National Hockey League roundup
(The Sports Xchange) - The Florida Panthers signed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to a three-year contract extension on Friday. TSN reported that the deal is worth $13 million. Kulikov, 23, set career highs last season with 81 games played and eight goals. The Russian averaged nearly 22 minutes per game while finishing second among the team's defensemen in hits and fourth in blocked shots. In 313 NHL games, all with the Panthers, Kulikov has 24 goals with 75 assists and 201 penalty minutes. The Arizona Coyotes signed first-round draft choice Brendan Perlini to a three-year entry-level contract. Pelini, who was taken No. 12 overall, had 34 goals and 37 assists in 58 games with Niagara of the OHL last season. He led the IceDogs in goals and finished second on the team in scoring. The 18-year-old also had three goals and one assist in seven games and won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the U-18 world championship earlier this year. The Boston Bruins re-signed forwards Jordan Caron, Craig Cunningham and Tyler Randell, along with defenseman Tommy Cross, to one-year contracts. The Bruins also signed defenseman Zach Trotman to a two-year contract. In addition, the Bruins agreed to terms with forward Justin Florek on a one-year, two-way contract. Caron, 23, received a one-way contract worth $600,000. The 25th pick in the 2009 draft, Caron had one goal and three points in 35 regular-season games and one goal in seven Stanley Cup playoff games last season. Caron has 12 goals and 28 points in 123 games over parts of four seasons with Boston. The Pittsburgh Penguins hired seven-time All-Star and three-time Stanley Cup champion Mark Recchi as player development coach. Recchi, 46, will be in charge of working with prospects throughout the minor leagues as well as at the college and junior levels. (Editing by Larry Fine)
