to San Jose for Jamie McGinn, two minor-league players and a draft pick at the 2012 trade deadline.Galiardi scored six goals and had nine assists in 50 regular-season games for the Sharks. He had a goal and an assist in 11 playoff games for San Jose this past season.Galiardi averaged almost a point per game for the Western Hockey League's Calgary Hitmen in 2007-08. He led the WHL in post-season scoring with five goals and 19 assists in 16 games.
New Jersey Devils impending unrestricted free agent forward David Clarkson is prepar