Haggerty: Spooner deal represents his last chance with Bruins

The Bruins and Ryan Spooner wisely came to a contract agreement on a one-year, $2.825 million deal just prior to the start of Wednesday’s arbitration hearing. Don Sweeney hasn’t yet taken a B’s player to arbitration during his three years running the Black and Gold, and it could have grown unnecessarily contentious with a player like Spooner if they’d been forced to point out his flaws as a player in the uncomfortable setting of an arbitration hearing. “It’s a fair deal for both sides in our opinion,” said Spooner’s agent Murray Kuntz to CSN after the one-year contract had been agreed upon.  Now that Spooner has been signed to the one-year deal, it represents the last chance for the 25-year-old

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  Bruins, Ryan Spooner avoid arbitration with 1-year deal

  The Associated Press
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  Ryan Spooner, Bruins Avoid Arbitration With Reported $2.825M Contract

  New England Sports Network

Markov leaves Canadiens to sign in KHL, may play in Olympics

Andrei Markov is leaving the NHL after 16 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens to play in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League. Markov announced his decision on a conference call Thursday. He hopes to represent Russia in the Olympics next February in South Korea, which will happen without NHL players. The 38-year-old said his top option was to return to Montreal and finish his career there. When that didn't happen, he decided to move home. Markov would have been the top free agent available, but instead he should be Russia's top defenseman at the Olympics. Russia is expected to fill its roster with KHL players, including former NHL stars Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk. In 990 games, Markov had

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  Andrei Markov says Montreal rejected one-year deal, heads to KHL

  Puck Daddy
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  Andrei Markov will not return to the Montreal Canadiens next season

  SB Nation

After making NHL debut, Jones re-ups with Isles

One of the Isles’ feel-good stories from last season wrote a new chapter on Thursday. Connor Jones, the undrafted 26-year-old that made his NHL debut in April, has signed a one-year, two-way extension, the club announced. Jones certainly earned his way to the show. He spent four years at Quinnipiac before catching on with the Oilers, spending time with both their AHL and ECHL affiliates before jumping to the Isles organization in 2015. Though he’s not an offensive producer — just 19 points in 58 games with Bridgeport last season — Jones emerged as a good energy guy that proved an effective penalty killer. With AHL Bridgeport, he also played alongside his twin brother, Kellen, who was in attendance