NHL roundup: Kings captain Brown suspended
Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown was suspended on Wednesday for the final two games of the regular season for throwing an elbow during a loss to the Minnesota Wild, the NHL announced Wednesday after a hearing.
Brown knocked down Wild forward Jason Pominville on Tuesday night in the second period with an elbow that appeared to land in the face area as Pominville skated toward him. No penalty was called on the play.
Brown, who ranks sixth in the NHL in hits this season with 156, had never been suspended in his career. His streak of playing in 314 consecutive games will come to an end.
--- Veteran New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur reiterated that he plans to honor the final year of his contract and return for a 20th NHL season in 2013-14.
Brodeur, 40, had 19 saves in the Devils' 3-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The Devils already are eliminated from playoff contention.
"I had a fun year," Brodeur, according to The Bergen Record. "I felt really good playing again. I'm just looking forward to playing a full season next year and see what's that's going to bring us. But I haven't changed my mind. I still have that passion to play the game."
Brodeur is the NHL's career leader in wins and shutouts.
---Defenseman Seth Jones is ranked by Central Scouting as the top North American skater and Aleksander Barkov is the No. 1 prospect in Europe in the latest ratings for the 2013 NHL draft.
Jones led Western Hockey League rookie defensemen with 56 points (14-42) in 61 games this season for Portland. The Arlington, Texas, native is the son of former NBA player "Popeye" Jones.
The last U.S.-born player to be picked No. 1 in the NHL Draft was Chicago's Patrick Kane in 2007.
--- The Washington Capitals re-signed forwards Eric Fehr and Aaron Volpatti, the team announced Wednesday.
Fehr's two-year deal is worth $1.4 million in 2013-14 and $1.6 million in 2014-15. The 27-year-old has eight goals and eight assists in 39 games this season. He has 112 points (56 goals) in 304 career games with the Capitals and Winnipeg.
Volpatti, 28, has a two-year deal valued at $550,000 in 2013-14 and $600,000 in 2014-15. The 28-year-old joined the Capitals from Vancouver after being claimed off waivers on Feb. 28.
--- Three brothers on the same team and four in the same building for an NHL game. That could happen Thursday night.
The Carolina Hurricanes recalled forward Jared Staal from the American Hockey League on Wednesday and he is expected to play Thursday night against the New York Rangers.
Staal, 22, the youngest of four brothers, joins Eric and Jordan Staal on the Carolina roster. Marc Staal plays for the Rangers, but he has been sidelined and on injured reserve since March 5 after he was hit in the eye.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, three other trios of brothers have played on the same team: Max, Doug and Reggie Bentley in 1942-43 for the Chicago Blackhawks; Bob, Barclay and Bill Plager for the St. Louis Blues in the late 1960s and early 70s; and Peter, Anton and Marian Stastny for the Quebec Nordiques in the 1980s.