Next season's ceiling of $44 million gives Stars room for free agents

02:02 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 21, 2006

By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News

The NHL is expected to set next season's salary cap at $44 million, according to the Associated Press.

The figure means two things: first, the league has bounced back from the lockout – the cap has increased $5 million because this season's revenue is expected to be $2.1 billion; and second, the Stars have cap room to sign free agents.

"I definitely see it as a good sign," Stars owner Tom Hicks said. "The large markets and the Canadian teams have exceeded expectations in returning quickly."

Hicks, team president Jim Lites and GM Doug Armstrong will be in New York today for the league's Board of Governors meeting, which kicks off a busy week that includes the NHL Awards ceremony Thursday and the entry draft Saturday in Vancouver. Free agency will open July 1.

The cap last season was $39 million on a projected income of $1.8 billion. The $44 million salary cap next season gives the Stars some wiggle room as they have 13 players under contract for $33.4 million. They have an option to sign defenseman Jon Klemm for just over $1 million, and they are negotiating with unrestricted free agents Jason Arnott and Willie Mitchell.

The Stars can also open up an extra $4.5 million in salary cap space this season if they buy out winger Bill Guerin, which they must do by July 30.

Armstrong said all of that will wait until after the draft, in which the Stars will have just two picks in the first 100 (27 and 90).

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Former Montreal Canadiens coach Alain Vigneault was hired Tuesday as coach of the Vancouver Canucks, who promoted him from their minor league affiliate.

He replaces Marc Crawford, who was fired in April after missing the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Crawford has since been hired as coach of the Los Angeles Kings.

Vigneault, 45, coached the Canadiens for more than three seasons (1997-01) and spent last year behind the bench of the Manitoba Moose. He led the AHL team to its first 100-point season and the second round of the playoffs.

DENVER – Avalanche captain Joe Sakic signed a one-year deal worth $5.75 million to stay in Colorado.

Sakic, who has played all 17 seasons with the Avalanche franchise, turns 37 in July. He said he thought a one-year contract extension was fair to both sides, but he hopes to play at least two more seasons.

Sakic ranks 11th on the NHL's all-time list in points (1,489), 15th in assists (915) and 17th in goals (574). He has more overtime playoff goals (7) than anyone else.

The Carolina Hurricanes and their fans celebrated the first major pro title in the state's history Tuesday. The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup by beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 on Monday night, prompting Tuesday's parade of pickups carrying players through a cheering crowd at the RBC Center in Raleigh.

Game 7 had a 3.3 rating and 6 share on NBC on Monday night, down 21 percent from Game 7 in 2004 – the last season before the lockout. In 2004, the Tampa Bay Lightning's Game 7 victory over the Calgary Flames had a 4.2 rating and a 7 share on ABC.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.