July 1, 2007
Avs sign free-agents Smyth, Hannan TheFourthPeriod.com
The Colorado Avalanche have won the Ryan Smyth sweepstakes, TFP has learned.
Four teams were heavily courting Smyth, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders, but Smyth decided to sign with Colorado.
Smyth, who was offered more money from the Habs, agreed to a five-year, $31.25 million contract with the Avalanche.
Earlier in the day, as TFP reported, the Avalanche signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Scott Hannan to a four-year contract.
Smyth, 31, played in 71 games this past season with the Edmonton Oilers and Islanders, registering 36 goals and 32 assists for 68 points.
In 788 career regular-season games, Smyth has accumulated 270 goals, 294 assists and 621 penalty minutes. The Banff, Alberta native was originally drafted sixth-overall by the Oilers in the 1994 HL Entry Draft.
Hannan, 28, will earn $18 million over the length of his new deal.
In 79 goals with the San Jose Sharks last season, Hannan tallied four goals, 20 assits and 38 penalty minutes.
Hannan has played in 508 career NHL games, all with San Jose, and has accumulated 25 goals, 102 assists and 329 penalty minutes.
The native of Richmond, BC, was originally drafted by the Sharks in the first-round (23rd overall) in 1997.
