miaowang123: that helps a guy. Ales Hemsky has been a b

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OTTAWA - For the second straight year the Ottawa Senators have lost their captain on the opening day of NHL free agency. Hines Ward Jersey . The Senators traded Jason Spezza, who was coming off his first year as captain, to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday for winger Alex Chiasson along with prospects Alex Guptill, Nicholas Paul and a second-round pick in 2015. Ottawa prospect Ludwig Karlsson was also part of the trade. Last year the Senators bid farewell to longtime captain Daniel Alfredsson after he chose to sign with the Detroit Red Wings. News of Spezzas departure was much less shocking to Senators fans, as the 31-year-old had requested a trade following the end of the season. "It was a combination of things and the fact I have one year left on my deal," said Spezza, when asked for the reasons behind the trade request. "Only having one year left on my contract I thought it was fair talking to Bryan (Murray) now so we dont get into a situation next year where were always talking about if Im extending or why Im not extending or whats going on moving forward. "I felt like it was best for me to move on and this was the appropriate time to take care of all this through the summer so that I can have a fresh start during the season and move on and the team can move on as well." Senators general manager Bryan Murray acknowledged this was a very difficult deal to be made. "As I said all along you dont get equal value for a skilled point getter, but with the request being three or four times made to us, and in spite of what everybody else says we didnt encourage any movement, we were asked if it would happen," said Murray. "I didnt want to go through another summer of issues … Dallas was the one option that I had. Jim Nill was very straightforward in what he could offer me." Murray told reporters that a contract extension had been offered and refused by Spezza. He said three trade offers had been in play at the NHL draft last weekend, but disappeared as the days went by leaving the Dallas offer as the lone deal on the table. The Senators would like to add another centre to their lineup and Murray said hes working on a deal that he hopes to finalize soon. With Spezzas departure Murray sees the Senators forging a new identity and believes Chiasson will fit right in. "Weve always wanted to shift to a hard working, competitive team that we had two years ago and then last year for some reason we got off the track," said Murray. "Were going to try and get that back on track." Chiasson, who had 13 goals and 35 points with the Stars last season, is the centrepiece of the trade, but in no way will the 23-year-old replace Spezza. Love him or hate him, Spezza was a point-per-game player over his 11 seasons with the Senators. In 686 games Spezza scored 251 goals and had 687 points. Spezza is in the final year of his contract with a $7 million cap hit and $4 million in actual salary. Over the course of his career Spezza has often been a lightning rod for criticism, and things seemed to come to a head this season for the veteran centre. When asked whether or not he felt the criticism was fair, Spezza said it came with the responsibility of being a star player. "I was the highest paid guy on the team and the guy who had been there for a long time so fingers were pointed at me at times, but I also got credit at times," Spezza said. "When you play in a Canadian market and you play in a city like that and youre in the same spot for a long time if you expect not to have the finger pointing you have unrealistic expectations. So at times the finger was pointing at me, but it was the reality of the situation that I was in." Spezza said his decision didnt come lightly and that he will miss many things about Ottawa, but in the end he was looking for a team that would give him the best chance at winning a Stanley Cup. Fans will remember that Alfredsson uttered nearly the exact same words last year after signing with Detroit. With two of its top players bolting from the organization one has to wonder what effect this will have on the Senators reputation. Murray is clearly frustrated by the perception that Ottawa is being viewed as a frugal team thats not willing to spend. "Ive never had one player Ive called and asked if they would be interested in coming to Ottawa say No Im worried about the money on your team and I wouldnt come," said Murray. "Perception is what you make it to be and what you really believe to be true. I think players know they come here and are treated well." Despite losing Spezza and Alfredsson in the span of two years, Murray said the team wont be forced to go into a rebuild. "No, were past that," said Murray. "Were going to have a good hockey team. Were going to compete. We lose a little bit at centre ice, we gain a little bit on the wing, weve got a couple of young guys coming that are going to be a different brand of player…I think our team is going to be really competitive, hard working group of people. I think were going to be well off going forward." Joining Spezza in Dallas is Ales Hemsky, who turned down an offer from the Senators for a contract extension. Hemsky was acquired at the trade deadline and showed chemistry with Spezza, but knowing the captain wanted out left Hemsky with little reason to remain in Ottawa. Both players said they were looking forward to being reunited in Dallas. The Senators did re-sign left-wing Milan Michalek to a three-year, $12-million contract Tuesday. Murray said Michalek had been offered a five-year offer elsewhere, but chose to remain in Ottawa. Joe Haden Jersey .com) - Real Madrid claimed its 16th consecutive victory across all competitions on Saturday after earning a 2-1 win over Malaga at the Estadio La Rosaleda. David DeCastro Jersey . Right-hander Ricky Nolasco and the Twins agreed to terms on a free-agent contract Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.The Winnipeg Jets are on the verge of their best scoring run in nearly three years after a career performance from centre Mathieu Perreault. Visiting the defensively challenged Dallas Stars on Thursday night gives Winnipeg an ample opportunity to continue that surge. The Jets look to score at least four goals in regulation in four straight games for the first time since their inaugural season in Winnipeg following the franchises relocation from Atlanta. Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN3 at 7pm ct or follow the action on TSN Radio Winnipeg 1290 starting at 6pm ct. Winnipeg (22-14-8) has earned a point in three consecutive games. It won 5-4 in a shootout at Los Angeles on Saturday and lost by the same score in a shootout at Anaheim the next day before returning home to face Florida on Tuesday. Perreault scored a career-high four goals as the Jets rolled to an 8-2 victory. Theyve scored at least four times in regulation for three straight games for the first time since April 6-11, 2013, and havent accomplished that feat in four in a row since Feb. 17-23, 2012. Perreault tied the franchise record for goals in a game, giving him 15 to go along with 10 assists in his last 24. He went without a goal in his first 19 games while registering just three assists. Its something very special, Perreault, three goals shy of matching his career high set last season with the Ducks, told Winnipegs official website. Obviously the bounces were going my way. It was one of those nights – a lot of fun. ... Slow start (to the season), but things are going well and I couldnt be happier. All-Star defenseman Dustin Byfuglien added two goals annd an assist after recording three assists in the two games in California. Roosevelt Nix Jersey. Its a big win, Byfuglien said. It doesnt matter if youre on the road or at home. When its time to come to the rink and put on our gear, weve got to come together. We did that tonight. The Jets came together in the first meeting with Dallas (19-16-7) this season, scoring all of their goals in the first two periods of a 5-2 road win Dec. 9. Perreault had a goal and Byfuglien recorded two assists. Winnipeg has scored 17 times as these clubs have split the last four meetings, and the Stars enter this one as one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL with 3.29 goals allowed per game. Dallas has allowed at least four goals four times in the last five games but managed to score enough to beat visiting Ottawa 5-4 and snap an 0-2-2 slide Tuesday. Despite the high goal total, Tyler Seguin failed to register one for the ninth time in 10 games while Jamie Benn didnt score for the eighth time in that span. Seguin, tied for the NHL lead with 26 goals, and Benn, second on the team with 12, didnt skate on the same line at Wednesdays practice. I wanted to look at just maybe a little switch, little different scenery for Tyler and Jamie, coach Lindy Ruff told the teams official website. Sometimes for a period maybe, well take a look at it. Sometimes that helps a guy. Ales Hemsky has been a bright spot for Dallas with three goals in four games and five in the last eight. He didnt score in his first 21 contests. Im more comfortable, Hemsky said. ... I think Ive shot the puck more than I used to. 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