TORONTO — Accepting a salary cap was the last thing Bob Goodenow did as head of the NHL players' association.

One week after his union took a deal that included just about everything he had vowed to fight, Goodenow is out. He and the union reached a settlement on the two years left on his contract.

"I sat down with members of the executive committee and we talked about the future," Goodenow said yesterday. "The decision was made that it would be best if we made the transition now."

The new labor deal — which Goodenow admitted he was not thrilled with — ended a lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season.

Ted Saskin, the union's senior director of business affairs and licensing, succeeds Goodenow as executive director and general counsel.

League players overwhelmingly approved the labor contract last week. But many were unhappy that a full season was lost and the union ended up accepting a salary cap anyway.

"After talking to the players, and knowing what the setup was going to be for the next six years, it makes a lot of sense to make the change now," the 52-year-old Goodenow said.

Commissioner Gary Bettman vowed clubs would have "cost certainty" — a hard salary cap tied to league revenues — before the lockout began last September. Goodenow promised that he would never agree to either. But when the deal was signed, he was forced to accept both.

"I have always respected Bob's tenacity, passion and professionalism, and I wish him well in his future endeavors. We congratulate Ted and look forward to working with him," Bettman said in a statement.

Philadelphia forward Sami Kapanen said he thought the union's decision to agree to a salary cap contributed to Goodenow's departure.

• Forward Brendan Shanahan, 36, decided to stay with the Detroit Red Wings, exercising an option on the final year of his contract.

Shanahan will make about $2.3 million — after the 24 percent cut players agreed to take — during the upcoming season. He has career totals of 558 goals and 1,151 points.

Detroit offered captain Steve Yzerman a one-year contract and expects to know whether he will accept it by the end of the week.

• St. Louis has submitted qualifying offers for standout defenseman Chris Pronger and 11 other players.

Pronger, a restricted free agent, has until Aug. 15 to sign the team's offer of $7.2 million. Beginning Monday, he can sign an offer sheet with another team.

• Nashville signed veteran center Greg Johnson, the team's all-time leader in games played.

• The Colorado Avalanche retained the rights to forwards Milan Hejduk and Alex Tanguay.

• The Vancouver Canucks exercised contract options on defenseman Wade Brookbank, forward Lee Goren and goaltender Wade Flaherty.

The Canucks also signed 2003 draft picks Marc-Andre Bernier, Francois-Pierre Guenette and Nathan McIver.