One of the top power forwards in NHL history has called it a career as Brendan Shanahan today officially announced his retirement. 

This announcement has been expected for several weeks in the wake of the New Jersey Devils reaching an agreement with Shanahan releasing him from his contract with the club during pre-season. 

Shanahan retires with an impressive resume of statistics which will one day see him enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

As per the NHL press release:

Shanahan finishes his career in 11th place on the NHL’s all-time goal scoring list with 656 goals. He stands 11th in games played with 1,524, 22nd in penalty minutes with 2,489, 23rd in points with 1,354 and 49th in assists with 698. He is the only player in NHL history to amass more than 2,000

Much-traveled forward Dean McAmmond joined his tenth NHL team on November 6, signing a one-year, two-way contract (believed worth the league minimum of $500k at the NHL level) with the New Jersey Devils. 

McAmmond, 36, had been playing for the Devils AHL affiliate on a minor league tryout contract. He's being added as a short-term replacement for checking line center Rob Niedermayer, who is currently on injured reserve with an "upper body injury". 

In his previous stops over his 16 year NHL career McAmmond played for the Chicago Blackhawks (twice), Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames (twice), Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators and NY Islanders. 

His best season came in 2001-02 with the Flames, scoring 21 goals and 51 points in 71 games

With a blueline corp ravaged by injury the Montreal Canadiens bolstered their depth today, plucking defenseman Jay Leach off re-entry waivers from the New Jersey Devils. 

The Devils placed Leach, 30, on recall waivers hoping to shore up their own defense corps, which has lost regulars Paul Martin (broken arm) and Johnny Oduya (lower body injury). They'll likely have to call up someone else with Leach now gone. 

Leach played 24 games with the Devils last season, notching one assist and 21 PIMs. At 6-4 and 220 lbs he'll provided some valuable size to a Canadiens blueline which has lost Andrei Markov, Hal Gill and Ryan O'Byrne to injury in recent weeks and has another regular in Jaroslav Spacek hobbled by an undisclosed injury.

As he was claimed off re-entry waivers his NHL salary

- The St. Louis Blues this past week signed former Dallas Stars defenseman Darryl Sydor to a one-year, $1 million contract. 

Sydor, 37, attended Blues training camp on a tryout basis and is seen as an affordable replacement for Jay McKee, whom the Blues bought out of his contract this summer. 

His considerable playoff experience (he played in five Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup with Dallas and Tampa Bay) and leadership should make him a good addition to this young Blues team.

- The New Jersey Devils brought in some much-needed veteran depth at center last week, signing former Anaheim Duck Rob Niedermayer to a one-year contract worth $1 million. 

Niedermayer, 34, has considerable NHL experience especially in the post-season (playing on Cup finalists in Florida and