Dein erstes Forum » If he clears waivers hell join the AHLs

VANCOUVER -- Jannik Hansen does not have to worry about his NHL job security for quite some time. Christian Okoye Super Bowl Jersey . The utility winger signed a US$10-million, four-year contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. "Its something I wanted," Hansen told reporters after practice. "Were a good fit. I like it here. To come to a new agreement now, it makes it a lot easier on the sour days. It was something that I was hopeful that theyd be willing to do." The new deal will kick in at the start of the 2014-15 season, so the Canucks have effectively locked him up for five seasons. It comes as he is expected to play a key role early in the upcoming campaign, which the Canucks begin Thursday in San Jose. Hansen could start on the first line, depending on how new coach John Tortorella wants to deploy Alex Burrows. If Burrows takes his usual spot on the first line, as he did late in the pre-season, Hansen could play on the second line. That depends on if David Booths recovery from a groin injury suffered in the pre-season and an ankle problem that sidelined him since March before he played an exhibition game heal quickly. At the very least, Hansen will play on a third line that is in a state of transition with new players -- and also vying to beef up its offensive production. Hansen said the new contract allows him to concentrate on having a good season instead of worrying about his future with the club. "It was fairly easy," he said. "It took a couple days to get it done. ... Its familiar. Its comforting and, again, you know where youre going to be." But the 27-year-old from Herlev, Denmark, who had 10 goals and 17 assists in 47 games for Vancouver last season, did not have the same luxury at the outset of his career. He was selected by Vancouver in the seventh round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of his first two pro seasons in the minors. He also had to battle for playing time with the Canucks during his third and fourth seasons as he was dispatched to their former Manitoba farm club in the AHL in the third and fourth campaigns as well. Since then he has established himself as a tenacious, grinding NHL winger who also has speed and can score on occasion. He also has the ability to play all four lines. "Obviously, its nice to have (more security), not only for financial (reasons), but also in terms of not being tossed around (between the NHL and minors) like you usually do in your earlier years where its kind of hard to set up a base," said Hansen. One of few players from Denmark in the NHL, Hansen has represented his homeland at the IIHF world hockey championships four times (2012, 2008, 2006 and 2005). He has 50 goals and 81 assists in 318 career NHL games, all of them with the Canucks. The six-foot-one, 197-pound Hansen has also appeared in 58 career NHL playoff games, with five goals and nine assists. But he is coveted by coaches for much more than the limited offence for which he is known. His versatility, he feels, has helped him earn the sizable salary and contract with decent term. "I think thats the reason ... being able to do a little bit of everything," he said. "When I wasnt scoring, I was chipping in in other areas. That kind of made me stick around when, maybe, other players got sent back down. And, again, its probably why Im here today." Canucks general manager Mike Gillis also likes his versatility, suggesting to reporters that Hansens ability to play on different lines factored prominently into the teams decision to re-sign him. New coach John Tortorella, who bills himself as a situational coach and is known for being highly demanding, also likes the different dimensions that Hansen can bring to a game. "From what I know of him, hes a utility guy in my eyes," said Tortorella. "I can put him in a lot of different spots. (He can) play up and down the lineup in a lot of different roles. I think he needs to understand a little bit how we play defence. But hes had a good (training) camp. "He impresses me. So I think (his new contract) is a good thing." Offering praise that was rarely heard on other players performances in the pre-season, Tortorella said Hansen played "very well." The coach also likes his ability to handle special-teams duties. Goaltender Roberto Luongo was glad to see the Canucks re-sign Hansen, an extremely popular figure in the dressing room who is known for being highly diligent to his duties in practice. "Im happy for him, hes a really hard-working guy and he deserves it," said Luongo. Knowing such a possibility was unlikely, Luongo also added with a wry grin and chuckle: "I just hope he doesnt start slacking." Meanwhile, the Canucks acquired winger Zac Dalpe and centre Jeremy Welsh from the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday in a trade for winger Kellan Tochkin and Vancouvers fourth-round pick in the 2014 draft. Dalpe, a 23-year-old Paris, Ont., native, split the 2012-13 season between the Hurricanes and Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. The six-foot-one and 195-pound Ohio State product recorded three points (1-2-3) in 10 games with Carolina last season and 42 points (21-21-42) and 12 penalty minutes in 54 games with Charlotte. He has played in 41 NHL games, registering 10 career points (5-5-10). Welsh, a 25-year-old Bayfield, Ont., native recorded one assist in five games with Carolina last season and has six NHL career games. The six-foot-three and 210 Union College alumnus generated 26 points (14-12-26) with Charlotte in 2012-13. Both Dalpe and Welsh were due to report to the Canucks on Sunday night. Nicklas Jensen, Vancouvers 29th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, was put on waivers. If he clears waivers hell join the AHLs Utica Comets. Anthony Sherman Super Bowl Jersey . In the late match, Shinji Okazaki scored two goals to pace Mainz to a 3-2 victory at Werder Bremen. Goals from Milan Badelj, Maximilian Beister and Hakan Calhanoglu ended Hamburgs two-match losing run and kept Hannover winless in seven games. LeSean McCoy Super Bowl Jersey . All of 46 seconds into the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 victory over Alex Ovechkins struggling Washington Capitals, Crosby assisted on Chris Kunitzs goal. http://www.thechiefsshoponline.com/Youth-Kendall-Fuller-Chiefs-Jersey/ . The move - the latest twist in Greeces nearly three-year financial freefall -- is the first such action by any of the countrys major sports bodies. It immediately halts all domestic track and field competitions, including track meets May 12-13 in several Greek cities.Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., continues his run in Melbourne tonight when he takes on Bulgarias Grigor Dimitrov in the third round of the Australian Open. You can watch it live tonight on TSN2, with coverage beginning at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. Raonic, seeded 11th, is into the third round for a fourth consecutive year after defeating Victor Hanescu of Romania 7-6 (9), 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday. He began his match in the evening after tournament officials had halted play on all courts except the covered ones due to a temperature of more than 43 C on the third day of a record heat wave. Hanescu had defeated Raonic in thhe first round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto in 2010 but lost their next meeting in Chennai at the start of 2012. Frank Clark Super Bowl Jersey. Raonic, 23, found himself in a fight early on with Hanescu as the pair each held onto serve in a set which eventually went into a tiebreak. The Canadian saved a Romanian set point but needed three of his own to earn the set after 56 minutes. In the second set, Raonic went up an early break and was in control when the weather moved in. He returned to take the set, stayed in command in the third and posted the victory in two hours, 19 minutes with 27 aces on his fourth match point. ' ' '