NHL
Notebook: Canucks' Bertuzzi pleads not guilty

By Seattle Times news services

CHUCK STOODY / AP Lawyer Len Doust leads the way to court for his client, Vancouver Canuck Todd Bertuzzi, and Bertuzzi's wife, Julie.

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most read articles Most e-mailed articles

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Todd Bertuzzi of the Vancouver Canucks pleaded not guilty yesterday to an assault charge stemming from a hit on Steve Moore during a game that left the Colorado Avalanche forward with a broken neck.

Bertuzzi was charged with assault causing bodily harm on June 24 after punching Moore from behind and then crashing onto the ice on top of him during the March 8 game. Moore was left with a broken neck and concussion. Bertuzzi was suspended indefinitely by the NHL and missed 20 games.

The two sides return to court Wednesday to try to set a trial date. The trial will be by judge alone. The maximum penalty Bertuzzi faces is 18 months.

Avalanche spokesman Hayne Ellis said Moore is still undergoing rehabilitation.

League, union at odds

The NHL and its players' union concluded a two-day negotiating session in Ottawa yesterday but came away seemingly further apart than ever. The collective-bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15, and it appears a lockout will occur.

"It's clear that they're engaged in a charade," NHL executive vice president Bill Daly said. "They want to fill the time between now and Sept. 15, force a lockout and take their chances."

Union executive Ted Saskin called Daly's assertion "ludicrous," claiming that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants to use a lockout to force players "to agree to a system they would never negotiate across the table."

The union has put forth a system that includes a luxury tax, a salary rollback and revenue sharing. The NHL has proposed six concepts; but the NHLPA has rejected them all, saying each is predicated on a salary cap.

Another two-day meeting is scheduled for next week in Montreal.
 

Notes

• The Phoenix Coyotes signed center Petr Nedved for three years and traded center Daymond Langkow to the Calgary Flames for defenseman Denis Gauthier and left wing Oleg Saprykin. Nedved, 32, scored 19 goals and recorded 27 assists in 81 games last season with the New York Rangers and Edmonton Oilers.

• Toronto goaltender Ed Belfour had back surgery and is expected to make a complete recovery. Belfour, 39, played 59 games for Toronto last season. He was 34-19-6 with a 2.13 goals-against average and 10 shutouts.

• Goaltender Kevin Weekes signed with the New York Rangers, who expect him to compete for the No. 1 job with Mike Dunham. Weekes set career highs in appearances (66), wins (23), shutouts (six) and goals-against average (2.33) with the Carolina Hurricanes last season.

• Boston defenseman Hal Gill suffered a broken left foot during the United States' World Cup exhibition loss to Canada Wednesday night and will miss the upcoming tournament.

• Olli Jokinen and Ville Peltonen of the Florida Panthers scored twice to lead Finland to a 4-2 victory over Germany in a World Cup exhibition game yesterday in Helsinki, Finland.