by Fitzgerald Cecilio

Denver, CO

Nathan MacKinnon, the NHL's first overall pick in the 2013 draft, has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche Tuesday.

His base salary is $925,000 with the bonuses pushing the cap hit up to $3.775 million, the maximum a player can earn in his first contract.

MacKinnon was given a signing bonus as well as those pertaining to number of games played and possible awards.

"The signing of this first NHL contract represents for me another step towards becoming a professional hockey player," the Halifax native said

The deal gives the Avs 23 players signed up for this coming season, which is the NHL maximum. They still have $10.3 million in room under the NHL's $64.3 million salary cap.

MacKinnon was only the third 17-year old to be taken first overall at the NHL draft in the last 26 years, joining Sidney Crosby in 2005 and Joe Thornton in 1997.

The six-foot, 182-pound centre appeared in all six of Canada's games at the at the 2013 world junior championship in Ufa, Russia, posting one assist.

MacKinnon will be a starter in the upcoming season, according Avalanche coach Patrick Roy.

Around the NHL

Defenseman Joe Corvo returns to Senators on one-year deal

Ottawa, ON, Canada

For the second time in his career, journeyman Joe Corvo will play for the Ottawa Senators on a one-year deal worth $900,000.

The 36-year-old Corvo played for the Senators for parts of two seasons from 2006-08. He was with the team when Ottawa reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2007.

Adding Corvo gives the Senators four defensemen on one-way contracts, with restricted free agents Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercioch still unsigned.

"Joe brings us a veteran defenseman that has a history of scoring points in the National Hockey League," Senators general manager Bryan Murray said. "He has been here, he has an understanding of what it takes to play in this market now."

Murray said Corvo is a veteran guy who can join the power play, can shoot the puck well and can address other needs of the team.

Last season, Corvo had six goals and 17 points in his third stint with the Carolina Hurricanes. He also played for the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals.

Corvo has 89 goals and 300 points in 683 career games. He has reached double digits in goals three times, including 14 in both 2005-06 and 2008-09.

Oilers re-sign forward Ryan Jones, add netminder Richard Bachman

Edmonton, AB, Canada

The Edmonton Oilers have re-signed forward Ryan Jones to a one-year contract and added goaltender Richard Bachman.

A fourth round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2004, the 29-year-old Jones played 27 games with the Oilers last season, scoring two goals and finishing with seven points.

In the previous two seasons, Jones scored a career-high 18 goals in 2010-11 and had 17 goals and a career-best 33 points in 2011-12.

"I'm really excited. It's no secret that I love being in Edmonton and love playing for Edmonton," Jones said. "Going into this free agency, our main priority was to get a deal done back with Edmonton and I'm extremely happy and glad to have got that done."

Jones' 2012-13 season ended in late December when he sustained an eye injury.

"I left a little bit to be a desired last year and I wanted to come back and redeem myself and prove to people that I still have a ton of game left in me," Jones said.

Jones, claimed by the Oilers on waivers from the Nashville Predators on April 3, 2010, has 52 goals and 94 points in 282 regular-season games with the Predators and Oilers.

The 25-year-old Bachman played 13 games for the Dallas Stars in 2012-13 and had a 6-5-0 record with a 3.25 goals-against average and .885 save percentage.

A fourth-round choice of the Stars in the 2006 Draft, Bachman also played six games for the Texas Stars in the American Hockey League, where he was 5-1-0 with a 2.31 GAA and .920 save percentage.

In 32 NHL games, Bachman has a 14-10-1 record with a 2.94 goals-against average and .901 save percentage.

Center Derek Roy, Blues agree on one-year deal

St. Louis, MO

Free-agent center Derek Roy has agreed in principle on a one-year, $4 million contract with the St. Louis Blues, pending a physical exam.

"Proud to part of the St Louis Blues organization. Excited to get started," Roy said on his Twitter account.

"Coming to a young, skillful team like this, with a ton of grit, was right in my wheelhouse," Roy later told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I want to win a Stanley Cup, and I thought this team was on the verge of becoming a great contending team."

The 30-year-old Roy split the 2012-13 season between the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks. He tallied four goals and 22 points with the Stars before he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks on April 2.

He had three goals and six points in 12 regular-season games and one assist in Vancouver's four-game loss to the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is hoping that Roy regains his scoring touch after a disappointing 2012-13 season.

"Roy is a playmaking centerman and he's just 30 years old," Armstrong said. "I think it's a great opportunity for Derek to re-establish himself."

A second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2001 NHL Draft, Roy has 168 goals and 455 points in 591 career games in the NHL, and seven goals and 26 points in 45 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

However, Roy has been injury-prone in recent years. He was off to a point-per-game start before missing the final 46 games of the 2010-11 season and six playoff games after having surgery to repair a tendon in his left quadriceps. He also had shoulder surgery in July 2012.

Senators trade for Bobby Ryan after losing Daniel Alfredsson

Ottawa, ON

The Ottawa Senators have acquired Bobby Ryan from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forwards Jakob Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen and their first-round pick in next year's draft.

The trade allowed the Senators to fill in the loss of captain Daniel Alfredsson with a younger offensive threat in the 26-year-old Ryan, a four-time 30-goal scorer.

The Ryan trade was completed hours into the start of the NHL's free-agency moments after the Senators lost Alfredsson to the Detroit Red Wings.

Ryan was selected with the No. 2 pick by Anaheim in the 2005 draft. He has combined for 289 points (147 goals, 142 assists) in 378 career games.

With the Senators, he joins top-line scoring star Jason Spezza, and a young core of players that includes Milan Michalek and 2012 Norris Trophy-winning defensman Erik Karlsson under this year's NHL coach of the year Paul MacLean.

 

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