Dumont let go by Sabres; Legace signs in St.Louis; Sinden set to retire; more...

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The Buffalo Sabres have decided to exercise their walk-away option on the arbitration award to forward J.P. Dumont.
Effective immediately, Dumont becomes an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any NHL team. Dumont had his case heard by an arbitrator on Monday, July 31, and was subsequently awarded a one-year, $2.9 million contract. Dumont, 28, scored 40 points in 54 games for Buffalo last season. Since being acquired with Doug Gilmour in a trade from Chicago for Michal Grosek on March 10, 2000, Dumont scored 223 points in 362 games with the Sabres.
For his career, Dumont has 256 points in 434 games with Chicago and Buffalo.

After the Detroit Red Wings chose to cut ties with Manny Legace earlier in the summer, the veteran goaltender has signed with the St. Louis Blues.
''The Blues are thrilled to bring a veteran goaltender with a career winning record to our team,'' said club president John Davidson. ''With the addition of Manny, we feel solid with the depth we have in goal.''
Legace was 37-8-0 record with a 2.19 goals-against average last season but was blamed for the club's first-round playoff loss to Edmonton.
That didn't deter the Blues, who also have Jason Bacashihua and Curtis Sanford between the pipes.

Eric Desjardins
Flyers defenceman Eric Desjardins, the second-highest scoring defenceman in team history, will retire this week, a team spokesman said Wednesday. Flyers spokesman Zack Hill said the 37-year-old Desjardins was going to make an official announcement Thursday.FULL STORY...

Gonchar says Malkin to stay in Russia
Call it a case of broken telephone. After saying he expected Russian star Evgeni Malkin to play in the NHL this season, defenseman Sergei Gonchar has changed his tune.

Bruins' Sinden steps down as president
President Harry Sinden is stepping down after more than 40 years with the NHL team. He will continue as an adviser to Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs and as alternate governor for the team on the NHL's board of governors.

Forward Alexei Mikhnov has informed Russian club Yaroslavl that he wants to play in the NHL this season which means the 2000 first round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers could be at training camp in September. The 24 year old is expected to sign a one year deal with the NHL club, likely worth $817,000 with a minor league clause... the Oilers have also begun contract talks with recently acquired forward Joffrey Lupul, who earned $949,000 in Anaheim last year... The Oilers have also expressed interest in free agent forward Petr Sykora, who played with Lupul in Anaheim before finishing the season with the Rangers. - Edmonton Journal